Chapter 21: Duty

Palaven

Palaven, the turian homeworld, a proud planet that's an important part of Council space. For fifteen thousand years, it had stood at the forefront of important events that had threatened to ruin the turian people. First was the unification wars, a bitter civil war between Palaven and the colonies that almost divided their own people. Then there was the Krogan Rebellions, where enemy threatened to raze the planet with fusion torch-powered asteroids. And last was the Relay 314 that threatened full blown war between the turians and the newly discovered species humanity. Throughout all of this, the turian people had endured to become the peacekeepers of the council races…however out there in dark space was an enemy that dwarfed all that they've been through. An enemy whose only objective was the complete and utter destruction of not just the turian species, but all species in the galaxy.

"Heh, no pressure…" Garrus said dryly looking up at the sky.

Garrus' shuttle finally landed on Palaven, it had been a long time since he seen his homeworld. Back in those days, he just a youngling trying to prove himself to his father, not that he could since nothing could impress him. He opened his omni-tool to call his younger sister, Solana, but all he had gotten was static. The turian sighed. "Still not answering…"

He wasn't looking forward to facing his father, but with his mother on her dead bed he had no choice, he didn't want his father to stop him from saying good-bye. He called a shuttle, and went to the hospital in Cipritine, the capital of Palaven. Cipritine was the shining jewel of the planet, it was home to the Cipritine Hierarchy Military Academy, one of the top schools in the Hierarchy, only the best of the best graduated from that Academy. Garrus graduated with top honors from the school, though it was to be expected, the Academy was something of a family tradition on Palaven it was not uncommon for whole family lines to graduate from a military academy.

He then looked out the window, and saw the families out for a day together, he saw the little younglings running around the parks laughing and playing soldier. Although they were considered the galaxy's protectors and enforcers of the law, not a lot of people know how the turians were like on their off days…the other species thought of them as pure military, but in truth we were no different from the other races. The shuttle stopped in front of Zohan Memorial, where he got out...Garrus sighed, he really wasn't looking forward to this.

"Garrus?"

Garrus looked to his side and saw a female wearing the same blue marking as him, his sister, Solana Valkarian. She was wearing a blue and red dress the asari usually wore, though it didn't look right on her, it was too demure for someone as fiery as Solana. The woman came over and before he could get his words out, Solana punched him in the face hard. Garrus rubbed his cheek, after all these years she could still punch.

"Solana"

"Two years…two years and you dare show your face?" Garrus looked away, two years ago when he was on Omega, he cut all contact with his family. The people he fought was dangerous, and had connections, it they had found out who he was they would go after them; he thought he was protecting them but had hurt them. Solana looked at him with hard eyes.

"I'm sorry…"Garrus said. "I had my reasons for leaving…."

"Save it, I don't want to hear excuses" Solana said. "So what do you want?"

"I just want to see mom…" Garrus said. "Before it's too late…"

"Mom was worried sick about you, worried that you were in trouble" She said. "Even after what you put her through, she still cared about you!"Garrus was silent, his mother was a kind soul always had been, even when she was confined to bed at times she was always looking out for her family. "I should not even let you see her, but seeing you would make her happy before the end…so let's go, I guess…"

Garrus nodded and followed Solana into the hospital, the smell of antiseptics filled the air, and the hospital was busy with citizens going in for check-ups. As they took the elevator up, the amount of people in for a check-up decreased and the more terminally ill appeared, it just reminded Garrus no matter how strong his people were, they died just like everyone else.

"How's mom?" Garrus asked.

Solana sighed. "The doctors are trying their best to keep heart clear, but its hard…" she said. "Mom was in a lot of pain, when the arteries in her arm were blocked, she had to go into surgery"

"What about the salarians? They're geniuses with kind of stuff" he said.

The female turian scoffed. "Dad tried that…when he heard that the salarians had a drug similar to what mom had taken, he went to buy it from them" She said. "The slimy bastards wanted double the price of her old meds, we couldn't even afford getting her a room here…if it wasn't for Dad's connections…" She tried to calm herself down. "Anyway Dad's with her, trying to make her comfortable"

"I see" They made it to the floor their mother was on, it was the ICU, the sounds of other turians in pain filled the air. Garrus tried to ignore it, but it was hard when he knew his own mother was in the same room. They went the room, three doors down and went in there he saw his mother on her bed with machines hooked up to her, trying to keep alive. It was hard to see, near her bed side was his father Kazen Valkarian holding her hand, being ever so tender to her for as long as he knew the man he never seen him so gentle and vulnerable. "Dad…"

Kazen looked up at him, and the younger turian flinched, even after all these years Garrus was still felt small under his gaze like he was judging him. But as Garrus looked at him, he looked tired; he hadn't been sleeping as well as he had been. Kazen got up and went to Garrus, the younger turian fully expected him to lecture him and call him a disappointment but instead he hugged him.

"It's good to see you, son…"

Garrus was speechless, his father was always a hard man, showing emotion was just not something he did it showed weakness. The younger turian hesitantly wrapped his arms around his father, this was so awkward to him, and his father sensing discomfort released him. He places his hand on his shoulder. "Welcome home, your mother's been asking for you awhile…." He looked back at his wife. "Yazma, Garrus is back…"

Garrus' mother looked at her son, and gave a weak smile. "Gari..." It's been long time since he heard that nickname, he used to be embarrassed when she called him that in public when he was child, but now he welcomed it as he would never hear her call him that anymore. Garrus took a seat at her side, and she placed her hand on his face. "I'm so glad to see you again, Gari"

Garrus looked away, she was glad to see her even after the pain she put her through. "Mom…I'm so…" Yazma gripped his hand and shook her head.

"You don't have to explain, son, I know you…" She said. "I'm just glad; my whole family is with me…." Yazma eyes closed, and Kazen placed his hand on Garrus' shoulder.

"She's tired, let's give time to rest" Garrus nodded and they walked out of the room, Solana stayed in the room with their mother to give them time to talk. Garrus was alone with his father, although it was not the time; he still had to warn his father about the Reapers. Before he could talk, Kazen spoke up. "So how is that human doing?"

"Boss? He's doing fine"

Kazen chuckled softly. "Boss, huh? I take it he's a person worth following…"

"Yeah, he's quite unusual for a spectre…he tries his best to follow the rules, but he'll bend him if it will save a life" Garrus said. "I think you would like him, once you get to know him…" Garrus went silent as his father nodded. "Dad, about me leaving, I hope you know that it wasn't an easy choice...I'm just sorry I made you guys worry"

"It's funny you should say that, when you left, I was very close to disowning you" he said. "But your mother reminded me of my youth…did you know when I was your age, I was kind of like you?" Garrus looked at him surprised; he didn't know that, the younger turian always thought he was the stickler for the rules. "I couldn't stand injustice, it didn't matter if they were human, asari or otherwise and so I took shortcuts…bent the rules so I could save a life but one day, my rash actions almost gotten someone killed"

"I may not have agreed how you've done things, but I understand the pressure of wanting to save a life" Kazen, placed his hand on his son's shoulder, the look on his face was almost welcoming. "Son, I'm glad you followed your own path, and I'm proud that you became a man of honor on your own" He started to walk into his wife's room.

"Thank you, father…"

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