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. At all. So don't make me say it again."
Author's Note: "Just so you all know, the name 'Adelais,' is Latin for 'Noble,' and the name 'Carissa' means 'the most beloved one.' Personally, I just thought the two names fit the story and what the characters were meant for."
N._.S._.S
Chapter Thirty-One: The Wanderer IX.
Weeks after his father's passing, Kolyat found himself interested in the failed Cerberus Coup that had ultimately cost Thane his life. After calling in a few favors, agreeing never to make copies of the classified vid, or letting anyone else view it, the C-Sec Commander-turned-Executor Bailey had grudgingly sent Kolyat the tapes from the scene.
From what Kolyat could piece together from the vid and the security snapshots, Thane had snuck unseen out of Huerta, which had been on lockdown after the violence broke out, and after figuring out what was going on, warned the Commander (who, luckily, had just returned to the Citadel), and then helped obstruct Cerberus in any way he could manage.
Thane began secretly following the Salarian Councilor when he spotted him wandering around alone, protecting him from a distance, hesitant to reveal himself unless absolutely necessary- perhaps because he knew all the while that Commander Shepard and her team were already on the way.
Kolyat had watched in horror as his father fought the assassin- whose name, Bailey had told him in a note, was Kai Leng, the Illusive Man's right-hand man- as a stunned Commander, Turian, and Asari looked on with similar expressions.
By this time, his father's movements were obviously tired- weaker than Kolyat had realized before; it was a miracle that he'd lasted as long as he did against someone like Kai Leng. Thane wasn't able to move the way he used to (otherwise, in Kolyat's opinion, the assassin wouldn't have stood a chance in the first place).
And so he lost.
The vid had given Kolyat the answers that he wanted, and a few months after the war ended, he even learned from a passing Alliance ship that Commander Shepard had managed to kill Kai Leng in the Illusive Man's base.
By stabbing him, reports say.
Kolyat could almost taste the irony.
N._.S._.S
Swords were, in all seriousness, fascinating weapons.
They were quicker, quieter than firearms and not as heavy- they needed no reloading or extra care for the most part, and could not be jammed- and very few swords can be destroyed by bullets. Swords were also, however, like knives, harder to kill with, as with a good scope you could kill someone instantly.
They were, in Kolyat's opinion, some of the most evil ones.
Swords were the weapons of torturers.
Or murderers like Kai Leng.
Kolyat had taken careful precautions against Cerberus before he even thought about going down to the Vassla Islands. He'd known from the very beginning that they'd pull stunts like swords and ambushes, shown with the slaughtered Secs hanging in the trees and the Husks meandering around everywhere.
He had metal armbands and gloves that could match up to a sword's slash, shoulder-guards, and a plate covering his upper chest that could withstand a sword's hacking and stabs.
He'd also hid a few small smoke-bombs and a few other "just in case" weapons on his person.
But now, he realized, not even the most prepared man in the Galaxy could predict Cerberus.
N._.S._.S
The Control Chip was a very small, unremarkable metallic device. It was basically a cold piece of metal- unimportant, for the most part, in the Galaxy, as there were so many of them, used for everything and anything.
But this one, Kolyat knew, was perhaps the most important thing in the Galaxy-
Certainly this was one of the most important things he had ever held.
For Kolyat knew without a doubt that this innocuous little metallic chip had the potential of either saving the Galaxy, or damning it to the hands of Cerberus forever.
Taking out the leather-bound prayer-book, Kolyat opened it to a random page somewhere in the middle. His eyes caught the prayer he'd ended up on and he silently shook his head at it- and at himself for not only having the blasted luck of turning to that page, but also for knowing exactly why it meant so much.
The irony of it.
It was bitter.
He remembered this one, all right.
Amonkira, Lord of Hunters,
Grant that my hands be steady,
My aim be true,
And my feet swift.
And should the worst come to pass,
Grant me forgiveness.
Now isn't the time for brooding, Kolyat silently admonished himself, closing the book with a careless snap.
You've got to get the hell out of here.
N._.S._.S