Kelice Military Academy
"Our live fire exercises for new recruits are intended to be gruelling," said matriarch Zelenia.
April thought that was a huge understatement as they sat in her office. A very sparsely furnished office. The cream colour walls were bare. There was the desk, work console, a large sofa and four armchairs around a coffee table. Seated in one of the armchairs, Nyrine was coolly impassive while Sanar, in the other armchair, was clearly attending the conversation. They were such a contrast to each other that April wondered if they hadn't had occasional professional conflicts. Seated on the sofa between the two, facing April, was an Asari whose aura was distinctly one of imposing age. The matriarch's eyes held such a depth of worldliness that she felt quizzical at being invited to offer her insights. Did she have anything worthwhile to offer out of her own paltry short human years?
"You have never seen such exercises before for recruits," Zelenia observed.
"No," said April as she thought of the simulations she saw.
They were impressive. Given the number of recruits and the limitations of the facilities at hand, she thought the training division were very creative in their modules. The simulated environments were far reaching in range and diversity. The Systems Alliance had similar training modules except that the majority of their military personnel were not biotics whereas the Asari, from the bottom of the pyramid to the top, were. The difference in military doctrines of each service was expected. However, she did not expect to find their arms live fire exercises required untrained participants to be shot at rather than vice versa. It was unnerving. The risks of losing trainees to injury was extremely high. Why did they have to take such risks?
"For us, it's to acquaint the recruits with their equipment and the effect of live ammo," Zelenia said in a deep modulated voice that April found fascinating, hands clasped loosely on her lap. "Every trainee that enters the training grounds is a maiden. The average training usually spans twenty to thirty years. Time enough to hone her martial skills, attune her mind and body, assimilate the knowledge of the instructors and training archives. That is why our huntresses and commandos are held in high regard," she said with a tinge of pride that April could not fault since it was the truth.
"Time enough to mature before she is sent out with her compatriots. Humans call such a process, blooding, is it not?" Zelenia looked at April who nodded. "That was what used to be. Now we have to send her out before she has fully matured. Before, it was a chosen profession. Now it is a matter of survival. Each of them volunteers for various reasons. No matter what that is, it does not change the fact her chances of returning are markedly low, given what she has to face in our present crisis," she said bleakly. "Another consideration is that most Asari at the maiden stage of their lives, tend to be impetuous."
"So it is a process of elimination, assessment," April said absently, slowly turning the cup of coffee before her with her fingers, "an object lesson."
"A harsh lesson. Most of them have, in each her own way, tasted the bitterness of the war. They know what to expect. In the current struggle however, she is facing her own people, not a foreign power. This is a difficult time for us, captain." Zelenia gazed steadily at April. "For the first time after many millennium of peace, we have to fight against our own. A conflict that will see thousands more lives lost in order that thousands more may live to build the future. To ensure that future, we have to send out our young."
"My own people," April said softly, "unfortunately, are accustomed to such conflicts in our own blood-soaked history."
"It is an advantage, from a point of view." Zelenia leaned forward. "Captain, on the ground, our forces primarily engage in small numbers. Mobility and stealth has always been the foremost execution of our operations but in this battle to reclaim Thessia, it has become our weakness. The commandos are not trained to move or coordinate in large numbers nor do they have the ability to withstand a firestorm or unceasing offensive waves. We are unable to hold any position long term. Thus far, we have been able to hold on to the reclaimed zones because our main force is concentrated within these two cities. We have spent the last few years setting up the facilities and preparing as many recruits as we can in the first phase of military training and would have moved the first batch into the second phase next year."
"Would have." April shifted slightly in her chair. "What has changed?" Out of the corner of her eye, she noted the startled and anxious look on Sanar's face.
"I received an update this morning that there is a possibility the TI could be looking to augment their numbers. There are reports of abductions at out flung settlements. Contact is lost with several remote communities."
"Abductions?!" Nyrine said sharply. Sanar straightened anxiously.
"Indoctrination requires a period of time to set in if they're looking to augment their numbers quickly," April pointed out.
"They may have some other method," Zelenia hesitated. "They may resort to The Forbidden," she said in a low harsh voice.
Both Nyrine and Sanar blanched. Their colour went a shade lighter. April frowned. The Forbidden. She had never heard of such a thing. From the reactions of the younger Asari, it was definitely something very bad. How bad?
"What is it?" she asked.
"Since you are bonded to one of our own, you are no stranger to our ways of melding mind to mind," Zelenia said. "The Joining of the bonded, the Contact of communication, the platonic exchanges between friends and the Bane of the Ardat-Yakshi. The Forbidden is the most terrible crime any Asari can commit."
"Worse than the Ardat-Yakshi?" April said in astonishment.
"The Ardat-Yakshi's nature cannot be altered. The only way they can prevent themselves from consuming another is to abstain from Joining. The Forbidden is not a natural compulsion, it is a conscious act to mind rape."
"Mind rape?" April repeated incredulously.
"The victim is force to share memories, whether she wants to or not," Zelenia said gravely. "The perpetrator takes what she wants, sampling every public and intimate details, imposing her own will upon the victim whose self and body will no longer remain her own once the rape is completed."
April stared at her in horror and remembered her own fears many years ago when Liara offered to help her make sense of the images she received from the Prothean beacon. She didn't have close encounters with Asari, much less knew anything about mind melding then. The urgency of the situation compelled her to consider options she normally would have been extremely wary of. Now those fears of what mind melding might do flooded back. She felt chilled. She wanted to get up and walk away. Frantically, she groped for calm. Something at the back of her mind seemed to click. She felt as if she was cut off from the clouds of fear and confusion that threatened to overwhelm her seconds ago.
Wait a damn minute. What the hell am I thinking of? Why am I suddenly so afraid?
It didn't make sense. She pinched the bridge of her nose, thinking hard. It didn't have anything to do with Liara. She was certain of that. It had everything to do with this act of violation called the Forbidden. Images rose unbidden; the face in the mirror, doubt, anger, terror, the dreams, voices lurking within the shadows, blood, faces...
"Captain, are you all right?"
The question jerked April out of her introspection. She realised the Asari were looking at her anxiously. Zelenia in particular, was looking at her carefully, as if she knew what she was thinking of.
"It is natural you have doubts," the matriarch said. "If such an act has been performed upon you, you will know for it cannot be done on the unconscious, nor will the victim ever willingly give in to such violation. The change is visible in personality and behaviour. Those who know you, will know something is wrong."
"I trust Liara implicitly," said April, taking slow deep breaths to calm herself down.
Zelenia nodded. "Your reaction is to be expected until rationale comes forth. To return to the subject, it is possible the TI will use this method to inflate their ranks. We no longer have the luxury of time thinking we can wither them down slowly-," she glanced at the two younger Asari. "It is decided we have to speed up the retaking of Thessia."
"That means going on the offensive," Nyrine said in a wooden voice. "With Reaper derelicts and devices not completely clear, the risks is tremendous."
"I don't think we have any choice," Sanar said sombrely.
"The offensive would have to be a massive decisive strike. A prolong campaign means extensive exposure to indoctrination influences," April said, eyes narrowed in concentration as she mentally worked the scenario.
"That is correct." Zelenia nodded in agreement. "We will begin by retaking neighbouring zones, starting with Armali."
About time.
April watched Nyrine and Sanar curiously. Would they object? If High Command had decided, there wasn't much they could do except carry out the mandate. As a bystander through the months of the Asari's rebuilding efforts, she never understood their rationale of taking it slow when there was a need for speed. Eradication of the TI menace was necessary, however much it cut, if they wanted to rebuild their world.
It was a view she and Liara did not quite see eye to eye. Liara supported the stance that every means should be tried to recover the lost. It was not that April was unsympathetic but considering that Liara was a witness to how her own mother, Benezia, was afflicted by a Reaper, she thought her bondmate would be more astute. Trying to save the TI was a waste of time.
"How can I help?" she asked when Nyrine and Sanar remained silent.
"By providing your military expertise in those areas we lack experience in because this time, we are deploying in larger units," said Zelenia.
April hesitated. They weren't asking her to go back out in the field, so why not? "I can do that."
T'Soni Estate
The throb in her head had settled to a bearable ache by the time the skycar set down at the entrance of the residence. Rubbing her brow gently as she stepped out of the car, Liara wondered if she should have taken some medication for it. Considering what she intended to discuss with April, she ought to be in the best state of mind. She sighed. If she was not up to it today, perhaps another day. She walked into the house to see Effia, the housekeeper inherited along with the estate, and her assistants busy packing up the cleaning equipment for the hall streams.
Effia hurried to greet her, smiling when Liara hugged her. "A little off colour," she said with some concern, lightly touching the younger Asari's cheek.
"I am fine, it was a busy day," Liara assured her before casting her eyes to the stairs. "Is she...?"
"She's back, an hour before you," said Effia, following her gaze. "Seems a little agitated."
"Agitated?"
"Or was it excited?" Effia cocked her head. "After more than a year, you'd think I know how to read the works on a human face."
"Thank you Effia, I will go to her," said Liara, starting up the stairs, heart hammering as she thought of the meeting the Asari military had requested with April.
It was supposed to be a tour around the training facilities, followed by a discussion on how April could aid with the training. Was that not how it was put to her? A slow way of reintroducing her into active military life after months of pushing papers for the Systems Alliance contingent on Thessia. Flying a desk, Joker had quipped to EDI on their last day onboard the Normandy. She had not quite understood what he was alluding to. If that was what he meant, flying a desk did not really help April with her problems.
She opened the door of the bedroom. At first glance, it was empty until she saw the door of the armoury next to the bathroom was open. As she walked to the door, she noticed in passing the discarded uniform tunic on the bed. There was only one reason her bondmate would be in the armoury. She stood quietly at the door, watching April who had her back to her, tried on the right gauntlet of the N7 hardsuit. The muscles in her arm flexed as she twisted and turned. As she made a fist and turned to punch an imaginary opponent, she saw Liara and flashed her a smile that brought an ache to Liara's heart.
"Hey, I didn't know you're home." Pulling off the gauntlet, April returned it to the hardsuit stand before moving to clasp Liara in a hug. "What's wrong?" she asked, feeling the tension in her bondmate.
"Nothing. Too much work load." Liara slide her fingers down April's corded back to distract herself.
"And a headache. I know that look. I know the thing to lift the vapors," said April, kissing her lightly.
Taking her hand, April led her out of the bedroom, down the stairs and out to the gardens which was one of Liara's favourite places. It had come to be her own too for it boasted of beautiful flowers, intriguing plants and trees she had never seen before. Despite the number of places she was bounced around in her childhood and running around as a marine, she didn't have much time to spare to relax and smell the flora. After coming to Thessia, she began to spend time appreciating the exotic local flora. She found them fascinating for they coruscate night and day without cease.
The setting sun cast a warm glow as they walked slowly along the garden path that ran along a bubbling stream before coming to a small rotunda constructed of trees and flowers cleverly encouraged by a horticulturist to interweave and settle around a couch, almost like a shell, set in the middle of it.
The scent of the flora floated around them as they half lay on the couch. Liara's weight was familiar and comforting against April. Her scent twining with the flora was so uniquely hers that April wished she could bottle it. To bring it out at times when she was not with Liara so she would not miss her so much. But then, it was unlikely she would be going anywhere far from her. She felt her bondmate's tension ebbed away as she gently stroked her back, pleased that she was less stressed.
Poor love. Running yourself ragged trying to find a way to save those people. Whatever are you going to say if you knew what we were discussing earlier?
The perfume of the flowers, the beat of her bondmate's heart and her arms around her cast a cocooned feeling of security around Liara. The throb in her head dissipated as she relaxed. She felt that there was nothing that could ever compare to what she was feeling now. To lie there, to feel her bondmate's presence, her warmth and be at peace was bliss. She wanted nothing more than to spend every peaceful moment with April for such interludes were fleeting with her bondmate's issues constantly rising like weeds. Would they ever be gone? Her desire rose to the fore. This was as good a time as any to air that yearning.
"April."
"What is it?"
"I think...we should start on the first of those blue babies."
Silence. The hand on her back stilled.
"What?"