Mass Effect: Each Story Has A Million Tales.
Summary: "There is always more than just one side to a story- and more than one lesson to learn. Follow Garrus Vakarian as he stands by a promise that he means to keep, contemplates the true meaning of life, death, and the ultimate sacrifice, and as he confronts someone who should have been behind him all along. Follow Adelais Vakarian as he mends a broken bond, and as he comes to terms with a terrible loss of his own. Follow Kolyat Krios as he navigates through a very dangerous place, only to find another- under the guidance of someone who may or may not be there at all. And follow Commander Joleen Shepard as she goes through her past and present, only to find herself in the middle of a battle for her future." (Garrus' Story: 'The Promise-Keeper.' Adelais' Story: 'The Old Soldier.' Kolyat's Story: 'The Wanderer.' Shepard's Story: 'The Missing.')
Warning: "This is a heavy one- some swearing, angst, implied adult situations, adult situations, a few character deaths, violence, and blood. All the big ones this time. Remember, this is my Shepard, my feelings on the game and what should have happened and will happen, with my own opinions and storyline, so no nasty comments. Got it? Good." (Commander Joleen Shepard: War Hero, Earthborn. Soldier. Paragon. Romanced Kaidan Alenko in the 1st game, Garrus Vakarian in the 2nd and 3rd. Shot and killed Udina during the Citadel Coup.)
Disclaimer: "I do not own Mass Effect. Don't make me say it again."
Author's Note: "Just so you know, the name 'Adelais,' is Latin for 'Noble.' I thought it fit perfectly. The name 'Carissa' means 'the most beloved one.' Again, I just thought the name fit."
N._.S._.S
Chapter Two: The Old Soldier I.
Palaven was still beautiful.
So thought Adelais Vakarian as he slowly made his way through the remains of a decimated building. We will rebuild, and with the Reapers gone, have nothing to fear but fear itself.
"Sir! Vakarian, sir!"
Adelais turned his head to find another Turian, this one with dark green face paint, rushing up to him, looking very pleased with himself indeed. Adelais waited patiently for him to catch his breath before folding his arms and waiting to hear what he had to say.
"You wanted a report on your son, Garrus Vakarian, and his whereabouts," he said, handing Adelais a datapad. "Sir, I'm happy to tell you that your son is safe on the Citadel."
He's alive.
"Thank you for your assistance," Adelais said to him, calmly despite the deep satisfaction rushing through him, "My daughter and I will be leaving for the Citadel then, and within the day."
"Yes, sir!"
N._.S._.S
"I knew it!"
Solana Vakarian's shout made Adelais chuckle a little as he shouldered his old sniper rifle. He'd just told her what the Officer had told him about her brother. The young Turian had actually jumped up in her exuberance, shouting "Yes!" at the top of her voice and startling several passerbies.
"I told you he'd make it!" Solana said for the umpteenth time. Adelais looked back at her and gave her the Turian-equivalent of a smile. His daughter was gazing back at him with her mother's eyes, reminding him of her more and more with every word she said and every action she did.
Solana was the spitting image of her mother- Garrus too, in fact.
It was like whatever God was up there had liked Carissa Vakarian so much that it copied her.
Adelais couldn't help but continue his chuckling as Solana began touching up her dark, midnight blue face-paint where it had smeared a little after the previous application just an hour or two ago. Just like her mother, Solana had the compulsive habit of fixing it- she was proud of those marks, and it showed through how carefully she touched them up every few hours.
"I know you told me," Adelais said after she was finished, "you never stopped telling me."
She gave him a half smug, half knowing look. "You thought he was a goner!"
"Did not," Adelais lied, shaking his head at his daughter as he sat next to her. Above them, the shuttle that would take them to the Citadel was just about to make its descent.
"Yeah, right," she responded with a laugh. "You'll tell Garrus about him, right?" She added, cheerfully.
Adelais paused before nodding a little. "Of course I will."
Solana gave him another Turian-grin as the shuttle came down. "You'd better!"
N._.S._.S
They got plain damn lucky.
That's the only way Adelais could think to say it.
Garrus had left for Menae days ago, just as the Reapers officially began invading Palaven space- under the Primarch's direct orders- he was Menae's best bet against the Reapers.
But he could have already been dead for all anyone knew then.
Reapers and their abominations began invading Palaven Command, and being the seasoned, military veteran that he was, Adelais Vakarian and his daughter had been called out to help.
However, they'd all underestimated the Reaper's might, and resistance was already being completely crushed when they arrived- and there was no Palaven Command left to report to.
Everything was gone.
Just as he arrived, one of the Generals from Menae, General Corinthus, had radioed in briefly to tell them that not only had the Primarch been killed, and a new one had just been declared, but Garrus Vakarian and Commander Joleen Shepard (who, by later reports, had apparently just left the already war-torn Earth, newly reinstated by ex-Councilor Anderson, and was trying to gather a War Summit), had gone after the new Primarch.
That's all he knew.
He didn't even know if they'd succeeded in getting the Primarch out.
Or if Garrus was still alive.
The next few months were hell- there was no other way of saying it. It grew only worse when Solana was badly injured by one of the Reaper's abominations when Adelais' back was turned. Their force was being completely wiped out, only being assuaged when the Krogan suddenly appeared.
Adelais spent every spare moment that wasn't spent fighting for his and his daughter's lives trying to get to Garrus- failing every single time.
Until a single Turian changed that.
His name was Sidonis. Adelais had never heard Garrus speak of him, but apparently he was one of his son's old friends (he wouldn't say from where). He said he owed Garrus, and had found not only a working communication line, but also a way off of the devastated Palaven.
Thanks to Sidonis, Adelais was able to speak to Garrus for a few moments.
"Dad?" The relief in his son's voice mirrored Adelais' own feelings when he heard him.
"Garrus, where are you?"
"I'm on the Normandy, where are you?"
"Palaven. Garrus, your sister's been injured but-"
"Dad? Dad, I can't get a clear line!"
Garrus panicked as the line began to crumble apart as chaos suddenly exploded around them.
Sidonis, Adelais noticed, had flinched when he heard Garrus' voice through the Comm, and had, almost pleadingly, asked him not to mention him, and had gone to fight the incoming abominations as Adelais continued to try talking to Garrus.
He, of course, obliged Sidonis without a second thought.
He had more urgent matters to get to.
"Dad?
"Garrus, we're attempting to leave Palaven. We're trying to reach the evacuation centers."
The connection was terrible, but it worked.
"Dad, are you there? Come in!"
"The Krogan are helping but the Reapers are still advancing."
"Where are you now?"
"Your sister was hurt."
"Hurt? How bad?"
"A broken leg. She'll live."
"Dad, you have to get out of there."
"We're trying, Garrus. There are only a few evacuation ships left. I'm not sure if we'll make it in time. We-"
The line went dead just at that moment. Adelais had cursed the Reapers then more than he'd cursed anything or anyone else- and he'd had cursed a lot of things in the last few years.
Sidonis' help proved to be their saving grace. Not hours after that, Sidonis gave his life to get them to the ship safely, seemingly not caring that he was about to die in return.
Adelais and Sidonis had had a small Comm-link conversation before Sidonis died.
"Why did you help us?"
"You're Garrus' family."
"That doesn't explain why-"
Sidonis had cut him off, chuckling. "I owed him. I owed your son."
Unable to think of anything else to say, Adelais responded with the obvious.
"Thank you."
Their savior had waved at them as the shuttle took off and the abominations began to swarm around him.
N._.S._.S