Warning! Warning!
Fluff and smut incoming!
Well, we say our goodbyes and turn the attention back to the other places of interest. Not much else to say but: Enjoy, and try to read the first parts before skipping to the smut ;)
The making of a Man
November 28th
Stockholm, Sweden
Odengatan 9B
16: 27
I won't pretend to fully be able to understand what is going through the minds of Jennifer or her mother as the two of them lie on the floor, crying and laughing in a way that would otherwise be a bit bizarre. Here though, it's the good sort of heart-aching to behold.
Neither is really saying anything, but the occasional babbling of reassurances and confirmations speaks all the words I can think off. I wonder, if I had ever gotten the chance to see mum or dad again, would we have acted this way?
Probably
Instead of standing around, I follow Wrex's surprisingly good example and sit down, resting against the wall as the sound of sobbing and laughing fills the stairs, probably drawing some attention from the people living here.
Well fuck them...
Ash joins me, though she opts to kneel instead, resting in a way I know would hurt my knees to do. Sitting down, she leans into me, both of us watching the display of love, confusion and relief. I know those things can never come close to really showing what is going on in front of us, but they are the closest words I can think of to describe it with.
"So... still have your doubts?" Ash whispers as she looks on with teary eyes, her own mascara starting to run a few places under her eyes. Instead of immediately replying, I pull her towards me and kiss her on the mouth, needing an outlet for my heart demanding something, something I can't really put words on.
"Humans..." Wrex mutters, shaking his big head in the background. His voice seems to pull Jenny and her mother from their reunion, the mother trying to get back on shaky legs, with some help from Jennifer, the girl being in a better mood than what I have ever seen anyone be in. Realizing this could be a cue, I nod to Ash, Wrex already being in the process of getting back up. Dusting off the back of my legs, I turn to Susanna, Jennifer's mother as she tries getting words over her lips.
At least she isn't looking like a broken woman anymore, but more like a relived and saved human being.
"How... I... thank you! Thank you!" If I was prepared for a reaction, it wasn't this. Before I can step backwards, Susanna has thrown herself at my feet, hugging my waist while sobbing, yet still having a sort of self control. Trying to be as gentle as I can, I pry her hands from my body, helping her back to her feet.
"Susanna, can we come in for a moment?" I ask, receiving a beaming, teary smile from Jenny as her mother looks at me with initial confusion, then nods hastily. She quickly starts backing away, making some way for the rest of us. She seems like she has no idea how to really react to this, which I can perfectly understand. I mean, she just got her supposedly dead daughter back. Now we just have to tell her just how Jennifer came to be with us. Why do I feel like I'll hate my job in about ten minutes?
"That depends on how you handle it. You could always let Ashley handle the talking, but you would need to explain Teltin. You was the only one there."
"So in other words, I have to explain Hell-camp? Great..." I mutter, then looking around before following Susanna and Jennifer into the apartment.
It's not really that big, or small for that matter, but it bears the signs of life having been snuffed for a long time. There's just some sort of sadness lingering in the walls. Old newspapers cling to the board over a computer, holding several articles of the 'Biotic Disease'. Biotic Disease my ass...
"Wrex, you're not coming?" I can hear Ash ask from behind me. Turning, I see the old Krogan hesitate in the door.
"Hmm... I'm just going to crack the floor or scare the mother... better I wait out here." He says, a strange somberness in his voice. For some reason, Ash decides otherwise and pulls him inside as well, the Krogan taking precautions not to smash the wooden panel next to the door. Still not having let go of her mother, and the other way around being the same, Jennifer pulls her mum to a table, then waves at the rest of us to sit down as well. For some reason, she insists more with Wrex than the rest of us. Despite the presence of a Krogan in her home, Susanna isn't even faced with him coming in.
"I... I'll make us some coffee. Is that alright miss Petersen?" Ash says standing, both to get to the kitchen, but also to make some room for Wrex. Susanna is still a wreck though, and it takes her a few seconds to register Ash's question.
"Sure... yes, I... thank you miss...?"
"Williams, Ashley Williams. You can just call me Ash." Ash says with a smile as she starts pouring the water into a kettle. Looking back to Susanna, now having Jennifer on her lap, I place my hands on the table, unsure of how to begin. Jen and her mother don't seem to mind though, the older woman still just trying to feel at her daughter, trying to make sure it isn't just a dream. I can imagine she has had this kind of dream more than once...how to I even begin?
"I would leave out the part with you dying, as well as your arrival on Pragia... perhaps instead of dying, say you were either abducted, which is not a lie, or just say you found her at the facility when the Alliance shut the place down."
"But that still has me telling of Jennifer's personal hell..."
"Her mother will find out sooner or later. Nothing I have seen suggests a loss of memory after she was brought onboard, and the scars will always be there. Better that you tell it than her mother finds out from her daughter."
"Fuck... way to spoil the mood, huh?" I remark with a dry smile.
"Perhaps... however, I would think that having her daughter back safe and sound will outweigh any grief the other news might bring." As always, Roku seems to take logic as his own slave, making perfect sense where as I wouldn't see it.
"Susanna, can I call you Susanna?" I ask, noticing Ash being in the process of scooping up some insta-coffee from the corner of my eye. The woman looks away from her daughter for the second it takes her to nod, then her attention is back at Jennifer.
"Alright... Susanna, this isn't going to be easy for you to hear, but..." I start, and instantly a pair of frightened eyes are fastened upon me, and not her daughter.
"What?" She almost snaps, the worry in her voice being more than just evident. It's dominating.
"You need to... should know how we found your daughter... how Jennifer is alive, and not..." I mutter, not fully certain how to broach the subject. For fuck's sake, I'm still having waking nights after-
"There was no biotic disease, was there? At least, none that killed children?" Susanna says, her voice bringing my eyes widening, up to meet hers. Before I can say anything though, it's Wrex who enters the conversation.
"You knew, did you?"
"I always had a feeling, but... they said it was just denial, perfectly natural after what happened...Did you... help find my little girl?" Susanna asks, looking at Wrex, the Krogan being seated on the floor, yet still having his head at her level. Wrex shakes his head;
"No... didn't meet her until we picked them up. It's the whelp there, who got her out from... that place." He mutters, nodding at me. This in turn, causes Susanna to snap her attention back to me, currently still having a pair of fidgeting hands on the table. At the same time, Ash brings over three mugs of coffee, as well as one better used a soup bowl. The latter she hands to Wrex, the Krogan eyeing, then sniffing the content.
Taking my own cup, I'm grateful for something to hold on to, to keep my fingers busy instead of the fidgeting. Taking a moment to still my own shaking, I look from the blackness of the coffee, and back up at Susanna, the woman not having touched her cup yet. Instead, one long and slow question is forming on her paling face;
"What. Place?"
"It was purely an accident. I was kidnapped by Cerberus, a terrorist group with high goals and bullshit about human dominance and... never mind. I woke up in one of their cells, not sure why I was there, but while I was trying to flee, I met Jennifer. Now... I... you need to understand, when I found her, your daughter was not well-treated. I don't know, or care why, but they seemed to have performed experiments on Jennifer. The marks you can notice on her hands... her neck too, they were a lot bigger when I found her." I pause, cringing as I see Susanna's face go paler with each mark she finds on her daughter.
"She was... afraid of me at first, because I wore the same armor as the people working there. But we... talked, and... we got away from the place together. Some of the guards tried to stop us... I... I killed them. I killed them and I would do it again, they had no regard for Jennifer's safety. We escaped and were picked up by the Normandy. It's the ship I... we all, serve on." I pause, looking to the now seated Ash for help.
"Susanna, when Jennifer was brought onboard to us, when I saw her the first time, she was malnourished. We spent the needed time to foster her back to health. You must understand, at the time we were unsure if the emotional impact of Jennifer's appearance would cause you even more distress." Ash says, placing a comforting hand over Susanna's. For some reason, the mother suddenly grows a little distant in her voice;
"How long?" She asks, her voice more of a demand.
"Twenty-two days... we set out to deliver her as soon as it was deemed-" Ash starts.
"You... you had my daughter for... for almost a month?" She asks, her eyes darting to and from me and Ash, even landing on Wrex for a few seconds.
"I'm sorry Susanna, but we needed to make sure she was in good health before-" I start.
"You fly. A. Warship! What if you had been attacked?!" She's getting worked up, even I can see that. That, and the fact that she seems to be clutching Jennifer even tighter signals the need for a different approach.
"We took care of her, where no one else were even looking for her. The Normandy is a stealth ship, no one would even know where to look for us. It was protective custody, and she received the best care possible." Ash states, sounding surprisingly stern in her tone; "Had we brought her back the same day we found her, the stress might have caused both of you more hurt than good. I understand why you react like you do. You think, in some way, that we tried keeping your daughter. We didn't, she is home. So please, stop accusing us for things we haven't done." Normally I would say something here, anything really, but deep down, I agree with Ash. I just don't find it fair that the initially weeping and grateful mother is suddenly accusing us of trying to either keep or endanger her daughter. And as odd as it seems, Susanna is visibly taken aback by Ash's words, then stays silent for a while. Even Jennifer doesn't say anything, but I can feel the confusion radiating from her. The only sound at the moment, is Wrex trying to figure out if he likes coffee or not.
"I... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have... I just..." She starts, heaving for air as Ash and me look on with clear concern painted in her brown eyes; "I just see the ship being attacked, and then losing my little girl for the second... I... I'm sorry. I know you wanted to do the best thing for her, and here she is..." She says, placing her cheek on Jennifer's smaller head, the girl's brown hair still having blots of the mascara in it. Not sure why I do it, I open the small pocket in the luggage, retrieving the group photo. I hand it to Jennifer, to show her mother herself.
"What's..." Her mother starts with confusion, then a small smile breaks out on her face, slowly turning wider as Jenny shows her the picture, a smile on the girl's face. Nodding to Ash and Wrex, I relax a bit more, putting my fingers back through the handle for the cup.
"That's me, right there, see mum? And Thomas is carrying me, and Garrus is taking the picture, that's the Turian next to Thomas and me, the one who looks away from the camera." Jennifer exclaims and explains with a smile, as well as seeming to enjoy her mother's confusion and interest.
"Turian, Quarian... and a Krogan? I thought you were an Alliance ship?" She asks, evidently not understanding why we have so many aliens on the ship. In a way, I can perfectly well understand her. I take a sip from the hot drink, then give her a reassuring smile;
"Believe me, they are weirder than they look. But everyone of them have earned a spot on the ship. Jen, why don't you tell your mother who the people on the picture are?" I ask with a smile, watching Jennifer launch into a new explanation to her mother. Meanwhile I feel a hand land on mine, causing me to look at the owner with a smile that just grows warmer by seeing her own.
"And the Quarian is Johnny'Shepard. He's the leader of the ship, and they call him Commander. And that is Jane Shepard, but they are not family, because Quarians and humans can't be family, they can't have children because the DNA is wrong." Jennifer says, unknowingly delivering a ball-kick to the entire Talimancer-society. Damn, why didn't I think of that?
"They have the same name?" Her mother asks, causing me to start worry a bit. I don't know if Jennifer knows of the connection, but if she does, and tells her mother... We can always just call it "childish imagination" right?
"Maybe, but it would probably hurt Jennifer to be called "a liar" in that sense."
"Fuck me..."
"I will leave that to Williams, thank you very much. Jacking off is highly unpleasant for me to watch."
Not dignifying that with an answer, I turn my attention back to Jennifer.
"Yes, but Johnny says that's because his mother once met a nice human named Shepard, and then she named him after him. Jane is the captain, and she does what Johnny says, even though I think captain is higher than commander." She says, pressing on a point I've been thinking about as well. It is strange, actually, that Jane abides by John's decisions when she outranks him. What's even weirder is that it was John who instated her as Captain.
"And what about the scared man behind Jane?" Susanna asks, seemingly having found a way to escape the situation she herself made when she started accusing us of... of having taken Jennifer. It's okay though, as weird as it sounds. She probably still is uncertain if this is even real, and I wouldn't be surprised if she has half a mind telling her this is just a good dream.
"That's Jeffrey, or Jeff, but we all call him Joker because he's funny. He's always the best pilot there is, and when he isn't flying, I saw him watch a movie with women with no clothes on, and-"
"And what about the other human man, behind me?" I say, desperately trying to avert an extremely awkward situation.
"That's Kaidan, silly. He's nice too, but he always have headaches. He said it was because of his biotics, they put little metal-things in his head that makes them stronger, but they hurt too." Jenny says, completely unperturbed by my changing subject of discussion.
"And the Turian with white and brown face-paint?" Ash asks, pointing at Nihlus.
"That's Nihlus mum. He's really boring and always writing on his computer, but he said I was "in accordance with requirements" and did that thing with his mandibles where they go outwards. And that's Tequila. They say it's a drink, and she says it too, so I asked why she was called that. She said, it was because she once hit a man in the head with it, and then they call her Tekila... but it's just because her name is Teresa and then Akila. It makes Te-kila when you put it together." World of wonders, she figured it out...
"Was Tequila nice too?" Susanna asks, while I send Ash a somewhat knowing look. It's not that big a secret that Tequila isn't good with children, but the scene at the hangar does cause a few questions to pop up.
"Yeah, but she swore sometimes. I told her not to, but at one point she told me Thomas and Ash were kissing down below, and then Nicolai laughed and he said 'Fuck you' to her, and she said he wanted to, and later..." I have stopped listening. Holy fuck... Tequila... told... Jenny... what... the ...fuck? I'm going to toss her sorry ass across the deck later.
"Despite your powers, which I won't lend you for that purpose, as well as your better arm, it will be her kicking your ass, not the other way. And I would enjoy watching you try." Instead of dignifying Roku with an answer, I look at Ash. She too has gone from normal to red, her face looking like a dozen blood vessels popped at the same time. Then she just slowly leads a hand to her face, smacking her own forehead. Wrex is just looking at us in confusion for a moment, then something seems to slide into place behind his eyes, and he starts chuckling.
"Hah, so that's what you were doing down there, huh? Should have known, the whole deck reeked of pheromones..."
"Wrex, I swear to the Divines, shut it or I'll throw you out the window." I growl, sending him a glare of death.
"As if you could." He just says, going back to his coffee.
"Did you really know all these people honey?" Susanna says, making me look back at the two of them, absorbed in the picture.
"Yeah, and there were more too, but they were in the hospital after they crashed their Mako." Jennifer says, drawing my thoughts to the people on Arcturus' hospital, as well as Fixer. I wonder if we go to Horizon to bury him next to Sev... seems the right thing to do.
"Oh, who?"
"There's an Asari, that's a blue woman, named Liara. She was really sweet too, and there were two other soldiers who looked liked each other, and one of them was named Scorch." She says, then leaning in closer; "He really likes Liara, but I had to make him ask her out, 'cause he was too nervous to do it alone." She says with a grin, then pulls out the medal Boss gave her, the Helios of Courage I think it was called.
"What's... Jennifer, what's this?" Susanna asks, her eyes still weary but now filled with both amazement and a little confusion.
"That's the Helios of Courage. Boss gave it to me, he was the other of the soldiers who looked alike, and he said it was because I was brave." At that, Susanna looks top the rest of us, seemingly not knowing what to think or believe.
"It's true, Lieutenant Boss gave her the medal because he saw her as one of the bravest people he had ever met. Especially because she came out from her captivity unscathed. It's a big compliment and honor to receive from a veteran like him." Ash says, giving Jenny a smile. Jenny returns it, turning her face towards us both. That's when I notice the small red ring on her forehead.
"Heh, looks like Tali gave you a departure-gift as well." I chuckle, gesturing at her forehead. Jenny lets the medal fall back down on her chest as she feels at the slightly swollen area, scratching at the no doubt itchy marking.
"When did this come, sweetie are you sick?!" Susanna asks with slight panic in her voice. Before Jenny can answer, I hold up a reassuring hand;
"Not at all, just an allergic reaction to being the first human I know of to be kissed by a Quarian. She kissed our residential engineering-genius on the cheek, and Tali decided to risk an infection by retuning the gesture. Right Jenny?" I say, winking to the girl.
"Yeeeaaahh... she was really nice too, but I'm sad she has to stay in a suit her whole life. She looked like an angel." Jennifer mutters, still scratching at the markings. Not wanting to spoil to small moment of cuteness, I take a new drink from my coffee, enjoying the taste of mashed and crushed beans made powder, then combined with boiling water to make quick coffee.
I wonder if Nescafe still exists.
"Sounds like you have been getting to know a lot of people. God am I just... I'm so, so grateful to have her back. You can't imagine what life has been like since... we were told she..." Her mother starts, her eyes losing their joy as she thinks back to the time where Jenny was "sold" to Cerberus. Sold my ass, she was stolen. I hope one of the men I killed was the one who took her.
"No, and thank God you will never have to again. Now you can focus on restarting your lives, give Jenny a chance at a regular life." Ash says, placing a hand over one of Susanna's. I slowly put my mug back down.
"What about her biotics? I don't know if there are regular schools where you can send biotic children to, at least not in the older classes, later on." I say, looking between Jennifer and her mother.
"I don't know. Biotics... I'm still not sure how you are one sweetie, but I will never love you any less for it. It just makes you more special, more unique." Susanna says, hugging her daughter.
"Thomas, up until seventh grade, schools can handle biotic children just fine. It's not until they get over that age that... issues can flare. But there's a long time to that happens... I'm sorry, I know it's not our business to get mixed up in what you decide for her." Ash says, looking from me to Susanna and Jennifer.
"It's fine. You saved my daughter and kept her safe and healthy. I can never repay you for that. I... would...we had a school ready for her, but when... Now that she is back, I can have her enrolled again, but different school. But... I don't know any schools that can take my Jennifer when she becomes older that I can pay for. I can't afford Grissom, and that's the only place I know off." Susanna mutters the last part, sounding embarrassed.
"Can't they give her a scholarship or something?" I ask.
"Maybe, but I don't know anyone who can give that sort of things. Nils is in the marines, but he doesn't know anyone either. He hasn't said a word to any of the people there due to... I think it hit him even harder. I have... I have to tell him our daughter is home, as soon as I can."
"You said you didn't know anyone who can grant a scholarship... Ash, can an admiral do something like that?" I ask, turning to face my girlfriend.
"It is strange how a word like that seems utterly insufficient, isn't it?"
"it is, yeah... funny, but the term 'girlfriend' just seems so... superficial."
"Agree, but there are few other words. You could call her your lover instead, but it might cause people to question when being told."
"lover seems even worse. It's like what you call someone you are cheating on with."
"Then I stand clueless. Humans, and your needs to name what cannot be named..."
"Yeah, Admirals and politicians can... are you thinking of asking your sister?" She says, eyes widening in understanding.
"Sure, why not? With all I've given her, directed Kasumi to her for one thing, it should be easy to ask." I say, shrugging. I notice both Susanna and Wrex are looking at us in confusion, the latter being the most surprising. Can Wrex be confused? I shake my head at the thought as I turn back to Jenny and Susanna.
"Listen, I think I might be able to get you the scholarship for Grissom Academy. They have what is called the 'Ascension Project' which focuses on giving human biotics as normal an education as possible, while also teaching them to fully harness their biotic potential." I say, folding my hands on the table. The look of sheer startle and surprise in Susanna's eyes takes me by surprise a little. I mean, I expected a little surprise, yes, but not this almost look of awe.
"You... you'd do that for us... for her?"
"Always. It might sound a bit weird, but in the time I've known your daughter... it has been one of the best times in my life. I..." I start, then look at Jennifer; "Hell Jenny, you pretty much made my life less grim, all of our lives really. If something had happened to you, I don't know what I would have done." I say, feeling my throat choke up despite the broad smile on my face.
"Probably cry a lot, then kill whatever did it." Wrex offers. Instead of glaring at him, I just smile again, exhaling.
"Probably, yes... just... Susanna, you and Jennifer can always count on us. Jen became part of a family in the time we had her, and she doesn't stop being part of it just because she's home again. Everyone on the ship wants only the best for her... even the sour old Dinosaur there." I grin, pointing a thumb at Wrex.
"Still beats being called 'Santa'."
"I bet it does." I muse, smiling at him. Receiving a Krogan smile is not as calming as a human smile. Mostly because it involves seeing a lot of teeth. Big, sharp teeth. For a while, Susanna doesn't say anything, just looks between her daughter and us, some sort of contemplating clearly taking place in her mind.
"You have kept my daughter safe for all this time... if something ever were to happen to me and Nils, could... could I ask you to keep her safe again? To be here for her?"
"Mum, nothing is going to happen." Jennifer protests. Susanna brushes her daughters head with a loving hand, taking a few of the wild strands from her face.
"I need to agree with your daughter here Susanna. Nothing should be able to happen now." Ash says, her voice surprisingly firm and determined.
"I just need to know... I know I hardly know you, but I have my girl again thanks to you, that's more than I can ever repay you for. I just have this one favor to ask. Will you be Jennifer's godparents? Our family is no bigger than the three of us, and we don't have anyone else we can trust. But you..." She trails off, worry in her eyes.
"It is fear of rejection. I remember it in your eyes as well, once."
"You would entrust us with Jennifer, even despite our lives not exactly being... comfortable?" I ask, not sure how to really comprehend the plead. I mean, I've never even imagined... Okay, I have imagined it, but to be given eventual responsibility as a godparent... this is huge!
"Agree, it is bigger than anything you have done so far. Still, in the case it should come to pass, it would be an interesting experience."
"Are you asking the three of us, or the whole ship or...? Ash asks, voicing my thoughts.
"I haven't met the rest of your ship, and... I don't know Krogan ways of raising children... so just the two of you." Susanna says, stumbling over her words, yet her voice is remarkably strong all of a sudden. Giving Ash a short look, noticing she is looking straight at me as well, her eyes drilling into mine with a soft but determined glow, I can feel a warmth spreading through my body. The sheer trusts Susanna is putting in us, it's overwhelming!
"In the event that something were to happen, which I hope to God it won't... then yes, we would be more than happy to take care of Jennifer." Ash says, cutting off any train of doubts I might have had. In truth I didn't have any doubts at all.
...
November 28th
Arcturus Station, Arcturus Stream
Office of Anna Fisher
19:29
"How's the scanning coming along Price?" Anna asked from her chair, trying to kill a migraine she had had ever since overlooking the dissection of a hunk of metal from the big Reaper ship. It wasn't much bigger than a hand, and had no moveable parts, but it still took hours to cut through the plating, and even then there was something akin to a glimmering in the metal, as if it shifted when she looked at it. She had made an appointment with her ophthalmologist shortly after. Oddly enough, nothing turned out to be wrong with her eyes, but whenever she looked at the metal, it was like she got film over her eyes.
"Damn slow, that's what it does. I have dedicated minimal runtimes to help out doctor Cole, as well as only having a few remotely significant bits of me running the robots building your damn ship. This hunk of metal though..." He said, pulling his hat before continuing; "It's like it doesn't want us to crack it open... I need some better equipment to get an understanding of it, but it gives me the digital creeps."
"Price... big-ass ship or not, we wasted it. We killed whatever it was. It's a wreck, and I wanna know where it came from." Anna said, indulging herself in her fourth pill since the dissection. The headache just would go away.
"See, that's what I thought too, but I ended up fucking packed in my quantum box. I tell you, there isn't anything 'normal' about that piece of crap hunk of steel... or whatever it's made from."
"That was when the AI was at full power... now it's dead."
"They said the same thing about the Forerunners..." Price muttered, then turned himself off. Anna didn't need to know where he was going anymore. He had a free going on the station, as well as the best extranet connections money could buy. When he left it was either to mull things over in his "office", help out Bryn Cole in the labs, or administer the mechs used to construct her ship. The "Spirit of Eden Prime" might be the first ship, and hence made before her own could be finished, but that just meant she would get to put more guns on her own ship.
That was another thing she needed to get done. the Turbolaser was a bitch to develop, she just hoped it would be worth the work. Still, she had both Price and Cole on it, and the young scientist had proven her worth more than once. The Bose-Einstein coolant was partly her invention, partly that of Price's. For that alone, Anna would have promoted her had it not been because it would mean Cole would have to go to Earth for that. So instead she just pulled her pay grade up a few notches.
"Alright... VI, what's my next to-do for today?" Anna asked. Even with Price around, having a regular VI-secretary was handy.
"You have two additional jobs for today, Admiral Awesome. Task 1: Finish report to the Parliament on the nature of Corporal Thomas Fisher's biotics of unknown character. Task 2: Meeting with the Quarian Admiralty Board, as well as Alliance Parliament to work out a permanent term of cooperation and trade."
"Well that's easy enough... just let me call up Batman first." She muttered, opening her computer. She had hardly had any free-time since the whole Reaper-battle, and it didn't look like she would be getting any anytime soon. At least Zaeed seemed to enjoy himself, scaring the shit out of the recruits in the barracks.
...
November 28th
Zorya, Headquarters of the New Suns.
15:11
Magnus felt a bit conflicted about his new job. Sure, it was easy enough, compared to taking down Loyalists, but also it was not the most pleasant he had tried yet. Especially because he knew his judgment kinda decided the fates of those he "interviewed".
"Name?" He said, trying to get properly seated across the table from his prisoner. The Suns seemed to have a funny sense of irony, that he should be the one responsible for interrogating the prisoners holed up on the Ashanti. They had, of course, been moved to the facility since the battle was over and done with, but watching the long rows of prisoners had forced him to remember seeing the feed from surveillance cameras in the raided colonies after the Batarians had been there.
"Sasha Tokev" The red-head responded, refusing to meet his eyes. That could both be a good thing, as well as a bad thing. Good, because it pointed to willpower, and bad because it could mean she was still loyal to the Loyalists.
"Rank?" He asked, trying to keep his tone professional. It was not easy though, when you had started out saving someone from being raped, and then had to interrogate them. Of course, hundreds of the interrogations had really just been interviews to find out if the person was suited to be in the New Suns, or if he or she would be stuffed on a freighter and dumped on a colony belonging to their respective races.
"Legionnaire" She said, still not looking him in the eyes.
"Alright then. Sasha, I am not sure if you remember me, but-" He started, well aware that the wall was stuffed with mikes and cameras.
"You saved me, yes I remember you. It's why I've answered your questions so far... so, thanks." She said, her hostile voice dripping slightly over in the more sympathetic tones he wanted to hear.
"Well, good you remember me then. My name is Magnus, I am an operative in the New Suns, and I want to see if you have the wish to rejoin the Suns. After all, we need the manpower after the cleanup." He admitted, folding his hands on the metallic table.
"Maybe... then tell me this: Why the fuck did you start roasting my men instead of just telling us to surrender? Oh that's right, because you would kill the Batarians anyway." She spat the words out, causing him to blink a few times. Had he said something wrong?
"We had to clean out the Batarians. They were terrorists, nothing more. We are going to restore the image of the Suns as it was before Vido took over."
"Oh right, because the New Suns are all angels and saints. What faction did the guy who killed my men, then tried to rape me belong to? Oh that's right, the New Suns, the 'Reformists' as you call yourselves." She sneered, clearly not having forgotten how the man had blown the heads off her subordinates. Magnus sighed, wishing he had gotten another prisoner. At least one with an accent that wasn't as thick.
"Damn... right, you have a point there. No side is free of bastards, but they are being dealt with. The one trying to rape you? Dead. The people torturing prisoners? Dead. We don't condone that sort of shit."
"Tell that to Marcus, or Petrakis. You just have to yell, their ears are a few meters from the rest of their heads." She growled. Magnus leaned back with a sigh, rubbing his temple with a pair of fingers.
"They were your friends, those two?" He asked, looking at her. He, if anyone, knew how it was to lose friends. He had lost more than one during his time in the armed forces, and he had seen shit go down on Therum and Noveria. He had even seen that scientists being impaled from behind by a Rachni, ugly critters as they were. Her expression grew less hostile, and more pained from his question.
"Yes... I'd known them for ten years... Marcus even longer." She muttered, looking away. He could see the signs, no matter how much she wanted to hide them. While Magnus sucked at reading aliens, he could read humans better than most. She bit her lips, her jaw was shaking slightly, so little that you wouldn't notice unless you knew what to look for. Her breath slowed down considerably and her cheeks went slightly inwards as she tightened up.
"I'm sorry. If it means anything, I know how losing someone close to you feels like." He said, his voice hopefully low enough that the mikes would only pick up some stuttering. She, on the other hand, heard him.
"Why did he have to die?" She said with a low voice, a voice that was starting to break. In hindsight it was clear from the redness under her eyes that she had spent some time grieving for her comrade.
"I don't know. Only the dead bastard knew, and... well. You and Marcus were close?" Magnus asked. It was a bit scary to him, how the similarities between this, and his and Jane's parting had been. Sasha looked only a little like Jane, but the hair was a ghostly reminder. And the name of the man had been Marcus, as for the way he had died... a thug had shot him for little known reasons other than simple lust for dead. From what had remained of the poor bastard's head, he had even had the same hair color as Magnus.
"None of your business. Why?" She demanded with a pained expression etched on her face.
"You are crying... I spent some time crying when I lost the woman I loved." He said with a tone, completely uncommon to him. He hated when he got soft, it was just a new way for people to kill him, gave them more ammunition to use against him. And yet, first Jane, and now... he wasn't sure about Tara, about what he felt for her. He wanted to be nothing but her friend, but...
He could still remember what he had felt when he had picked her up and swung her around. How his heart had almost stopped when she leaned into him. It had been different from their hug on Illium, there had been something... more, to it.
"So what if I am? Aren't you just interested in finding out if I wanna join your gang or to shoot me dead if I say no?" Sasha said. Her response caused him to flinch, if only a little. Similarities or not, he wouldn't be faced by something like this.
"No." He said; "I am not. While it is true that we want you back as a Sun, you have the free choice of being shipped to the closest human colony if you refuse. We don't execute prisoners... at least not after a battle."
"Then just... drop me off on the nearest colony. I am done and through with the Suns." She said, looking away.
"Are you sure? We can use people with your mindset."
"What you can use, what you need... is a psychiatrist for every single person in the Suns. Start with yourself, you think you do the good job after all. Get a shrink." She said, turning a pair of determined, burning eyes at him. He didn't flinch at it though, simply looking straight back.
Finally, seeing as he couldn't say anything to change her mind, he nodded, then stood.
...
November 29
SSV Normandy, Dry-dock 5
Deck 3 - Crew Quarters, Gym and Brig
02:19
Stepping out of the elevator, I'm a bit surprised at how much I have missed this place. Funny, that I would think this way, considering how at least three fourth of my time down here has given me bruises. Ash is walking next to me, her breath heavy with what I can only guess is anticipation.
"Ash..." I say, stopping myself before we start what is difficult to stop. We keep walking though, Ash just turning to look at me.
"I know, you are thinking just what a responsibility was placed on you." She says, sounding as solemn as I am feeling. Despite the prospects of sharing the room with her again, I can still feel the impact of what Susanna said.
"Yes. I mean, she made me... us, the two of us, Jenny's godparents. Do you think we can ever really lift a responsibility like that?" I ask as we go through the door to the side-room.
"That depends, if it ever happens, how old will she be? If it is now, or the next year, I have my doubts we would be ready to lift that kind of responsibility, yes... but later on, maybe we can. You heard her Thomas, there are nobody else she can trust, and we gave her back her daughter." Ash says, leading me by the hand into the room, towards the mattress.
"I know, I know... but what if we can't?" I ask, trying to get some sort of 'it will be fine' from her.
"If we can't, we can't. But don't you dare give up before you've even tried. Besides, you showed me how great you are with children. Jenny looks up to you in ways no one but her parents can ever hope to surpass." She says, sitting down on the mattress. I sit down next to her, feeling my breath get caught in my throat as I process what she said. I look away as my cheeks heat up, not being able to look her in the eyes, warm and soft as they are.
"I don't know about that..." I muse, letting a small chuckle escape; "You should have seen her when I met her the first time... she was scared and kicked me in the chin more than once." I say, looking at her legs instead. Her feet have already discarded both shoes and socks.
She places a hand on my cheek, forcing me to look up again, locking her eyes with mine;
"Thomas, I have seen how she reacted. Remember the helmet recording? I know she was scared, but I was also warmed by how you just... took her in. The things you said, the things you did... I hurt with every pained expression on her scarred and frightened face, but your words, the promises you made, they helped her. I could see how she started opening up to you, even if it was slowly" She says, leaning her forehead against mine. I breathe in, feeling how my body relaxes with her being here, with me.
"You also saw how I... what I did to the guards." I mutter, cursing myself for not being able to just shut up about it. Her expression grows more somber, more serious, and she places a hand on my other cheek, holding my head in a strong, yet gentle grip.
"Thomas, you knew what would happen if they got her. I'll admit, I felt physically bad when you burned those people with your bare hands, but you... they gave you no choice."
"Maybe... maybe... Thanks, I guess I needed that." I say, cupping her cheek with my own hand, bringing a smile to her lips as I touch my nose to hers.
"So, feeling better now?" she grins, sneaking a hand down towards the edge of my shirt. Catching her hand with my bionic one, I kiss her on the nose.
"Ilove all beauteous things, I seek and adore them; God hath no better praise, and man in his hasty days is honored for them." I mutter, kissing her again, this time on the spot right above her lips, causing a small shiver to pass through my body; " Ilove all beauteous things, but most of all, I love you." I say again, kissing her on the lips, my own brushing softly against hers as I say the last word.
Her breath stops for a moment, then a grin spreads on her lips, partly showing her teeth;
"Robert Bridges: Ilove all beauteous things. Thomas, since when did you start reading sappy love-poetry?" She grins, kissing me on the cheek, her hand still in my grip.
"I might have had a... motivation, or something." I mutter, kissing her on the neck. Not just lifting my lips back, I place my teeth on her skin, scraping over it with as much care as I can not to hurt her. The moan going through her, sounding like it's her body and not her mouth spilling it, seems to tell me I've done something right. Before she can act or say anything, I grasp her other hand in my bionic one as well, holding both of them above her head.
"Or something?" She asks in a low voice as she leans forward.
"Or something." I mutter, returning the gesture as I place my own lips over hers, letting go of her hands in the process.
Her breathe mixes with my own as I embrace her, tugging her body against my own as her lips part, allowing me to enter her mouth for a change, my tongue looking around for hers until it jumps forwards from the back of her mouth, slamming against mine as a playful puppy.
Her arms snake around me, lifting up in my shirt before simply pulling it off me. I hardly notice, instead focused on keeping her tongue in check with my own, tasting her inside her own mouth as she wrings around me, then suddenly shooting into my own mouth. Seeing the glint in her eyes, I close mine, retracting my tongue to follow the tip of hers as it toys around with the back of my cheeks. I bite gently down on it, feeling as my teeth scrape the buds on her red muscle. She responds by pressing into me even more intensively, forcing me backwards and almost toppling me on the bed.
Taking my hands from her back, I slide them over her shoulders, squeezing them gently then continuing downwards and around her firm breasts, letting my fingers dance over the area just next to where I can feel the hard nipple through her uniform. Instead of trying to take charge like last time, she just moans with pleasure, indicating that she wants me to continue. I take my cue and place my fingers so that they caress her forms, a hand on each.
With each change in pressure, the moaning comes back from her muffle voice, my mouth over hers as we tumble sideways onto the mattress, her hands rummaging through my hair as her breathing increases in pace, her skin prickly with the small bumps showing the Goosebumps going over her. It stings a bit when one of my hands squeeze around her hard nipple through the clothes, causing her to pull a few strands of my hair from my head.
"Ouch..." I mutter, taking my lips from hers to speak, then pressing them back against hers, meeting her tongue as it springs out for my own. A soft chuckle sounds from her mouth, signaling that it was fully on purpose. Grinning while kissing her, I grab her hands and take them over her head, then use the other hand to grab the edge of her shirt, pulling the dark uniform over her body and off her head, leaving her dark hair to hover and stand in the air as the shirt leaves her bare shoulders clothe only by the straps for her bra. Shifting my weight, I pull her on top of me, gazing and marveling at her body as she rocks her hips over my groin, a devilish grin displayed on her lips when she breaks away from mine.
I place my hands on her hips as she teases me, rocking over my already hard erection. I can feel as it goes between her thighs, chaffing against the clothing keeping us separated. Each movement of hers, each moment of temptation is both pain and bliss, making me forget everything but Ash and her body as she rocks her hips in steady, yet sudden movements. Sliding my hands upwards from her hips, I catch her breasts once again, cupping them in my hands as she keeps her hips rocking on mine. The renewed touch sends shivers, as if electric, through my hands upon the touch, feeling her skin where it is then covered by the black, velvet clothing, the patterns in the material showing the skin beneath it, yet not showing anything. This time, I don't fumble with the bra behind her back, simply levying the soft mountains of flesh and skin from behind the imprisonment of the elastic clothing.
The naked skin jumps out from behind the bra, greeting me with the soft tan of her body, centering around the hard, brown nipples as they stand in the air, almost as if they were saluting. Taking a finger around each little mole of delight, I give Ash a grinning smile before I rub the nipples, sending her into a small spasm of pleasure with each rub. When she grinds against my erection again, I pull myself and her backwards, gaining the ground needed to sit up while holding her naked back with a hand, leading the other to the now bare nipple. A surprised mewling comes from Ash as I press my mouth against her exposed breast, taking the center in between my teeth.
"Don't you daaaaaaaaahhaahah!" She stutters as I suck inwards on the mountain of pleasure, using my lips to tug and suck at the nipple, then letting my teeth touch down upon it. With every ounce of care I can summon, I let them scrape against the hard skin, causing literal jolts of pleasure to spring through her body in the process. She grips a hand through my hair, pulling me deeper against her chest, her breathing having almost stopped, each breath being ragged and strained as I grin internally, then bite down on the nipple through my lips, being careful not to break any skin by letting my teeth touch.
"Okay, okay dare, dare!" She yells with a hoarse voice as I lift the pressure on the breast, pretending to stop. Her mewling voice, thick with passion and lust sends my blood rushing and boiling, most of it towards my groin, making my head spin from the lack of blood. I lean down against her breast again, opening my mouth to let my tongue out, allowing it to play around her knob, the rock-hard bud standing in my mouth as my tongue goes over it, caressing it with the passion running through me at the sight and smell of her body on top of mine, her hips straddling my body while she keeps her hands buried in my hair and her head moaning at the ceiling with each touch on her breast. My other hand slides from resting on her firm breast to go around her back, rubbing the tensed muscles there.
From there, it goes downwards, heading over her buttocks, the more pale skin standing in contrast to that of her front as my eyes follow the hand downwards, then pulling back to num back down on her nipple again, the hand in my hair tightening with each suction. The hand then goes across her skin, crossing forward until it reaches her midst. Here I press it downwards, making space between us as I let it rest against the small triangle of clothes hiding her center. What starts out as just running the finger over the clothes turns into the hand unbuttoning her pants, then pushing itself down under the layers of clothes. It's stopped once more by the black undergarments separating it from the evidently moist core of my woman, the liquid soaking some parts of the fabric as I dig the hand beneath the black clothing, slipping inside her center.
"Fffuuu-" Ash stammers as she shoots her entire body against mine, the sensation from being touched at the core of her being causing violent spasms of pleasure to run through her. Grinning inwardly, I use my other hand to grab her by the neck, making her look at me.
"Sorry, did it hurt?" I mutter as I see her tear-stricken eyes. The following shake buries my fears, and I let the other hand, the organic one, slide inside her again, finding the small bead of pleasure deep inside her. As I round the nub with a finger, she suddenly starts twitching, then rising a little above me as she pulls her legs out of the pants and panties. She then almost drops down on me again, taking my fingers in her hand before she leads them back into her body. I try to follow her example by rubbing off the pants, using my toes to tear at the fabric. While the pants come off somewhat easy, the constant trembling from her being seated on my groin, her naked body slowly rocking against the last barrier between us, causes my feet to lose their grip on the fabric more than once. Turning my attention back to her, I let my thumb go around her bead even as she enters a new twitching of pleasure, moans confirming me that my love is in the same heaven as me.
As I rub around her core again, her hand suddenly shoots down to intercept it, catching my fingers as they near the bead. Not having the bother to ask, I just watch as she takes my fingers to her lips, letting her tongue poke at the hot fluid covering them both as a glinting coat. For some reason, that small action causes me to almost lose consciousness, and my fingers to twitch as a result. A lustful grin emerges on her lips as she takes a hold of the final barrier between her, and my raging erection. My lust, my need for her has only grown rapidly with each ragged pant exiting her mouth, each droplet of sweat rolling down her chest and between her perfect, goddess-like breasts.
With a small rocking, not lasting more than a second, she leaves my embrace, pulling away the underpants from my body, leaving me bare and with a need for her body and soul.
"I need you, need... now!" She exclaims, her words not fully making sense but still carrying the message across. Taking a tentative grip on my member, I guide it to slide along the edges of her opening, causing a small growl from her to sound. Not done teasing her yet though, I gently poke just an inch inside the wet warmth of her body, feeling the immense temptation to just slide inside. Resisting it, I wait until she starts trying to press down on it, then moving a little away, refusing her the end to her lingering need. I glide over her center, causing the skin to appear as Goosebumps as a result.
"Now! Asshat, come... now... you!" She mutters, her eyes drunken with lust as she looks into mine. I give her a small nod, as a bow with the head, then opting to obey her. Also because I'm having some issues containing myself at this time. Following the demands of her body, of my body, I place my member at the opening of her core, then let her press down on it, causing the oh so familiar, yet ungodly alien thrills and electric currents to bolt through my body, forcing me to grab the hard material of the mattress' cover to keep me from grabbing her too hard. Feeling the initial jolt subside, I move my hands from the mattress to her hips, then to her back as she rocks on top of me, making steady movements of love in my lap. Grasping her sides, I move my hands to her shoulders, then down her arms and ending up with holding her hands tightly as she presses me downwards on the mattress, forcing my back into the soft cushioning of our love nest.
"Hggnnnn... better not cum as fart... fast as last time." She mutters, messing up the words. I stay silent, instead opting for obeying her as best as I can. Each rocking of her hips on me makes it all the harder to constrain myself, and each look at her body on mine, each inhale of her scent and sweat, makes it all the more tempting to just give in.
Her body slides down on mine again, as warm fluid starts coating my groin beneath her opening. At the same time, mewling and groaning sounds emanate from her throat as she bites down on her lips, causing her front teeth to stand out a little. I can't help a soft laugh at the realization that the only thing keeping me from releasing, is to watch her imitate the 'Dat Ass' meme. As ludicrous as it is, she seems to be doing it on reflex as the sticky fluid starts swimming over my abdomen as well, streaks of clear liquid being caught in the folds of my skin as well as the short hairs covering the area around my erection. Regardless of this, she keeps on rocking on my member, insatiable in her hunger and lust for more. Regaining some of my motoric functions from her decreased pace, I place my hands on her side, gently but firmly forcing her to roll over as I get on top of her, still not departing from her heat.
"Whut are... just... now... get it! do it, do it, do it!" She stutters, falling over the words until just repeating the last sentence over and over, pressing her hips against me with each order. I speed up my tempo, unable to slow down even if I wanted to. In and out, in and out in hard, shaky movements as I reach my own climax. Pulling her up to me, I hug Ash's body against mine as I release inside her, unable to even try and muster the force it would take to pull out.
As my body finish the convulsions driven through it, I sink down, collapsing over the body of a heathen goddess, panting for her life as well as my own. Her body is glinting with sweat in the dimmed lights of the room, the droplets of scenting liquids slowly making their way down her curves as her hardness starts turning softer, hard skin becoming soft flesh.
My arms and legs, my body as a whole, is unable to move for a few moments, the blood still centering in the lower regions, but slowly returning to my head and remaining limps. What's funny, in retrospect, is that I can't move the bionic arm either. It must be something with the nerves in the remaining part of it that acts in on the numbness.
I roll down next to Ashley, her body still embraced by my arms. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in as I slide out from her core, spilling some hot fluids on the mattress. Her warm body shifts in my arms, turning towards me again. The sight of her naked body, drenched in sweat and all mine, makes my heart pound with a speed that cannot be healthy after what we have just been doing.
"Hey..." I say, smiling broadly at her face, the hazel eyes shining with tiredness and exhaustion. Getting my bionic arm out from under her, I feel the blood return to the upper muscles and gently, ever so gently, remove a few strands of sweat-soaked dark hair clinging to her forehead.
"Hey you." She mutters, a yawn in her voice. I edge in a bit closer, planting a kiss on her lips as a way to show just how much I love her. She returns it, though with evident struggle in simply moving; "Damn... I'm going to get sore later on..." She mutters, flexing her leg, the muscles clearly still tensed in the long, curvy and strong limbs.
"Worth it?" I ask, receiving her as she tiredly rolls over into me, resting on my chest.
"Totally worth it." She mutters, closing her eyes. A question I wanted to ask her earlier on, before we made love, comes back to me in a flash. I start wanting to ask it, but the steady beat of her heart and the breathing of her being tells me she is asleep. Smiling, I brush a few tiresome strands from her nose where they were going from being blown away, to almost being sucked inwards.
"Ash?" I ask, just as a test. Only the steady breathing answers me.
"Never mind... I'll ask you next time." I mutter with a smile, feeling my own eyes falling in.
Leave a review, this chapter was done in 1 day!
I really just sat down and wrote like all hell was loose. and boy do I like my result! XD