I look over to Faith, whose face is unreadable. We are both dressed in casual clothes; she, in particular, took great efforts to ensure she would not be recognised. She is dressed in rough, blue trousers made of something called "denim" and a dirt coloured button down shirt she acquired at some point, and is surprisingly wearing heavy makeup around her eyes. Combined with her recent haircut, it would take me a second glance to put the woman beside me with the photos of Commander Shepard in her signature black and red armour.
My own clothes are similar, the heavy duty fabric scratching against my skin in a slightly unpleasant manner, but she told me that a dress would be unsuitable for our destination.
The shuttle will land in about 5 minutes. I take Faith's hand, surprised by how warm and damp it is. 'Are you ok?'
She closes her eyes slightly, before turning back to look at me. 'I haven't been back here since the attack. Apparently... apparently they rebuilt it. They use my damned face on the colonial seal, Liara. All that's left of everyone else is a little memorial I was too scared to attend the unveiling of.'
'We do not have to do this, if you do not want to.' I say, concerned.
'No... I want to see this through. And I want to do it with you.'
She shuffles closer, so our sides are pressed together, and I can feel her body heat warming me. When she told me her plan to visit her old home, to say I was startled would be a gross understatement. There will be pain here for her, but I sensed in our melds that with all the time she spent fulfilling her crews' wishes, cleansing old wounds, she felt a deep desire to do something about her own past, even if she is not sure what it is.
'Tell me about Mindoir,' I have heard stories, of course, but little about the planet, the colony, itself. I lean in and rest my head gently on her shoulder, sensing Faith's desire for closeness.
'It's a fairly small farming colony, just a few hundred people when the attack hit. It was first settled before the Alliance even existed; back when humanity was just turning on any Relays we could find and settling any planet remotely habitable, before we'd even made contact with any aliens.
'My parents were nobody special, not scientists or soldiers or anything, just bodies needed to put a proper presence on the planets.' Her voice suddenly fills with an emotion I cannot name. 'But they wanted to explore the stars, live out adventures like the pioneers in our stories. They were crammed with a few hundred others into the cargo hold of a beaten up ship with not nearly enough supplies. Mum was pregnant with me as they travelled; I think the engine was leaky and that's where I got my biotics, but I don't really know.
'Anyway, where the colony was set up was a fairly desolate place. No luscious fields or anything, it's hard land: hot, doesn't rain that much, so there's only a few things that grow. There is... or was... a town with shops and things, which is where we're going, and a bunch of farms a bit further out, where I lived. It was tough, but my parents made pretty good of it, and when we finally got involved with the Council we got some alien crops that grew really well, and ended up a bit better off than most of the other colonies in the traverse.'
I had been deeply involved in my research at this point, too focused to properly follow galactic politics, though I do remember several of my colleagues commenting on the intense new species bullying their way into the galaxy, making a rather dramatic impression.
'I...' she gently leans her head on top of mine. 'You know about the attack. About a year afterwards, they started resettling the place. Most of the buildings were still intact: Alliance said the batarians leave them on the offchance we do resettle so they can come back for more slaves, but they never did.'
The silence draws out for a few more seconds, before she straightens slightly. 'That's about it. It's a thoroughly uninteresting place really, Liara.'
I smile, despite knowing she cannot see. 'So what do you want to do while we are here?'
'You know, I've got absolutely no idea. I booked a small house: used your name... ah, and money, sorry, but otherwise I guess I just want to see how everything is. Maybe... just see that it's still there. I don't know if that will help, but...' Her voice trails off. I do not know what brought her here, but I am glad we are together. Perhaps, if we have time, I will take her somewhere a little less emotionally charged when we next have a break.
A break...
Goddess, this is likely to be our final chance to properly relax together for some time, what a depressing thought!
But we have our time now.
I squeeze the hand still in mine. 'Thank you for bringing me.'
The shuttle suddenly jolts, and a bearded human bearing a remarkable resemblance to Joker opens the door between the passenger and pilot's areas. I wonder if it a requirement of human pilots to have poor hygeine?
'We're at... wha...' his mouth droops open slightly. Of course: we are now in human space where many have likely not seen people of other species before... never mind in close embrace with one of their own kind. We both straighten up, before Faith prompts him with a smile.
'Yes?'
'Erm... wha... oh yeah.' his eyes suddenly clear, though they do not leave my face. 'Erm, we're at the colony now, that's, erm, a hundred credits.'
Faith could not help but chuckle as she made her way through the familiar layout to the address of the house they would be staying in. There had been some attempt to lay down proper paving over the natural hard earth of Mindoir, but it was still incomplete and most of the ground around them was the same dusty brown she remembered. The buildings were the same as before, almost startlingly so, considering the time that had passed, but somehow... different. Most had been repainted into different colours, where there used to be a small store there was now an outpost of a galactic bank, and none of the faces were the same.
She felt a slight pull of sadness at the fact, but it was drowned by sheer, self depreciating amusement.
'What?' the asari beside her asked.
Surely she has noticed?
'I think my plan to stay low key was scuppered when I brought a beautiful asari with me.'
People had stopped what they were doing in the streets, were looking out of windows, were even, she noticed, pulling up in the few skycars the planet had, to see the alien.
Faith had not even considered it. Many of the people here had probably never seen a non-human in person before, and if they had, it was almost certainly not on their planet, walking their streets. She had decided against holding Liara's hand when she first noticed the attention: they were getting enough of it as it was.
Liara glanced about, noting the stares for the first time, and ducked her head as her face heated. 'Goddess, I did not notice, I was admiring the interesting blend of architectural influences used in the construction of this town.'
Ever the archaeologist...
In Liara's defence, Faith considered, the town was rather... unique.
Some of the oldest buildings had been constructed from wood, brick, and sheet metal brought with the original settlers, though were now reinforced with more modern materials. Those made up the core of the town: the oldest shops, the government building, the police station. Around them lay a large number of pre-fabs, bought en masse once the colony got its first major funding round from Earth. Finally, more complete buildings were dotted around, clearly well constructed from modern materials: homes and businesses set up by the huge investment the Alliance had poured into it, as a statement of defiance, of continuing strength. There was no single style: the colony had started with practically nothing, its residents making do with what little they had, and had slowly grown from there.
'Most of our older colonies look a bit like this,' she said, feeling somewhat ashamed. All she had seen of asari architecture was beautiful, sweeping buildings, ageless, immense, like the structures on Illium.
'It is incredible, I believe I could accurately track each stage in this colony's development with just the buildings! And the use of limited materials is ingenious, I can see places where damaged walls have been replaced by pieces of what must be decommissioned vehicles, it is no wonder you are so adept at adapting to adverse circumstance, having grown up in such a place! And then to compare it all with the modern buildings... fascinating!'
Screw it.
She took Liara's hand and pulled the asari into a hug, being non-too subtle about where her hands came to rest, eliciting gasps from some of the onlookers.
'I love you, Liara T'Soni.'
'I... oh, Goddess... Faith, there are people watching!' Liara was blushing furiously, trying to look anywhere but at the people around them.
'Let them.' She grinned and pulled Liara onwards, suddenly free of any embarrassment, the tension she had been feeling melt away. She was the hero of the Citadel, first human Spectre, destroyer of the Collectors. She was allowed to take her asari girlfriend on holiday. 'Come on, we're close now, just a few more minutes.'
'Do you know the place we are staying?' Liara sounded nervous, looking at all of the humans around them.
'Sort of. It's a little way out of town so there won't be lots of people around, but the person who owns it lives just around the corner. Whoever they are, they know your name so hopefully they won't kick up a fuss about you being asari, and have some way to take us out there.'
'Is that likely?'
'Hmm... not really. Unless they imported a bunch of racists to replace who used to live here, he'll probably just be more curious than anything. If he says anything too rude I'll break his face.'
'Faith!' Liara gently slapped the human's arm, but both were smiling.
I could do this forever...
They turned the final corner, to a group of old, rusting pre-fabs. Faith led them down the path, tossing a glance over her shoulder. Most of the people still following them had stopped at the end of the street.
Curious.
'Ok... the message said he was in...' she saw the distinctive red markings the owner had described in his mail. 'This one.'
She strode ahead, and pounded the door. 'I paid ahead... sorry again, I thought the Shadow Broker could spare a few credits for us... so hopefully he'll just take us straight out without any-'
'Well grease me up and fuck me sideways. Faith? Faith Shepard?'
Faith's face suddenly loses all of its colour, and I tilt my head to see the person at the door. It is an elderly human male, with brilliant white hair on both the top of his head, and around his mouth, neatly trimmed but substantially thick. He is dressed in dark, baggy clothes of little discernable shape, but it does little to hide his wiry frame.
'N... no!' Goddess, she sounds terrified!
'Say it all you like girl, the Lord won't change it just 'cos you say so, hero or not!' he, on the other hand, just sounds amused... what is going on here?
'Well don't stand there gawping like some fucking idiot, Faith, come on in! Damn!' His eyes suddenly catch mine, and I have to resist shuddering at the brilliant green, undimmed by his age. 'Are you Liara T'Soni? Or is it just Faith being the little shit she always was? Bah screw it, come in! Come in!'
The man literally pulls Faith into his house and I follow, somewhat dazed.
As he slams the door shut behind us, I am relieved to see Faith has somewhat regained her composure, and is instead looking shocked, rather than ready to collapse. 'Father John?'
Goddess, could this possibly be her father?
Of course not, she saw him dead, but-
'That's right, you didn't think you were the only one who survived those fucks did you? Damn, you look just like your mum did. Sit your fine ass down, I'll make you some coffee before you faint.'
The man disappears through a tiny door to the side, leaving us standing in a small room with two grubby looking couches. Faith promptly drops her bags and slumps onto one, where I quickly follow and take her hand.
'Faith, who is that man?'
'I... he was... is... the... erm, religious leader, around here...' Her eyes meet mine, wide and absolutely uncertain, like a child's. 'I thought he was dead! I... I thought everyone was dead...'
'Takes more than some ugly ass aliens to kill me, girl!' Father John's loud voice echoes through the small building, and I lower my voice. I know, deep down, that I should have other things on my mind right now, but -
'That man is a religious leader? My translator struggled to keep up with his speech, and what it did catch was mostly expletives! Is that human custom? Asari priestesses are-'
'Tell your friend she don't need to whisper, Faith, we don't have that fancy translator shit out here!'
Oh, he cannot understand me...
Her gaze clears somewhat, evidently glad for the tiny distraction. 'Erm... oh yeah, he's always like that. The man got people from four major religions under his roof at the same time every week, he's allowed to be a bit... erm...'
'Say what you think! The Lord don't take weasels for shit!' This situation is even more baffling than Kelly's questioning!
'Unconventional.'
He suddenly appears in the doorway, bearing a tray with a large canister of liquid and several cups upon it.
'That's it? Shit Faith, you've lost your touch.' He looks to me suddenly. 'I'm guessin' you understand me well enough?'
'Yes-' Oh, of course...
I nod.
'Good, makes things a bit easier. Our gal here used to be a little hellcat, gave as good as she got, guess she's changed.' It is sometimes difficult enough to reconcile the battlefield terror with the shy woman I know, but to imagine her an unruly child as well? Goddess...
'Anyway, you like coffee?' The man's gaze still has not left mine, other than to flicker at our intertwined hands for a brief second, and he sits in the other couch, pouring three mugs of the steaming brown liquid.
Another nod.
'Good, glad there's somethin' we can give to aliens other than bullets. Want it Irished up?' He suddenly brandishes a small metal hipflask and waves it in my direction.
Too much...
'I am sorry-' Oh, of course! I turn to Faith. 'I do not understand. What is "Irished"?'
A ghost of a smile flickers across her lips, still much more pale than I like to see. 'He means do you want alcohol in it? Damn, but I do.'
'Good girl, glad there's still some of the old you in there!' He pours a substantial measure of amber liquid into one of the mugs, handing it to Faith, before fixing my gaze again.
Goddess, his eyes are terrifying, dancing with an intelligence that reminds me of mother!
'You in?'
I nod slowly, afraid to say no if nothing else.
'Good! Gotta say, I've not met a... shit... what're you called again...'
'Asari, Father,' Faith offers, before taking a deep draw from her drink.
'That's the one. You're a beautiful thing, Faith's done well for herself. I hope you treat her well, I'm always looking out for-'
'Gah! Shit, I can't just sit here!' I do not think I have ever heard her so distressed!'Ok, what the hell? How are you alive?'
To his credit, the man only arches an eyebrow in her direction, as he takes a sip from his coffee.
Suddenly the quirk in his lips disappears, and I almost gasp at the transformation in the man. His eyes lose their shine, and the green turns from a wonderful brightness into a deep, terrifying ocean. It is like watching Faith put on her armour, with just a tiny shift in his facial expression!
'When they came, I had a few kids in for daycare. Just fucking babies, you know? Biggest kid was just two. Hid them, and myself, in the cellar under my church. Most terrifying thing I've ever done.'
Goddess... that look in his eyes...
'They didn't find us. They... ah... came into the church, but didn't look around too hard when they didn't find shit.'
'I saved half a dozen kids... fuck. Some life I saved 'em into. No parents, nothin'. You had a chance, Faith. You was educated, best as we could do out here, knew what it was to work, knew what it was to do your duty. Those kids just got stuck in the Alliance somewhere, some foster care program, dunno, the soldiers just took the kids off me, kickin' an' screamin' for their mamas. Hope they turned out ok.'
The silence drags out for some time, before I feel Faith's hand squeezing my own, hard.
'What then?'
'What then?' The man's laugh sends chills up my spine. 'Then I got all kinds of medals, celebrations, fucking bullcrap. There was so much shit around Mindoir at the time I'm not surprised you didn't hear about it all, took years just to sort out those of us who used to live here from the parasites who turned up after, lookin' for Alliance creds.'
'And why didn't you deserve the medals?' Her voice is cold, harsh... the voice of Commander Shepard, but tinted with an emotion I know she tries so hard to hide at times.
'Ha, guess the batarians, the fuckin' Alliance, couldn't beat that outta you. Too damned smart for your own good, Faith. Well, yer right. I didn't deserve shit. Only one reason those fucking slavers didn't find us. Too quiet in the church.
'Too quiet.'
His voice drops to a whisper, and I feel a dread running through my body.
'One of the kids... just a babe... fuck... wouldn't shut up.'
Goddess...
'It... it was us or him.'
Oh... no...
'The other kids were pissin' themselves, but doin' it quietly, this... this fucking baby, just wouldn't shut up, for just a second...
Please... no...
'So I... made him quiet. Just meant to knock him out for a while, you know?' The man visibly shuddered, and suddenly looked every one of his advanced years, before he glanced up, eyes full of a determination I know all too well. 'But sometimes life's a bitch. Saved a bunch of kids, all I had to do was murder a babe.'
The man sips his coffee, before putting it down and drinking straight from the flask.
'You... learn a lot about yourself, when you feel a bit o' your soul burn away like that. You've both got... got that look that says you know what I'm talkin' about, so I'm gonna suggest we talk about somethin' else.'
We both nod.
'Good. Not enough hours in the day to sit around regrettin'. Gotta say Faith, you're a bit of a hero around here, first heard about you when you finally stuck it to those bastard batarians on Torfan, and now, what was it, Spectre? You're doin' us all proud, and I know your parents would be.'
The man's eyes lit up again, the transformation as startling as when he began to talk about the attack. He was just as Faith remembered, age and all.
'So, what's a hero doing back on our lonely rock anyway?
'We're on holiday.' Faith shot him a dirty smirk, which he returned.
'Holiday? Here? I think something's come loose in your lovely skull, girl!'
She grinned. 'I was maybe hoping to put some old wounds to rest, as well. It's really good to see you, Father, I'm glad something other than me survived.'
He looked thoughtful for a second, then nodded. 'I can understand that. And it's damned good to see you too Faith, you've grown into a fine woman. A few of us made it through, but... the colony's never been the same. We've got more people now, but it's been years and I still see most of them as strangers. Bet they think I'm just the crazy preacher who keeps to himself most of the time, that's how it goes. I still get a full house every week though. You can come along tomorrow if you like, I know you never believed like yer mum wanted you to but I still got some wisdom to give, if you'll hear it.'
Faith turned to Liara. 'What do you think? It'll be an eye opener for you, if nothing else.'
The asari nodded, smiling softly. 'I would like that.'
'I take it that's a yes?' the man looked eager, excited.
'That's right.' Faith nodded. 'If you've still got your touch maybe you can distract the people here from Liara for a few seconds.'
'Still got my... you cheeky fuck! Ha, damn, girl I'm truly glad you're back, it's good to see something of the old days still livin' other than me. Look, I'll drive you out to the house, I'm sure you're sick of listening to me ramble.'
As he led them to his car, Faith felt a strange peace descend upon her. Seeing Father John, alive, despite his horrible story, filled her with a hope she had never thought to feel when she planned the return, made her feel like the unruly sixteen year old who had swearing matches with the old man.
He still had his ancient, wheeled car, and she hopped into the back with Liara as the man continued to prattle.
'I've got everything set up for you, it's that shitty little hut the Thompsons used to live in, I bought it and rent it out to whatever visitors we get. Nothin' fancy but it's clean and there's some food, I'm sure you can pick up whatever else you need. Dunno if you'll find anything for your friend, though, we don't get aliens around here.'
'Don't worry, Liara can eat human food.'
'Really? Well there's somethin'. Dunno what you're gonna do out here for fun though... unless... hey, you still ride?'
Faith's heart leapt. A few horses had been shipped over from Earth with the original colonists and she had occasionally gone for rides with her sisters, and she felt a vivid excitement begin to build. Either the batarians had left the herd alone, or more had been shipped over with the rebuilding of the colony.
The thought of riding out on the open plains, just herself and Liara and the horses, had her tingling with anticipation.
'Not since I left.'
'Ha, that kinda thing doesn't go away. If you like, I'll talk to the gal who can get you set up and you can take your friend out, bareback.'
Despite speeding his car across the open plain, them having left the town a few minutes ago, John craned his head back to look at Liara, who was sitting quietly.
'What d'you say, Blue? Fancy lettin' Faith take you riding? I'm not sure there's much more I can do for you than that.'
Liara shot Faith a nervous glance. 'I am not sure I understand the context of "riding" or "bareback", Faith, is this man offering to improve our sex life?'
A/N: Thank you Jay8008 for beta reading.
I want to again thank everybody who continues to read, favourite, follow and review my work. You guys rock, and make this whole venture all the more exciting :-)
