Mycerra's interview for the biotic documentary played back for her at the touch of a button.
Titus hovered over her shoulder and soaked up the additional details of her miserable past.
Her recorded voice grated against her hearing. She wiggled her finger in her ears in an effort to be less annoyed.
He paused at the ten-minute mark and turned to her. "Your parents warned the locals you were a biotic? And then the locals refused to hire you? Did I hear that correctly?" He demanded critically.
She shrugged. "You're missing the best part, Titus. Keep watching." She motioned for him to press play.
The tight facial expression said it all. He dragged a hand down his face.
She picked at her nails to avoid Titus's glances.
"I couldn't find a good paying job until I accidentally helped someone win a bar fight. Turns out he was the son of a billionaire, and I was offered a better paying job – bouncer, then bodyguard. Except money doesn't buy family and happiness, just a higher level of personal comfort. Loneliness is the worst enemy. They say there are fates worse than death. Loneliness is one of them."
His mandibles worked back and forth soundlessly.
"I wish I could have faith in humanity again, but the only faith I have in humanity is for those who backed me up after the Reapers. Maybe time will heal the wounds, but my faith was forever shattered the day it was decided I wasn't permitted to have a high quality of life without a high-risk exposure too."
She paused the playback and stopped picking at her fingernails. "Payback's a bitch. Everyone will get theirs one day and when they do, I hope they choke on it."
"Not everyone discriminated against you."
"Not enough people rose up to defend the rights of biotics either." She countered seriously. "You can't tell me I don't have a right to be mad- "
"I'm not saying that." He breathed evenly. "You can't 'write off' the majority of the population for not 'stepping up'."
"Inaction is an action. You believe that too, Titus. Why is this different? Because I'm about to look billions in the eye and demand why they didn't act like decent people before? I have that right, Titus. To demand answers. To receive answers. I earned answers." Her voice pitched with passion, her breathing matching the aggravation elevating from the center of calm. "I'm not the only biotic wronged. There are thousands, hundreds of thousands of us alive and we all have horror stories from the sheer fact we were born biotic, and it scared people."
"Scared people are allowed to be scared." Titus defended.
Her lip stiffened. "But that doesn't give them the right to be assholes." She seethed and pressed play again. Staring straight ahead, she listened to herself answer questions with brutally honest experiences that still hurt years later.
Titus's voice flanged curiously. He shook his head and left her to the preview of the Mycerra Colton mini episode that would eventually be posted to the ExtraVid documentary series including other famous biotics who survived the Reapers.
The lingering resentment tainted her post-enjoyment.
The schedule dictated she dive neck deep into the merging of several settlements to expedite the process. Months flicked past in a blur of activity that gave her due pause and self-reflection opportunities. The merging of the various Havens and Refuges signaled the start of a new era for Harretsburg, one that offered promise for the inhabitants. For once in her career as the mayor of Haven 1, news revolving around her only consisted of positive mentions. Tia inherited the best of it, such positivity overflowing and transforming into pure, unfettered hope that no human thought about galactic politics in full sincerity until half the city regrouped into larger pockets of civilization furiously picking away at the mess the reapers left.
Titus's present arrived under the cover of early morning. Aurellian and guard staff smuggled the animal crate into Titus's office and waited until Titus reported on time for work. He carried the german shepherd puppy up the one floor separating their offices and stared her down mutinously.
"What is this?" He held up the panting puppy.
She sipped a morning coffee innocently. "Looks like a puppy to me. Why?"
"Did I not make it clear that a puppy is not what I wanted?" He scolded and held the puppy close to his carapace.
She raised a brow, then her coffee cup to him. "You need someone to spoil. And they make great defenders. Dogs are man's best friends, haven't you heard." She smiled.
His fierce expression softened mildly. "What am I supposed to do with this…thing? It breathes and barks and it's made of flesh and bone. Not metal and programmable routines."
"If you want a robot dog, I'm sure we can have one ordered and made for you." She offered seriously. "Half this camp would kill to adopt that brat." She pointed at the puppy they paid an unhealthy premium for.
He angled away from her. "This service animal is mine, thank you."
She giggled and captured the picture as it was. "What a cute pair. I can't wait for the training sessions to start. Potty training, all that." She handwaved away the necessary steps for a healthy relationship between owner and pet. "Think of all the turian women who will fall in love with you. What a cute ball of fur. Very loyal too."
His eyes narrowed on her. He pointed a talon at her. "I assume the bag of food sent with it is what it eats?"
"Yes, but we can make our own food and dogs are surprisingly capable of eating a wide variety of food. Likely not Dextro food, however."
"Naturally." He said in mild acceptance.
She leaned forward. "Titus, if you want, I'll find a new home for the puppy, and we'll buy you a robot puppy."
"No. I'll keep this one." He stroked the puppy's head. "It's soft."
She awed.
He backed out of the office slowly and turned to mush the moment the doors closed. She caught it on camera and watched him reassure the puppy via camera Primus would love his new home. She giggled like a schoolgirl.
She called Aurellian immediately after sending him a short of the video capture. "I think your father is more than happy with his birthday present." She said cheerfully.
Aurellian laughed and ended the call abruptly.
Ten minutes later, she received a short of a video capture proving Titus welcomed the living, breathing company as a companion. Any concerns Mycerra and Aurellian may have had about the adoption ran away each time Titus walked the puppy, attended training classes, and tried to secretly feed Primus scraps under the table in the chow hall. As naturally as Titus called Haven 1 his new home, Haven 1 accepted Primus as a shadow of Titus Deltano.
Filming the 'I Am Biotic' ad bled into Tia's birthday, a serendipitous event that completely changed Mycerra's outlook on the future. A snowstorm the day prior blanketed the ground and buildings. A far cry from winter wonderland, it eased the misgivings Mycerra nursed about Tia's birthday. Children built snowmen and forts out of the way in natural abandonment and youthful energy. The low temperature deterred the Deltanos and elders. More than one parent and guardian chided children for not wearing their coats properly. Primus lost his doggy mind running around the fresh snow and playing with the children while Titus helplessly watched on bundled into a thick coat.
For months, communication with Amani proved impossible. For months, Mycerra threw herself into her work with the hope that Amani would arrive on her doorstep. Or call. Mycerra would settle for an email response. She prayed for a sign, going as far as to call Aria, and receiving no response.
With the great day in front of her, Tia's first birthday, Mycerra resolved to push forward – as she always tried – and planned the simple birthday party around cake, cookies, and ice cream.
Conveniently, Haestrom volunteered to cover for the entire day, November 17th, 2189.
Conveniently, several guardsmen greatly respected by the Deltanos granted the Deltanos the time to attend the party.
Inconveniently, their unlikely candidate for Governor lost the election. Diyal Bakshi trailed third in the race. Surviving the primaries encouraged the Ladies of Supreme Justice to push Diyal Bakshi as a potential candidate for the System Alliance Parliament.
Mycerra cleared the computer console from her desk and arranged the cake, cookies, and ice cream in two figurations across the flat space. She liked neither.
"If you keep fussing over the arrangement, you'll never appreciate the moment." A familiar voice cut the mounting irritation.
"Mr. Wallace." She smiled in his direction.
He nodded. "It looks fine. Stand where I am."
She stood with him in the middle of the office space. "There's a certain symmetry to it." She permitted.
"A one-year-old won't care about the perfection of it." He advised. "They only care about the attention and food."
"I want it to be perfect." She whinged.
He put his arm around her shoulder. "And it is."
"Then why, Mr. Wallace, does it feel like no matter what I do, I am raising a child who will not know her mother?" She asked sincerely. "That it's been months and I haven't heard a peep from Amani. I've heard from Hadrian Yanus, Mannis Campos, called Aria T'Loak, talked to Lenaye Ysett…and yet I can't get a single word from Amani, one way or the other. It's…troubling."
"Love has a way of keeping hope alive." He coaxed.
"I'm not stupid, Mr. Wallace. I know where I left her, heard about the krogans, made my own conclusions." She whispered painfully. "I wanted to believe that she was right and that I was wrong – that she could survive Omega and I'd see her soon. Four years. Of all the things I am, stupid is not one." Her voice cracked pathetically.
He patted her back. "Silver lining, Miss Colton, silver lining."
She buried the regrets and disappointments under forced happy thoughts.
"I think you should greet your sister and brother-in-law before the Deltanos interrogate them." Mr. Wallace encouraged.
"I call that an improvement." She snarked.
"Call it what you want." Mr. Wallace turned her around to face the door. "I'll set out the refreshments."
She hated his upbeat tone. She hated Amani not being present for Tia's first birthday. She hated inviting Lenaye and Lenaye attending. She hated how everyone treated her with gloves on this day. She wanted everything to feel normal, whatever normal happened to be for her, Tia, and Amani – the right kind of normal, not the Omega normal or the Post-Reaper destruction normal.
"Go." He gently patted her shoulder and sent her on her way.
She muttered contemptuously under her breath on the way to ground level and nearly walked into Lenaye carrying Tia. She composed her reflexively. "Councilor, how is the little monster?" She forced conversation to push the positivity.
"Perfectly active." Lenaye intoned.
"Mama." Tia smiled.
Mycerra relaxed. She allowed Tia's sticky fingers to touch her face and kissed Tia's forehead. "I love you too, munchkin. I must welcome Uncle and Aunt Kryik before they whip up the local's political interests again." She sighed heavily. "I hate politics."
"And yet you ran for office." Lenaye remarked quietly.
Mycerra froze, looked up slowly, and locked eyes with her mother-in-law. She rigidly smiled. "I ran for election because people wanted me to, not because I wanted to. You should have learned that by now." She clenched her hands behind her back.
Lenaye opened her mouth and promptly shut it.
"And next time, I'd recommend remembering who invited you to the party." Mycerra fired the last shot spitefully and marched off before Lenaye responded.
The edge wore down by the time she reached the shuttle waiting area. Throwing herself onto the bench, she kicked her feet out and closed her eyes. Counting down from ten, she prayed for a center of calm.
"4, 3, 2- "
Mycerra's slowly opened her eyes, Amani amazingly in the flesh.
"2, 1." Amani finished.
Mycerra poked Amani's arm in genuine concern about her mental health. Fingertip touched soft teal blue flesh. "I'm not seeing things."
Amani placed a hand over Mycerra's forehead. "The hair cut is longer, you don't have any new scars, and you don't seem to be running a fever. I wonder if anyone slipped you a mind-altering drug." Amani troubleshooted sincerely.
Mycerra continued to poke at Amani.
Amani caught Mycerra's finger before she poked Amani's breast. "How rude. Clearly you should caress and fondle, Tiamna."
A turian coughed behind them.
Mycerra shifted Amani's head to the side to stare at Nihlus. "Really? We're going to go there?" She challenged.
"Closed doors." Nihlus matched.
"My office."
"Closed doors."
One annoyed look from Pacyra shut her down. She relented and face planted into Amani's cleavage and big hug. Amani rubbed her back soothingly. "I completely understand, Tiamna. They are insufferable." The chemist bemoaned.
Resisting the urge to tease Amani, Mycerra sat upright and scooped Amani onto her lap. She kissed Amani's cheek. "I know. They're overly stiff and professional." She added in half-jest.
Pacyra hooked her arm around Nihlus's arm. "We'll meet you inside." She told the reunited couple. Mycerra waved the famous pair onward.
Amani leaned in for a kiss and held back, their lips almost touching. "I missed you."
"I bet you have." Mycerra's breath caught, and she rested her hands on Amani's back. "You know who else misses you? Tia."
Amani leaned back; her face contorted in extreme emotion briefly. "If she's not with you- "
"She's with Mr. Wallace and your mother, most likely. They were in the office area when I was sent this direction." By Mr. Wallace, she realized. Keeping her suspicions to herself, she smiled at Amani. "I promise she's bubbly and on a Mama kick. Every other word is Mama. She calls Titus Pappap. It's cute and it cracks Aurellian up."
Amani climbed off Mycerra's lap and pulled Mycerra to her feet. Her hands pressed into Mycerra's a moment longer as she continually caressed soft skin. "Your biotics are weaker. How?" She asked, concerned.
Mycerra explained it on the walk back to the office. Amani hung on every word. Aurellian intercepted them at the theatre stage. "You must be the illusive Amani Ysett." He held out his hand to Amani.
Amani eyed him up suspiciously. "Tiamna, what is happening?" She demanded.
"Mr. Wallace?" Mycerra suggested at Aurellian.
Aurellian feigned ignorance.
She sighed heavily. "Today's been a test of my patience, Amani. Aside from everyone 'helping out', your mother is here, and Titus is unbearable. In a good way. Aurellian's been…assisting." She gave Aurellian a dark look.
"What our Mayor means is that she has to focus on her own enjoyment today instead of distracting herself by everyone else's problems." Aurellian clarified. "She has trouble granting herself the freedom to be herself and putting herself first."
"Mycerra Colton, how many times have I told you- "Amani started.
Mycerra threw up her hand. "You don't understand, Amani. I don't have time to- "
"Don't have time? You have time to test new medicine, but you don't have time to dedicate to yourself?" Amani backstepped and crossed her arms. "You said the position of Mayor wasn't keeping you from practicing self-improvement."
Guilt tripped up the annoyed human. She glared at Aurellian.
"You promised me you would take care of yourself, 'Cerra. How can you take care of Tia without taking care of yourself?" Amani demanded, distress cracking her voice. "How can you be the best you if you aren't trying?"
Mycerra frowned, cleared her throat, and ignored the defensive whining begging to be voiced. "It's Tia's birthday. Can we remember to focus on Tia today and you can eviscerate me tomorrow?" She compromised.
Amani stepped closer and cupped Mycerra's face. "Tiamna, I love you. I am only concerned about you. I know you. I know you mean well, but you need to shove the weight on someone else, to trust people will take care of themselves and they don't need you to carry their full weight." She whispered.
Cupping Amani's hands, Mycerra continued to beat back the defensive urging. "I'm sorry. Habits die hard."
"Deltano, my daughter is with my mother, yes?" Amani demanded sharply of Aurellian.
Engrossed in the biting tenderness in front of him, Aurellian nodded.
"Is she in a good mood?" Amani asked peculiarly.
He laughed darkly. "Always."
"I'll ask tomorrow." Amani decided quickly.
Mycerra impulsively hugged Amani and basked in her physical proximity. "I'll try harder." She promised Amani.
"I know. It's a shame you're better at trying than succeeding." Amani resigned.
The truth deflected off Mycerra's thick skin. She needed to succeed more often, to prove everyone wrong instead of having them quietly doubting her while cheering her on diplomatically.
Aurellian put his arms around them both daringly. "Shall we wish Miss Tia a happy birthday and eat?" He asked.
Amani tensed. "'Cerra may be alright with you hugging her, but I am not. Do you mind?" She demanded of Aurellian.
"She's as spiky as you are." Aurellian pat Mycerra's top bun affectionately. "Why am I not surprised?"
He stepped back from them and ushered them onward. Mycerra threw her arm around Amani and proudly showed her off. Aurellian trailed behind them, an ever-smug expression twitching his mandible in a pleasing manner. They approached the mayoral office and mounted the steps leisurely. Mycerra admired the undisturbed snow atop the other prefab buildings within landscape view.
Amani shivered as a cold breeze swept past. "Need a coat." She noted to herself.
"I'll add it to the shopping list." Aurellian chimed in. "I'm sure the mayor will want to shop with you. The Citadel or here?"
"Paris, of course, Aurellian. A true fashion- "She stopped the snark before she laughed at herself. "Here is fine, but if Amani prefers the Citadel we will shop at the Citadel."
The door opened and warm air hit them. Amani rushed into the crowded space and stomped snow off her boots. Mycerra scraped the bulky snow off the edges and plodded forward. Lenaye freeze framed a moment too long before rushing toward Amani and engulfing her in a heartwarming embrace. A shocked Amani stood still in her mother's arms before relaxing.
Aurellian rubbed his arms. "I hate the cold."
"So says every turian. It's almost as if your body wasn't made for it." Mycerra remarked and hugged his arm. "I am curious. Were you in the know?" She nodded to Amani's back.
He shook his head. "Not for a single moment, I promise."
"I'm sure we can play a hundred questions tomorrow. It wouldn't hurt if we were to complete most of the shopping here, to familiarize the people and her, but I'd like to visit the Citadel. Palaven offered me an invite if I were in the area for next week, and no one should refuse an invitation to drink with the center of turian politics."
"It is strange how he accepts your casual mode of behavior." Aurellian half whispered.
"I think it's because he's bombarded with opportunists who only want his influence or power, whereas I genuinely want nothing from him, and I have a great deal of gratitude that he can twist whenever it pleases him. Which is fine. Because at the end of the day, he is a connection people know I have, no matter how much I protest it." She shrugged smugly.
"And the player joins the game." Aurellian patted her shoulder.
She leaned on him. "I'm part of it whether I want to be or not, Aurellian. As are you, your father, Haestrom, Bakshi, and so many others. I only hope that the ripples aren't destructive."
They observed mother and daughter separate. "My dearest daughter, I was worried. We need to talk before I leave- "
"We will, Mother." Amani said through clenched teeth. She actively searched for Tia and spotted her in Uncle Nihlus's arms. Nihlus offered no resistance in handing the child over. For a tense, climactic moment that suspended the room in anxious concern, Amani and Tia faced each other. The one-year-old leaned back in Amani's arms and Amani worried about dropping her daughter she held for the first time in a year.
Titus retreated to the back of the room and stood with Aurellian and Mycerra. "Should we vacate now?" He whispered at Mycerra.
She shook her head. "You're family. You always were." She placed her hand on his arm and pulled him into the huddle.
"You're so perfect. Look that smile." Amani broke the silence. "And that nose. And look at your perfectly moisturized tendrils. Daddy has been taking proper care of you. Yes she has."
Tia burst into giggles.
Amani pressed her nose to Tia's and held her like a precious bundle she was afraid to let go.
Mr. Wallace separated the dextro based foods from the amino based foods. "I would like to remind everyone we have food and drink. Shall we sing the birthday song?" He said loudly.
Amani faced the large window and the winter playground beyond the barrier. Her eyes hooked on the snowball fight between two kids and several small snow walls that now served as cover for the competitive pair.
She turned to the waiting group. Primus edged out from under the desk waiting for the moment food dropped to the floor. Nihlus grabbed the leash before Mr. Wallace stepped on it. He walked the puppy back to Titus and handed over the leash.
"Your noble shadow, Deltano."
Titus scratched Primus behind the ears and under the jaw. "He means well. Must ensure he doesn't eat anything dextro based."
"Pacyra tried to convince me to buy a varren when we visited Tuchanka. Our lifestyle does not support a pet."
Mycerra leaned into the conversation. "Varren make great jerky." She whispered and winked.
"Don't let Pacyra hear you say that." Nihlus joked.
She laughed and glanced in the direction of Amani, now facing the group and food. "To pets of all sizes, shapes, and species." She 'toasted'.
Amani ushered everyone around the table for Happy Birthday. The mood lifted for that moment in time, and for once, Mycerra believed that she could have 'normal' again. They could have normal.
Amani, Tia, and herself.
They were finally home.
And nobody – not even the Reapers themselves – would threaten that again.