My skin still tingled after Val's uh… 'dutiful attention', even the water didn't erase it. Not that I wanted it to stop, of course, Val had done the whole 'we do nothing until you've rested'. It is hard, however, to resist my charms when I'm crawling over you whispering the things you want to hear though. The water shut off, the chill dancing over my skin as Val rubbed his face with specialised cream to stop his open pores getting infected. His eyes trailed over me, a playful scowl trailing me up and down. He muttered 'troublesome little human' when my hand trailed over his hips, passing him to grab a towel to dry and dress. The Constellation sailed towards Earth, waiting to jump into the Sol system with the heightened security holding up the traffic. What connections I had in the Alliance pulled what they could – Shepard included when he found out – so we wouldn't be that long with luck. Aches and pains twinged like annoying bugs, but they reminded me that my recover was still in the early stages. Mat'al threw me back into the gym to study how my body responded to excessive exercise. So far, nothing looked amiss. Val got me back up and running with my shooting and aim, Indira taking it upon herself to see if my powers still went where I wanted. Short answer; when they felt like behaving, not always though. Julian, after realising how serious I was about Kinlochleven and how bad my hand-to-hand was, dragged me through the paces. He knew me better than most. Even though it had only been a few days, small improvements form. Small improvements.
Back in my room, my armour waited, captain stripes back on the plates. My jumpsuit slipped on, my dry hair – with new hair extensions, thank God for hairdressers in the Constellation! – tied back with care. Val didn't like the extensions, he said they didn't feel the same as my actual hair but there was no way I was living with short hair. The armour clicked on, the same procedure as a thousand times before, every muscle moving without thinking. A content smile spread, watching Val stride out in his casuals. On his shoulders, the XO stripes caught the light. Mat'al had to stay in the lab, and also stay off my ass, so he retook his Commander position in Science. Val looked content with the XO position after acting as Captain for so long. My eyes drifted, catching my reflection in the window. Raisha… well, that was a painful report to read. Raising her to Captain was a mistake, part of me regretted even giving her back the XO when she came back on duty. She lost herself, lost sight of everything. No, she was a danger to herself, that Julian even took her for his team – temporary as it was – rattled my heart. I asked Val about the prospect of taking her back on board the Starquake at a lower rank. His biotics flared before he controlled himself. That stopped any further questions about it. The only thing that bothered me now was as XO, Val wouldn't be able to come on missions with me as often. Drutus offered to take the XO position for a while if Val wanted to join me, a small relief.
He followed me down to the bridge, the salutes flying, noting the stripes on my shoulder. Julian was on the Constellation, overseeing the leap into the Sol System. From there, the Starquake would leave and journey to Earth. The first stop was Vancouver to visit Shepard and whatever he was doing. After that, Kinlochleven. Julian agreed to watch the ship and monitor our feeds from there, if only to give me battle advice if things went south. It took another hour before they let us leap into the system, but the reason for the delay soon flashed on the feeds from the Constellation cockpit. A huge fleet of Alliance ships waited, guns armed and ready. The Constellation banked, the cruisers flanking her as the pilots steered her away from the sun, drifting towards the oort cloud. Members of the Alliance fleet followed, keeping the large flanks of the dreadnaught in sight. Once safe from both relay and the system, the Alliance ships entered patrol formations. They kept an eye on us, but they didn't aim their weapons. 10 minutes later, Julian entered the Starquake, a hard glare pinned to his face.
"Fucking Alliance and their fucking stuck up admirals, can't deal with a fucking dreadnaught despite the fucking flight plan forwarded a week before and fucking assurances from the fucking turians and fucking Council because their fucking skulls are too fucking thick," he seethed. My lips pressed together to keep the smile rising.
"They're just being cautious," I said. Julian snapped a hard laugh, sarcasm burning my skin. "Lanster, engines hot, let's get going!"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" Lanster called, the ship rumbling as the ship freed itself from the clamps. The cameras above me soon plunged into darkness, starlight dotting the black. Julian rubbed his eyes as he leaned his hip on a console in the Control Ring.
"I've already cleared the Starquake, you should be able to proceed to Earth for checkout without them hailing," he said. "They remember the Starquake from a previous visit, some admiral said he'd clear the way,"
"Admiral Anderson maybe," Val said.
"Anderson… now there's a name I've not heard in a while," I said.
The Starquake gliding past the fleet watching the Constellation, Julian grumbling about this being the reason he avoided certain systems, and applied power to reach Earth. The planets slipped by as we weaved around the congested traffic, held up by security checks. Once within reach of the Alliance System's controllers, they directed us to a holding orbit near Mars for half an hour before sending us towards Earth. We slipped into Vancouver soon after, although armed guards stood ready at the docks to check us over. My shoulders rolled back, marching towards the airlock with Julian, Gideon and Kala behind, Kala strutting her new mech. Such a nice little family outing… Kala got a good scanning when we stepped out of the dock, but she behaved like a normal VI controlled machine until security let us pass, although for the docking fees, they sweated under the glowers of the three Spectres. A smile lifted Julian's lips as they stammered, the four of us stepping into a skyscar to reach the Alliance HQ.
The city gleamed around us, the traffic twisting around areas of the city still closed for repairs after Nyryntha's assault months before. All because of me… all because the Reapers wanted my son. My eyes trailed over Gideon, his gaze hardening as he remembered the experience. My stomach twisted. All because of me, Gid went through hell and back. All my fault. My teeth nipped my lip, keeping my gaze averted from both males in the car. With luck, Julian's attention stayed on the sky ahead rather than me. Julian steered the skycar through the traffic, coaxing us down near the Alliance building 20 minutes after leaving the dock. The doors freed us, the smell of ocean and urban stink smashing into me. Well, it was nicer than Glasgow at least and it didn't tug on a trillion heartstrings. We stepped out, Gideon and Kala following seconds behind as we meandered our way towards the towering skyscraper. Gideon grinned, Kala nudging him forward with a robotic rumble. Something about sneaking through the vents again. My jaw popped at the thought. Before we got close, we had a run in with security. Again.
"Sir, Ma'am, going to have to stop you there," a male human said, holding up a hand. We paused, Julian letting me take point on this. It felt strange after memories of me cowering behind him swam to mind.
"Good morning, sir. We're expected," I said.
"Your name?" the man said, frowning as he studied the armoured group before him.
"Shaik," I said. The man slid a datapad from a pouch on his hip, flicking through the names. His brows scrunched up.
"Ah… Admiral Anderson and Commander Shepard cleared you. Well, we just need to get you through the normal security checks," he said, shuffling by to let us by. Julian snorted as we trialled through scanners, pat-downs and Christ knows what else to ensure we weren't smuggling weapons or anything. They let us keep our pistols, but they wanted the Locust, Daemon, Mattock and mech. It wasn't happening.
"And another thing! I'm a Council registered task force! If more Reapers come prancing through the goddam door, how the flying fuck am I meant to protect your useless asses with a goddam pistol?! And my son's sniper is a custom model, we don't have another like it! I'm not trusting you after all the pain and hassle I went through to get it!" I snapped, my voice shrilling above the din.
"Sir, please control your wife," the brunette female whined, sick of my rants already only 5 minutes in.
"I would control my wife… if I had one," Julian said with a smirk. A skinny boy, who had barely joined the Alliance from the looks of things, quaking in his shadow. He dare not attempt to take Julian's weapons. Julian was double his weight in muscle.
"Let them pass," a voice laughed. "I can hear her from the Admiral's chambers," My already sour mood worsened.
"Shepard," I said, forcing my tone light. The blue eyed bastard smirked and strutted towards me.
"Delly! You're alive!" he cried.
"Don't call me Delly," I said through grit teeth. "You know that,"
"Oh come on, someone has to call you Delly," Shepard chuckled, shooing the guards away from me.
"Someone does," Julian said, tone darkening. Shepard snapped his gaze to him, eyes tightening. The pair stared each other down, tension crackling through the air. Julian smiled, but there was nothing warm or friendly about it.
"Julian, I didn't think you left that dreadnaught of yours," Shepard said. Julian's fake smile dropped in a heartbeat.
"More than you think," he said.
"Don't fight," I said. Julian snorted. "Julian, you know Shepard did a lot to help me out. Shepard, Julian's sore now he's found out you're the reason I disappeared from Xawin all those years ago,"
"Ah… well you should've left a note," Shepard said.
"And the girl wearing nothing more than a t-shirt and jeans on an uninhabited planet didn't give it away?" Julian asked.
"There were escape pods nearby," Shepard said, smile dropping, tone tensing.
"Close enough with a Level 2 Cold warning?" Julian asked. Shepard blinked once, swinging his jaw. "Didn't think so," Shepard breathed through his nose hard, tearing his gaze off Julian.
"Let's get inside before the rain comes back on," Shepard said, herding me and Gideon inside, Julian following with narrowed eyes. The buzz of the security outside fizzled away, leaving us with the gentle hum of activity of a building at work. My eyes trailed over the sights and faces, keeping a hand on Gideon's shoulder and steering him around the swell of people. We stepped into an elevator, rising us higher in the building. From there, Shepard led us down the hall, doors lining both sides of the hall. Around a corner, a glass panel curling around a door, the faintest of glimpses of the room beyond. Shepard stopped outside it, grinning wide. My eyes narrowed, folding my arms over my chest.
"Got this room booked so we shouldn't be interrupted," Shepard said.
"Gideon, if I wasn't so appreciative for saving my life, you'd be neck deep in cleaning fluid while you scrubbed the ship top to bottom," I rumbled. Gideon coughed. His hand dropped into a pocket around his hips, sliding out the dog tags. A deep groan escaped my lips, taking the tags from his open hand. Shepard smirked, bouncing on his toes. The door parted, the prick strutting through. My head shook, walking after the Spectre. Gideon glanced towards Julian, grabbing him by his arm before he could follow. Julian's eyes narrowed. My foot paused over the threshold, frowning at the pair as concern bubbled in my chest.
"Can… I talk to you please?" Gideon asked, keeping his eyes on Julian and ignoring me despite the quivers rolling down his back. Julian rolled his shoulders.
"It can't wait?" he asked.
"Not really," Gideon said. Julian tightened his jaw, borderline grinding his teeth.
"Fine," he said. His gaze turned to Shepard. "Hurt her and I'll give you a Saboteur's death," Shepard narrowed his eyes, muscles tightening.
"And why would I hurt her after doing everything to bring her back?" he asked. Julian raised his chin.
"One can never be too careful," he said, leaning against the wall. Shepard tsked, moving deeper into the room, drawing me over the threshold for the door to close. "Your brother is an ass," he said. A soft snort escaped my nose, but every muscle ached from the tension holding them. My shoulders scrunched up, closing the distance as Shepard leaned on a desk. The small, half-wood walls room felt cosy enough, but very bland. The meeting room could hold 12 people, overlooking the water surrounding Vancouver as the city danced. Right, time to get this over and done with.
"Well, thanks for everything Shepard. I appreciate it," I said, holding out the tags. Shepard smirked.
"Nuh uh, didn't Gideon tell you the requirements?" Shepard asked. My jaw creaked, clutched too tight for comfort. Distaste squeezed my eyes shut, dragging in deep breaths to release the bitterness and embarrassment rising. A smile stretched over my face, quivering as the muscles fought to hold it.
"Thanks, Shepard. You are amazing… an amazing asshole," I snapped, shoving the tags to his chest. Shepard laughed, scrambling away from the table as he grabbed the tags.
"I suppose that'll do," he chuckled. He slipped the tags over his head, dropping them under his shirt with a ting. He closed the distance, ignoring the growl in my throat as he hugged me. "Glad to see you back. Everything in there?" he asked, tapping my head. My knee kicked up, the more experienced fighter leaping back to avoid a crotch hit.
"As far as I can tell, yes," I said, grumbling. Shepard leaned against the table once more, muscles relaxing.
"You have no idea what ran through my head when Gideon dropped out of that vent and told me you died. After all the shit you went through, it was just… over. Do you remember anything about it?" he asked.
"No. My last memory is going to bed a few days before arriving in the Upsilon Steppe. Then I woke up, as I always do, but instead of being in my room I was in the med bay," I said.
"Huh… doesn't give me much hope about heaven or hell then," Shepard chuckled. A tense smile lifted my lips. That was a thought my mind had been avoiding since I learned what happened.
"And your experience didn't teach you that?" I asked. Shepard snorted.
"I suppose I was hoping I was an exception," he said. "Ah well, it's something we don't have to worry about for a long time,"
"Assuming this war goes well," I said, walking around to table to the window. "It has to go well… it just has to,"
"We're doing everything we can," Shepard said, joining me by the window. "We've been shoring up our defences after Nyryntha attacked, getting our fleets fitted with the new cannons,"
"That won't be enough. We need a galactic wide network and army," I said. "If we fail, Gideon has no future, no chance to live a life. God, I have so much to lose..." I said, covering my face. Shepard swung his jaw, eyes on a passing shuttle.
"If you are that afraid, I could pull some strings and have him join the Andromeda Initiative. I'm sure I could get Kala to go with him," he said.
"The what?" I asked.
"We've been building ships to colonise the Andromeda Galaxy. The Reapers only seem interested with our galaxy, so there is a good chance they won't follow them out there. It's… many people have raised eyebrows about the whole thing but now with this war creeping in? People are realising this might be the only way to preserve our species, if we lose," he said. "The turian, asari and salarian arks are complete, the human one just needs to finish trials. The quarian one is almost there too,"
"But it'll take hundreds of years to reach another galaxy," I said.
"Cryogenic stasis, they'll sleep for the whole trip and wake up to colonise their new homes," Shepard said. "I can forward the details for you if you're interested," My reflection glared back, a torn mother quivering with the prospect of safe haven. It sounded too good to be true…
"I'll… ask Gideon. He's old enough to carve his own future," I said, my hand dragging down my face.
"So what's the plan now then?" Shepard asked. "Back to the Saboteur hunt?"
"Not quite yet. I have a date in Scotland to deal with," I said. "With no Reaper tech holding me back, I can actually see with my own eyes what 170 years does to a place. And I can put some backlogged guilt to rest. It's a good chance to see where I am to get back into form," Shepard frowned, watching the first drops of rain flutter down over the city.
"We'll win, Dell. I know we will," Shepard said.
"I want to believe you, Shepard, I do. After everything I've seen though... I hope you're right," I said, swallowing the bubble of emotion rising, shaking my head. "We got to get moving. It could take a little bit to dock in Glasgow again. I hope the same controller is in place,"
"Don't forget to say hi to Anderson before you go. He's curious to see how far you've come since you passed him your tags," A niggling tremble quivered my back. That had been a good and horrific day. My shoulders rolled, chasing the memories away.
"I'll go say hi. Where is he?" I asked. Shepard nodded his head to the door, moving around the table. We escaped the room, finding Julian with downcast eyes, chewing his lip while Gideon leaned against the opposite wall, Kala sitting by his side. Gideon pushed himself off the wall, a half smile on his face. Julian jumped when my rough pat smacked him on the shoulder. His gaze found mine, straightening his back.
"We ready to go?" he asked, ignoring my frown and upturned eyebrows.
"Just have to say hi to one more person real quick and then we're off," I said. Julian nodded, following us down the hall to the elevator again. Shepard took us up another 5 floors to the Admiral's offices. The hall gleamed with polished ornaments of war and victories, a navy carpet taking the wear off the amber wood floor. Plants decorated the hall between the doors. My eyes scanned the hall, an automatic reaction seeking danger. Shepard knocked on a door, the door sliding into the wall. Inside, Anderson looked up from the screens surrounding him. Shepard stepped through, saluting before pushing deeper into the room. My hand touched my head, stepping inside.
"Shepard, keeping out of trouble?" Anderson asked. Gideon and Julian stepped inside but stayed at the back of the room.
"Don't I always?" he asked. "Endellion Shaik is here for a visit before she heads off on her adventures again," Anderson focused on me, rising from the table.
"Shaik, I thought I recognised you. You look good," he said.
"I am well, thank you Admiral. I hope the years have been kind," I said.
"As kind as they can be," he said. His eyes caught sight of Gideon in the back. He nodded his head in greeting, Gideon smiling back. "I see Shepard was able to help you with your little problem," A cough spurted free, my hand covering my mouth until it passed.
"Yes, yes he did. Thank you for freeing him up. I… I didn't like the thought of Gideon running around the galaxy in a shuttle,"
"The Reaper helped," he said, crossing the room to a filling cabinet. He dug inside. "Shepard is famous enough to have pull with the Admirals. When the Reaper landed, everyone turned to him for help. We only chased her away though. What is the status of the beast?" he asked, pulling an envelope from the cabinet.
"Dead and destroyed. We are two Reapers down," I said. The drawer closed with a clunk.
"Well let's hope the new weapons can punch through the Reapers better than we have in the past," he said. He passed the envelope to me, a faint, muffled tinkle catching my attention. My eyes drifted up, narrowed with concern before taking it. With care, the seal broke, a set of dog tags tumbling into my open hand. My old Alliance tags. My mouth opened, confused. "A memento. After Gideon's visit, I did some digging. We keep the dog tags just in case the family wants them. I thought you might want them back. You've done better outside the Alliance than I think we could have done for you,"
"It gave me a good start, Admiral. Thank you," I said, turning the tags in my hands. "We need to be off, Admiral. I have a short mission to take care of back in the UK,"
"Good luck, Shaik. I wish the best for you and your family," Anderson said.
"And the same to you as well, Admiral," I said, shaking his hand. "Shepard, don't blow anything up please. Unless it's a Reaper,"
"I'll try not to," he chuckled, escorting us out the office with one last salute to Anderson. He led us as far as the reception, receiving a reluctant hand shake. "We'll talk soon,"
"I'm sure we will," I said, tapping Julian's shoulder and steering Gideon out of the building.
Julian's massive frame drove people away from us as we escaped the tightened security. Leaving Vancouver would be easier than arriving, so my mind didn't even worry about that. What it worried about was what Glasgow was like? My mouth twisted down at the thought as we piled into the skycar. Julian drove again since I still didn't have a new licence, something to do when I got the chance. Back at the docks, the dock workers finished backing the requisitions into the cargo hold, the forklifts escaping the ship to let us leave. Val ordered them before we left – after my nagging. He knew I was taking command back today and my brain wanted everything full to reset my mental checklist. My mind had a way of keeping track of everything, even while off sick the checklist still ticked down. Dying kinda destroyed that. We entered the airlock, the familiar smell of home washing away the earlier embarrassment. It was time to work. My head nodded, the engines humming as people scrambled to prepare the ship to leave. Time to go home… properly this time. The Starquake eased back, escaping Vancouver before the Alliance could do any stop checks. We gained altitude, soaring over the North American continent towards the Atlantic Ocean, back towards the UK. And much to Lanster's dismay, we aimed for Glasgow once more. Julian and I stepped into cockpit to deal with the controller. Lanster grumbled as he began the radio hail.
"Glasgow Control, this is the RSS-2 Starquake, requesting permission to dock," Lanster said.
"RSS-Starquake, apologies but we don't allow frigates to dock here," the controller said. A smile lifted my lips, recognising the voice. Lanster breathed hard, brows twitching. My hand patted his shoulder, leaning towards the speaker.
"Awright thare, son, captain 'ere. We need tae dock, we hae Spectres wi' us." I said.
"Ach hen! Guid tae hear ye again! Wee kinch; we dinnae hae ony frigate docks left," the controller said. My brow furrowed.
"None?" I said.
"Na, blame that skelp in Canada," the controller said. My jaw swung, eyes finding Julian. He leaned over Lanster's other shoulder.
"Whin wull ane be free?" Julian asked. Lanster gawked.
"Ach uh… Saturday," the controller said.
"Wha's in dock?" Julian asked. "We micht shift someone. The Spectres are real pissy," A grin lifted my lips. As screen flashed, details beyond my understanding flying under Julian's fingers. A small smile lifted his lips. He reached over, tapping away at the radio, much to Lanster's annoyance. "MVS Dyab'ea, good morning, this is Admiral Shaik of the Constellation,"
Admiral! Good morning, how are you these days?" a female voice called.
"I'm good, I'm good. I have a small favour. My baby sister needs to dock in Glasgow for a mission, can you let us borrow your dock for a bit? Security won't let us drop shuttles without security checks and we can't get personnel to check them without docking and all that BS. It's just to drop a shuttle off and then we'll shift to Prestwick or Edinburgh," he said.
"Oh sure, we'll call the tower and get that sorted," the voice said.
"Cheers, much appreciated," Julian said. He switched back to the tower frequency. "Tower, Starquake agin. The MVS Dyba'ea said we kin uise their dock 'til we git a shuttle oot. We'll lea efter sae thay kin dock again,"
"A'richt, son. Ah will git that sorted. Hing oan," the controller said.
"What the actual fuck are you people saying?!" Lanster snapped. My head shook.
"They don't have any free docks to take frigates because of Nyryntha's attack in Canada, so Julian called one of those frigates, someone he knew from the sounds of things, to let us borrow their dock until we get a shuttle checked out by security, then you're flying the ship to Edinburgh or Prestwick until we get back," I said. "If you know the lingo, people are more willing to help you out,"
"It also helps Scots hasn't really changed in 170 years," Julian chuckled.
"Thank fuck," I said. "The controller will let you know when we you can dock, we'll get the shuttle and crew sorted,"
Lanster grumbled behind me as we left the cockpit, my mind turning to the mission. Julian rubbed his eyes when the elevator doors closed behind us, a sign of building stress. My stomach twisting, memories flowing of the numerous times he did this over the years. He tried to hide it, but I knew him better than he thought. In the cargo hold, the team stood by the shuttle, waiting for the inspection crews to board and check everything out. Val and Mat'al spoke in hushed tones, the entire combat team ready and armed. Julian would assume command of the ship until we got back, freeing Val to keep me safe on the ground. Algenis pushed himself off the side of the shuttle, geared and ready. He would not fail this time. The rumble stopped, the hands flying to touch their foreheads. My head nodded, checking my weapons. Shouldn't be too long now…
"Everyone ready?" I asked.
"Just waiting for two more," Val said. My brow furrowed. "Shouldn't be more than a minute or two,"
"Who…?" I asked. Val lifted his eyes, staring over my head. My head spun, staring back towards the elevator as Gideon and Kala trotted down, helmet snapped to his belt and additional pouches on his belt. Kala's new mech carried packs along the torso with more equipment. My stomach plunged. "Are you fucking with me?" I asked.
"Dell-" Val said.
"Absolutely not, no way! He isn't-" I snapped. Val grabbed my shoulders, ignoring Julian's ever growing glare. A shuddered breath heaved through my mouth.
"Dell. Trust me," he said. My mouth opened. "Please, he'll be fine. We need him," His words ground my teeth, parental protectiveness and my trust in Val battling each other worse than two cats locked in a bathtub. My eyes squeezed shut, every muscle taut and trembling. "He'll be fine, I promise,"
"Anything happens-" I said.
"I'll take full responsibility," he said. No muscles eased, locking my jaw in place until everything ached. It took far too much will to spit 'fine' from between my teeth. Val squeezed my shoulder, patting Gid's shoulder as he passed. The engines hummed, the ship shuddering as the clamps snapped in place. Gid stood by Mat'al, Daemon on his back with the golden glow of armour-piercing rounds decorating the sides. Seconds later, the cargo door opened, a team of Alliance soldiers strode up the ramp, assault rifles limp in their grips, eyes keen and sharp as they scanned the armed crew mulling around the shuttle. A tall, dark toned female approached, Alliance captain stripes on her shoulders.
"You in charge?" she asked, noting Julian's stripes. Against mine, the confusion was understandable. Julian smiled, but he held it too tight to be friendly.
"Technically yes, but the ship is Captain Shaik's," he said, nodding his head in my direction. "I'm just along for the ride," the solder nodded, focusing on me with a datapad in hand.
"You'll need to fill this in, ma'am. We'll check out your shuttle," she said.
"Don't scratch the paint, she's just come out of maintenance," I said, taking the datapad.
The woman's mouth twisted, but her discipline kept her tongue still as she directed her soldiers to scour the shuttle. Julian chuckled beside me as my fingers tapped away at the datapad. They wanted to know our intentions, where we were going, our docking permission, flight plans for the shuttles and all that nonsense. They checked over the weapons too, to make sure they were legal. Gideon's Daemon raised eyebrows, but we had documentation – curtesy from the Council, it seems Mat'al was busy pulling strings – to let it through customs. So after half an hour of checks and questions, they let us coax the shuttle out onto a shuttle pad outside the dock to free the Starquake and find shelter elsewhere. The docking clamps thundered free, the engines humming as she coaxed away from the dock. After last minute checks to the shuttle, we jumped inside and took to the sky, the cloud pushed back from the high pressure pushing up from Spain. A swell of high pressure, Spanish hot air and summer time, the air was hot, hitting an abnormal 27°C. The streets bloomed with people seeking the rare heat. The shuttle's AC kept us cool as we soared north, but on the ground it would be uncomfortable. My eyes trailed over the towering skyscrapers mingled with stumpy, older architecture, glittering in the sunshine. My mind drifted, to so many memories that surfaced and rolled. Happy and sad. Something squeezed my hand, snapping me awake. Val's thumb brushed over the back of my hand, a gentle reassurance, while he stared across the sights. A tight smile tugged my lips up, eyes finding my armoured feet until the city faded behind us.
Tyndrum dotted the land below us, the tiny village grown into a large village. Not much of an improvement, but space in the highlands was a premium with towering peaks on all sides. The radio crackled, Lanster telling us the Starquake found space in Prestwick to dock for a few days. More if we threw the Spectres at them. Edinburgh was full with Alliance and freight, they weren't willing to sacrifice a dock for us. The nearest port after Prestwick was Dumfries or – God forbid – Leeds. If we went that far away, we may as well go to Belfast! My head shook, Glen Coe fast approaching. Only Aonach Eagach Ridge stood between us and Kinlochleven…. My hands twitched, itching some terrible. The shuttle rose over the ridge, dropping through the valley to the loch edge. We followed the mountain west, keeping the abandoned village to the north. A frown furrowed as we lowered ourselves down on a raised dome of rock to the east of Kinlochleven. The remains of the old West Highland Way wriggled south below the cliffs. Before my mouth opened, the door popped open, Gideon and Kala jumping out into the warm heat. The Daemon slipped free as the door closed, the shuttle rising to find clear ground nearby. This wasn't like our last visit, the trees were in full bloom now. Finding the cryptograph was more dangerous now. We dropped into gravel mud near the loch edge, to the south west of the village. The guns popped free, helmets on to protect us from any nasty chokeholds.
"Mission start, we're on the ground," I said. My ear piece crackled.
"Stay safe," Julian said. My brows knotted together, Paladin clicking in my hands.
"Alright people, we're looking for a cryptograph. You all know what a dodecahedron is, 12 sided pentagon thing? Because it's that shape," I said. "And for the love of God, be careful, they are like mini Reapers,"
"Bring it," Shaul rumbled, shotgun pumping in his hand.
My traitorous eyes trailed over the cut in the mountain to the north, the steep hills still scared from the slip that destroyed Kinlochleven. The trees masked the slip itself, ploughing through the main part of Kinlochleven and destroying both high school and primary school, shoving the river further south. Even here, the river bubbled as it emptied into Loch Leven. Omni-blades swiped at the foliage in our path, Val on point with me a step behind. As we pushed through the trees, the wrecked remains of homes dotted through the shade. My heart tugged, pushing past the swell of memories walking down this same road, the sound of people all around. Why did they abandon this place, the landslip only destroyed a quarter of the buildings, it didn't make sense. I'd have to ask Julian. The trees thinned near the heart of Kinlochleven, just below the bridge leading to the landslip. Here, the broken remains of the Ice Factor slumped in a ruin, the bridge leading to the north snapped and washing down stream. Videos from people's suits flashed before me, but none of that prepared me for this. Algenis stepped beside me, eyes scanning around us.
"I know this is difficult, Captain, but please, keep your focus," he whispered. Val's mandibles snapped against his cheeks, but the drell ignored him. My throat worked overtime to swallow the rock forming in my throat.
"Sorry," I said.
Before another word could escape, a loud bang echoed through the town. My heart thundered, gun snapping straight, a robotic crackle sounding nearby. Algenis drew the pistol, creeping closer. It came from the river, the bang sounded like it came from where Gideon- A blur snapped me awake, a 12-sided pentagon faced orb rushing towards us with a tentacle on each face. Reaper blue lights poked between the gaps in the plate. My jaw tightened, a rage boiling my blood as the gunfire opened around me. You wouldn't think a football sized robot with tentacles for legs would be fast, but that damn thing ducked and weaved like a rugby player. The Paladin roared even as my feet kicked me back from original spot, rolling on the broken tarmac as it crashed into Algenis. The drell slashed with a short blade, a tentacle snapping free even as it pushed off him to reach for me. Mar launched forward, intercepting the cryptograph. It crackled like a shorting electrical circuit. With careful steps and keeping the damn thing in my Paladin's sight, my feet circled away, closer to the crew. It prepared to launch when another deafening bang sounded. The cryptograph flew, crashing through the trees. Val smirked.
"Hey, you did a not bad job, old man," Val said, eyes on Mat'al. The salarian snorted.
"Maybe if you had a few extra brain cells, I'd find something worth training in you too," he said. Val growled, a flare of biotics crackling over his skin.
"Wait, that's Gideon?" I asked.
"Indeed it is," Mat'al said. "He packs quite the punch, don't you agree?"
"What the fuck is in that gun?" I asked, eyes on the rustling in the trees.
"Don't try lifting it, there's a reason Kala is carrying his equipment," Mat'al chuckled. Before I could question further, the cryptograph launched.
The tentacles reached for me again and no bullet would stop it. In seconds a sea of tentacles smothered my head, reaching for my spine. Only the helmet stopped it from crushing my skull as it ripped through the collar of my armour. A small smile grew on my face. It still thought I was a Saboteur. My overload twitched it, but more tentacle erupted free and my struggles to get if off wiped the smile from my face. A roar not to move was my warning, every muscle freezing. A huge thwack twirled me in the air, crashing into the ground as the cryptograph flew back. When my eyes straightened, Shaul charged with hammer raised. Did he nearly crush my skull with a krogan hammer?! Oh, he was getting a grilling later! My hand grabbed the fallen Paladin and raised it in both hands again. The krogan roared and charged, shotguns armed as Shaul hurled the reaching arms away from him. The armour on this damn thing was hard. We needed something to pump it dead and fast before it choked us out. My mind drifted to the bangs from earlier.
"Gid, switch out the ammo," I said.
"Wha… to what?" Gideon asked.
"You got any of those Anti-Saboteur bullets?" I asked.
"Mum, those won't work on normal Reaper tech-" he started.
"How come? They just set off EMPs, right? It just skips a step of having to burn through the biological material. I think it's time to see if these should be Anti-Saboteur or Anti-Electronic rounds," I said. Silence followed. Phentos yelped as a tentacle snagged his leg, the blade snapping from his leg to slice it free.
"Ammo swapped out, get that thing away from everyone else and I'll take a shot," Gideon said.
Cathleen screeched as the cryptograph hurled her into the river, more bodies flying as the cryptograph fought towards me. Algenis stayed by my flank as Val hurled the orders, people picking themselves up and herding the cryptograph with Overloads, Incinerates, Cryo Blasts, Warps and mines. Nothing bothered it, rolling through fire and biotics as if nothing was there. Algenis charged as it got closed, giving me an opportunity to back even further back towards the river. Cathleen's grumbles rumbled as she splashed to her feet behind me, but my eyes stayed on the cryptograph as a clawed tentacle grabbed Algenis' arm and slammed him into the ground. It then came for me, the robotic crackle sending chills down my spine. Did it know I was no longer a Saboteur and wanted to kill me? It leapt for me, even as I dodged. The Daemon's roar echoed down the valley, the cryptograph slamming into the ground before bouncing towards the trees. A hole tore into the side of it, better than the armour piercing ever could. Sparks danced along skin, even as it picked itself up and made another rush for me. The Paladin's bullets bounced off the machine, a tentacle snagging my shin. The weakened ground below me crumbled, the river working's magic. A scream of surprise ripped free as I joined Cathleen in the river. The freezing water cooled my head from summer hear, but tentacles choked me, encircling my head. My helmet cracked under the pressure, masking my view as water leaked in from back of my armour. My omni-blade waved around, slashing at anything to free myself.
The cryptograph crackled, the hold weakening as Cathleen slashed tentacles from me. She back off as she noticed my finger reaching for my Overload. With a hole in the armour, the Overload punched deep into the cryptograph. The tentacles danced, held in a spasm as it's grip failed. My hands grabbed the flailing tentacles, hurling it up the back onto dry land again. Cathleen did the once over, noticing the cracks dancing over my visor. We nodded, leaping up with jump jets out of the river. The cryptograph twitched on the grounds, tentacles reaching like a dead octopus in soy sauce. Mat'al edged up beside me, shotgun in hand. Well, that answered that question. The Paladin stretched out in my grip, aiming for the writing hole in the side of the machine. Lights flickered on the machine, the EMPs hitting it harder than they did Saboteurs. The smaller size and lack of biological material made the ammo's life easier.
"Wreck it," I said. Gunfire sounded a second later, smothering the cryptograph in smoke and fire. I emptied every clip on me, against my better judgement, but it was worth every damn bullet. The Paladin fell to my hip, the wrecked remains of Reaper tech scattered in the small crater. My eyes lifted to Val, a smile on his face.
"Feel better?" he asked. My eyes trailed over the cryptograph, then to the helmet in my hands. The helmet creaked as it snapped apart, the visor tumbling out as it folded together.
"Yeah, much," I said, securing the folded up wreck onto my hip. "Get Gid back down here… and I need to see something,"
"Aye, aye," the crew said, the biotics lifting the broken remains of the cryptograph for proper disposal.
My attention turned to the river I tumbled into, towards the opposite bank. Val understood, standing attentive by my side as Phentos took over and gave the orders. Mat'al stopped by my other shoulder, a quiet sentinel. Val's hand found my shoulder, squeezing it. A deep breath pushed my chest out, rolling my shoulders back before sliding down the steep bank to the river. The pair followed, jumping up with jump jets back onto dry land. Despite the landslip to my left, my eyes drifted right, following the upstream river to the surviving houses on this side of the river. All the while, my heart thundered a little more each second. The road lay shattered by time, overgrown with moss and grass. The trees swayed and chattered above me, casting bright pockets of light as the first of the buildings loomed from the trees. A hard rustling jerked me awake, hand dropping to the Locust. Gideon stumbled free from the trees, shaking off a bramble snagged to his armour. My hand released the SMG on instinct, Kala hopping free with the thorny brambles encircling her. He jogged the rest of the distance, pulling his helmet off with a wide grin on his face. My hand ruffled his hair as he joined us, weaving around the bracken and thorns to reach the ruined house. All the while, my heart thundered growing louder with each step. My hand touched the wrecked wall between the old road and the property, staring up at the house. My parents had bought both buildings and converted them into one, to give us more space. My eyes closed, muscles tightening before a hard exhale shoved me over that invisible line. It only worsened once through the old front door. The smell of damp broke my heart, a hard reminder that time had won this battle. The blue walls from my room moulded to grey and black, moss claiming what little remained. What remained of the wallpaper or painted walls was only rotted plasterboard. Moss and plants crawled up the walls, the little furniture that remained here had disappeared, claimed by time. Out in the back, the grass climbed high once more, a shelter baring the Constellation's name tucked against the wall. Inside, the old computer cabinet holding Marshal's original platform. The battery back keeping this terminal alive was low and would die in the next month, but it could do one more thing. A grin lifted my lips.
"Marshal?" I asked. The computer grinded, the printer spitting out a yellowed strip of paper. My hand read the strip.
"Yes, Miss Shaik?" the paper said.
"Play Caramelldansen in Julian's ear piece on loop," I said. The printer whined as a new strip filtered out.
"Miss Shaik, you are well aware he dislikes that song!" Marshal scolded.
"Oh come on! Just for 5 minutes!" I said. There was a long silence.
"DELLY!" Julian screamed in my ear. My laughter bounced around the small compartment. "FIVE MINUTES! FIVE FUCKING MINUTES?! GOD MY EARS! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU WHEN YOU GET BACK!"
"Totally worth it," I said, ducking out of the shelter. "I'm so dead," My earpiece binged, furrowing my brow. My eyes popped open as a song played. "Goddam it, Julian's Rick Rolling me! No! I hate this song! How do I take this damn thing out! Alright! Fine! Marshal, stop playing Caramelldansen! Just make it stop!" The music stopped playing a few moments later. Goddam it, we knew each other too well. Val laughed behind me, laughing harder at my rumbles. Gideon raised a brow, looking between Kala and I for an answer. "Gideon, you'll never know the joy and hatred that siblings have for each other,"
"Unless someone knocks you up," he said.
"I beg your pardon!? Mat'al Delern, what have you been teaching him?!" I demanded. Mat'al raised a brow.
"I blame Marruns," he said. My jaw popped.
"…He's castrated when I get my hands on him," I vowed. Val smirked.
"So, do you want to look around?" Val asked. My eyes diverted, turning his words over in my mind.
"…there is less here than I thought," I said. "I was expecting… something more,"
"Perhaps you've moved on and never realised," Mat'al said.
"Yeah, maybe…" I said, glancing to Gideon. "Let's head back and get back to work,"
"Already?" Val asked. He smirked at my frown. "And here I had this plan to sneak you out under the cover of darkness, without telling your big scary brother, to go dancing through the streets of Glasgow… don't look at me like that, when was the last time we had a proper date?"
"Tsk, too long," I said, a faint smile tickling my lips. "Fine, but we pack pistols,"
"And what kind of date is it without pistols?" Val laughed. "Let's get out of here and have some fun before getting you back to work,"
"Fine, and have you caught up on your homework yet?" I asked, Gideon whimpering.
"I'll never catch up though…" he said. My jaw swung, tongue clucking.
"Have you at least done the computing science stuff?" I asked. Gideon nodded. "Fine, I'll tell your teacher you were at boot camp for stealing the ship again,"
"Yes-!... wait, no! Don't tell her that!" Gideon wailed. Mat'al laughed as we strode back through the rotted house, back towards the river and away from this place. Maybe now I'd never need to come back.
The Fact Sheet, Timeline and Galaxy Map have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for link to Archive.