***Author's Note***
I apologise that this is shorter than usual, I'll make it up to you next chapter :)
WARNING! Some sex is ahead o.o
Thank you to Gamer072196 for putting up with me today and helping me out with suggestions!
Enjoy and review!
Month Three
The Sahara desert was huge, covering most of Northern Africa on Earth. It was the hottest desert the planet had to offer and Thane wasn't going to turn down the soothing dry air as long as he was here. They planned to spend three weeks here before moving on to England for Marie's own reasons. He wasn't looking forward to the damp air but he was willing to go for her.
As the twilight creeped in over the horizon and the chill of the desert night-time accompanied it, Thane exited the château he and his growing family were staying in. Said family were currently making sand angels out in the dunes nearby and he welcomed the peace for once, they had a tendency to bicker, and took the opportunity to meditate.
The patio was the perfect place, decked with large pillows and dim candle light. He settled himself down, gracefully crossing his legs beneath him and clasping his hands before him, he began to reflect on his time in the desert. Exciting days flickered behind his eyes: exploration, riding the large humped animals, relaxing in a shady oasis, and bathing in the sun. Then there were the nights: chilly and biting, spent on the patio with the fire pit blazing, he and Marie curled together on a sofa as Kolyat entertained himself with whatever he had found that day (lizards and cacti the most common thing). It was beautiful and calming and Thane decided he could spend more than a month here.
He lost track of time and, before he knew it, he could hear the soft sounds of gentle footsteps on the sand. Small voices getting louder and louder the closer they got. He grinned when he heard Marie moaning that Kolyat needed to leave the local wildlife alone. He cracked an eye open and saw Kolyat cooing over a small snake, obviously a youngling, that had coiled itself around his wrist, he really did have a way with animals it seemed.
"Father, look." He nodded to show he was looking. "It's a python." He grinned as the snake curled a little tighter around his wrist. He quickly took out his Omni-tool and took a picture of the snake before walking away and putting it back into the sand where it quickly slithered away.
Marie sat beside Thane and placed her hand in his lap. "Maybe you could get one for your apartment, Kolyat."
"And where would I buy a snake, Marie?"
"Uhh, duh, a pet shop?" She rolled her eyes before running a quick search on her Omni-tool. "See? There's one on Zakera ward that sells all kinds of animals."
Kolyat sat beside and pulled her arm so he could look at the shop she was talking about. "Hmm, I might check it out."
This is as close to friends as they get. Thane thought before he said. "I think I'm going to go inside now, the chill is getting to me."
He furrowed his brow as he began to stand, a nauseous feeling began low in his stomach. His legs went numb as the blood rushed to his center as his body prepared itself to throw up. He gripped Marie's shoulder for support and vaguely recognised her and Kolyat asking him if he was okay. He wanted to say yes, but nothing would come out. I'm not okay. He quickly realised before the horizon he could see tilted dangerously and the sand rushed up to meet him. He felt a sharp crack as his head his the patio and heard the cries of his family. Everything went black.
Liara gasped when she saw the Prothean beacon. How could this have been hidden for so long? The sheer amount of new data in itself was amazing, adding to that the archaeological benefits of the Prothean outpost. Granted it had been researched before by the humans who had found it original, but it certainly wouldn't hurt for her have a look, right?
"Dr. T'Soni?" Goddess, how long had it been since she was called that? "Are you ready?"
"Of course." She zipped up her enviro suit and followed the head scientist's assistant out into the quarantine zone surrounding the beacon.
"I have to say, Dr. T'Soni, it is an absolute honour to work with you. Or for you. Or at least-"
"Please, it's okay." The girls dark eyebrows cinched together in the middle, as though she were forcing herself to stop talking. "And you may call me Liara, by the way."
"Ah! Thank you so much Dr. Liara, umm, Liara. Sorry." She took a breath and reigned herself in. "Sorry, I'm Faiza. I've read all your work on Prothean cultures, they were a-maze-ing!" She giggled and grabbed her hands before her, twiddling with her fingers and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Oh, thank you." Liara offered a gentle smile. "Have you been an archaeologist long then?" It was fascinating to meet a human who reminded her of her own enthusiasm just two years ago. How things have changed.
"Oh, I've only just graduated. And honestly, working with someone of your stature already is an absolute honour." She gushed as they entered a decontamination area. "I can't believe my luck!"
"Hmm, well, maybe if you're as good as you appear to be, I can recommend you and get you set up on other Prothean sites?"
"Ah! Honestly!? Wow, well my whole name is Faiza Haikal Tkele, and I-"
"Let's just see how you do first, hmm?"
The doors opened and they were finally able to step onto the martian rock that lead up to the beacon, an excavation team was already working hard to get it unearthed. It was massive, but other than its size, it seemed to be identical to the one on Eden Prime.
"Of course, umm, right this way." She grinned with excitement and lead the way to the beacon.
Ohhh fuuck. This is amazing. The dim lights of Omega bounced around her through the slatted windows high in the windows. The plush bed beneath her dipped and folded with her body and her slowly growing hair fell over her forehead and grew damp with her sweat.
The body above her thrived and rolled and fell into her. Hard plates pressed into her and sharp talons clawed at the bed sheets, shredding them and pulling them apart. And then the hard, sharp talons were on her skin, gently but effectively teasing at the pale softness beneath her ink. The thought of the marks that they would leave behind only added to her euphoria.
The turian growled and pulled her hips as he snapped into her and Jack instinctively wrapped her legs around his narrow hips. "Shit..." She cursed as she felt the pressure begin in her stomach. "Harder" She begged and the turian obliged, pushing his way in over and over again as she quickly climbed her climax to its peak and fell away from it. Quivering and crying out. The turian followed soon behind her, roaring out his release in her ear.
He collapsed beside her and moved a short distance away.
"Damn, now I know why Shepard likes it." She laughed a breathy laugh and sat up.
"Who's Shepard?" The turian asked. What the fuck is his name?
Jack shrugged and began to pull on her pants and boots. "Shit if I know, man." Her jacket was shrugged on roughly and her hair was brushed back, sticking up in ruffled spikes.
"It's Daxin."
"Huh?" Jack cocked her brow at him as she quickly gathered her things.
"My name is Daxin." He seemed disgruntled and began to gather his bed sheets around him. "I thought I told you that earlier, Jack."
She met his yellow gaze and smirked. "You know what? You probably did." She moved to the door and went to open it, ready to escape this situation.
"Wait! Don't you want my number or something?" His Omni-tool lit up, ready to exchange the necessary information to stay in touch.
"Fuck no." She made to walk out but grimaced at her words. Damn. "Hey, listen, I'm just not up for...whatever shit this is. Thanks for the great time and all, but I gotta go." Then she left and didn't look back.
She quickly made her way back to her own apartment, dodging serious trouble like a second nature and colliding with what little trouble she believed she could disturb long enough for the victims to escape from. And, soon enough, she was in her small but cozy apartment, thinking about taking a long shower and drinking an even longer beer.
However, something was off. Someone was here, hidden in the shadows that descended on her lounge when the lights were out.
"Get the fuck out of my apartment, now!" She flared her biotics in a warning. She had promised she wouldn't kill and ask questions later, so she would give this dick a chance to leave. The presence didn't leave. "I said now!"
"Now now, Miss. Nought. Is that a good way to greet an Alliance official?" The figure leaned forward so that a shaft of light lit him up.
She flicked the lights on and glared. "I'm not telling you anything about anything. Now get the fuck out, Mr. Alliance." She opened the door and gestured to it.
The man simply shook his head and leaned back into her favourite arm-chair. "My name is Dr. Naoko. I work under Dr. Sanders at the Grissom Academy for biotics." He emphasised by flaring his own biotics. "I have a proposition for you, Jack."
"Not interested, Fuck-oko, I already have a job lined up."
"I see, you're still working with Commander Shepard then?" He smirked as though he already knew the answer. "Hmm, a boss kind enough to pay you enough to afford all this!" A gesture at the nice things she had gathered for her home. "I'm sure he will understand whilst he completes his time in prison."
Jack flew across the room and pinned him to her arm-chair with her forearm and snarled in his face. "Fuck you! Shepard does not deserve to be there!" In her mind, he was in a dark and soul crushing cell, surrounded by those who wanted to do him harm. "He'll get out and we'll defeat the Reapers with everyone else!"
"Oh, who is everyone else? The crew of the Normandy?" He seemed eager for the information.
"Shit, like I'd tell you."
"You could just hear me out?" He held his hands up as best he could whilst pinned to the chair. "Please." Oh, and here are his manners.
"Talk." She didn't move.
"As I said, I come from Grissom Academy. We got reports from Admiral Anderson containing information that he had gathered about you and your involvement in Shepard's last mission." Jack let go and sat on the coffee table opposite him. "Your combat skills are amazing, and your biotics rival the asari easily. With the Reaper threat, we need every asset we can get our hands on. And an asset like you, with the ability to teach others your skill, we would like to offer you a place at our academy." He paused to let it sink in. "Teaching, of course."
"You want me...to teach kids...to be like me?" Her mouth just didn't want to stay closed, she was shocked to say the least.
"Well, not like you, as such. But with your skills, talents, strength. With your help, we could create a threat to the biggest enemy the galaxy has ever known." He smiled then. "With your help, we could help Shepard." He had her.
"What do I need to do?"
He nodded and stood, ready to finalise everything. "You have two hours to gather your things and say your goodbyes. A transport is waiting for us and you begin teaching in the next earth week."
Jack grabbed a bag.
"Hey Shepard, I've tried a false identity to try and get this message through to you, we'll see if it works. I have good news and bad: the good news is that Kolyat, Thane, and I visited Earth." She took a breath and looked into the camera. "We went to the Sahara desert and saw all sorts of wildlife there, scorpions, snakes, and the like. Kolyat want's one as a pet, he has a way with reptiles it seems. I wish you could have joined us." Her hand traced its way down her face. "Damn, I wish everyone could have joined us, it was beautiful. The bad news is: we had to cut our trip short. Thane, he...he fainted and struck his head. We came home and Kolyat and I convinced him to stay in Huerta Memorial. He'll be there from now on, waiting for his next stage of treatment. It's...lonely without him here, but he's where the doctors are. We visit him every day. Hopefully, his disease hasn't progressed enough that they can't go ahead with the treatment. Bye, Shepard...maybe we'll see you soon?"
Marie stood and walked around Thane's desk and into the empty apartment. Is it colder in here? She wrapped her arms around herself and looked at the time, it was two hours until visiting hours. Two hours of sheer loneliness, cold, and her mind running over every worse case scenario. What if it's too late? What if they decide there is nothing they can do? What if he dies and leaves me behind? I can't stay here without him. Without my friends. Without the people of the Normandy, and without Thane's constant presence, she felt truly alone for the first time since waking up. Literally and mentally.
She needed something to do. Something productive, something worthwhile.
Mods! She grinned for the first time since Africa and ran to her room. She dug beneath the bed she shared with Thane and pulled out a long metal box. It was heavy, so she dragged it into the living room, scraping the carpet and wood floor as she did so. Oops. She gathered her strength and heaved it onto the coffee table and sat cross-legged before it. The clasps popped open and she looked inside.
Wires, solder, hot irons, screwdrivers, programming equipment, everything she would need for what she wanted to do.
She pulled open her Omni-tool and got to work. Adding new databases to her Omni-tool, upgrading her drone, making her incinerate like a bomb, her hacking programmed would be legendary, and he cloak would not glitter once. It would take weeks, but she was patient with her work.
Before she knew it, the door was opening and she could hear Kolyat muttering her name.
It was visiting time at Huerta Memorial.
"Grunt, I like you." Wrex clapped his younger clan member around his shoulders and laughed with him as they watched the final Pyjack explode into a mess of flesh and brain matter. "Shepard would be proud of his ickle baby krogan!"
"Haha! My battlemaster has never called me his baby krogan before!" He had and Grunt knew it. And it annoyed him to no end.
"Anyway, I have a job for you." His red eyes met blue ones. "You'll get to fight many worthy enemies, if my suspicions are true." A pause as they both emptied their shotguns into more Pyjacks. "You are also strong, brave, disciplined. A true krogan, Urdnot Grunt."
"Yes, don't forget the giant Thresher Maw me and Shepard killed." The grooming to his ego was doing him wonders.
"Yes, the normal sized Thresher Maw you helped Shepard kill."
"That thing was a monster! You can't deny it!" He pumped his shotgun and another vermin died.
"Hmm, you should've seen the ones we found in the Mako. I miss that tank...though maybe not Shepard's driving." Nostalgia welled up in him as he watched Grunt fire away. "I'm going to send you to an outpost where you will research the strange goings on there. If you find anything, you will kill it."
"What exactly are we talking about? Mercenaries? Gangs?" He grinned and paused. "Turians?" Another pause. "Turians other than Garrus?" Wrex stared at Grunt with something close to shock, surprise, and pride. The times for prejudices were over, greater threats were more important. Not everything was about krogan. "What? Shepard made me promise not to hurt him."
"Yeah, he made me promise too." They shared a moment together as they remembered the only turian they respected. "Ahem, the Aralakh company are setting out in a month."
"And you want me to join them?"
Wrex shook his head. "I want you to lead them, Grunt."
"You- you would put me in charge?"
Grunt had been facing some prejudices against himself since coming to Tuchanka. Apparently, even an honoured member of their clan could be tank-bred and get a variety of insults in return. Their scathing words hurt. But, then there were those who respected him as Shepard's protegé, a true krogan, and a full ember of the family. Those were the krogan he stayed strong for.
"And why not?"
"I'll do it." His mouth stretched wide on his face with the size of his grin. "And I'll make you proud."
Hope you enjoyed :) Let me know.
Any suggestions of anything people may want to see before the prologue is finished?