Falling Away

Chapter 7

By Voodoo Queen

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Author's Note: Hello, Dear Readers! I'd like to pass on my very sincere 'thank you' to those of you who left feedback for the last chapter and provided input into the plot arc of this story: DearChibico, Shepard-Vakarian, and Zemphyra It really, really helps me to organize my thoughts and ideas of where I want this to go as well as helps me keep this as interesting and entertaining for you as possible. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than my own original characters and my measly, little plot. All the good stuff belongs to their respective copyright holders.

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Flux was a comparatively new establishment on the Citadel that was owned and operated by a volus named Doran. The nightclub had quickly become a popular spot and, as usual, was full of patrons either grinding against one another on the dancefloor or drinking their worries away at the bar. Kolyat had found refuge amongst the latter group. Normally he wasn't one for crowds and drell, in general, tended to shun consuming copious amounts of alcohol as it tended to impair their ability to control slipping back into their memories. Kolyat, however, had decided that the promise of inebriation and its mind numbing effects were worth the risk if it meant he could stop thinking about his father and the catastrophe that had become his life even if just for a little while.

Kolyat had seated himself at the end of the bar as far away from the other patrons as was physically possible. Despite the empty shot glasses that littered the bar in front of him, his body still held a tense posture that screamed to be left alone and his cold glare dared anyone to approach uninvited. It was not enough, however, to discourage a few of the braver females in the establishment who had heard 'rumors' about drell anatomy they were eager to validate first hand from coming over and propositioning him. Kolyat had rudely dismissed them one by one. There was only one female he was interested in at the moment and she was slowly approaching him from the other end of the bar.

Kolyat's dark eyes were blurry from drink but he still managed to twist his lips into a weak smile for the red-haired, blue-eyed human female as she sidled up beside him. "Rita," he slurred. "I'd like a couple more of these Kama-chem-kahmzees…"

"Kamikazes," she corrected. Shifting her weight from one hip to the other the waitress eyed him wearily. "Don't you think you've had enough to drink, sugar? Why don't you let me call you a ride so you can go home and sleep it off?"

Kolyat immediately became defensive. "I think I'd know if I'd had too much. You don't know me. I'm not a child. You're not my, my…mother…" His thoughts trailed off and his already glassy eyes seemed to take on a wet sheen as he stared off into space and began mumbling quietly to himself.

"Hey," Rita cautiously poked him in the shoulder with one finger. "Are you alright? Sir? Hello...?" Getting absolutely no response from the drell, the waitress shook her head in pity before stalking off to see to her other customers. "Aliens are so weird when they're drunk…"

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Kolyat sat on the padded bench beneath the large window in his bedroom with a glum expression on his face. Normally he would have been at school but he had woken up that morning with a fever and a rattling in his chest that had convinced his worried mother that he would be better off staying home and resting for the day. After plying him with fever reducers and decongestants, his mother had created him a comfy little nest out of pillows and blankets while cursing Kahje's humidity the entire time. She had set him up in front of the window where he could see the comings and goings of those that lived near them and hopefully stave off boredom until lunch time. He was surrounded by his favorite toys and books but even they had ceased to interest him a couple hours ago. Instead, he focused all of his energy and attention on watching for any sign of his father returning home.

Thane Krios had left his family to go to "work" nearly four weeks ago. It was the longest Kolyat could remember him being gone at one time. He loved his father dearly and wished he had a job like his friends' fathers had. They left their homes every morning but always managed to make it home at night in time to sit down to dinner and spend time with their families. Not his father, though. Thane Krios would leave his family, sometimes with no warning and little more than a note left in his stead to explain his absence, and be gone days, sometimes weeks, at a time. His mother worried whenever he was gone and it was no secret that she disliked her husband's frequent comings and goings but she had still managed to explain to Kolyat that his father was an important man out doing important things. Regardless, Kolyat couldn't help but wish his father wasn't so important. He'd much rather have a not-so-important dad at home to spend time with than an important one he never got to see.

Kolyat hummed to himself. From his window perch he could see over the rooftops of the neighboring houses to the environmental dome beyond. The sky was its usual angry grey and the sea tossed tumultuously even as the ever-present rain continued to pelt against the protective barrier. Even with all of the hanar's temperature and air filtration technologies dense condensation still formed and ran down the inside wall of the dome in small rivulets. Young though he was, Kolyat was all too aware of the dangers of the damp. All drell learned at an early age not to stray from their domed refuge unless absolutely necessary…it was one more reason why he wished his dad could stay home with he and his mother.

Kolyat's attention was drawn away from his gloomy surroundings to activity in the back yard. He watched, all curiosity, as two strangely-clad figures clamored over the fence and approached the back of the house. Too young to be suspicious, hope filled the young boy at the prospect of his father's return. Despite still feeling quite under the weather, he had thrown off his warm blankets and ran from his room. His bare feet had thudded gently on the wood of the back staircase as he descended into the kitchen. He skipped excitedly to the door, reaching out, his fused middle fingers had just barely brushed the door knob.

"Kolyat Krios! You're supposed to be upstairs resting!"

Kolyat jerked his hand away from the knob as if he'd been burned. He looked sheepishly up at his mother who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "I was…"

"Mmmhmm…" Irikah Krios eyed her only child with motherly care and concern before kneeling and pressing a cool hand against the pleated skin on the side of his neck. "You don't feel as warm as you did when you woke up. I'll have to check your temperature again. How are you feeling, love?"

"I feel better, momma." Kolyat sucked in a deep breath and blew it out dramatically. "See?"

Irikah smiled in amusement, "Yes, I see." She stood back up gracefully and smoothed her long skirt. "Think you're up to some lunch?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Kolyat nodded enthusiastically and his stomach growled in agreement.

His mother laughed and returned to where she had been busily preparing two plates for their midday meal. Kolyat watched her with interest. In his young, adoring eyes, Irikah Krios was the most beautiful woman in the entire known galaxy. Kolyat wasn't alone in his assessment or adoration of the woman, however. His father never seemed to tire of telling her how stunning and amazing she was as both a wife and a mother whenever he was home. The compliments he handed her never ceased to cause a blush to creep up her neck all the way to her frill…a phenomenon that seemed to delight his father each and every time it happened.

Kolyat studied his mother carefully as she moved expertly around the kitchen. Her sunset-colored eyes sparkled and her scales glistened a bright healthy blue with darker, almost black markings. Kolyat had inherited much of his coloring from her albeit his scales were more of a teal hue with deep, dark-greenish markings and he had his father's eyes. Everything about his mother seemed refined and regal yet she possessed a loving and almost mischievous spirit that never failed to brighten whatever room she may be in. She was a Siha, as his father often said; an angel created by the goddess herself. With her delicate, feminine features she appeared every bit the angel Thane declared her to be.

Kolyat had pushed the appearance of the strange people in the back yard to the back of his mind as his mother ushered him to the table and sat a steaming plate of his favorite foods in front of him before sitting down next to him with a plate of her own. Eager to fill his belly with his mother's delicious cooking, Kolyat grabbed for his eating utensil only to receive a gentle nudge and a questioning look from his mother.

Irikah asked with a raised brow, "Aren't we forgetting something?"

"Oh, yeah!" Kolyat smiled at his mother before closing his eyes and clasping his small hands together beneath his chin while his mother said a simple blessing of thanks over their food.

"Alright," Irikah raised her head after her prayer. "Dig in, love."

Kolyat had barely enough time to lift the first spoonful to his lips before a furious pounding sounded from the back door. Startled, the utensil clattered from his fingers back onto his plate. Visions of the strangers in the back yard rushed back to the forefront of his mind and all thoughts of their appearance heralding the return of his father flew out when the pounding came again more insistently than before.

Frightened, Kolyat had jumped from his chair and clung to his mother, looking to her for some kind of reassurance only to see worry etched on her face as well. "Momma?"

"Shh," Irikah shushed her son and gave him the most reassuring look she could muster before rising from the table herself and moving toward the door. "Be very quiet, Kolyat…"

Kolyat watched in both fear and trepidation as his mother slowly approached the door on silent feet to peek out of the peephole his father had installed during one of his brief stops to check in with his family. "Batarians," she muttered and Kolyat saw her posture stiffen and a faint flush creep up the pleats along her throat and cheeks. It was not the same flush his father's endearing words could cause her. This was a flush that spoke of something upsetting. The worried rumbling working its way out of her chest only reinforced the idea that all was not well but she still managed a serene smile when she looked back in his direction.

"Kolyat," she whispered so softly his ears had to strain to hear over the ruckus on the other side of the door. "I need you to be a very, very brave boy. I want you to go upstairs to the 'special place', alright? I want you to hide there and no matter what happens, no matter what you hear, I want you to stay there. Do you understand? Can you do that for me?"

Kolyat swallowed audibly and could feel his heart nearly beating out of his chest but he nodded, always wanting to please his mother. "Yes, momma…"

"That's my good boy," Irikah knelt to cup her son's chin in her hand and press her brow to his before shooing him up the stairs to face whatever horror lay beyond the door. "I love you, Kolyat."

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"Come on," the asari encouraged. "It'll do you good to get out for a bit. You'll feel better, I promise."

"I don't know," her reluctant female human companion winced visibly as she allowed herself to be led into the cacophony of noise that was Flux. "This music is going to be murder on my migraine."

"Oh," the asari waived off her concern. "We'll get a few drinks in you and you'll forget all about that headache."

"I really shouldn't be here," the human argued. "I need to pick up Lohal from Gigi and get home to check my messages to see if there's any news from Kahje."

"Amanda, honey," the asari stopped and turned to her friend, gripping one of her hands in her own and squeezing affectionately. "I know you're worried-"

"Fayna," Amanda tried to interrupt.

"No, listen," the asari shook her head. "You are completely stressed out right now. You'll be finishing up school soon. You're about to start your internship. Now you unexpectedly have Lohal to take care of and this whole situation with Utira and Dronu to figure out and on top of that you're trying to sort through all this hanar legal mess…you need to step back and catch your breath."

"I can't," Amanda insisted. "There's too much that needs to be done and I can't even think straight right now. I'm scared to death that something horrible has happened to Utira and Dronu and the damned hanar…"

"Hey," Fayna cut in. "You don't know anything for sure, alright? This all may be just a big misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Amanda looked at her friend incredulously. "What kind of parent calls someone halfway across the galaxy in tears begging them to come get their child over a misunderstanding?"

"That's an easy one," Fayna smiled as she tried to put her friend's mind at ease. "The kind that knows what an amazing friend you are."

"You didn't hear Utira's voice, Fayna," Amanda shuddered. "She sounded so lost…"

Fayna sighed sadly. "We'll figure it out." She gave her friend's hand another squeeze as she continued to lead her over to the bar. "I promise."

"Yeah," Amanda muttered. "I hope so."

"What'll it be, ladies?"

Fayna smiled at the bartender. "I'd like a strawberry daiquiri and my friend here could probably use a rum and coke."

"Rum and coke?" Amanda looked at her friend and wrinkled her nose.

"For starters." Fayna gave her a mischievous wink and nudged her shoulder. "I'm going to run to the ladies room really quickly. I'll be right back. Watch my drink for me."

"Sure." Amanda sighed as she watched her friend disappear into the direction of the restrooms. When the bartender returned with their drinks, she grasped her glass and turned to look at the crowd that filled the nightclub, taking intermittent sips of her beverage in the process. She wasn't much of a drinker, or a club person for that matter, but she conceded that her friend was probably right. She did need to catch her breath. Maybe she did need some time away from the crazy whirlwind that had become her life as of late. She made to turn back toward the bar to sit her glass down when something…rather someone…caught her eye.

All the way at the very end of the bar, tucked into the farthest corner, nearly hidden within the shadows of the dim club lights, sat a drell. Drell, she knew, were a rarity outside of Kahje. In fact, in her entire life she had only met four of them. First had been Utira Niol. She and the woman had become fast friends many years ago as children when both had found themselves on the Citadel due to circumstances in their lives neither had any control over. The second had been Dronu Drius, a friendly, charming young man who had managed to capture Utira's heart after a rather vigorous pursuit on his part. The two had been married, a union that had resulted in the blessing of a beautiful little boy named Lohal, the third drell Amanda had ever known, and one she had felt privileged to accept guardianship over when Utira and Dronu had approached her with the idea should anything ever happen to them when Lohal was still an infant. That was something she didn't wish to think about that now.

Her fourth, and most recent, drellish acquaintance was a bit of a mystery. Kolyat Krios, he'd finally told her was his name. Their first meeting had been infuriating and she had quickly written him off as someone she hoped to never run into again. Their second meeting that same day had come not long after she had received a desperate call from Utira begging her to come to Kahje and take her son away from there. She had not been in the best frame of mind at the time and when she had realized it was the same angry young man she'd dealt with earlier approaching her inside of Apollo's she had felt immense dread welling up in the pit of her stomach in expectation of another confrontation. Then, he had done the unexpected and simply apologized to her.

It was an action that clearly made him uncomfortable and even in her emotional state she could tell that what he was doing was hard for him. She wasn't sure if it was the stress she felt or the worry over her friends on Kahje but the drell had struck an emotional chord and she had found herself in tears which had only served to make the encounter that more awkward for the both of them. Thinking back on it later, she had been utterly embarrassed and hoped never to cross paths with him again. Then one morning they had their third meeting when he had shown up on her doorstep unexpectedly asking for a donation to a charity which she had gladly given him after a brief misunderstanding and a short but friendly conversation. Perhaps, she had mused once he had left her apartment, he wasn't as horrible as their first two encounters had led her to believe.

Looking at him now, however, hidden in the back corner of the club, he seemed out of sorts and just as lost as Utira had sounded when she had spoken with her last. He was surrounded by empty shot glasses and staring off into space which in itself was sad enough. No one else seemed to notice or care about the way his dark eyes seemed glazed over and the tell-tale trails of moisture that meandered their way down the scales on his cheeks and disappeared into the pleated flesh beneath his chin. She was an expert by no means but she had spent enough time with Utira and Dronu to know what a memory looked like and judging by the look of agony on the man's face he wasn't experiencing a good one by any stretch.

Amanda took a sip of her drink and pursed her lips. She glanced back in the direction of the ladies' room but saw no sign of her asari friend's return. She sighed and turned back to the bar, still watching the drell out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't hear him from where she was but she could see his lips just barely moving and his chest hitch occasionally with a ragged breath. Nope, she decided, whatever it was it was definitely not a good memory.

She swallowed another mouthful of her rum and coke. She didn't really know the guy. It wasn't like they were friends or anything. They'd barely exchanged but a handful of words. He'd already warned her off once in regards to non-solicited assistance. Plus, she did already have more on her plate than she could comfortably deal with and tonight with Fayna was supposed to be about blowing off some of that stress. But, she noticed, he was beginning to draw curious stares from other patrons who had begun to notice what seemed to them as very strange behavior.

"Damn it, Amanda," She took one last swig of her drink before pushing it away with a sigh and rising from her stool. "You never learn."

End of Chapter 7