Post by Shala'Bekk vas Neema on Feb 5, 2014 9:32:40 GMT -6
Another beautiful day, Shala thought as she sat on a wall in the middle of the colony, soaking up the sun’s rays. Even though she had been with the colony for a few months, it felt more and more like…like…
Home, she allowed herself to think. True, with its grassy plains and expansive forests, it wasn’t like Rannoch, or so she had been told; she was told the lands of her homeworld were fertile near bodies of water, but turned to desert the further away one got.
So why do I like it here so much, if it’s not Rannoch? Or even the Fleet?
As she thought about it, the more she realized that it was the people here; true, there had been some resistance from asari who had lost friends and family in the attack on the Citadel, but they had soon left, unable to let go of their grief and their hatred. Here she felt accepted, even if she wasn’t one of them. True, her work didn’t compare to what the archaeologists were doing, but she enjoyed it.
Not to say she didn’t enjoy their discoveries, although at first she had little interest in their work. She spent long hours at the power plant, ensuring that everything ran smoothly; she was here to work and gain something of value to bring back to her people. But over time, due in no small part to the enthusiasm of Lylia Axani, her roommate, she had come to share in the joys of their discoveries, no matter how small.
And then there was Lylia. As Shala thought about her, she smiled; she couldn’t help it, there was something so…lively about her. She found joy in the smallest of things and seemed to brush off bad events like they were nothing. “Everything we do in life is a choice, especially how we react to things,” she said. “That is a power most people forget they have. If more people realized that power, this galaxy would have far fewer problems.”
What if you stayed? a voice suddenly whispered in her head, surprising her.
Here? she thought. But why? What about the Fleet?
But weren’t you just thinking about how much you like it here? the voice continued. And it’s not like you’d be the first quarian to choose to not return from Pilgrimage.
But…what about Father? she asked. And my duty to the Fleet?
What about your duty to you? the voice countered. Yes, the Pilgrimage is about bringing resources back to the Fleet, but even more it’s about seeing the galaxy and finding your place in it. And sometimes that place isn’t always in the Fleet.
A sudden tapping on her leg snapped her out of her musings. It was Lylia, her ever-present smile across her face. “What are you thinking about?” she asked, her smile suggesting she already knew the answer.
“Oh…things,” Shala said.
“Must be some very good things,” Lylia said, still smiling.
Does she know? Shala thought. No, that’s impossible.
“I know you think that wearing that mask makes it impossible to read your face, but you forget the rest of your body, it can speak volumes,” Lylia said. “It says to me that you’re thinking about good things, but you’re also thinking about something important, something that will have a significant impact on your future.”
“Oh?” Shala said. “Like what?” There’s no way she can know…can she?
“Like…’Which paste will I have for dinner?’ ”
They both laughed, their merriment filing the air.
“I think archaeology is not for you,” Shala said as their laughter died down. “I think psychiatry is more your line of work.”
“Perhaps,” Lylia said with a shrug. “I’m only ninety-seven, I have time to figure it out.”
They both sat on the wall in a comfortable silence, each occupied with their own thoughts, their gazes meeting occasionally; whenever that would happen, they would laugh and look off again.
“I’m thinking about staying,” Shala said suddenly. Unfortunately, Lylia chose to speak at the same time, and so neither heard what the other was saying.
“Go ahead, you first,” Lylia said.
“I think I want to stay here,” Shala said.
“And why is that?” Lylia asked.
“The…nature,” Shala said. “I like looking up and seeing an actual sky with a sun in it. I like walking and feeling real ground beneath my feet.”
“Don’t forget the rain!” Lylia said, and they both laughed. “The way you just stood in the rain while everyone else ran for cover, I thought you might grow another foot!”
They laughed again, and when it wound down, Lylia said, “That’s what I like about you, Shala. You look at things I take for granted and you see them from such a fresh perspective.”
She was quiet for a moment and then asked, “Is that the only reason you want to stay? The nature?”
“Not…all of it,” Shala said.
Lylia nodded and thought for a few moments more. She then grabbed Shala’s hands and said, “Meld with me.”
Shala, stunned, just sat there as Lylia continued.
“I know we’ve known each other for only a few months, but I feel a connection between us, something deeper, and I want to explore it…that is, if you want to as well,” she said.
“Would I have to—“ Shala began.
“Yes, you would have to remove your suit, the meld works best with skin-to-skin contact, or so I’ve been told, I’ve never done it before,” she said. “I know it’s asking a lot. I…I don’t need an answer right now, I’ll let you think about it.”
She got up and began quickly walking away.
Shala still sat, thoughts and emotions swirling in her head. Lylia had explained melding before, so she knew what she was getting herself into: a joining of their nervous systems, through which memories, thoughts and feelings would be shared, unfiltered. They would know each other in ways most could never would without such a union. Was she willing to expose herself in such a way?
She looked over at Lylia’s retreating form. She might have flaws, and if they were to meld, they would be discovered, but one flaw Shala knew the asari didn’t have was a desire to hurt others.
“Lylia!” she called, hurrying after her.
Lylia stopped and turned, waiting for her.
“I’ll do it,” Shala said, reaching her. “I’ll meld with you.”
“Are you sure?” Lylia said. “I don’t want you to do it just because I asked.”
“I won’t lie, it scares me,” Shala said. “But I still want to do it.”
Lylia smiled, and this one made all her previous ones pale in comparison. She hugged Shala and kissed her on her helmet. Shala knew if she wasn’t wearing one those lips would be on hers.
“But, if we’re going to do this, I need time to prepare,” Shala said. “I’ll need to stop by the medbay for some antibiotics and herbal supplements and give them time to take effect. Let’s do it after dinner, okay?”
“Okay,” Lylia said, placing her hand on Shala's faceplate as if to carress her cheek. “I would need time to prepare myself as well.”
She smiled, and Shala smiled back.
The sound of an approaching ship broke the moment and the two of them looked up to see it seemingly drop out of the sun.
“Curious,” Lylia said. “The supply ship isn’t due for another week.”
“That’s not an asari ship,” Shala said, looking over the ship’s profile. “That’s…batarian.”
And then chaos rained down.
Home, she allowed herself to think. True, with its grassy plains and expansive forests, it wasn’t like Rannoch, or so she had been told; she was told the lands of her homeworld were fertile near bodies of water, but turned to desert the further away one got.
So why do I like it here so much, if it’s not Rannoch? Or even the Fleet?
As she thought about it, the more she realized that it was the people here; true, there had been some resistance from asari who had lost friends and family in the attack on the Citadel, but they had soon left, unable to let go of their grief and their hatred. Here she felt accepted, even if she wasn’t one of them. True, her work didn’t compare to what the archaeologists were doing, but she enjoyed it.
Not to say she didn’t enjoy their discoveries, although at first she had little interest in their work. She spent long hours at the power plant, ensuring that everything ran smoothly; she was here to work and gain something of value to bring back to her people. But over time, due in no small part to the enthusiasm of Lylia Axani, her roommate, she had come to share in the joys of their discoveries, no matter how small.
And then there was Lylia. As Shala thought about her, she smiled; she couldn’t help it, there was something so…lively about her. She found joy in the smallest of things and seemed to brush off bad events like they were nothing. “Everything we do in life is a choice, especially how we react to things,” she said. “That is a power most people forget they have. If more people realized that power, this galaxy would have far fewer problems.”
What if you stayed? a voice suddenly whispered in her head, surprising her.
Here? she thought. But why? What about the Fleet?
But weren’t you just thinking about how much you like it here? the voice continued. And it’s not like you’d be the first quarian to choose to not return from Pilgrimage.
But…what about Father? she asked. And my duty to the Fleet?
What about your duty to you? the voice countered. Yes, the Pilgrimage is about bringing resources back to the Fleet, but even more it’s about seeing the galaxy and finding your place in it. And sometimes that place isn’t always in the Fleet.
A sudden tapping on her leg snapped her out of her musings. It was Lylia, her ever-present smile across her face. “What are you thinking about?” she asked, her smile suggesting she already knew the answer.
“Oh…things,” Shala said.
“Must be some very good things,” Lylia said, still smiling.
Does she know? Shala thought. No, that’s impossible.
“I know you think that wearing that mask makes it impossible to read your face, but you forget the rest of your body, it can speak volumes,” Lylia said. “It says to me that you’re thinking about good things, but you’re also thinking about something important, something that will have a significant impact on your future.”
“Oh?” Shala said. “Like what?” There’s no way she can know…can she?
“Like…’Which paste will I have for dinner?’ ”
They both laughed, their merriment filing the air.
“I think archaeology is not for you,” Shala said as their laughter died down. “I think psychiatry is more your line of work.”
“Perhaps,” Lylia said with a shrug. “I’m only ninety-seven, I have time to figure it out.”
They both sat on the wall in a comfortable silence, each occupied with their own thoughts, their gazes meeting occasionally; whenever that would happen, they would laugh and look off again.
“I’m thinking about staying,” Shala said suddenly. Unfortunately, Lylia chose to speak at the same time, and so neither heard what the other was saying.
“Go ahead, you first,” Lylia said.
“I think I want to stay here,” Shala said.
“And why is that?” Lylia asked.
“The…nature,” Shala said. “I like looking up and seeing an actual sky with a sun in it. I like walking and feeling real ground beneath my feet.”
“Don’t forget the rain!” Lylia said, and they both laughed. “The way you just stood in the rain while everyone else ran for cover, I thought you might grow another foot!”
They laughed again, and when it wound down, Lylia said, “That’s what I like about you, Shala. You look at things I take for granted and you see them from such a fresh perspective.”
She was quiet for a moment and then asked, “Is that the only reason you want to stay? The nature?”
“Not…all of it,” Shala said.
Lylia nodded and thought for a few moments more. She then grabbed Shala’s hands and said, “Meld with me.”
Shala, stunned, just sat there as Lylia continued.
“I know we’ve known each other for only a few months, but I feel a connection between us, something deeper, and I want to explore it…that is, if you want to as well,” she said.
“Would I have to—“ Shala began.
“Yes, you would have to remove your suit, the meld works best with skin-to-skin contact, or so I’ve been told, I’ve never done it before,” she said. “I know it’s asking a lot. I…I don’t need an answer right now, I’ll let you think about it.”
She got up and began quickly walking away.
Shala still sat, thoughts and emotions swirling in her head. Lylia had explained melding before, so she knew what she was getting herself into: a joining of their nervous systems, through which memories, thoughts and feelings would be shared, unfiltered. They would know each other in ways most could never would without such a union. Was she willing to expose herself in such a way?
She looked over at Lylia’s retreating form. She might have flaws, and if they were to meld, they would be discovered, but one flaw Shala knew the asari didn’t have was a desire to hurt others.
“Lylia!” she called, hurrying after her.
Lylia stopped and turned, waiting for her.
“I’ll do it,” Shala said, reaching her. “I’ll meld with you.”
“Are you sure?” Lylia said. “I don’t want you to do it just because I asked.”
“I won’t lie, it scares me,” Shala said. “But I still want to do it.”
Lylia smiled, and this one made all her previous ones pale in comparison. She hugged Shala and kissed her on her helmet. Shala knew if she wasn’t wearing one those lips would be on hers.
“But, if we’re going to do this, I need time to prepare,” Shala said. “I’ll need to stop by the medbay for some antibiotics and herbal supplements and give them time to take effect. Let’s do it after dinner, okay?”
“Okay,” Lylia said, placing her hand on Shala's faceplate as if to carress her cheek. “I would need time to prepare myself as well.”
She smiled, and Shala smiled back.
The sound of an approaching ship broke the moment and the two of them looked up to see it seemingly drop out of the sun.
“Curious,” Lylia said. “The supply ship isn’t due for another week.”
“That’s not an asari ship,” Shala said, looking over the ship’s profile. “That’s…batarian.”
And then chaos rained down.