Lizzie's eyes cracked open and she looked around, feeling an unfamiliar weight on her chest. Glancing down, she noticed it was Nari, curled up and sleeping peacefully with her thumb in her mouth. The sight brought a smile to her face. Gently shifting the sleeping orphan off her, she sat up and looked around the medbay. It was crowded, to say the least. Kasumi and James were sitting beside a bed containing an unconscious and restrained Jacob, speaking in low, worried tones. Commander Anderson was lying at the far end of the room, typing on his Omnitool with his torso swaddled in bandages. There were seven Marines in the room as well, injuries ranging from a minor cut or burn to one man with no less than fifteen broken bones, a punctured lung and third degree burns over almost half his skin.
She felt a hand slip into hers and looked down, seeing Nari looking up at her with wide eyes.
"Hey there. How are you feeling?"
"Hungry."
Lizzie's stomach chose that moment to voice its agreement.
"Me too. Shall we go find some food?"
"Yes please."
A harried looking nurse rushed over to her.
"Lieutenant Commander, where do you think you're going?"
"Get some food for me and the little one. Don't you have more important things to be doing?"
The nurse scurried off, muttering things about stubborn soldiers as James noticed she was up. He limped over to her, grinning.
"Bout time you got up, Lola."
She nodded at Jacob as she scooped Nari up.
"How is he?"
James sighed.
"Docs can't figure out how to get the thing off his arm. Shadow's taking it hard."
Lizzie nodded in understanding. It seemed the only person oblivious to Kasumi's crush was Jacob himself.
Tugging Nari by the hand, she exited the medbay and headed out into the mess hall, immediately making a beeline for the fridge. Kneeling down, she pulled it open and peered inside, talking to the little girl beside her as she rummaged.
"Now I usually save these for special occasions, but I think this counts, hmm?"
She looked at the collection of pre-packed sandwiches, picking out a chicken and bacon Caesar wrap for herself and a chilli chicken, chorizo and chipotle mayo sandwich for Nari. Although the needle like teeth of the Batarians often gave the impression they were a carnivorous species, they had a second row of wide flat grinding teeth behind their sharp tearing ones. They were a surprisingly easy species to feed - an average Batarian would eat anything levo, the spicier the better. She opened the sandwich pack, handing it to Nari, before standing and looking around.
She was surprised to see the five surviving Turians sitting at one of the long tables, mingling with the crew of the Victor. She led Nari over to the table, sliding onto the bench besides Garrus. Nari scrambled up to sit between them, munching happily on her sandwich and humming to herself.
"Hey you. What are you doing here?"
He inclined his forehead against hers and sighed.
"The Collectors took down the Talon. Lost with all hands."
She rested her hands on his shoulders.
"I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
He nodded, forehead still pressed against hers.
"Physically, yes."
He glanced down at Nari, then visibly cheered up and glanced at the sandwich packet the Batarian child was clutching.
"I see you've already started corrupting her."
Nari looked up quizzically at Garrus, who bent down and addressed her.
"Lizzie likes those sandwiches very much."
The girl enthusiastically bobbed her head, speaking around a mouthful of bread and chicken.
"It'sh tashty."
He lowered his voice conspiratorially.
"You know, one time I went on a week long camping trip with her and that was all she brought to eat? This enormous stack of Roethman's Own Handmade Sandwiches, breakfast, lunch and dinner for six days straight."
Lizzie punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"Hey. They're really good!"
"My sleeping bag still smells of pastrami."
"Well maybe you should have thought about that before letting me get ...", with an abrupt glance down at the innocent child sitting between them she abruptly redirected the sentence, "... into my, uh, pyjamas in the, um, same tent?"
Wryly chuckling, Garrus put his hand around Lizzie's shoulders as he returned his attention to the vid screen, which was tuned into Citadel News Network. The Salarian anchor was talking about the latest smashball scores, drawing a frown from Lizzie.
"You'd think they would be talking about the fact that one of our planets just got razed by an Omegan fairytale."
Before Garrus could reply the screen abruptly cut to CNN's ridiculously photogenic Asari chief anchor, Maena K'Taine. The usual wolf whistles that accompanied her appearance on any vid screen within eyeshot of males were surprisingly absent, the entire mess hall instantly silent.
"I'm Maena K'Taine, and welcome to CNN, with minute by minute updates on the developing Collector Crisis. Since the initial wave of attacks yesterday evening Presidium Standard time, reports of Collector activity have come in across the galaxy. This highly aggressive species seem to be launching raids against any locations known to have Prothean ruins as reports come in from throughout Council space, Earth Bloc space and even scattered reports of attacks on Prothean sites of interest throughout the Terminus Systems. An emergency war summit on the Citadel has been called by the Citadel Council, with confirmed attendance from all Council member and associate races, all Earth bloc nations including the Seu'Neue Parliament, the Independent Nation of Tuchanka and the Rannochian Federation. Attacks on the military superpowers of the Turian Hierarchy, the USA and the USSR have been met largely with failure on the part of the Collectors, and the Asari and Salarian Home Fleets have managed to stave off the attacks with heavy casualties, but the Council's associate races of the Hanar and Elcor are suffering at the hands of the attackers. More updates to come. We now go live to our Thessian correspondent, Mauria K'Taine."
The screen cut to the anchorwoman's sister, standing in an Asari building wearing a heavy coat and a grim expression, a cut oozing purple down her forehead.
"Thank you, Maena. Approximately one hour ago a single Collector ship broke through the Home Fleet blockade and came to a halt directly above the major population centre of Serrice. The Home Fleet can't fire on the vessel without killing thousands of civilians trapped in the two kilometre radius established beneath the vessel, centred on the Temple of Athame. Within this exclusion zone the Collectors have deployed millions of insectoid probes that seek out organic life forms and freeze them in stasis fields. It's a stand off. If the Collectors leave their position High Command won't attack them but if they try to leave the planet they will be destroyed. More updates to come."
The camera cut back to the news studio.
"Thank you, Mauria."
Someone switched the channel to Earth News24, much to general disgruntlement. However the feeling quickly faded as the Raachok military anchor started speaking in his deep voice.
"The Mars incursion was successfully repelled by Soviet and American forces working in tandem. The Collectors lost all three cruisers sent on the raid but the SSV Pachyenkev and the USS Micah Samuels were both lost with all hands. In Earth bloc space the attacks were largely limited, we believe they were suicide runs designed to keep our forces occupied and stop the Earth bloc from aiding other parties attacked by the Collectors. Similarly the major offensive in Turian space was repulsed but with heavy casualties ..."
The reporter's voice was soon drowned out by conversation filling the room. Saren and Captain Mikhailovich approached the table.
"Lieutenant-Commander. May we speak with you and Nari privately?"
Confused, she picked up Nari, who was still gnawing at her sandwich, and followed the two of them into the captain's quarters. She was surprised to see Commander Anderson waiting in the cabin.
"Sirs?"
"Exactly what happened with the beacon?"
She dropped her gaze and sighed, waving one hand around as if grasping for words.
"Honestly I'm not sure. Lieutenant Alenko was getting pulled towards the beacon, some sort of mass effect field I assume. I ran at him, used my biotics to get him clear and the beacon latched onto me instead. It ... uploaded a bunch of stuff into my head. I blacked out and the next thing I remember was waking up with this little monster on top of me. It's all jumbled and I can't really make much sense of it, but I do remember one or two things."
The men waited patiently while she screwed up her face in concentration.
"There was a lot of hard data. Schematics for something but they're incomplete, a whole lot of information on the Collectors and something else as well, but it's not clear. It looked like a space battle of some sort. War, destruction, death. That's about it."
The three men nodded solemnly as Nari tugged on Lizzie's sleeve.
"Collectors are very old."
She frowned down at Nari.
"What makes you say that?"
She gave Lizzie a look that said 'are you really that dumb?'
"Protheans gone a long time?"
She nodded.
"Yeah. Fifty thousand years."
"So how do Protheans know about Collectors?"
There was silence for a moment as that sunk in.
"She's got a point."
Mikhailovich nodded.
"We ran a background check on your little friend. Turns out her full name is Narimaran Kol'Teqli. She's got an IQ of 203, a child prodigy."
Saren took one knee, bringing his head level with Nari's.
"Williams said you mentioned somebody giving instructions to the Collectors? A 'blue lady'?"
She nodded, wide eyes watching the Spectre.
"Can you remember anything about the blue lady?"
After a moment's hesitation, she fished a paper sketchpad out of the small backpack she had been carrying everywhere.
"I drew a picture."
Having expected stick figures, Lizzie was astounded when Nari opened the pad to show a pencil sketch so lifelike she half expected it to jump out of the page.
"Oh wow! That's a beautiful drawing!"
The subject of the drawing, not so much. The Asari depicted was wearing a set of armour that looked like it had been made from the same material as a Collector exoskeleton, a Collector assault rifle dangling loosely from her right hand as an Omnitool glowed on her left. She looked down at the Omnitool with an expression that was equal parts malice, rage and sorrow, her mouth open as if caught mid-sentence. She appeared quite mature, her features resembling a middle aged Human woman. Nari smiled shyly at the assembled group.
"I didn't have any colouring pencils. Did I help?"
Saren's mandibles fluttered but the rest of his face stayed guarded, making it impossible for Lizzie to gauge his emotional state. Anderson looked at it with heavy rage in his eyes while Mikhailovich regarded it with cool appraisal, such as is usually directed towards an opponent at the beginning of a game of chess.
"Can you remember anything she said?"
Nari pointed to the right side of the page, which was adorned with a column of hard, angular Batarian characters.
"I wrote it down."
She tapped a fingernail at the bottom of the column of text and started reading, tracing her finger up the page as she did.
"My patience is tested."
"The beacon's defenders are almost overwhelmed. Give me more time."
"The plan has moved on."
"No! Dammit, Nazara, you promised me you'd spare Thessia!"
"Your failure makes it necessary. I have promised you one thing only. Your daughter."
"You'd better find my Liara, you bastard."
"Finding her consumes resources that are better used elsewhere. You are useful. Do not fail me again."
"Dammit! You! I want a Scion squad at the beacon site now! The rest of you, form a perimeter and gather the Husks."
"I AM ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL!"
"Nazara, what are you doing!"
"I will direct this personally. Your skills are required on Feros."
Nari blinked and looked up again.
"That's all I remember."
There was a period of stunned silence, eventually broken by Mikhailovich.
"Sounds like little Nari here has an eidetic memory."
Lizzie frowned.
"I thought only Drell had those?"
Saren shook his head.
"It's rare in other species but not unheard of."
His voice trailed off as Nari yawned cavernously, rubbing her eyes. She tugged at the hem of Lizzie's shirt.
"Lizzie, 'm sleepy."
She glanced at her Omnitool.
"It's getting late. Bedtime, I think. She can bunk in my cabin. By your leave, sirs?"
Anderson and Mikhailovich returned her salute, nodding at her and sending her on her way with a curt 'dismissed'. Lizzie picked up the yawning Nari and carried her through to the officer's cabins, entering the third one on the left. With Garrus and Nari both bunking with her it was going to be cozy in the already small cabin, but Lizzie's maternal instinct demanded she keep an eye on Nari. Setting the Batarian girl down on the bunk, she pulled the sheet up around her.
"Don't I need to wash before bed?"
Smiling, Lizzie stroked the top of Nari's head, feeling the little puffs of air out of each nostril as she sighed contentedly.
"On spaceships everyone washes in the morning."
"Kay. Night night."
"Night night, Nari."
She turned the lights out and left the room.
###
In the middle of the night, Lizzie woke up. She and Garrus were curled up together on the floor of Lizzie's cabin, a couple of spare mattresses, sheets and pillows forming their impromptu bed. Looking around, she saw a small figure peeping over the edge of her bunk.
"Hey Nari. What's the matter?"
"I had a bad dream." Her voice sounded impossibly small.
"It's okay sweetie. It's only a dream."
After hesitating a moment, Nari hopped off the bunk and lay down, snuggling into Lizzie.
"Night night."
Lizzie felt a goofy smile spread across her face as she slipped back into sleep.
###
When Garrus awoke in the morning, he saw Lizzie sitting on the bunk with her little Batarian adoptee beside her.
"It's a nozzle in the ceiling that sprinkles water on your head like rain."
"Doesn't the water get in your nostrils?"
"No. On humans like me our nostrils are here, on our noses."
"But there's only two!"
"Yeah. Humans only have two nostrils."
"I always thought the rest was hidden under those strings you stick to your heads."
Garrus still pretended to be asleep, enjoying the conversation.
"So how do Batarians wash then?"
"We use a sponge. I have one in my bag."
"Okay then. Do you need help, or do you do it on your own?"
The little girl's face twisted into a rictus of horror.
"Help? Batarian ladies always wash alone."
She leaned conspiratorially in to Lizzie and nodded sagely.
"Washing together promotes immorality."
"So what do you need, a bucket of water or something?"
She pointed at the sink.
"Just that."
"Okay then. I'll give you some privacy then. It's that button to lock and unlock the door."
"Okay. What about him?"
"Hmm? Oh, he can stay there."
"But ..."
"I'm joking. I'll kick him out. When you're done, come to the mess hall for breakfast."
Garrus scrambled to his feet and followed Lizzie out of the room, watching her as she made her way, towel under arm, to the female communal showers. He called after her.
"Remember, washing together promotes immorality."
She snorted and gave him the finger as he headed into the mess hall.
Twenty minutes later, Nari emerged from the room clad in a very small US Navy uniform that had been scrounged from somewhere. She had no idea why the vessel had a stock of uniforms that fit five year old girls, but who was she to question providence? Most of the female crew were sitting around in bathrobes with wet hair, chatting and sipping coffee. Although not standard issue, any female US Navy servicewoman or officer would agree that a bathrobe was an essential piece of equipment. Lizzie was picking at a scrambled egg and smoked salmon MRE, generally regarded as one of the least unpleasant ration packs. Hers was a double portion for biotics. She had another one waiting for Nari, this one with a generous dash of hot sauce mixed in with the eggs.
The little Batarian clambered up onto the bench beside Lizzie and peered at the open but untouched MRE, a question evident in her expression.
"Yes, it's for you. Tuck in."
She pulled the MRE towards herself, digging in with her spoon. Across the table, Ash smiled over her coffee mug, speaking in English so Nari couldn't understand.
"You're making a great mom, Lizzie."
"This isn't permanent. I'm just taking care of her until we can find her legal guardian."
Ash shook her head.
"You know as well as I do that letting her go won't be easy. Besides, Anderson checked her up. Her mom was her last living relative."
Lizzie fell silent, mulling over what Ash had just told her. It was true she had become strongly attached to the adorable little thing. She had a sneaking suspicion Ash was correct.
###
Nari pressed her face to the glass of the observation deck, oohing and aahing in amazement. She had never been to the Citadel before. Seeing so many ships all together was amazing, the most spectacular sight she had seen in all her five years of life.
She peered at each ship in turn, committing every single one to her perfect memory the way Dadda and Uncle Vree had taught her back home. Asari cruiser, Elcor freighter, Salarian dreadnought. She could remember dressing up back home and going out on picnics with Momma and Dadda, and sometimes Uncle Vree too. Dadda had always told her to watch the spaceport which she could see clearly from their picnic spot and remember every ship, when it landed or took off. When they went back home she would write them all down on Dadda's Omnitool and he would buy her another Chathis card if she did well.
She also remembered the last night she saw Dadda. How could she not? Dadda and some of the slaves had guns, and outside there were some policemen shouting through one of those loud cones. Dadda had told her to go with Momma into the secret tunnel and be good. She went with Momma and behind her she heard Dadda shooting his gun, but then Momma closed the secret tunnel.
They had hidden on a big ship, then snuck onto another ship that took them to a different planet. They had stayed on the new planet for a long time. Nari had liked the new planet. Nobody was slaves on the new planet, and the policemen were nice and not scary like the old planet, but she missed Dadda and Uncle Vree. Sometimes when she was sad she would go to the hill next to the spaceport on the new planet and remember all the spaceships. The new planet had lots more spaceships, not just the square Batarian ones. There were USA and Russian and Raachok and Turian and Volus ones too. She learned them all.
Then some Humans came to see Momma one day. Momma had made grown up drinks and talked to the Humans in the kitchen while she played with her Chathis cards in the living room. Then Momma came in after the Humans left and said that she had a new job with the Humans, to help people who told the nice Batarians what the mean Batarians were doing so the nice Batarians could stop them. She said she would be working in a room with lots of computers and gadgets and she would get lots of money, but they needed to move to a different planet.
Nari had been sad because she had friends on the planet but Momma's job sounded cool and important so she didn't make a fuss. They went on another spaceship but this time they sat in the seats instead of hiding with the bags. There was a nice Human lady on the spaceship who gave them drinks and pulled funny faces to make Nari laugh.
When they got to the new planet Momma went to her new job and had lots of money, but Nari was sad because she missed her friends and all the children at the new school said mean things to her. Then the beetles came and took her Momma away. Nari was very sad but Lizzie took care of her and so she wasn't lonely anymore.
Right now, Lizzie was standing next to her talking to her Turian friend. At first Nari had been scared of the Turian but he had been nice to her while Lizzie was asleep in the hospital so she liked him.
Off to her left, Lizzie and Garrus were talking about the view of the Citadel.
"I reckon it would be more sensible to hold this summit on Arcturus Station."
"Really? The Citadel's the most central location in the galaxy."
"Yeah, but Arcturus Station was built as the united military headquarters during the Seu'Seun war. The thing's got enough weapon emplacements and shield generators to singlehandedly trash an entire Seu'Seun armada, and it's military. The Citadel's too open to be an effective military HQ."
"If you close up the arms the Citadel's practically impervious to dreadnought cannon fire, and it has its own standing army."
Lizzie looked out of the window. She had spent most of her childhood on starships with her mother or in their US Navy issue apartment in Vancouver overlooking the space elevator, but for her, home was Arcturus Station, where the ships she was growing up on came in to dock. She could remember playing Marines and Slavers in a hangar bay with the other Navy brats, using fighters and repair stations as cover as the heroic Marines once again defeated the evil slavers. Nevertheless, she had to admit the Citadel was impressive, in the same way that any Prothean ruin was. A testament to a long dead people and their engineering prowess. Sometimes she found the pride with which Council races held their stronghold vaguely irritating. They didn't build the damn thing. It was like finding a painting in a warehouse, pinning it to your wall and saying 'Look what I did' to all your friends about it.
The intercom crackled with Flight Lieutenant Halling's deep South African accent.
"Attention all hands, we are now docking at the Citadel. The following individuals to report to the CIC: Anderson, Shepard, Williams, Alenko, Arterius, Vakarian, Sidarin, Vorolan, Coltonus, Kol'Teqli. All other hands at liberty."
Nari looked up at Lizzie.
"That's me."
She nodded.
"And me too. Come on then. We've got a meeting to attend."