Story: Birthed By Fire (chapter 1)

Authors: Shadowflame66

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Chapter 1

Title: Chapter 1: Sixteen

[Author's notes: Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect. If I did, Miranda would still be a bisexual romance option and there would be an entire DLC focusing on fighting her father. Also there would be Force Choking.]

Chapter 1: Sixteen

April 11, 2170

Mindoir

There was smoke; it burned her lungs.

There was fire; it seared her skin.

There was ash; it stung her eyes.

Fear filled the young girl as she supported herself on her hands and knees, coughing. Blood from her forehead mixed in with her crimson hair and further obscured her vision as it dripped down her skin. The fear remained as more screams filled the air, but anger was quickly overtaking it. She reached a hand up and gripped a piece of rubble, forcing herself up. Her amber eyes spotted the marines a good distance away; they weren’t coming. They were pinned down, unable to move closer.

Unable or afraid. She was only sixteen, but her eyes narrowed towards the marines. They were here, they could help, but their own lives seemed more important. She looked down at a hand sticking out from the rubble, dirt-covered and bloodied; her mother’s. A tuft of brown hair was visible in another pile; her father’s. The only reasons she was alive, they’d covered her with their bodies when the house collapsed under the batarians’ barrage. The girl dropped to her knees, cutting her fingers to shreds as she ripped pieces of rubble away. One of her fingernails was torn off, another split, but she didn’t care, not enough to stop. She ripped the last piece from atop her father’s head… or what was left of her father’s head.

She then stumbled back, spinning around and falling to her hands and knees, vomiting. Tears joined with ash and dirt to burn her eyes, but that just fueled the rage. She forced herself up on shaky legs, taking a moment to gain her balance before making it over to her mother and repeating her actions. Lift rubble, toss aside, scrape glass away, ignore blood; she was almost running on autopilot. A sob escaped her as she yanked a piece of rebar out of the way; her mother’s eyes were open, looking at her. For one brief moment she thought she was alive, until she saw that the piece of rebar she’d removed was one of several others that impaled the woman’s body. The girl reached a trembling hand out to touch her mother’s neck, but it was obvious; she was dead.

The girl raised her head as a scream escaped her throat, a sound of mixed agony and rage. It drew attention, attracted slavers, but she didn’t care; something opened inside her mind, a wall she hadn’t even known was there. Her body felt alive, different somehow, and a new sensation awakened that she’d never known before. A batarian appeared in an opening, pointing his rifle in. “One survived in here, looks alright; I’ll grab her.”

The girl turned hate-filled amber eyes on the batarian, baring her teeth at him. He’d seen it all before and wasn’t intimidated in the least, but she wasn’t thinking about that; she wasn’t really thinking at all. She didn’t know why she did it, but as she stood she shoved a hand forward and the air bent around it. All four of the batarian’s eyes widened as a blue energy flared to life in the girl’s eyes and over her body. The biotic power hurled him two dozen meters to slam into a pile of rubble, shattering bones and splitting skin. The girl climbed out of the rubble and stood on the street with her arms at her sides, her body wreathed in blue energy that shifted and warped the air.

Batarians turned and fired on her but the energy wrapped around her, creating a barrier that kept the shots from connecting. Her crimson hair flowed around her eyes as she focused on another batarian, extending her hand with her palm up. He flailed and cursed as he was lifted into the air while the girl remained cold, raising her other hand. She turned her hands over, appearing as if she was holding a bar in them, and then twisted them, snapping the batarian’s spine in the air. As his body hit the ground the others fired and broke through her barrier. Metal slugs tore through her arms and thigh, sending her to her knees, but she roared in defiance and threw both hands forward, releasing a shockwave that tore through the group in front of her and scattered them.

A grenade landed at her side and she only had time to look at it before it exploded. Her biotic power wrapped around her again, shielding her from the blast, but she was thrown back and hit the side of a building, falling into blackness.

Mass Effect

Several Hours Later

She awoke at a time she didn’t know, in a place she didn’t recognize, under the gaze of a person she’d never met. She was a little surprised to wake up at all, but she had expected to be in a batarian slaver’s hold if she did. She was in some sort of medical bed, though; the taste of the air and feel of gravity led her to believe she was on a ship. The man near her wore a military uniform, obviously an officer. “I’m glad to see you’re awake,” he said in a voice that was entirely too composed in her opinion.

She tried to sit up but pain shot through her back; she did it anyway, leaning against the wall as she looked at him. “Where…?”

“You’re aboard the SSV Budapest, an Alliance cruiser. You’re safe now. What’s your name, miss?”

The girl looked at her hands, which rested uselessly in her lap. “Kira Shepard.”

“Well, Shepard, you’re with the military now. Everything will be fine.”

And that was how it went. The enlisted men didn’t know how to feel, and the officers didn’t care; “dangers of living in the Traverse,” they told her, as if that made any difference. “Safe with the military,” they said, as if she hadn’t seen them sitting impotently unable to help. Apparently her attack had allowed them to move up, and they made it into town in time to save her… but no one else. The batarians got away and no one was left but the dead. They asked about extended family they could send her to, but there were none. “Everything will be fine,” she heard over and over again. Nothing but words.

A month later Shepard found herself standing outside a building that looked more intimidating than they probably meant for it to; a military biotic training and research facility on some planet she’d never heard of. Her bag hung at her side, but there was really nothing in it aside from a few clothes the military had been able to get her. She didn’t own anything else. The man at her side reassured her again (“everything will be fine”), leading her into the building. Inside all the walls, floors and ceilings were cold metal with little color. Kira walked behind the man quietly; she didn’t remember his name and it wouldn’t matter for much longer anyway. They entered an office and a secretary pointed them through another door.

Inside a woman stood up from her desk, smiling; she wore nice white clothes and glasses, and had long blonde hair, a rare trait since it was a recessive gene. “You must be Kira Shepard. Welcome to E-3,” she said, looking directly at her and more or less ignoring the officer.

Shepard appreciated being treated like an adult after the way the soldiers acted around her, so she actually offered a smile, slight and weak though it was. “Thanks.”

The woman looked at the officer. “We’re done. Thank you for bringing her.” He looked extremely irritated at the dismissal but he seemed to decide it wasn’t worth an argument, as he left without another word. The woman turned back to Kira and her smile returned. “I’m Dr. Novanis. Students call me Dr. Nova because it’s an obvious nickname and they’re unimaginative,” she explained as she moved past the girl and gestured for her to follow as she left the office.

Kira walked after her with a smirk, slinging the bag over her shoulder. “Alright. Why is this place called E-3?”

“Because the military is even more unimaginative,” Nova said with a sidelong glance. “When they wanted to expand their number of research facilities to study and control the effects of Element Zero on humans, they created three primary facilities. Eezo-1 focuses on understanding the element itself, Eezo-2 studies its negative effects on some exposed humans such as deformations and tumors, and Eezo-3 studies and trains those given biotic abilities by exposure to the element.”

Shepard nodded, looking through a window as they passed a lab filled with computers, failing to read anything on the screens. “I always heard biotics were exposed to eezo in the womb and developed biotic ability during puberty.”

“Yes, since we have no records of you, I assume your situation is different. You’re sixteen? And when did your ability first manifest?”

Kira’s expression darkened. “A month ago, on my birthday.”

“Oh… Right. That was the first time…?” Dr. Nova stopped to look at her. “I’ve read the report of what you did. Power like that without an implant is unusual to say the least.”

Kira shrugged, looking away. “Wouldn’t know.”

“Biotics respond to emotions… The impact of those events could have boosted your power quite a bit.” When Shepard simply remained silent Nova sighed, resuming walking. “Well, we’re going to fit you with an implant and help you get control of those abilities.”

Mass Effect

Four Months Later

The surgery was a little frightening but Kira made no complaints, knowing it would make her stronger. After that she was “integrated” more fully into the program, but she never really felt like it. She didn’t get along with any of the others. She sat alone at all times, spoke little to others, and went to sleep in her bunk without a word. She didn’t really want anything to do with the other students, but some of them resented that.

Several months after she arrived (four months, thirteen days; for some reason she couldn’t stop keeping count), she found herself blocked from continuing down a hallway by three students. She’d noticed other students deferring to these three and figured she’d have to deal with them at some point. Her amber gaze ignored the male and female on the sides, they were more or less followers. The blond-haired, blue-eyed guy in the center was obviously the leader. He folded his arms and gave her a cocky grin. “I hear you’ve got some talent, Shepard.”

Shepard’s eyes focused on him through her crimson bangs, analyzing him. Alpha male. False bravado covering self-doubt. Arrogant but not confident. Slightly above average intelligence. Worried for his position because I’m an unknown element. He’s here to establish dominance or at least judge me. Kira, as usual, allowed no emotion to show on her face. He seemed to grow uncomfortable under her gaze, irritable even.

“What, you’ve got nothing to say?” His eyes narrowed a bit; anger. “What’re you staring at, freak?”

Insults; he’s already lost and is fumbling for control. “A straw man,” Shepard answered, her eyes never leaving his.

“A what?”

“A construction with the illusion of strength but actual weakness. It relies on others believing your image, which doesn’t always work.”

“Are you…” He blinked. “Are you calling me weak?”

Shepard had no intention of being the favored target of bullies during her time at E-3. She was here to gain actual power, not to mess around with adolescent power fantasies. “You already know you’re weak,” she answered simply. “That’s why you’re going to attack me.”

He clenched his teeth and fists at the same time, summoning visible dark energy. The two at his sides were angry as well, or at least the boy was; the girl, a pretty sixteen-year-old with brown hair and green eyes, was moving to the side, apparently deciding to see where this went. Kira could respect that. So far in this place the only person she respected was Dr. Nova; no one else had earned it yet, and this bully in front of her definitely wasn’t on his way to doing so.

Kira Shepard didn’t start fights. If she could get through a situation without fighting she’d take it; there was no point in risking injury unnecessarily. Dealing with bullies, though, had to be done a certain way, and she would have to show this boy that she wasn’t a target worth choosing so he’d leave her alone until she was done here. A good way of doing that would be to make the first move, she believed. This boy had several disadvantages: he had come here of his own will; she was here because she had nowhere else to go. He was training because he’d been told he was special; she wanted to make sure she was the best from now on. He had never killed before; she had several kills. And her anger was far, far worse than his impotent rage could ever achieve.

She dropped her bag and threw out her left hand, shoving his legs out from under him. He landed facedown and she raised her right hand, lifting him up to slam him into the ceiling. His ally sent a push at her but she deflected it with little trouble and threw his leader into him, sending them into a heap. “You bitch!” His curse and the others that followed didn’t faze her, but something was off; the two were getting back up. Obviously she hadn’t meant to seriously injure them, but suddenly that seemed… wrong somehow. Anger finally showed on her face as they moved towards her. A combined shove threw her into the wall and… that was it.

Hitting the wall again… that wouldn’t work. For a moment she saw batarians and she lost it. Dark energy lined her body as she threw out both hands, hurling the blond leader into the opposite wall. His shoulder connected and dislocated, drawing a cry of pain from him as his arm dangled uselessly. Kira vaguely noticed the brunette girl running down the hall as she turned to the other boy, flinging her hand to the side and slamming his head into the wall. He fell and curled up, holding his head, but her attention went back to the leader. He saw something in her eyes that frightened him, he said something to her, but she couldn’t understand it; control was gone now.

Using her biotics she yanked him to the ground in front of her. She knelt down and punched him before gripping his hair and slamming his face to the floor. The second time she did it she noticed blood spray from his nose as he yelled something, but he was still moving, still able to act. Not good enough. She did it again, and a fourth time. The girl returned with a guard right at that moment; a Taser hit her in the side, pain shot through her body, and she blacked out.

Mass Effect

Several Hours Later

Kira woke up with a headache at an unknown time. She was on a cot in what she recognized as the detention room; the room had steel walls, a small, uncomfortable cot, a sink, a toilet, and a transparent door. She hadn’t been here yet, having more or less avoided trouble, but she’d seen it. She turned and sat on the edge of the cot, sighing as her head dropped into her hands. “The detention room is used for dangerous and unstable students”, she remembered hearing. She couldn’t deny she fit that description. She heard the door slide open and looked up to see Dr. Nova entering the room.

The woman looked understandably disappointed as she moved to stand before Kira. “Two students in med-bay, both with concussions and one with worse injuries. You could have killed him. What was going through your mind?”

Shepard looked away, moving back onto the cot to sit against the wall with her knees pulled up. “Mindoir,” she answered honestly. “After that… I don’t know.”

Dr. Nova sighed, sitting on the edge of the cot. “After what you went through, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is expected. But we can’t have you taking it out on other students.”

“He’s a bully.”

“A bully, not a slaver. That level of violence is completely unnecessary,” she said with a shake of her head. Shepard knew she was right, but she didn’t know what to say. She’d done what she’d done, and she’d probably do the same thing again. This lack of control seemed here to stay. Nova sighed again, looking at her. “Kira, one of our purposes here is to make sure you can fit into society.”

Kira glanced at her. “I’m not ever going to fit into society anyway, biotic or not.”

“That attitude might get you killed in the real world.”

“Anything can get you killed,” she replied. “Even just existing.”

Dr. Nova looked at her sadly. “Will you please reconsider talking about Mindoir? I think it could help.”

Kira remained silent, staring at her hands. There was still a bit of blood on one hand, she noticed. She sighed, looking away from the doctor again. “Maybe.”

“Please do. No one should deal with everything alone.” Dr. Nova stood. “I can’t give you a pass for something like this, but given your situation, you’ll only be in here a week. But they won’t trust you after that, and you can’t blame them.” Kira just stayed silent and the doctor shook her head again, leaving and trying to think of a solution to help the girl and prevent this from happening again.

Later that day, to her surprise, Kira got another visitor; the brunette girl who had been with the bully. Kira didn’t know her name (she didn’t remember anyone’s name), but she remembered she hadn’t been a part of the fight. Kira sat cross-legged on the cot, studying the girl through the transparent door. The guard apparently decided to let her through as the door slid open after a few seconds and she stepped inside, watching it close behind her. She didn’t seem nervous or afraid, which just made Kira more curious.

The girl leaned against the wall, looking at her. “That was… impressive,” she started, breaking the silence. “Dane had it coming.”

Kira’s eyes narrowed in slight confusion and suspicion. “Wasn’t he your friend?”

“It would be hard to be friends with a guy like that. No, he’s just sort of… He likes me, I guess. I don’t feel the same but at least he doesn’t bother me if I’m his friend. I don’t have the ability to do… what you did.”

“So why are you here?”

“Dane’s just the stereotypical bully. He’s one-dimensional and shallow.” She tilted her head. “You’re a lot more interesting.”

“Your loyalties switch that easily?”

“I’m not stupid enough to have any loyalties.”

Kira actually smirked at that. “I’m not looking for a follower.”

“How about a friend?” The girl pushed off the wall and moved forward. “Not because I think you need one, of course; no need to go berserk on me,” she said with a smile. “Just because I think it’d work.”

Kira raised an eyebrow. “You want to be friends despite what you’ve heard and seen?”

Because of what I’ve heard and seen,” she corrected. “Like I said, you’re interesting. My name is Faith, by the way, but you don’t have to have any in me.”

“I won’t turn you down,” Kira said, moving over as she nodded to the empty part of the cot.

Faith smiled, moving over to sit on the cot. “You seem pretty lone wolf-y. You sure?”

“I’ve been alone because I haven’t found anyone worth being with,” Kira answered with a shrug. “Being alone is only the best option when the people available would just hinder you.”

“You have a very pragmatic world-view,” Faith noted with a smile. “Where did you get it?”

Shepard’s expression darkened a little. “Mindoir.”

“Mind-… Oh.” Faith’s voice grew quieter. “You were there?”

“I’m the survivor,” she replied. “My parents and… people I knew, killed or captured.”

“I’m sorry,” Faith said sincerely. “I mean… I don’t want you to feel like I’m pitying you or something-“

“It’s fine,” Shepard interrupted. “What other response is there? Even I don’t know how to respond…”

Faith looked at her tentatively. “Have you… talked about it?”

“No.” She sighed. “I haven’t decided how to react to it yet. Do I try to forget it and move on? Do I ingrain it in my mind and let it drive me? Do I focus on it and getting revenge? Do I try to deal with it and accept it? I don’t know.”

Faith nodded, remaining silent for a few moments. “You know… My father was killed, back on earth. A few members of some gang were causing trouble and he tried to step in and help, and ended up getting shot.”

Kira looked at her, studying her. “And how did you decide to deal with that?”

“All of those ways, I guess,” Faith said with a shrug. “It was only a few years ago and still feels fresh. I guess forgetting it isn’t something I’m going to be doing. But it does drive me, I would like revenge, and… Well, as for accepting it, I accepted that it happens and decided to make sure it won’t happen to me.”

“That’s how I feel. I guess I don’t have to pick one. I’m certainly not going to forgive and forget, though.”

Faith smiled humorlessly. “I don’t know if anyone really does that. If you don’t let it affect you then it’s like it didn’t matter.”

“When it does.” Kira sighed. “All I know is… I’m done with being weak.”

Faith gave a more genuine smile then. “I figured that out in the hallway.”

Mass Effect

One Week Later

A week after she went in, Kira was let out of detention. She walked through the halls with no expression, ignoring the other students that stared and whispered as she passed. At least they let her out in time for lunch. The cafeteria was a small at E-3, only seating forty or so people at a time even though the place had two hundred combined students and faculty. To make it work, both students and faculty took meals when they had free time. Since she was late the cafeteria was more or less empty, though all four of the tables had a few people sitting at them. She got her food and sat at the end of one table. The students there stared at her for a couple moments and then moved to another table as she began to eat.

Works for me, she thought to herself, continuing to ignore them and eating quietly.

“Dr. Achon is an asshole,” Faith said as she dropped her tray on the table and sat across from Kira.

Shepard smirked, taking another bite of the food she barely even bothered to identify. “For any specific reason, or…?” Dr. Achon was one of the teachers at E-3 and was more or less insufferable. He was about as arrogant as one could get and thought he was the galaxy’s expert on biotics just because he could use it. He was at least somewhat smart – everyone at E-3 was – but not nearly at the level he pretended to be.

“Yes. New reasons. And old reasons. All the reasons,” Faith exclaimed as she took a bite of the food before grimacing in distaste. “This food never gets any better. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.”

“It works on the same principle as cough medicine,” Kira replied. “Is Achon being his normal self, or extra irritating?”

“Not just normal. Not just extra. I’m talking ’break into the main office and modify his files to send him into the middle of geth territory’ irritating.”

“That’s pretty irritating.”

Faith leaned forward on her elbows, her green eyes meeting Shepard’s amber ones. “Did you know biotics can be aided by stretching properly beforehand?”

Kira raised an eyebrow. “I did not.”

“Did you know it also, apparently, helps if a forty-one-year-old man watches his sixteen-year-old student do said stretches?”

“That’s a little suspicious.”

“And it helps even more if he records it. You know, so he can play it back for you and show you if you’re doing it wrong.”

“I see.” Kira narrowed her eyes. “Did you do something?”

“Do?” Faith sat back and licked off her spoon. “What could I do? I threatened to tell and he said it was legitimate. You know, as he casually erased the recording.”

Kira tapped her fingers on the table. “Right.”

Something about Shepard’s tone made Faith pause and look at her. “Kira… What are you thinking?”

Kira looked to the side. “I’m not thinking anything.”

She didn’t believe that. “They just put you in detention for snapping on students, but if you do it on a researcher…”

“Snapping? Who said I was going to snap?” Kira looked at her, her amber eyes glowing just a bit. “I just don’t like it. I just want to talk to him. I’m not as violent as I seem.”

Faith gave her a disbelieving look. “Just don’t get yourself thrown out. I’m not making myself any more popular by hanging out with you.”

Kira smirked. “I told you it was a bad idea.”

“I don’t really care.” Faith cleaned off her spoon again and pointed it at her. “As long as you’re here, it’s worth it. I’m just saying, don’t make me do it for nothing.”

“You could always get yourself thrown out after me.”

“Sure, that’s a great start to my future. My career options would be pirate, dancer, or whore.”

“You aren’t planning to be one of those things already?”

“As much as I would like to be a dancing pirate whore, I was hoping to be something a little more secure.”

Kira finished her food, shoving the tray aside. “What are you planning to do after you’re done here?”

Faith sighed, setting an elbow on the table and resting her head on her hand. “I’m not really sure. I don’t know if military life is my thing. Maybe I’ll try to become a biotics teacher or researcher. Or maybe I’ll ignore my biotics completely and do something unrelated. Or maybe the military will call to me at some point.”

“You’ve got options.”

Faith looked at her. “What about you? Are you going into the military?”

“Yes,” Kira answered without hesitation. “As soon as I’m eighteen and done here.”

“You seem pretty sure.”

Someone has to do things right.”

“Well, if anyone can…” Faith twirled the spoon in her hand, smiling. “I can see you racing around space saving the galaxy.”

“You’re dreaming pretty big. Sure you don’t want to start with something smaller, like a colony or even a planet?”

“Nah.” Faith smiled at her. “You don’t seem like a ‘start small’ kind of girl.”

Kira sipped her drink. “We’ll see.”

Mass Effect

Two Days Later

“Today was interesting,” Faith said as she appeared beside Kira in the hall.

She’d only been around her for about two days, and already Kira was getting used to Faith appearing suddenly out of nowhere. It was like she had some sort of special ability. “It’s the same as every day,” she said without bothering to stop walking.

“That’s not true. It’s not every day that Dr. Achon is quiet, nervous and apologetic during our class,” Faith responded, studying Kira closely.

“Maybe he had a change of heart,” she said, continuing to stare straight ahead and giving nothing away.

“Quite a sudden turnaround.” She caught Kira’s arm, finally stopping her and causing Kira to meet her gaze. “Thank you,” she said honestly. “It’s also not every day that someone stands up for me.”

“It wasn’t really that hard,” she replied, giving up on denial but averting her eyes. “I was serious, all I did was talk.”

“Then I wish I could’ve heard what you said to him.” Faith smiled, continuing to walk as Kira resumed her movement. “Can I ask why you did that for me?”

“I don’t know why. I guess I just have a very low tolerance for problems.”

“We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Kira glanced at her. “…I guess we are.”

“Well… Are there any problems I can help you with?”

“…Later. After my last session.”

Faith smiled. “Great!”

They parted ways there and Kira debated her thoughts as she continued to her scheduled session. She had numerous things she could talk about, but should she talk about them? It was a difficult decision… But if there was anyone she was willing to trust with it, it was Faith. For some reason she felt a connection to the other girl that she couldn’t explain. Either way, when she left her last session Faith was waiting for her in the hall. Kira nodded her head to the side and started walking, and Faith smiled and followed.

E-3 was on a dust planet, not the nicest place to be outside, especially with the sandstorms. Since they were unable to go outside for privacy they ended up in Kira’s room, which was shared with three other (unhappy) students. None of the others were in here, and even if they had been they would’ve left, so it worked for privacy. Kira sat in her desk chair and Faith took her bed, laying across it and looking at her. After several minutes of silence Faith chuckled. “Are you ever going to talk?”

“I’m trying.”

“You’re not doing very well.”

Shepard grunted and folded her arms, crossing one leg over the other and looking at the opposite wall. “It’s not exactly easy.”

Faith sighed, propping herself up on her elbows. “We both know what it is you need help with… What you need to talk about.”

“Yes, but I don’t-“

“It’s been months since you came here. Have you talked with anyone about Mindoir?”

Kira clicked her tongue. “No. Dr. Nova tried but I haven’t.”

“Well I’m not a doctor or a psychologist or someone who’s going to analyze you. I’m just your friend and I’d like to know you a little better. Maybe it will be easier if you tell me for me?”

Kira looked at her. “I just… What do I start with?”

Faith shrugged. “There’s no plan. Just say whatever you want to say. Jump around from idea to idea if you want. We’re just talking, Kira.”

She sighed, looking away again, this time choosing the floor to stare at. “I feel like it shouldn’t affect me this much.”

Faith tilted her head. “Why’s that?”

“My parents and I weren’t especially close. We didn’t fight all the time or anything like that, but I wouldn’t say we were any closer than your average family. We didn’t have long family vacations or go to amusement parks.” She looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t think I would have felt anything like this if I’d just left home.”

“Well there’s a difference between not seeing someone and having them die on you. Part of it is probably you being sad for losing your future with them; the events and closeness you could have had.”

Kira looked over at her, silent for a moment. “You’re smart. That sounds right… Feels right.”

Faith looked down at her hands, her fingers playing with the edge of the sheet. “Did you… you know… see them?”

Kira sighed, looking back at the floor. “Yes.”

“Both of them?”

“Yes.”

“I’m… I’m sorry.” She reached out enough to set a hand on Kira’s knee.

Kira looked down at the hand on her leg, her eyes defocusing a little. “I had to see. They were buried under rubble, but I had to. It was like… I couldn’t believe it unless I saw it myself.” She looked away. “Neither of them were… in good shape.”

“I wish that wasn’t your last sight of them.”

“So do I. But I was running on automatic pilot; I wasn’t really thinking or deciding on actions.” She closed her eyes. “We heard the sounds first… Screams, guns, explosions, all the things you get with any raid. We all grabbed weapons – colony worlds aren’t stupid, you know, you have to be armed because you’re a target.”

Faith nodded. “Did you fight?”

“We didn’t get much of a chance. Soon after we fired from the windows they hit the building with something heavy. I don’t really know what they used, all I remember is the house coming down.” Kira opened her eyes. “My parents covered me but things got… hard to understand. It was like the world was being flipped around, you know? I couldn’t even tell which way was up. The next thing I knew I was on my hands and knees in an opening beneath the rubble and both my parents were pinned under it. Maybe my biotics prevented debris from falling on me? But if that’s the case…”

Faith’s expression saddened. “If that’s the case, you’re now wondering if you could have saved them, too.”

Kira nodded. “If I’d just known about my biotics beforehand… I could do it, you know?” She shook her head. “If I was back there now, I could keep it from falling on us. I could’ve saved them.”

“You can’t… do that.” Faith moved up, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Things happened as they happened. You can’t talk about going back and changing things like that, it’s useless if you can’t time travel. For things that were your choice, yes, do wonder what you could have done differently, because it’s important to learn and remember. But things like this? None of that was your choice or your fault. You’ll just drive yourself insane thinking that way.”

“You’re right. And I know you’re right. My head, my brain, tells me what you’re saying is completely logical.”

“But… You still feel that way?”

Kira nodded, looking at her. “Emotions aren’t logical.”

“I know. When my father died I kept thinking I could have helped. You know, if I was with him, I could have stopped him from stepping in or stopped that gang myself.”

“You could have.” Kira sighed. “I guess you have to console yourself with the fact that you would have gone with him if you’d known what would happen.”

Faith nodded. “Still… It’s not our fault, you know? It’s theirs. The batarians and the gangs.”

“That’s why I want to join the military. The soldiers…” Kira’s expression darkened. “They just sat there. People were being killed and captured and they just sat there, pinned down. None of them made a move to sacrifice themselves or risk the fire. I did. I fought back. But those professional soldiers just sat there.”

Faith shook her head. “They cared more about their own lives? They’re supposed to protect people.”

“Well, I’m going to do it right. I’m going to kill the slavers and the gangs, the pirates, the criminals, the terrorists. I don’t think protecting works; it’s just reacting after people have already died. I’m going to go after them like they go after us.”

Faith watched her closely, hearing nothing she disagreed with, nothing she disliked. She tilted her head, thinking. “Maybe I’ll go with you.”

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