Destiny Lost

by Twisted Fate MK 2

The Gods left remnant together, with the statement they would never return to it or influence it. Only, that wasn't true, was it? The God of light, ever the hypocrite and liar, didn't abandon Remnant. Instead, he reincarnated someone to do his bidding and bring Remnant to them. Cue, the now dead Pyrrha Nikos and the God of Darkness' ideas. / Supporter Requested by Espacole & Spork

77. War Calls - Three

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Official Supporters:

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Beta(s) :

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Requested By :

Espacole and Spork

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"They attacked you?"

"Yes, Councilor, the Batarians did." Shepard answered, standing in the briefing room while the Council were projected in its middle, relayed by Alliance and definitely-very-truly non-Geth buoys linking all the way through the systems between them. Thanks to the not-Geth buoys the delay was only a few seconds, which was more than manageable. Pursing her lips, she added, "And they were very clear about being both from the Hegemony and there to attack. I've attached recordings of the conversation and forwarded them, they should be available in a few minutes."

"In the interim, we should not rush to-"

"Oh please." Anderson cut her off, turning away from them and shaking his head. Turning back he argued, "We know it was the Batarians. And even on the infinitesimal chance Shepard is lying, the ten minutes it will take for us to receive the data-packet is not exactly time enough to get a fleet to Kharshan."

"As much as some of us would want to…"

"Sparatus, please." Tevos sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and turning a raised brow on the silent, but thinly smirking, Salarian Councillor. "Your thoughts?"

"Aside from that the technological communications networking Shepard's allies have employed here is splendid?" Valern hummed, turning to the woman and bowing his head ever so slightly. "I'm already planning for the coming vote. And how the Salarian economy will need to adjust for a war with the Batarians. And the potential for… Subsequent conflict."

From the look he gave her, Shepard understood exactly who he meant…

"I see." Tevos sighed, "I suppose there's little point in even calling for a vote?"

"Technically speaking, we're required to. At least for a formal declaration" Sparatus grunted, flicking a talon up and flicking his mandibles in amusement. "I call for the vote in regards to a disciplinary action against the Batarian Hegemony and vote aye."

"Aye." Anderson offered.

"Abstain." Valern added, explaining as Shepard knew the law required. "The Union has no commentary regarding Hegemony practices or politics, and sees no reason to weigh into the issue."

"Against." Tevos shook her head and sighed wearily, "Not that it matters, in this instance, I suppose. The ayes have it and, as such, it is official. The Citadel hereby declares a disciplinary intervention war regarding the Batarian Hegemony. I will draft an announcement for later and-"

"I already have one." Sparatus offered excitedly, talons flicking across a terminal in front of him that Shepard couldn't see. Tevos took one look at it and groaned, but the Turian only shrugged and said, "I'm releasing it either way, Tevos. Either as our statement or the Heirarchy's."

"And with a war coming," Anderson stepped in, "the Council needs to look unified. I'm sure you can spin this to your base, Tevos."

"Yes, yes, I'll… Put an editor on this and get it back to you with some revisions."

"Revis-"

"Gentle revisions." Tevos added meaningfully, "Is that a compromise you can accept, Sparatus?"

"I suppose it is."

"With that settled…" Shepard sighed, ignoring the annoying as ever politicking and pushing on to more important business. "The Rannoch fleet took relatively severe damages, and I promised to pass on a request for aid. Nothing direct, of course. Merely materiel and an allowance for volunteers to assist with repairs and refits."

"I'll top that." Sparatus grunted, "We just out-moded a line of light frigates. We were going to scrap them, but I suppose if the Geth had some rather interesting technology-"

"Particularly communications technology." Valern pitched in, smirking.

"-I could be persuaded by our most trusted Spectre to instead send them and a skeleton crew along to reinforce Rannoch." Sparatus' mandibles flicked and shifted, and he tilted his head in what passed among Turians for an 'if you follow me' gesture, and Shepard smiled. "Why, if I happen to forget to unload all the materials in their holds, too, that would just be tragic…"

"I am so very happy you are having fun, Sparatus, but-"

"Uh, Commander, sorry to cut in on… Whatever this is." Joker said, voice crackling in as Shepard muted the line and, a few seconds later, the very animated holographic displays went quiet and turned, listening on delay as he went on, "Ambassador Nikos' communique just hit us, straight from Omega, marked priority black."

"Black?" Her eyes widened just a bit - black priority meant either a national danger, which was hardly likely given what she was up to, or a casualty. And not the kind that got back up… Turning to the Councilors she said, "I'm sorry, Councilors, but I have work to do."

"Indeed." Tevos frowned and, in spite of everything, dipped her head. "My condolences for whatever loss you have suffered, Commander.

Shepard nodded and killed the line, turning and barking, "Orient us and get us to Omega as fast as you can. EDI, I want the report on my terminal. Scratch that, forward it to my 'Tool and pass on our excuses to the Admiralty board."

"Aye, Commander." They both answered and Shepard frowned, storming towards the elevator as her Omni-Tool chirped.

One step forward, one step back - as always.

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Pyrrha sat in the long, open hangar bay Aria had leant them to stay in while they waited for the Normandy to get to them. It was dark, barely large enough for their shuttle, and three times as long. And the old, cold, rugged metal against her back kept the chill running through her while she sat and stared at the long, grey cylinder beside the shuttle. She heard the door beside her hiss open and flicked a look over as Penny stepped inside, arms limp at her sides and Grunt right behind her, watching her worriedly as she paced over to the little casket and laid a hand on it.

"No…" She murmured, letting Grunt wrap an arm around her while Pyrrha watched on, lips quirked down in a frown. "I didn't even think it was possible for him to…"

"Everyone dies." Grunt offered in what passed as a consoling voice for him. Penny flicked him a look, then looked away and nodded, before she turned to meet Pyrrha's gaze and her face softened.

"Oh, Pyrrha…" The smaller girl was on her before she could even stand, wrapping her up in a warm, near crushing hug. Pyrrha stiffened, surprised, and then shuddered a single, choked sob as Penny went very nearly limp in her arms, sobbing and dragging Pyrrha back down to the ground. "I can't believe- How did- I'm just so happy you're okay. B-But it hurts, and-"

"I know." She murmured, fighting back a tear and looking up as Grunt stood awkwardly. A flick of her Semblance and she turned as he stumbled into them and both hugged him, too. Quietly, Pyrrha said, "It's okay to be upset, big, manly Krogan or not."

"I…" The Krogan was stiff, for a moment, before he relented and wrapped his meaty arms around them. Quietly, his voice rumbling deep and low in the back of his throat, he admitted, "I'll miss the old bastard… H-He was as good as he said."

"Yeah." Pyrrha smiled, pulling away and looking at the unceremonious little cylinder as Penny slid over against Grunt's side and he laid his hand on her shoulder, hugging her gently. Letting out a shaky breath, she said, "We… Can't let this stop us."

"Grampa Zaeed would hate that quite a bit, yes." Penny nodded, chuckling quietly at her own affectionate little half-joke. Then she was quiet for a moment and, finally, said, "God told me that it was someone with Aura…"

"It was." And of course the Dark Brother had spoken to her, too. Likely after he had spoken to Pyrrha herself. Pushing that aside, she sighed and stepped away from the both of them, pacing over to lay a hand on Zaeed's coffin with something… Hot burning inside her. Quietly, she said, "Grunt, Penny… I have you at my back, yes?"

"Of course, you are my best friend."

"And my Battlemaster."

"Good." She nodded, turning to them and saying, firmly, "Because when it comes down to it, we are going to kill the monster that did this."

They both traded glances, brows furrowing, but neither argued with her. And, just when she thought one or both would argue with her, Grunt just shrugged and rumbled, "I figured it was a given, Battlemaster. They took what was ours, and we'll make 'em bleed. Make 'em scream. Make 'em beg."

"I… Dislike vengeance." Penny murmured, leaning against Grunt's side and frowning. "But… For Zaeed, I am willing to bend my rules. If only just."

Pyrrha sighed and nodded, suddenly feeling… So very drained, all of the sudden, before she heard the door open again and Shepard stepped in. She was dressed in her armor, and her helmeted gaze flicked up and down the room before it landed on them. And then flicked behind them. She saw Shepard's shoulders droop for a second before they straightened. Finally, she turned as Kasumi joined them and gave Pyrrha an anxiety filled wave, with her hood drawn up and her head scrunched down.

"Nikos…" Shepard murmured as the two reached them and she came to a stop. Quietly, she said, "I… Just want you to know that you did well in command. Even with… What happened. You couldn't have-"

"Save it, please." Pyrrha cut her off, frowning and shaking her head. "Just tell me we're going after the monsters."

Shepard paused for a moment and then nodded, clasping her hands behind her waist and speaking in the simplistic, matter of fact way she often did, "We are. The Council is issuing an official declaration and, if I'm right about this… 'Enhanced' individual being directed against you specifically, and the connection to the Reapers, we can count on them coming to us."

"Which means we're on the back foot…"

"It does, Kasumi." Pyrrha nodded, hand curling into a fist and uncurling slowly as she thought. "But this time, they won't have the same element of surprise. We know they exist, at the very least."

"And to that…" Shepard sighed, "We know they have Aura. Nikos, we need intel. Everything you know about it, compiled into a report."

"A report?" Her brows furrowed, "Why not simply ask me?"

"Because if they have it, and they lack your… Moral positions on it, what stops the Batarians from spreading Aura through their ranks like wild-fire?" Shepard answered simply, nodding when Pyrrha's face no doubt showed the surprise that shot right through to her core. "You see the problem. I didn't want to mention it to the Council and risk them not declaring against the Batarians, but…"

"The Alliance can't stand on its own." Grunt rumbled, "War would go your way sooner or later. But it'd be a hell of a lot bloodier."

"And that would help no one," Penny furthered the thought, crossing her arms and rubbing her biceps comfortingly as she eyed the casket again. "Not when the Reapers came…"

"Exactly." Shepard nodded, turning to Pyrrha again and asking, "Will you do it?"

"I'll get to work right away." She nodded, already thinking through her explanations and what to share. Or rather, what could be shared safely. "But first, and… More importantly."

"Aria has made plans." Pyrrha shot the Commander a confused and curious look and Shepard actually chuckled a little, shaking her head. "Somehow, some-why, she's taken a shine to you. Enough to let you borrow one of her private bays."

"Oh…" That explained why it was so clean, at least by Omega standards. And private enough that no one had shown up to bother her. Almost like… "Wait, did Aria actually give me a space to… Mourn?"

"Mhm." Shepard nodded, "And made arrangements for a funeral, too. Mercenary style, to fit the old bastard. She didn't think you'd object."

"No." Pyrrha smiled, "It sounds perfect. And… Very kind."

"Everyone has a sweet side, I guess." Kasumi chuckled, "Even, you know… The big, kinda evil pirate queen."

"What are the plans, exactly?"

"Well…" Shepard sighed and shrugged, staring down at the casket, "Mercenary style largely just means 'a big party to celebrate the asshat's life'. And then you fire him off into the closest sun."

"That does sound like something Zaeed would like…" Especially the 'party' part of it. Even if Pyrrha herself didn't feel entirely up to a party of any kind… She owed it to the old man to do that much, at least. So she smiled and nodded and waved for them to lead the way, "Shall we get to it, then? We have work to do, and Zaeed would hate us wasting more time."

"Hah." Grunt rumbled, "He'd kick your ass, more like."

In spite of everything, including the burning at the edges of her eyes, Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh. And, as they walked, Penny joined her. Pyrrha wrapped an arm around the little gynoid and hugged her and the Krogan both when they fell in to either side of her. It was little comfort, without their old shadow behind them, but…

It was comfort.

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"And, I swear this is true, but…" Kasumi laughed, the sound just barely reaching Pyrrha across the table above the music and the talking throughout Afterlife. She picked up her glass and held it up, "He looks right at me, invisible and all, and says. 'Yeah, can't see you. But what's stopping me from hopping the table, grabbing you and sticking this in your neck?' And I just stare and he just smiles."

"Hah!" Grunt bellowed a laugh beside her, lounging across three seats of the wide, semi-circular booth and taking a long drink of his Ryncol. "That sounds like the old bastard! Too true!"

"And all this was at a…" Garrus snorted, shaking his head, "At a kid's pizza place?"

"He wanted Pyrrha and I to… Have some fun." Penny offered as explanation, "So he took us there to eat and play. At the arcade."

"Yeah, imagining the woman that can rip a mech apart with her fingers playing Galaga-82?" Jacob laughed, sitting with his arm around Miranda who, even now, was as focused on the Datapad in her hand as anything they were saying. "That's a hell of a sight, let me tell you."

"He was a good man." Tali offered quietly, sipping at her own drink through a little metal filter-straw she'd brought with her.

Grunt snorted a laughed and pointed down the table at her, "He was a crotchety old bastard and you know it, Quarian."

"And you're a stubby-tailed, hump-backed dinosaur." Tali shot back in a gruff voice that, through the buzz of the nice, fruity wine Aria had given her, Pyrrha realized was supposed to be an imitation of Zaeed. Laughing, the Quarian shook her head and sighed wearily. "He was a good man for… For what he was, I mean."

The table went quiet at that and, straightening, Pyrrha asked, "Do you think it's about time?"

Who she was talking to, she didn't know really. No one had decided on when to finish the wake, when to… Send Zaeed properly on his way. But everyone seemed to sober up at her words. As if she were the one to decide it all, for whatever reason. Shepard was the one to stand up and pull up her Omni-Tool, though. She projected a view from the Normandy outside as it oriented towards the star at the heart of Omega's system. A moment later, a silvery blur shot by at high speed and Shepard sat down and cut the feed.

"EDI says it'll take a day for him to get there, but…" She nodded, "He's on his way."

The table was quiet after that, aside from Grunt belching quietly after a longer drink of Ryncol. And, unable to bear it, Pyrrha stood and left, heading for… Somewhere. She wasn't even sure, really.

A hand caught her wrist as she reached it and the huge main doors opened, and she spun, yanking it free. Kasumi blinked at her and backed up a step, and Pyrrha frowned and muttered, "Sorry, you just…"

"Surprised you?"

"Mhm."

"I figured." She nodded, leaning to one side and kicking the floor with the tip of a foot. Finally she said, "I, um… Have a place on Omega, you know."

"Why do you own a place here…?"

"In case I ever needed to hide out somewhere where, ya know, C-Sec or whoever wouldn't go. Same reason I have one of Thessia. And Earth." Kasumi shook the rambling off with another little sigh before she could keep going and, finally, said, "I just… Figured you might like somewhere quieter than the ship tonight. I can put on a movie?"

"That…" She wanted to be alone, really, but… "That actually sounds really nice right now, Kasumi."

"Great!" She smiled, grabbing her wrist again and dragging her through the long hall out of Afterlife. "C'mon, I'll get us an aircar. Only, eh, ten minutes or so from here. Oh! But I'll punch on the air cycler on the way. That way it won't stink so much."

Kasumi kept rambling as they reached the air-taxis and Pyrrha let her, watching her with a little smile as she fidgeted with her Omni-Tool to pick out a 'cleaner' car and told her about her other apartments. It was all noise to her, though the warm buzz, but…

She liked Kasumi's noise.

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Penny watched her dearest friend leave and stood to follow her before a heavy hand landed on her shoulder and she turned. Grunt stood over her, grunting as he took a seat at the bar beside her and gently nudged her back into her seat. Quietly, he asked, "Not drinking?"

"No." She shook her head, "I… Dislike having my mental state altered."

"Fair." The Krogan rumbled while the team continued the party behind them both and Penny watched one of the dancers Aria had kept on work. Quietly, he said, "Didn't take you for an Asari fan."

"It is very much not like that." She smiled, shaking her head and cocking it gently, "I simply… Find the way she can move fascinating. Even I would struggle to keep my balance doing some of these manuevers. And dancing is very genuinely a part of my combat repertoire."

"Thinking of diversifyin'?"

"Perhaps." Most of the maneuevers required the pole, or used positions that were very obviously suited for enticement and held little value for combat. But… As the Asari turned and leapt onto the railing that enclosed the dancing field, spinning on a palm and sweeping her legs around before curling them in and launching up and off it of, Penny nodded her head and said, "There. See what I mean? Such skill and balance."

"You could sweep the blades along your legs." Grunt rumbled, seeing her line of thinking and nodding, "Catch someone by surprise."

"Mhm." Penny hummed, eyes flicking over to the door again as the urge to follow her friend redoubled. Quietly, she said, "I should-"

"Battlemaster needs space." Grunt cut her off, "Space and quiet. He's been biting back a breakdown for a while, now."

"Yeah…?"

"Mhm." He nodded, "Little lady noticed her going off and knows what she needs. Lost her partner a while ago, remember?"

"I do." She nodded, frowning, "Kasumi is… The best person for this, isn't it?"

"Mhm." He nodded, eyeing her before adding, quietly, "It doesn't make you of any less value. Just…"

"Not being what someone needs doesn't mean you are lesser." She nodded, "Only… Different. I understand that and am happy Best Friend Pyrrha has what she needs."

"Hmph." Grunt rumbled, signaling the bartender and ordering, "More Ryncol. And something fruity for my friend."

"But-"

"And light." He added, "She doesn't like getting drunk."

"I'll come up with something." The Turian nodded, turning to get to work while Penny flicked Grunt a look.

He only smirked and chuffed, and Penny rolled her eyes.

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The apartment was simple and surprisingly clean, but only really a one-room affair, aside from a door to a bathroom on the far end. A vent rested in the ceiling overhead right in the center, and a couch stretched against the wall across from it. A long screen, ensconced into the wall across from it, lit up at a gesture from Kasumi and Pyrrha fell onto the couch as the thief worked at it.

"Sorry, it's just being… Dumb for some-" Finally, the screen changed to a darker one and a movie started to play. Kasumi grinned and bounced over, falling onto the couch close enough beside her to lean against Pyrrha's side and sighing. "There we go."

Pyrrha pursed her lips at the uncomfortable press on her arms and eventually rolled her eyes and stretched her arms across the back of the couch. As the movie started, Pyrrha asked, "What ae we watching?"

"Just some dumb action comedy from waaaaaay back in the day." Kasumi answered, leaning into her a bit more, turning so her back rested against Pyrrha's comparative larger, more powerful build in a way that had to be purposeful.

But why would she-

"I'm talking, like, pre-space days on Earth 'back in the day', too. Not, like, a few decades out." Kasumi rambled, drawing a thin little smile from the Huntress as it started to play. "It's called 'Rush Hour'. And getting the bloody thing to play on anything modern is harder than breaking into Hock's place was."

"If I recall," Pyrrha chuckled, "I did most of the harder work for that."

"Hey," she thumped Pyrrha's thigh, "I was there, too! And if you lost I was screwed."

"Fair." She smiled, shaking her head. "But why this specific-"

"It's what I watched when Keiji died." She murmured, making Pyrrha blink and turn to look down on her as she flicked back her hood, running her hand through her hair with a frown as she turned to look up at Pyrrha. Her eyes were luminescent blue even now, with faint lines inlaid into the skin framing her eyes that glowed a dull silver. Her lips quirked down and, anxious sounding, she asked, "You… See something you don't like?"

"The opposite." She murmured around the pleasant wine-buzz still thrumming in her ears. "Did it hurt, getting them?"

"E-Eh, post-op recovery was a pain…" She murmured, looking away as the movie played and she added, quietly, "Most people are put off when they see the rest of my face. 'You look like a 'bot' and stuff like that. And if it isn't that, it's my… Job."

"People are stupid." Pyrrha shrugged, "They judge others on so many things. Papers, what kinds of ears they have, if they have tails…"

"I sense a story there…"

"From back home." She sighed wearily, "It's… Complicated, and I don't want to think about it right now."

"Fair." She nodded, resting her head on Pyrrha's shoulder and adding, quietly, "Just… Relax. Let whatever you're feeling out, and watch the movie, and go to sleep. I'm here for you."

That… Something about that hit home, deep and hard, for Pyrrha and she choked. A hand fisted in her eye as she tried and failed to fight the tears and finally broke. She choked a strangled cry but Kasumi just sat there, even as Pyrrha lost herself. Gently, the thief took her hand and sat there, watching the movie and just…. Being there.

And Pyrrha appreciated that more than anything, as she finally started to fall asleep.

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Gaaaaaaaaaay!

I wasn't sure how to continue after last chapter, and it took a while, sorry. But I think I'm happy with this! Passes time, lets the characters process together, the works. And also moves along the characters, plots and motivations of all involved!

Hope it works for you all, too, and stay crazy out there!

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Prime Cronos :

XD

General Sparda :

While a solid idea, I don't think I'll have the Rusted Knight appear. I have ideas for other stories involving THAT GUY tho.

Sebine :

I mean…

Kasumi DID invite her to her place. XD

Lea :

Correct.