ME3: Twin Souls

[DawnAntalios]

Keli'Sar felt her body aching with pain as she finally managed to stand up. The abrupt engine fault and the crash landing of the Illinor was not something she had expected to happen in her life. Still now there was she, a lone quarian survivor of the devastating tragedy which destroyed the ship she was a part of.


Only now that her head cleared up did she realize what this meant: her entire crew, her friends and family were dead and she was lone, deserted on this uncharted, strange world. It was not fear that grasped her heart... it was pain and sadness - but it did not paralyze her. She knew that no matter what happens next she had to find a ways to escape this world.


" Perhaps if I send out an S.O.S. signal... " she mumbled, trying to salvage something from the wreckage of the ship.


Little did she know that she was not alone.


@TwistedCupid666

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

Kiara was limping, the wound in her leg severe, but not enough to overly cripple the asari. She held her side, each breath causing a bout of agony to go through her.


She had just gotten onto the Illinor, only a week ago for repairs to her own small vessel. It had been damaged because of the bloody Reapers. She had known a few quarians from awhile back, thankful they remembered her.


She needn't reminisce on the past, though. What she needed to do was survive and find out if anybody else had made it through the crash.


The asari stopped, her leg was nearly killing her it was so painful. If she had just stayed with her sisters, she would've been fine, but instead her instincts to fight kicked in and she drove herself to the fate she currently suffered. "Damn it..."


She sighed, eyes focusing on the wreckage. Movement, that's what she could see.


"Hey!"


Her voice bellowed out across the area, trying to get the attention of the only other survivor.

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli looked up when she heard the cry of someone else. She was not alone it seemed... more importantly it appeared that she was not the lone survivor! She immediately dashed towards the heart of the wreckage, trying to find the source of the voice. The smoke was choking and she could barely fight through the broken pieces of the massive airship but then she finally made it to the scene - and spotted the asari.


From the looks of it she too was injured, her breathing was ragged and her leg injured.


" Bosh'tet! " she said, kneeling down, trying to help her up. It seemed that her leg prohibited her from walking properly so she looked at her " I have found some medi-gel, but I do not know if it will be enough. " she tried to apply the healing salve to her body " Hold right there, sister, I will try to do my best. "


Despite not seeing her before she found the determined asari girl quite strong - she was glad that she had survived this disaster with her.

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

Kiara smiled, wincing at the medi-gel being applied.


"It's better than nothing."


After it had been applied and the wound mended as it would be without proper treatment, she stood and tried to ignore the pain in her side. It was probably just a few bruised/fractured ribs. She just had to be careful.


"I'm....Kiara. What's your name?"


She tilted her head, trying to her a better look at the quarian's appearance. Perhaps she had seen the young woman before, but she could not recall if she had. "What happened? Did one of the engines die on us?"

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli looked at her, a bit relieved that Kiara was all right. She looked at her curiously before she decided to answer the question.


" Keli'Sar vas... " she looked at the wreck and shrugged " Well, just Keli'Sar right now. It is a pleasure to meet you even though the situation could have been better. "


Helping her to move out from the destroyed ship she helped her to sit down under a nearby tree and she decided to do that as well. After contemplating and trying to figure out what was going on she shook her head.


" I am not sure. At first I thought it was reaper infection, that the engines were sabotaged. But as I inspected the ship it seemed to be an unlikely scenario. No... I think this had to be an inside job, someone planned to do this. But why I have no idea. "


She sighed.


" I was to report to the Flottila, I had my research done! And now everything is wasted - and our friends gone. " she smiled heavily " At least you made it, Kiara, thank the heavens. "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

"I've survived worst. I used to be part of an asari commando squad, but it all went to hell after..."


Kiara trailed off, her brow furrowing and her eyes lowering to the slightly scorched earth beneath them. She inhaled and continued onwards.


"Maybe it was indoctrination? I've heard reports of...people going mad and doing things to benefit the Reapers."


She looked at the sky, trying to spot some form of spacecraft, hopefully an ally.


"I'm glad you made it too, otherwise I would've bled to death."


She ran her fingers over her fringe, thinking to herself.


"Have you sent out a signal? In pretty sure a ship will be passing this way. This planet is the most common trading grounds, so if a ship see's the crash site, they should save our asses."

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli hummed as she thought about what Kiara said. She found it curious and interesting that the asari was part of an elite force in her past - but she did not want to ask about it just yet, it might be dangerous to dwell in the past. Instead she was thinking about possibilities.


" Perhaps, I have not seen indoctrinated people before so frankly I would be unable to tell them apart from normal ones. " she sighed " But what's done is done, we need to focus on the present and on the future if we are to survive. "


Hearing about the signal she gasped.


" Oh yes, the signal! I was about to launch it before we have met. "


Reaching for her omni-tool she started to send coordinates out in space but the equipment was damaged.


" Come on you worthless junk! Work! " she said, hitting it decisively. Immediately the device started to hum and a strong orange beam shot out from it, disappearing in the ether. A bit confused but satisfied Keli looked at it and frowned.


" Well that ought to do it. " she looked at Kiara " You have any relatives out there who expect you to come home? "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

"Yeah, my three older sisters. My mum died two years ago. Crash just like this. Dad left us after that and now I'm left with the three, over-beating....how do humans put it? Mother hens?"


Kiara shook her head, her arms crossing and a small smirk creeping up her face.


"I do love Myra, Illian and Rianne, but...you know how families are. They've probably overfilled my messages already."


She sighed, her hand moving to rub the back of her neck.


"What was your research about, exactly?"

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli shuddered for a moment. She should not have spoken about things like that, but it appeared she had no choice but to explain.


" I... I wanted to solve the plight of the quarians. " she said " I wanted us to walk alone again without this prison of an armor. But... "


She looked away.


" My methods were not approved by the Flottila. I was... sent to this voyage to think about my actions. But I doubt they would have appreciated the results anyway. "


She sighed, leaning against the tree.


" To have a family... it sounds quite nice, I have to admit. " she said " I would say that you are blessed to have siblings... but considering this current situation it would be a rather strange statement. "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

"I-I guess..."


Kiara kept rubbing her neck, each stroke slightly calming. She liked talking to Keli'Sar, she was a good person, it was just that habits die hard. Especially ones like that.


She turned towards her, eyes meeting with the glowing orbs as focused as she could manage.


"What were your methods? I can see that the suit is beautiful, but a prison. A gilded cage where a poor bird cannot fly."


She rested her head against the bark of the tree, promising herself to get some sleep after Keli had answered.

 

[DawnAntalios]

She was startled at first from the question but she calmed down quickly. In truth this was a secret and she told this to nobody... but if they were to die here alone at least she could pass away by saying what was on her mind. After taking a deep breath she spoke.


" I consulted with the geth about this issue. " she said, feeling a slight blush on her cheeks underneath the mask. " Now this act alone incurred the wrath of the elders and they immediately branded me as a traitor. Yet I was surprised to see that the geth were actually quite cooperative - and were willing to help. They have told me that it is due to our fragile immune-system that prohibits us from being free. Together with a genius geth I have found an organism which is capable of surviving in the harshest of environments and its genes can be the salvation to us. "


She paused.


" It was of the rachni. "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

The final statement startled Kiara, her eyes popping out of her head as she jerked upwards and stared at the quarian.


"You spoke with the geth?"


Were the first words out of her mouth. She intrigued, not horrified by what she said.


"How would you even....."


The actions had caused a wave of pain that was delayed, but it crashed into her and she found solace in the darkness of her mind. The poor asari had passed out.

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli was horrified when she had seen Kiara losing her consciousness. With quickness she was able to catch her before she could knock her head into the tree and further hurt herself. As she held the asari girl in her hands she wondered what could she do. There was no sign of any ships passing by but she had no medical equipment with her, every reserves they had burned away with the hip itself. She looked around, getting desperate, when an idea sprang in her mind.


A borderline insane, dangerous idea.


" Perhaps... " she said and reached in her pockets. Surely enough she had found a syringe full of strange, yellowish fluids. She was uncertain about this at first... but she had to help Kiara somehow. With determination she struck the syringe in her arm and pumped the fluid inside of her. Immediately she felt a rush of pain coursing through her as she gasped for air briefly. Then the pain subsided and she felt... strangely great.


But the true test came now. She wanted to take off hr mask to put on Kiara's face. he preservative functions would help the unconscious girl to recuperate faster... but if her experiment failed then she would die immediately after it being removed from her head.


Taking a deep breath - presuming that it would be the last - she removed the mask, putting it on the face of the asari...


And she felt nothing. Opening her eyes she noticed that she could breathe, see and hear just normally. Smiling triumphantly she looked at her companion happily.


" Worry not, I am here. "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

Kiara was not quite sure about what to do, since she had awoken with a quarian mask on her face and was held by Keli.


"W-What happened? I only remember pain and darkness."


She rested a hand on the mask, a realisation flitting across her mind. "You need your mask!"

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli smiled at her, seeing that she was a bit better now.


" Not now. " she announced proudly " That is part of my research. It appears to be fine now, and I am really glad! "


She nodded to herself.


" It has been like fifteen minutes. It must be a new record! Absolutely fascinating! Now I wonder how... how... ho... "


She felt an asphyxiating feeling as she gently put down Kiara before she grabbed her own throat in panic. She felt the air draining out of her lungs and she was gasping in panic. It seemed that the serum wore off already.


" Please... help... the mask... " she gasped.

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

Kiara quickly tried to place it back on, almost as frantic as Keli was to do so. She sighed in relief when it finally clicked into place.


"For..."


The roar engines cut her off, the sound of the Normandy cutting through the air made her turn and smile.


"This is brilliant!"


Shepard had seen the signal, her alarms all going off as she started to plan an investigation.


Thankfully, scans from EDI had just shown that two lifeforms had survived the crashing of a quarian ship.


So, they went to rescue them.

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli took a deep breath, relieved once the mask was on her face again. She felt so powerless and hazy at first that she was unable to speak but now she felt all right. Her head clearing up from this incident she looked at Kiara with a thankful look.


" Well, it seems they are called prototypes for a reason. " she tried to say jokingly " But I am so glad that you are all right, I was... "


She then heard the roaring engines above them and watched as the fabled Normandy itself descended from the sky. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Commander Shepard herself coming down with the vessel. At first she could barely speak.


" Is that... really her? " she asked " No, I must be dreaming! Of all the ships in the universe... "


She quickly tried to regain her composure.


" Right, this must be a dream. A bad dream - wait what? No, it must be the best dream ever! But then... uh, what to do... what to say... "


She looked at Kiara with dismay.


" If she finds out about the research I will be left here to die! " she realized " Please don't tell her! Please! "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

"She won't leave you here to die, but even then I won't tell you."


Kiara stood, her leg slightly painful as she limped towards the Commander. She had dragged Keli with her, inhaling sharply as she spoke.


"Commander Shepard, I am Kiara T'Rani. Can you...."


Again, she passed out, this time the Commander caught her. With one arm under her back and the other under her knees, she looked over the quarian.


"Who are you?"

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli was really anxious and seeing that her companion blacked out again she gulped.


" My... my name is Keli'Sar vas Illinor... " she sighed " Well I was anyway. Our ship has crash landed on this strange planet and well, only Kiara and me were the survivors. "


She looked at the passed out asari then she regained her composure and spoke firmly this time.


" Commander Shepard, I beseech you to rescue both her and me from this death trap. I have little money but I will compensate with anything I can. "


She once again looked at Kiara, a fearful light shining in her eyes.


" I will be fine I think... but she needs immediate medical attention. Please Commander, help her. "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

Shepard nodded and carried Kiara into the ship, where she received proper treatment for her leg and the injured ribs. It also turned out that she had hit her head, which caused the fainting spells.


The asari awoke in the med-bay, dressed in an unfamiliar uniform and reasonably uninjured.


"Go tell the Commander that she's woken up! The quarian will want to know too."


The voice was also unfamiliar, but when the face hovered over her bedside, she felt a little safer.

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli walked on board of the Normandy, following the Commander closely. She was anxious as she looked around - the majestic ship was just as the tales described it, its interior being very well built - and its legendary crew which helped it through the worst was all on board, operating. She saw some uneasy, questioning looks as she passed by but she did not dare to look at any of them - her only concern was now Kiara and that she was all right.


She was not let into the med bay at first as the treatment was secretive. But soon as they had finished they informed her about Kiara's condition. She immediately walked in and felt relieved. The asari looked much better now and she felt safer as well knowing that she was well.


" I am glad you are all right. " she smiled at her.

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

Kiara smirked, struggling to push herself up, but one hand on her back assisted in that matter. She sat up, her arms extended and asking for a hug.


"Hey, Keli. Doctor Chakwas here told me that I was...a little worse for wear."


Commander Shepard came in, smirking slightly.


"You're lucky that Keli'Sar found that medi-gel. Any longer and you would've bled to death."


Kiara ran her fingers over the mask of her friend and down to her hand, interlacing their fingers and she sighed slightly.


"I'm grateful. I'll do whatever you need me to."

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli walked up to her hugging the asari gently. She was so happy that she was all right that she could not express it in words. Closing her eyes for a brief moment she let her go and sat down next to her, watching her carefully. When the Commander walked into the room and spoke she blushed a little.


" It was really nothing. " she said " I just happened to have some left, you would have done it for me too. "


She then looked at the Commander.


" That you for saving her, I am in your debt. Please just ask away and I shall try to repay you in kind. "

 

[amongfoxesandfaeries]

The commander was silent for a moment, giving Kiara a slither of dread. When she spoke again, the asari's head jerked up and she smiled.


"I need someone who's good on the battlefield and an assistant for Dr Chakwas over there."


The older woman nodded at the three, but quickly turned back to her work.


"My background gives me a degree of...experience with fighting, so I'll happily help you on the battlefield, Commander."


The redheaded woman nodded her thanks, turning back to the quarian. "So, what about you? Are you okay with being a medical assistant?"

 

[DawnAntalios]

Keli's eyes widened. Shepard wanted her to work here? On the Normandy itself? With the legendary Dr Chakwas? She could not believe such opportunity.


" I... well yes I have studied medical researches and have conducted some on my own... "


She shook her head and regained her composure. She was right before a legend - she wanted to give her a good impression.


" Yes Commander, it would be an honor to work here on the Normandy. I will do my very best. "


She silently looked at Kiara with a slight worry in her eyes. She just got better yet she immediately volunteered to go and fight again. But then again she was accompanied by Shepard... she should be fine.