THESSIA
Not caring about the broken window panes strewn about the family room and kitchen Aethyta runs to her granddaughter's side.
"Little A can you hear me?" She kneels down next to the unconscious asari.
Little A is on her stomach.
Aethyta's hands hover over her body as she wonders what she should do. There is blood but there doesn't seem to be a lot of it, the Matriarch has definitely seen worse. Dialing her omni-tool she calls for emergency services then disconnects the call. She runs into the master bathroom to grab some towels. Aethyta opens drawers looking for, there, a first aid kit. She runs back to Little A who seems to be waking.
"Don't move, don't move kid."
"What aah!" Little A winces as she lifts herself up a little bit.
"I said don't move. You have been hurt." Aethyta places her hand on the young asari's back. "Can you tell me what hurts?"
Little A afraid to move thinks. "Side, my side."
"Which one?" Aethyta looks at the right side.
"Left." Little A's breath hitches when she moves.
"Don't move!"
"Sorry."
Aethyta checks with her hands along the left side of Little A. It is hard to see where the bleeding is coming from while the young asari is on her stomach.
"There! Goddess!"
"Sorry." Aethyta pulls her hand away and it is nearly covered in blood. She swallows.
"Is…is it bad?"
"No…no not at all. You stay still okay?"
"Grandpa?"
"Hang on I'm getting some medigel." Aethyta wipes her hand off on the towel then opens the medigel. When she looks down at Little A she sees blood pooling under her side. She has to turn her to apply the gel to stop the bleeding. "Okay." She clears her throat.
"I'm scared Grandpa."
"I know kid, I am too. I am going to have to move you onto your back okay?"
Aethyta sees Little A shiver. She touches her back, "Hey you can do this. You ready?"
The young asari nods.
"I'll be as quick as I can." Aethyta readies her biotics. She gently lifts Little A. She can see her biting her lower lip to not cry out in pain. Aethyta quickly turns her and gently sets her down on her back. "Hang on." She grabs the open medigel and applies a generous amount on the wound.
"Ahh!"
"Hang in there. It should feel good in a second." Aethyta applies a couple of towels along Little A's side. Aethyta sees a gash that she guesses is almost three inches long and it is just above the hip bone toward the belly button. She can see glass in the wound. This is the main bleeder.
"I don't ….feel so good."
Aethyta looks at the pale asari. She checks for further injuries. "Stay with me kid. You hurt anywhere else?" The Matriarch moves her hands up and down Little A's body to see if anything is broken. She has a lot of small cuts and scrapes and there is a lot of blood smeared on her body, it is hard to see if other wounds are causing the bleeding.
"I…I can't…breathe."
"What is it?" Aethyta's blood turns ice cold. "Talk to me."
There is a knock at the door.
Little A is gasping.
"Aethyta!"
The Matriarch brings up her omni-tool to unlock the front door, "Come in hurry!" She turns to her granddaughter, "Hang on help is here, you hang on."
Two emergency services asari enter with bags in hand. "Step away please."
"She can't breathe!" Aethyta steps aside. When the two asari kneel down to help, Aethyta kneels down by Little A's head. She touches her shoulder. "Help is here kid."
"Oxygen."
One of the asari digs in her bag while the other one checks Little A's airway.
Little A is still gasping. Her breath is coming too fast.
"I need you to calm down. You need to slow your breathing." The asari looks up at the Matriarch. "What is her name?"
"Little A."
The asari furrows her brows but then turns her attention to the wounded asari. "Little A listen to my voice. I need you to slow your breathing. Take a deeper breath okay?"
Little A's eyes start to tear up. She lifts her hand. Aethyta grabs it. "You need to listen to her kid. Slow your breathing you can do it."
Aethyta breathes with her. She takes a slow deeper breath as she locks eyes with her granddaughter. See sees her tears have streaked down her pale face. "That's it. Again." She takes another slow deep breath.
"Good Little A that's good. We are going to put a mask on you now. It's oxygen okay? It will not hurt. Just keep breathing like you are okay?" The asari places the mask on her.
"Her pulse is good," says the other asari. "Blood pressure is a bit low."
"Go get the bed."
When the asari leaves the other turns her attention to Aethyta. "We are going to take her to Thessia Medical."
"I'm coming with you."
"I'm sorry we can't allow that."
"Why the hell not!"
"What happened here?" The asari looks around at the family room, the shattered window. She looks Aethyta up and down.
"You think I did this? She is my granddaughter!" Aethyta sees the asari look toward the door. She follows her eyes and sees two police officers enter the home. "What the fuck is this?" Aethyta is about to get up but she feels Little A squeeze her hand hard. She looks at her granddaughter. "It's okay kid."
Little A shakes her head. She grabs the mask and yanks it off, "She didn't do this to me."
The emergency services asari gently takes the mask from Little A's hand. "You need this back on Little A. We are trying to help you."
Little A moves her head, "No. I need her to come with me. She's my…ahh!" she flinches as if she got hit. She is breathing fast again.
Aethyta squeezes her hand back, "Now you listen to me kid. I got these assholes. You concentrate on breathing."
Little A shakes her head.
"Now you stop that. You let them help you do you hear me?"
Little A stops moving. She finally nods her head.
Aethyta looks to the asari worker who places the mask back over Little A's mouth and nose.
"Good," says Aethyta. "Don't worry about me okay. I will be right behind you."
Little A holds tighter as she shakes her head.
Aethyta feels her throat tightening. She takes a breath in and out and tries to calm down. She looks at the asari worker, "Can't the police question me at the hospital? Please. She is my youngest granddaughter."
"It's not my call, I'm sorry."
The other asari worker returns with a floating med bed. "We ready?"
Aethyta pats Little A's hand. "You keep breathing okay?"
"What's going on?" It's Raina. She is out of breath and she looks almost as pale as Little A. "Goddess, Little A!" The police block Raina from going to her youngest sister. Raina swats the arm away and reaches the med bed. "What happened?"
"Everything's all right," says Aethyta in a weird tone. A tone she is not used to using. It is as if she is trying to persuade Raina and Little A and more importantly herself that she really is all right. "Go with her to the hospital. I need to talk to the officers, tell them what happened."
"Where is Mia?"
"How did…" Aethyta stops herself. She does not know if she should answer in front of these strangers. "They are safe."
Raina understands her meaning. She takes Little A's hand. "You are going to be just fine Little A do you hear me?"
Little A looks at her sister and nods. She is keeping her breathing steady. Her eyes start to flutter.
"Little A!" Raina squeezes her hand.
"We need to move." The two asari take the floating med bed to the emergency vehicle.
"Are you alright grandpa?"
"Fine. Go with your sister."
"You're bleeding."
Aethyta looks down and sees she has small glass shards in her knees. "I'm fine Raina, go. I will get there as fast as I can."
"Okay."
Aethyta grabs Raina's arm when she starts to hurry out. "Raina. I…"
"What?"
"There's no easy way to say this."
Raina looks at her grandfather very closely. "Who?"
"Dara."
Raina's hand covers her mouth as she gasps. Her eyes immediately tear up. "Valya? Dava?"
"I don't know. Go with your sister. Keep her safe." Aethyta squeezes her arm.
Raina swallows and blinks away her tears. "I will."
"Go."
Raina turns and hurries out the front door.
Valya aims her shotgun at the asari who is exiting the apartment building. The detective can't seem to keep her weapon steady, she is shaking.
The asari coming out of the apartment building looks confused and a little unsteady on her feet. She is covered in blood. Their eyes meet. Valya can't speak, can't move, can't think.
"Dad?"
Valya grips her shotgun harder as she leans into her pose. "On your knees now!"
"Wh..what?" Dava flinches as if ready to be hit.
Valya feels a hand on her shoulder, "Valya." It's Akira talking to her in a very calm voice though Valya can feel the tremor in her hand.
Valya is sweating. The shot gun feels heavy in her hands. She adjusts the weapon and her stance. In as calm a voice as she can muster she says, "Dava honey, I need you to kneel down for me okay?"
Dava's eyes dart between Valya and Akira.
"Dava. It's okay honey." Valya lowers the barrel of her shot gun. "Kneel down for me honey."
"I..I don't understand….wh-what's happening? Where am I?"
Valya slowly hands the shot gun, barrel down, to Akira.
"Dava?" Valya takes a step toward her daughter.
Dava takes a step back as she hugs herself.
Valya stops. "It's okay honey I'm not going to hurt you." The detective sees a sky car landing. Sara and Naava are approaching slowly. Dava cannot see them.
"Wh-what's happening? Wh-where's mom? I want mom!" Dava starts to cry.
Valya feels light headed. Her knees feel weak. She reaches out and is thankful that Akira's hand is there. She continues to look at her daughter. She tries to regain her composure. "I'll take you to her…." Her voice cracks. Her eyes are welling with tears. She clears her throat and wipes her cheek. "I'll take you right now honey. She…she is worried about you." Valya lets go of Akira and takes another step toward Dava.
"I…I lost time again Dad. I don't know what's going on. Why were you pointing a gun at me?"
Valya has her hands out while slowly approaching. "I'm sorry about that honey. I was chasing someone and I thought they were you."
Dava looks like a frightened animal.
Valya takes another step. Sara and Naava are close but stop when they see Valya signal with her hand.
"Mom's worried about you honey. Let's go home okay?"
"Really?"
Valya sees such hope in her eyes. "Yes." The detective takes another step. "You know how she worries." Almost in touching range now.
Dava breaks eye contact and looks down at her clothes. When she looks up at her Dad she looks horrified.
"Dava?"
"No..no ..NO stay back! I don't want to hurt you!"
Valya runs to her daughter who is backing away. Dava backs up into Naava. She is startled enough to stop which gives Valya the opportunity to grab her and hold her. "I got you it's okay."
"No…No let me go! Let me go!"
"Shh Shh calm down honey." Valya holds her tightly. She has pinned Dava's arms against her sides.
"What happened? Oh Goddess what happened?" Dava starts to cry into Valya's shoulder.
"Shh honey, I got…." Valya's voice cracks as her own tears fall.
"What did I do? What? You have to tell me!" Dava struggles but Valya is too strong.
"Give her something!" Valya yells at Akira at Sara at Naava, anyone who will calm her daughter.
"Noooo let me goo!"
Valya sees Akira run to the back of Sara and Naava's sky car.
"Shh honey calm down it's okay, everything is okay."
"Mom! I want Mom! Where is Mom!" Dava falls to her knees.
Valya eases her to the ground still holding tight. "It's okay, you're okay."
"Mom!" Dava wails as she bangs her head against Valya's shoulder. "Where' s Mom?"
Valya can no longer speak. She is crying. Akira finally reaches them. She injects Dava's arm with something. The young asari quiets immediately.
Sara and Naava are kneeling down across from Valya.
"We got her Valya," says Naava.
When Valya continues to hold her daughter Sara says, "You can let go Valya we got her."
"Valya?" Akira places her hand on her shoulder as she kneels down next to her. "You have to let go now."
In almost a whisper Valya says, "I can't…I…"
"She needs medical attention Valya. You need to let go so we can help her. You are not losing her Valya. You found her. She's alive. You need to let go, just for a little while." Akira rubs her back.
Valya lifts her head to look at the medical examiner, "You promise?"
Akira moves her hand off Valya's back. She grabs another syringe she has in her pocket. "Of course. Let her go now. Sara and Naava will take care of her."
Valya slowly releases her hold on her daughter. Dava slumps into Sara's arms. Valya doesn't feel the prick of the needle. Her world suddenly turns black.
Raina is holding Little A's hand while she sleeps in the hospital. The doctors were able to get the glass out of the deepest wound that caused the most blood loss. The young asari has other cuts along her arms and stomach and chest. The doctor's figured she turned in time to avoid damage to her face and eyes.
"How she doing?"
Raina sees Aethyta enter the room. "She is going to be fine." She let's go of her sister's hand and hugs her grandfather. "Are you okay?"
"Me? I'm not the one lying there."
Raina looks at her with knowing eyes.
Aethyta shrugs. "I'll be fine."
Raina holds her hand and leans her head against her shoulder as they both look down at Little A. "She looks so peaceful doesn't she?"
"Yeah."
"What did you tell the police?"
Aethyta turns to Raina, "About that. You need to sit down."
Raina sits down as her grandfather fills her in about the threat to Mia. The police officers that showed up at the house were soon followed by the team that is supposed to watch her. Aethtya told them that she and Eva were at Miranda and Arelia's house with their kids. She told them that they were being watched by Oriana.
"I knew Mia was in danger, I just didn't know from what," says Raina. "Have you talked to her or Eva?"
"Not yet."
"So they don't know what happened to Little A? Grandpa. They need to know."
"They need to stay safe Raina. I will tell them when they are home and safe. Right now home is not safe."
Raina hadn't thought about that.
"The police are taking care of fixing the window. I talked to Oriana. I told her everything that I know. We can stay at the estate until your parents get home."
"You talked to them?"
"Yeah. I guess communications are working on the planet now."
"Are they alright?" Raina is worried.
"Yeah yeah they're fine. They are the ones that told me about Dara. And about this fucking asari."
Raina studies her grandfather. "She was an Ardat-Yakshi wasn't she?"
"I gotta say you freak me out sometimes kid."
Raina smiles a little, "Sorry."
"Eh." Aethyta nudges her arm. "No problem. I would say the answer to that is yes. I hurt her though. I got her in the ankle. Don't think she will be walking without a limp anytime soon. She's young. Strong though."
"How young?"
The Matriarch shrugs. "If I were to guess I would say around your mother's age, maybe younger."
Raina bites her lower lip. "How strong?"
Aethyta puts her arm around Raina, "Not stronger than me." The Matriarch cannot look Raina in the eye when she says that. She kisses her forehead.
Raina has a pain of dread the moment Aethyta lies. She doesn't let on to her grandfather that she knows she is lying.
"Can we stay with her?" Raina looks over at Little A's sleeping form.
"Yes. I spoke with Meryl at the station and she said she would call the hospital. They are also sending a few officers to keep guard outside of the room."
"Do you think she will attack while we are here?" Raina looks at her grandpa.
"She doesn't strike me as stupid, so no. I doubt it."
"Should…should we call Valya?"
"No kid."
Raina was hoping for more of an explanation but doesn't get one.
Aethyta slowly stands. "I'll check on the sleeping arrangements." She walks out of the room.
Raina sits next to Little A's bed while still facing the door. She does not want anyone sneaking up on her. She gently takes Little A's hand into her own. "You need to recover soon Aethyta, if not for me then for Kaya. I'm…I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I got home as soon as…" Raina's voice trails off. She starts to softly cry into Little A's hand.
Raina feels her sister's hand move. She quickly wipes her cheek and looks up, "Little A?"
"Hey, wh-what's with the tears?"
Raina laughs a little as she wipes her cheeks again. "I…I was just worried."
"It's not your fault Raina."
Raina looks away.
"Hey. Look at me."
Finally she makes eye contact.
"I'm fine. It hardly hurts." Little A gives her best smile.
Raina responds with a sad smile and nod.
"Raina?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened?"
"You don't remember?"
Little A looks up at the ceiling. "All I remember is coming home from seeing Kaya and then I heard this loud crash. I was in the kitchen I think." Little A's eyes close for a second then they slowly open.
"You need to sleep. We can talk about it later."
Little A nods a little. It is obvious how tied she is. "Love you…"
Raina kisses the back of her hand, "I love you too."
Aethyta returns. Raina just now notices how haggard and tired the Matriarch looks.
"She just woke up for a few minutes. She was asking what happened."
"She doesn't remember?"
"Only walking into the house then hearing a loud crash."
"You tell her anything else?"
"No." Raina sees a few staff members bringing in two beds. "Guess we are lucky it's a big room."
"The police are outside already. We should get some sleep."
Raina swears she sees her grandfather wince a little. "Maybe you should have a doctor look at you while you are here Grandpa."
"Not necessary."
"Are you sure?"
"Here." Aethyta pats the bed.
"I'm not really tired."
"We can watch a vid then." Aethyta climbs into her bed and lets out a long sigh as if this is the first time she has allowed herself to relax.
Raina gets into her bed and waits for Aethyta to turn on the vid screen. "You have the controls? Grandpa?"
Silence.
Raina props up on her elbows and looks over at her grandfather. She is out cold.
Using her biotics Raina slowly pulls Little A's bed close to hers being careful not to pinch any cords. Raina takes Little A's hand in her own then lies down on her back. She didn't think she was tired but she is out in minutes.
