The seasons changed swiftly, winter fading into a quick spring and nearly three weeks of monsoon like rains. The forest burst into leaf and Kaidan and Catherine took part in the mad dash to get the gardens planted, which this year included a large patch of grain and grasses. They hoped it would provide enough of a harvest to make flour and therefore bread.
The batarians threw themselves into work around the camp with intense enthusiasm, wishing to prove their worth and usefulness. Convincing them that they had freewill and could contribute in whatever ways they were able was impossible. They were in constant need of instruction and direction. Kaidan and EDI took to making lists for them each day. The batarians did the work on their lists without complaint and checked the items off with pride. Soon, each of the women found their niches and, though they still sought guidance, they didn't insist on working themselves to the bone from morning to night. They finally realized they would be accepted no matter what.
The stone houses which had stood empty for months were cleaned out and refurnished to make room for the new additions to the settlement. Plans for expansions to existing homes were made, though it was decided that continuing to build entirely out of stone would not be practical, so work began on construction of a sawmill.
The folivora herd, or vora as they had taken to calling them, remained close, never more than a few kilometres away, and Liara was happy to discover that the beasts naturally shed their heavy coats as the days grew warmer. Teams were sent out each day to collect the great clumps of hair they left snagged in branches and on the trunks of trees where the vora scratched their flanks and backs. Fabric was produced in mass quantities and clothing was made for all the growing children.
For those hastily growing children an enclosure was built near the hall, and Joker shifted his woodworking skills from furniture to toys, creating everything from swings to rocking horses.
Lola was walking on her own and was becoming menace. The children born in early winter were crawling, and the twins were quickly following. Those who had witnessed children grow before felt like they were developing at abnormal speeds and everyone had to constantly remind themselves that two months was now equal to three.
The new fathers formed a dads only group that met every other day and Kaidan looked forward to it always. He alternated which of the twins he took with him, leaving Catherine to care for the other. Jane never seemed to sleep for more than half an hour at a time during the day and was always gabling to herself. Everett was much quieter, more serious. He gazed at the world around him with silent intensity, taking it all in. Kaidan could feel his questing mind seeking to understand all he surveyed.
As Lola truly began to find her tongue, Liara and EDI began to work on educational programs, hoping that all the children could be raised knowing a variety of languages. On the lesson plans were several Earth based languages that other members of the crew spoke; English, French, Spanish, Italian and Gaelic. Unfortunately, the turian language could only be spoken by those with the right vocal cords and so could not be taught, but the quarian batarian languages, and the most prominent asari dialects, went on the list as well.
Kaidan thought these were lofty goals, trying to teach the children eight languages, but he also knew they children absorbed information quickly and this would be the best time for them to learn. They all hoped to preserve as much as possible through future generations.
The second anniversary of the crash came around, and though they still called it a wake, the atmosphere was much different, more jubilant. Several more pregnancies were announced and Kaidan officiated two more marriages.
Once again they made toasts to those they had lost and called out the things they missed, thought that list had grown shorter and was now followed by a list of things they were grateful for. That early summer day was likely going to become the new Thanksgiving.
Little fuel remained in the shuttle and what was there was beginning to break down and degrade. They decided that they might as well use it up while it lasted and over the course of the summer several trip were made to and from the ocean, gathering up everything they could along the way. Large trees were cut down and air lifted back to the camp. The last exploratory expeditions were made, including one that lead them to the marooned batarian ship.
Much of the hull was rusted and beyond repair or use, but many of the components were still useful and they found a treasure trove of electronics within, including a full and expansive kitchen suite that was easily removed and brought back to the hall. There had also been a stash of high tech medical equipment and medigel that caused Karin to almost cry with joy when she saw it all.
The end of summer brought in massive harvests that had the entire camp busy for days, digging, hauling, cleaning and storing. Catherine and Kaidan oversaw everything done in the gardens, working all day with the twins in carriers on their backs.
They were nearly eight months old by then and were growing more interesting by the day as they learned the basics of communicating, if only through gestures and indecipherable sounds.
Kaidan found that the more they were able to communicate vocally, the less he was able to hear them mentally, though the connection was still strong, particularly on an emotional level. However, the semi-telepathic connection also remained a source of some concern.
Although Kaidan's body had healed well and fully in a short time, his mind didn't always feel entirely his own. Though there was never another episode like the one he experienced during his stay in the hospital, he often found himself in similar situations.
More than once he awoke in the night unable to move and speak, but feeling as if he was still dreaming. He could still see his surroundings, but superimposed over them were images he couldn't quite make out. Discussions with Catherine the following day revealed them to be dreams that she was having, often involving him or the children.
Other times, while working in the garden, or even in the middle of a conversation, he would go blank as a surge of emotion from Catherine washed through him.
He began to take instruction from Liara on how to put up walls around his mind, and employ filters to limit what Catherine could send to him. She meanwhile also took lessons on how to control what went on in her own mind and what she projected to her husband and children.
Liara's working theory was that while Kaidan was injured, Catherine's psyche had essentially absorbed his for a time due to their inexperience with psychic connections. The roots that had taken hold during that time were still firmly in place and Liara saw no way to sever the connection, and so they sought to control it. It grew easier with time, and as winter approached they had reached an equilibrium that suited them both.
On the day of the first brief snowfall, Cortez announced that the shuttle had finally run out of fuel and would never fly again. They grounded it for the last time next to the hall and took what they could from it, leaving the frame as a playhouse to be used by the children when they were old enough.
That night Kaidan lay on his stomach beside Catherine on their bed while Jane and Everett played on the woven mat on the floor. Kaidan had carved wooden blocks for them and Everett spent hours piling them up only to have Jane knock them down in fit of laugher and joyous shrieks. Everett never fussed, he just resolutely piled them back up into his little towers.
They were now a year old by Earth months and were both on the brink of walking independently. Jane had surprised everyone by declaring her first word at dinner one night. Strangely it had been 'duck', which no one could explain as there was no logical reason for her to know it. She now said it often, though she clearly didn't know what it meant.
That night she held up one of her blocks to Kaidan and shouted 'Duck!', waving it in his face, her big, brown eyes sparkling.
"No, sweetheart," he said, smiling back at her. "That's a block. Block."
She stared back at him, a look of concentration on her face, and the decided it wasn't worth the trouble and turned away, stuffing a corner of the block in her mouth to gnaw on.
"What do you think Everett's first word will be?" Catherine asked, reaching down to stroke the little boy's head.
"Word?" Kaidan said. "It won't be a word. It'll be a whole sentence. That boy's going to wait until he can do it perfectly before he says anything."
Catherine chortled, her whole body shaking gently. "You're probably right. He's so serious. Do you ever wish he'd smile more?"
"Never," Kaidan said without a thought. "It makes the times he does smile that much more special."
As if he understood every word they were saying, Everett chose that moment to look up at them give them a brilliant beam, his tiny, white teeth framed between his perfect pink lips.
Catherine gave a little cheer and rolled off the bed, catching the boy up in her arm and cuddling him close. He laughed with glee as she lifted his shift and blew a raspberry on his round belly.
Feeling left out, Jane stood on wobbly legs and reached out to Kaidan who lifted her easily onto the bed where she climbed on his back and drummed playfully on the back of his head.
Catherine was sat against the bed with Everett in her lap facing her.
"What do you think, my little sunshine?" she said to him conspiratorially. "Do you think we should tell papa our secret?"
"Hear that, Janey?" Kaidan said, rolling over as the girl slid off his back. "Your mama's got a secret."
He'd grown much more skilled with his biotics over the course of the summer and now he caught Jane in a lift and let her hover in the air just above him. She giggled and squirmed, her own biotics flaring blue around her in a halo, though she couldn't use them yet.
"I really do have a secret, Kaidan," Catherine said softly.
Kaidan lowered Jane into his hands and set her back on the floor with her blocks. Everett scrambled away from his mother and joined his sister. Catherine stood, straightened her shirt and fell back onto the bed on her stomach beside Kaidan.
She gave a great sigh and rested her chin on her folded arms and peered over at Kaidan with a coy little smile.
"Are you going to share this secret, Kitten," Kaidan asked, trying to mask the anticipation he felt. He could feel her excitement, thought outwardly she hid it well.
"How would you feel about making our family five instead of four?"
"Ready for another ankle biter already?" Kaidan said with a raised brow.
"Did you ever play hide and seek as a kid?" she asked.
Kaidan shrugged. "Who didn't?"
"When you were the seeker, what when you finished the countrdown?"
Kaidan thought for a moment and had to actually count down from five in his head before the phrase came back to him.
"Ready or not, here I... come." His words slowed as she realized what he was saying. "You're not," he whispered.
Catherine nodded vigorously, unable to contain her grin now. "Only about three months. Had Karin do a blood test this morning. I was going to wait and tell you on the anniversary of our hand fastening, but I just could help myself. It's only a few days away anyway."
Kaidan moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her warmly. He rolled her over onto her back and rested his hand on her abdomen and looked down into her glowing eyes.
"This is incredible, Cat," Kaidan said breathlessly. "We're definitely going to need more space now."
The construction over the summer had already changed their living space considerably. What had been their front door now opened to a common area they shared with James and Morgan, Tali and Garrus, and Liara. Moves had been made to bring people together in configurations that worked. Ken and Gabby shared the next space of four combined homes with Cortez and Avery and two other couples.
Families with children shared the largest homes down the centre, the path having been built over, while the outside home were reserved for groups of childless couples and singles. The new common spaces were built of logs on fieldstone foundations with massive hearths in the centre as a source of heat during the winters.
Smaller rooms were added on the sides as future bedrooms, but as yet none of the children were old enough to have their own spaces and were still sharing their parents bedrooms.
Learning to live in so rustic a way had taken some getting used to. Everyone had had to learn how to build fires and bank them for the night. How to keep sparks and smoke to a minimum as the roofs were now made of thatch rather than mental. The stone floor had to be swept constantly and there was always dust on everything, but their sense of community had grown even stronger and the work load never seemed terribly great.
"By the time she arrives Jane and Everett will be old enough to move into their own room," Catherine said. "And we know they aren't going to want separate rooms, at least not until they're older. Tali and Garrus won't be having kids, and I don't see Liara having another for a long time. James and Morgan, however, are going to give us a run for our money."
"It might become just us and them in here," Kaidan laughed. "Are we ready for another?" He asked more soberly.
Catherine laughed, throwing her head back so her hair fell over the end of the bed, where Everett began idly playing with it.
"Ready or not," she said. "But, yes, we are ready for this. You are a wonderful father and I'm learning to be a good mother."
Kaidan put a finger to her lips and silenced her. "You are the best mother here. You are calm and patient and have the best imagination."
A commotion in the common area drew their attention and Kaidan got up to see what it was. Jane crawled after him and when he stopped she grabbed his pants leg and pulled herself up to stand beside him.
Joker was at their front door talking animatedly to James. Kaidan reached down and plucked Jane off the floor and went over to them.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"I have no idea, but EDI thinks it could be bad." Joker looked serious, an expression they rarely saw on him. "You've gotta come see this."
Kaidan pulled on his coat and boots and wrapped a blanket around Jane. It was not yet fully dark, but the remaining light was strange, not at all like a normal sunset. He and James followed Joker up the hill behind the hall where EDI and Kenneth were already waiting.
They were looking west and when Kaidan turned his gaze in that direction no explanation was needed. He saw it right away.
"What is that?" he asked fearfully.
"We have no idea," Joker said.
"It looks like a wildfire," James said.
"There is no smoke," EDI observed.
The horizon was a smear of brilliant crimson fading into inky blackness above. The moons had not risen and yet no stars were visible in the sky above.
"It's already fading," Kaidan said, noticing the light begin to dim.
"Holy shit," James said under his breath.
Kaidan turned to remind him of Jane's presence and stopped when he saw what the big man was looking at.
The sky to the north was a wash of rippling curtains of light. Deep purples and electric greens danced and waved through the atmosphere, disappearing one place only to explode into existence again in another.
"Aurora borealis," Kaidan said with wonder. "I haven't seen them since I was a kid on Earth."
"We should tell the others," Kenneth whispered, but made no move to leave.
Even Jane's easily distractible eyes were fixed on the display of light above them. Kaidan focused at Catherine and when he felt the tickle of a response from her he willed her to join them.
Ten minutes later she appeared carrying Everett and followed by Morgan and Lola and several others. Nobody said a word as they gaze up and more and more people joined them. Soon, nearly everyone was outside, either at the top of the hill or just below, watching the spectacle.
An hour later, with one last frenetic burst of colour the light disappeared, leaving the sky a blank canvas that slowly became speckles with pinpricks of white as the stars returned.
EDI was the first to notice that the red glow had completely gone as well.
"The good news is that it wasn't a fire," she said with obvious relief.
"Too bad the shuttle just crapped out on us," Kenneth said with a frown. "Sort of bugs me not being able to take a quick trip up to find out what we're dealing with."
"What wasn't a fire?" Morgan asked.
"There was this freaky red glow in the west," James told her. "We thought it might be a forest fire."
Liara joined them, holding Tessa in her arms, and said, "The horizon was red last night as well. I thought it was just part of the sunset. You think it could be something else?"
"It could be that our sun has produced a particularly strong solar flare, or even a coronal mass ejection," EDI hypothesized. "It's difficult to say without the proper equipment to measure solar output.
"Our solar panels have been producing more energy the past few days," Tali added. "But we did just clean them in preparation for winter."
"I will have to consult with my core to determine if the power fluctuations have been beyond the normal range," EDI said, looking up at the sky again, her visor dimming to allow in more starlight.
"Is all our equipment safe?" Catherine asked with concern. "I know most modern electronics are shielded against solar flares, but we're not exactly using everything as it was meant to be used."
Kaidan had no idea what would happen if they were hit with an electromagnetic flare. Such a worry was a thing of another age, but Catherine had a good point. If their jury rigged equipment failed, they would be thrown back into the dark ages. Despite their ingenuity and many new discoveries, they still relied heavily on their more modern technology.
"I wouldn't worry too much about it, Cat," Tali said quickly, reassuring everyone. "Most things are still well insulated, and those that aren't are easily repaired."
Kaidan felt relief in himself and in Catherine.
"Makes you think about the future though doesn't it," Morgan said, looking at her daughter' face, surrounded by a ruff of fur on her hood. "We are going to have to make sure our children can fend for themselves. We can't let them rely on technology that may not be around for very long."
It was a salient point and Kaidan nodded his agreement. "It's a little overwhelming thinking of all the things they are going to have to learn. Building seems so easy to us now, but think about when Javik's particle gun stops working, or when the metal equipment wears out. They're going to have to learn how to make strong, durable tools."
"And to make those," Kenneth said. "They're going to have to find and process raw minerals. We don't even know if there are any in the area."
"EDI was the Normandy still equip to scan for minerals, like we did when we were fighting the Collectors?" Joker asked suddenly.
"The programming is still in my core, but I'm not sure the hardware still functions," she said, her head tilted to the side as she tried to follow Joker's train of thought. "An interesting idea, Jeff." She said at last. "Let's all go down to the hall and discuss this."
The night had grown colder, though wrapped in furs and vora fabric they hardly felt it, but the children needed to go down for the night and so the filed back down the hill. Joker, EDI and Tali went into the hall, already discussing Jeff's idea, while everyone else went to put their children to bed.
Inside their bedroom, Kaidan and Catherine hurried through their bedtime rituals with the twins. They left the lamp on dim on the corner and went into the common area where Liara, James and Morgan were waiting for them.
Garrus was already at the hall and Morgan offered to stay and watch over all the children so they rest of them could attend the meeting. Kaidan and Catherine would both sense if either of the twins woke in distress, but they typically slept well right through the night and they felt no guilt leaving them in someone else's care from time to time.
The usual crowd was gathered I the hall already, though Kenneth had joined them which was a pleasant surprise. Lately, he'd been taking a more active role in the running of things and Kaidan was glad to see him there.
They sat down at the largest table across from Tali and Garrus. Seeing Tali's often sad face reminded Kaidan of Catherine's new pregnancy and he smiled warmly at the quarian, earning a brief smile in return.
At the end of the table, EDI stood and addressed the seven people gathered there.
"I have consulted with my core and established that Jeff's plan is theoretically possible," she began. "It is a good plan, if we can make it work. Jeff proposes that we use the old scanning equipment to locate deposits of minerals that will be useful to future generations. Thought it will be some years before they will be needed, the information will save precious time when the need becomes more prevalent."
"And I'm sure that I can salvage the hardware," Tali added.
"Hold on a sec," Kaidan said. "I know I wasn't around for that fight, but Shepard told me enough about it. That system was designed to scan whole planets, not hillsides."
"I can adapt the software to a more narrow focus," EDI said. "The process is simple."
Joker finally spoke up. "I figured that even though the tools we have will last for years, and we don't need to start digging ourselves, it'd be better to leave some maps or something so that in the future they don't have to go blindly digging around underground."
"That a great idea, Joker," Catherine said. "I love finding out you're still using your brain."
"Sometimes I surprise even myself," Joker said as he flicked a bit of crumb at Catherine.
Kaidan sat back and watched the discussion and banter, commenting occasionally, but generally just keeping quiet and basked in the glow of the life they continued to build.
The last time he had talked to his dad, Kaidan had learned that one of his father's best friends had just died. He'd been amazed at how well his father had been taking the news. His father had told him that the surest sign of middle age was that memories became more important than dreams.
Sitting among his friends now, Kaidan finally saw the truth in that wise statement. Though his own middle age was years away, and though he'd had many friends in his life, as he grew older none would be closer to him than those sitting around the table that night.
Garrus, Tali, Liara and Joker, who had been through the toughest battles and the most heart rending loses of his life right along side him. James, Kenneth and EDI, who he'd know only a short while before the end, but who had become permanent and essential fixtures in his life.
His mind wandered slowly through the faces of the rest of the crew. Morgan and Gabby, Diana and Ivan, Steve and Avery, and so many others. Though he wasn't close with everyone, each and every person, even the batarians, had become integral cogs in the workings of the settlement, and their faces, their smiles and sorrows, would forever be in Kaidan's mind.
And then there was Catherine. The woman he never thought he'd find. How had he been so lucky to cross her path again? Of all the people in all the galaxy that could have ended up on the Normandy at the end, and she was one of them. If he lived for another hundred years, he would probably never believe his luck.
And of course, there would always be Shepard. He would never forget her, but the love he felt had changed. It had morphed into something new. Gone were the sharp pangs of guilt, regret and longing. Instead, they had been replaced by a fondness and sense of pride.
Everything he had now, he had because of her and her courage and tenacity. If Shepard had been a different person, more ruthless and single-minded in her quest to destroy the Reapers, if she had chosen differently at any number of points, from endorsing Anderson as the first human councillor to disarming the bomb on Tuchanka, life could have been very different now.
Garrus might have been a harder, tougher man, instead of calm, soothing charmer he was, exuding pure charisma with every gesture and word. Liara and Tali could have been much the same; angry and aggressive. But Shepard's influence had kept them fierce and determined when they needed to be and compassionate and kind at the same time.
Even Kaidan felt changed by her. He'd always been a steady, level headed man, but Shepard had shown him that he could let loose and show emotion without loosing control. Looking back now, he realized how uptight and reserved he'd been. Joker still made fun of Garrus for his supposed rigid control and inflexibility, but the truth was, it had always been Kaidan who was the most firm. Always tolerant and accepting of others, but mercilessly hard on himself.
Yes, Shepard had truly left the galaxy a better place. Even if the Reapers had won, she would have died knowing she brought together billions of beings of different races, creeds, cultures, religions and species. People who had fought each other for hundreds of years had put aside their differences at her influence and battled side by side for the good of all.
At the end, her only enemies had been Cerberus and the Reapers. There had still been people who didn't like her, but even they held a grudging respect for her. She'd made the galaxy a better place. One woman among trillions upon trillions of people, and she had done more than all of them together.
It didn't matter that she'd had help. It was her magnetism and personality that gained her that help, that moved others to follow her into suicide missions against impossible odds. Another might not have inspired the same loyalty and passion.
"Kaidan?"
The voice broke through his contemplation and he realized Catherine was shaking his shoulder.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about... stuff," he said with a bittersweet smile.
The others around the table were staring at him too. Liara had a knowing smile on her face and Garrus' own expression seemed to radiate the same mournful joy that Kaidan felt. Tali's soulful, expressive eyes spoke volumes about her own thoughts and Kaidan worried that she was drifting ever closer to that dark place he'd found himself in many times before.
"Go on, I'm listening," he said, and conversation resumed.
What began as a serious discussion about the future became more like a gathering of companions, and well into the night they were still sitting around the table talking about old times and distant friends.
Twin crescent moons had tracked halfway across the sky before everyone headed back to their homes. EDI, Joker and Kenneth left Kaidan and the others and followed a different path to their homes. The rest of them went quietly to their own beds.
The twins were sleeping peacefully in their crib, arms linked together in the most adorable pose they were capable of, and Kaidan stood watching them while Catherine got changed for bed.
She joined him beside the crib and slid her arm around his waist.
"Everything okay?" she asked. "You were pretty zoned out for a while there."
"Just thinking about everything that lead us here," he replied lightly.
"Pretty heavy topic," Catherine said.
"It's peanuts to what's coming though," he said and turned to embrace her. "Boy or girl this time, Kitten?"
"Just not twins again," Catherine said, looking up at him. "That might be too much."
"I have this vague memory of my mother telling me that if you're raising one toddler, you might as well raise two."
"Too bad Grandma's not here to babysit," Catherine said, referring to their parents for the first time without a detectable hint of grief in her voice or psyche.
Slowly but surely the pain was fading in all of them. All of them except Tali. Her heartache seemed to be growing more acute with each day and Kaidan knew Garrus was worried about her. Just give her more time, everyone said, but Kaidan wasn't convinced it would be enough.
"How would you feel about letting Tali name this one?" Kaidan asked her.
"You think it would help?" Catherine asked, already sensing Kaidan's thoughts.
"I really don't know," Kaidan said with a deep sigh. "It'll either show her how loved she is or it will remind her that much more of home."
"You know her best," Catherine said. "I'll leave it up to you."
In unison they let their arms fall and moved toward the bed. Kaidan stripped down and slid under the covers with her. Lying in the moonlight pouring in their window they made quiet love to each other and fell asleep in a tangle of blankets.
Panic returned to the settlement the following evening when the red glow suffused the horizon once again and an even more spectacular show of northern lights followed. When nothing dangerous happened that night or the following night, people began going to the hilltop at sunset in anticipation of the event.
After a week, the glow lasted for nearly an hour after sunset and the borealis stretched well into the night, dancing like flaming prayer flags across the whole arch of the stellar canvas above.
EDI was still not able to provide any explanation for the phenomenon and as it continued into the winter, growing brighter and lasting a little longer each night, some people, the batarians in particular, began to grow superstitious.
Some believed the Reapers were returning, that everything that had transpired had all been a dream and that in actual fact they had all been indoctrinated and were lost in the maze of their own minds. Others, the more religious people, believed that the End of Days had come or that they were descending into Juhannam.
Luckily the more radical viewpoints were too extreme to find a foothold among the general populous and the more accepted belief, among those few who believed the worst, was that an comet was on a collision course with the planet.
Kaidan, and most others, could not bring themselves to believe any of these things. EDI continued to assure them that they were in no danger and worked day and night trying to discover what was causing the light.
A month after they first saw the glow, the usual crowds had gather in the snow atop the hill behind the hall. Kaidan and Catherine stood close against the cold, James and Morgan next to them.
The sun descended in a blaze of colour, the whispy clouds stained pale orange and dark pink. But this time, as the orb of the sun dipped below the horizon, instead of the brief period of darkness that had existed between sundown and the glow, the light remained.
As the rest of the sky grew darker, the light seemed to draw inwards to a central point until what remained was revealed.
Hanging blood red and luminous in the blackness was a star.
There were gasps and cries of wonder all around, and those who had been prophesising the end fell to their needs and prayed for forgiveness, sure that they were about to meet their makers.
Kaidan, who had been so sure that a scientific answer would provide itself, felt a thrill of doubt and question race through his veins before he turned to locate EDI and the logic she would provide.
She was right behind him and already surrounded by others seeking answers, desperate to know that it was not a comet, meteor, or asteroid. Kaidan pushed his way to her through the crowd leading Catherine by the hand behind him.
"EDI?" he said simply, her name implying all the questions on his mind.
"Our star has a sibling?" she said, not taking her eyes off the heavens. "We are in a binary system."
"How could we not have known that by now?" Kaidan said, turning his gaze back towards the small red sun.
"It will take several more nights of observance to determine, but I postulate that this star has an elliptical orbit that keeps it hidden from view for a time," EDI said.
"So there's nothing to fear?" Catherine asked loudly for the benefit of those listening in anxiety.
"No," EDI said with a slight shake of her head. "Obviously life thrives here despite the presence of a second star."
Silence fell across the hill top and they watched in awe as the tiny star slowly made its way down to the horizon, giving the edge of the land one final, bloody kiss before disappearing all together.
James' voice broke the soundless vigil.
"Red sun in the morning, sailors take warning. Red sun at night, 'tis a shepherd's delight."
"Shepard's Delight," Catherine echoed him. "I think you've just named it."
There were murmurs of agreement and Kaidan repeated the name to himself. It suited. It was perfect. It matched everything he'd known Shepard would have thought about their continued life here. The joy she would feel if she could know of their success.
Every night that followed, people stood facing west at sundown, waiting for Shepard's Delight to appear. For six full month's she appeared in the sky at sunset, riding higher and brighter each night, bathing the planet in orangey red light.
The energy appeared to have no effect on plant or animal life, but the solar panels in the settlement told another story. The power from this tiny star was nearly as potent as its larger sibling.
EDI eventually calculated that Shepard's Delight was a occurrence that would happen only every three years. The religious zealotry that had emerged died down and people began to build their own superstitions around the star. Some said it was Shepard watching over them still, and attributed their success to her presence.
Children were born under her warm glow and given names that would forever declare them to have been born under a lucky star. Song were written and sung to her as she set each night. Even Kaidan gave into the fervour and on the night of the wake, when Delight was at her zenith, told the story of Shepard to the all the children.
The very same night, at the pinnacle of Delight's reign over the celestial parade, Catherine gave birth to their third child. A month earlier than expected but perfect healthy, Nora'Rhan, proudly named by Tali'Zorah, arrived in the world.
Kaidan carried his new daughter out into the light of the fiery star and said his first words to her, repeating like a prayer the same poetry James had so many months before.
"Red sun in the morning, sailors take warning." He paused and looked down at Nora's pink and squinted face. "Red sun at night, 'tis a Shepard's Delight."