Chapter 31 - Omega pt. 2 - Aria
Nyreen
December 4th, 2188
If there was one thing I learned in Cabal training, everyone stuck to patterns. It didn't matter who you were, where you came from, or what you did. All intelligent beings stuck to things they knew. It didn't matter if it was an infant turian or an asari in their matriarch stage. The need for patterns remained.
That's why I sat in Afterlife, lounging on the throne of Omega, a shotgun across my knees, waiting for the deposed Queen to return.
I knew it would only be a matter of time. In the last three days, the mercenaries at the docks hadn't made any progress, but the mercenaries who landed at the secret entrance had established control of most of C-ring, the main population center of the station, and where Afterlife resided.
Sure enough, less than thirty minutes later, the door opened, allowing in distant sounds of gunfire as my men, vastly outnumbered, were pushed back. Three figures walked in, activating the dormant building's power as they made their way up the stairs.
"Ahhh…," Aria sighed, walking into the room, not seeing me as the lights hadn't come back yet.
"Why did it have to be this way, Aria?" I asked, standing as the lights flicked on, illuminating the Queen and two humans wearing Eclipse armor at her flanks. The mercs reacted, but not fast enough. I fired two shots, making each crumple to the floor.
"Nyreen, I didn't expect you to be here." Same old Aria, an air of superiority flowing around her, placid despite my welcome. "Go ahead and put that down," the asari said, ripping the shotgun from my hands with biotic energy and tossing it down the stairs.
As calmly as I had ever seen anyone, Aria walked toward me, resting her hands on each shoulder, slowly walking around me. "It's like this because you stole something from me," She whispered, finishing the half-lap around me and gracefully sitting in the cushioned seat. "And you seem to have forgotten Omega's only rule, my dear." Aria smiled, but the look in her eye spoke of danger I scarcely knew.
"All I wanted was for these people not to suffer. To feel safe in their own homes. And for that to happen, you cannot be allowed to retake control."
"Ha!" Aria laughed, "Did you forget that I know you better than anyone else, perhaps even yourself? You don't care about these people any more than I do. You're doing this for control."
"You don't know me as well as you think you do. Besides, even if you were right, it's too late for you. Even if you defeat my men now, you won't hold the station for more than a day."
Aria laughed louder now, her head tipping back, "And who is going to stop me?"
"The Hierarchy. There are reinforcements on the way as we speak. They'll be here in less than an hour."
Aria's eyes narrowed, "You…," She snarled, not finishing the sentence before she charged at me. Expecting the attack, I created a shield with my biotics, dissipating the massive force around me and sending a throw back at Aria, sending her flying out of the observation window onto the main floor.
I walked down the stairs, ready to face a flurry of powerful biotic attacks. Aria stood up, sneering at me, sending out two strands of biotic energy that grappled me and pulled me onto the main floor, smashing me down on top of a table. "You're bluffing about the Hierarchy!"
"No," I coughed, "I won't let you leave again." I dashed past Aria, using my poisoned blade to slice into the asari's exposed midriff, turning and dashing past the Matriarch once more, cutting the tendon behind her knee.
"Ah!" Aria cried out, hobbling back up and charging me again, catching me off guard and plowing me into the far wall.
We grappled, neither of us gaining any appreciable advantage until Aria pushed a Reave into my chest. I screamed in pain as the power rushed through my body, lighting all my synapses on fire. It felt like my skin was boiling under my plates, swelling and popping them off. I gritted my teeth, trying to get up, pushing through the immense pain, but Aria lashed me again, throwing me across to the other side of the room.
She walked over to me calmly, limping slightly with her injuries, taking a knee next to me. Aria grabbed one of my blades, making a fist and increasing the intensity of the Reave effect on me as I tried to struggle. The next thing I knew was the pain subsiding and a blade pressed against my throat. "Don't fuck with Aria."
As the blade started to cut into my skin, I screamed, "No!" The room went black.
-0-
When I awoke, I took a moment to inspect the room around me. Afterlife, check, but… what happened with Aria? The last thing I remembered was Aria pressing my blade to my throat. I raised my hand to the wound, finding only a small nick that had since clotted. I got to my feet, shuffling towards the only other sound in the room. Every table on the main floor had been flung outwards from where I was, each in its state of disrepair.
About twenty meters from me, Aria lay amongst several broken tables, blood trickling down from her mouth, a faint gurgling sound coming from her throat. I crouched next to her, taking my other blade and placing it on the asari's throat. "How…?" Aria tried to ask, welcomed only by the blade slicing through her flesh, causing her to bleed out in seconds.
I sighed as the Reave effect ended, pulling up my omnitool and calling. "Commander Victrillin, the target is down. Please send an evac squad."
"Yes, sir," Came the curt reply, and it was all I heard before collapsing to the ground.
-0-
December 6th, 2188
"Good morning," A voice called to me as my eyes flickered open, blinking against the pure white light that flooded my pupils.
When my eyes adjusted, I tried to sit up and look around, sharp pain radiating through me as I did. "Please, don't move," A soft turian voice said, applying pressure on my chest to get me to lay back down.
"Where… Where am I?"
"The Indomitus," Commander Victrillin stepped into my line of sight, revealing himself as the voice I heard when I first awoke. "In the medbay." With this news, I tried to sit up again, only to get pushed back down by Victrillin this time, "Don't worry, General Kandros. Everything on Omega is fine."
"What happened?"
"Well, you killed Aria T'Loak. After you called me, you collapsed. The doctors say it was from exposure to the poison from your knives. After that, I used the station-wide comm system to tell Aria's men that Hierarchy and Alliance reinforcements were on their way, and they had one hour to cease fighting and leave the station."
"And they just did?"
"Some did, but it was too late. The fleet had arrived." Victrillin's face sported a wicked grin. "The rest surrendered and are being held on the prison ship that accompanied the fleet." Victrillin's omnitool began to buzz, "Excuse me, I'll be right back."
"I have to get back-" I said, starting to sit up again, only to be pushed back down by the nurse.
"Miss Kandros, the doctor wants you to stay at least one more night for observation to ensure everything is okay."
I begrudgingly agreed, sighing and lying back on the bed.
"The Primarch wants to speak with you," Victrillin said, stepping back into the medbay and sending the call to my omnitool.
"Primarch Vakarian," I greeted, an easy smile coming over my face.
"Miss Kandros, I hear congratulations are in order," The floating image of Garrus said, "Commander, Nurse, if you could excuse us, please."
"Yes, Primarch," They both responded, leaving the medbay.
Garrus's eyes flicked over to the door as if to make sure they were gone, "I am a man of my word. I will have my military out of the system tomorrow if you like. You may keep some of them to help keep order while you make changes. It's up to you."
"I think we need to handle it on our own, to make sure people know we are independent."
"Alright. I will tell Commander Victrillin to get the men ready to come home. I look forward to working with you more in the future, Miss Kandros."
"Thank you, Primarch. I was skeptical when you first approached me, but I'm convinced. You truly do want what is best for everyone. I'm glad I trusted you."
"I'm glad to be of help. Sometimes it's hard to see the effects of what you're doing from a position of power. I'm glad to know I got this one right. Omega deserves more, Nyreen, and you are just the person to give it to them."
"Thank you, Garrus," With a nod, Garrus ended the call.
Amelia
December 7th, 2188
"Amelia!" I woke with a start, hastily catching my breath as Garrus shook me awake, holding my face with his leathery hands. "What's wrong? Was it a nightmare?" I nodded in confirmation. They didn't come as often as before, every night, sometimes twice a night, but they still occurred, and when they did….
I wept silently for a minute, sitting up to shield Garrus from the sight, but he sat up with me, providing a silent, helping hand. "What was it about?"
I sobbed for a moment before answering, "… Mindoir…,"
He took the pad of his thumb and carefully wiped away the tears from my cheeks, earning a thankful smile. "Tell me about it. Not about the attack, but about Mindoir."
"It was… peaceful. Calm. Everyone knew everyone, and if you ever needed help, they would drop everything. I lived on a farm outside town with my parents and my little brother."
"You don't mention your family much. Tell me about them." As he spoke, he ran his hands down my back, giving me a feeling of comfort and warmth.
"My father was a farmer, although you don't really do much farming when all the equipment is automated, so I guess he was more of an engineer. He was a serious man, but he was kind, very slow to anger, and never held a grudge. He had short salt and pepper hair and these piercing grey eyes that could see through any lie you told him." I sniffled, choking back tears that threatened to spill over my lower eyelids. "He always told it straight, never any bullshit with him. He'd tell you if he was proud, or if he was disappointed, or if he was sad. There was no guessing. I still remember when I was little, I would ride on his shoulders. I felt like I was on top of the world."
"He sounds like a great man," Garrus said.
I nodded, taking a moment to wipe away a silent tear, "My mother was a teacher at the school in town. She didn't need the job. We were well off, not rich, but comfortable; She kept it because she loved it. She was very passionate about everything she did, even the most mundane things, and she always gave one hundred percent, and she did everything with a smile. She had my hair and eyes, and this touch that just made everything wrong with the world just melt away."
"You have that too," Garrus commented, "I see it every time you hold Gaius or Octavia. It's like all their problems suddenly vanish. What about your brother?"
"What is there to say about a younger sibling? I thought Mikey was the most annoying human being to ever exist for most of my childhood. He was loud, boisterous, and fun-loving. He could be your greatest headache or your best friend, sometimes even on the flip of a switch. God…," I started to cry earnestly now, tears rolling down my face as I took a shaky breath. "I miss them so much." I struggled to gain control of my wayward emotions, "I'm sorry, I didn't want you to see me like this."
"Like what? Vulnerable? Fragile?" I meekly nodded at his question, "Why?"
"I… I don't really know. Maybe, deep down, I was afraid that you loved 'Commander Shepard' and not 'Amelia Shepard'."
"Amelia…. I didn't fall in love with some untouchable idol of War. I fell in love with you. Every part of you, not just bits and pieces." He took my hands in his, "We're supposed to share our burdens, and you've been taking plenty of mine, so now it's time for me to do my part. Let me take some of this pain from you."
END OF PART I