Jason felt his heart pound with each thudding step, ringing in tune with the pumping of his arms. Sprinting down the halls of the Kilimanjaro had become a daily occurrence, as had many other things.
Abruptly side-stepping an alarmed deck-hand, Jason flashed them an apologetic look before continuing down the hall, his exhales growing louder with each huff. Most of the ship's crew were asleep this hour, including his aunt, giving him the perfect excuse to begin his training.
Ever since he'd seen those soldiers a year ago back on Luna Base, Jason knew what he needed to do. Joining the Alliance ranks seemed to be the only chance he had at bringing the Mindoir raiders to justice.
Jason suddenly became aware of another set of footsteps, slower and lax - directly in front of him. He tried to side-step once more, but fell haplessly into the tired body of his aunt.
"Jason?" the woman stifled a yawn, though she was clearly alert. "What are you doing at this hour? Is that… sweat?"
"I - no, Aunt Hannah," Jason blurted. "I just got back from the showers. I guess I didn't dry off properly, because I was in a rush to go and meet…"
"You were running, weren't you?"
Jason froze.
"Uhh…
Hannah Shepard smiled, her tired expression fading as she brought the young adult into an embrace. Jason stood there awkwardly, unsure as to what had caused her to do so.
"It's okay, Jason. The batarians can't hurt you here. You're with your family now, remember?"
Jason nodded slowly, realising she had the wrong impression.
"I… had another nightmare," he said, trying to make his tone sincere. He hated lying to his aunt, but he knew if she ever found out the truth, Jason would never leave the Kilimanjaro. "The batarians, they were chasing me, and when I woke up, it felt like I was trapped under the rubble again."
"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie," Hannah cooed, patting Jason's head as she stepped from the embrace. "I'm sure we can get you a nightlight if that makes you feel safer? When Sarah was younger, she always wanted her door to be kept open a crack, so she could escape if the monsters tried to catch her."
Jason frowned. He'd always known his cousin to be the determined, fearless type.
"I'll think about it, aunt Hannah. But it was just a dream, and all of that happened a year ago, anyway."
"Some scars take longer to fade than others," Hannah said warmly, stifling a yawn. "Well I'm going to head over to the canteen and brew myself a cup of coffee. Did you want one?"
"Maybe later, thanks," Jason smiled weakly, feeling sick as he told the lie. "I should probably get changed out of these clothes."
"It does look like you swam with them on," Hannah chuckled, giving him a wave as she walked off down the corridor. As soon as she was out of sight, Jason regained his pace.
Upon completing his circuit, Jason took the nearest elevator down to the lower decks, taking the moment to recount what had just happened. His thoughts were pushed away as the doors opened, revealing an elderly man with an electronic clipboard in his hands.
"You're late, Jason."
Stifling a sigh of exertion, Jason turned his attention to the man he'd asked to train him. With a tall and stocky frame, gunnery sergeant Alan Moone looked contradictory to his age. Only faint crease lines on his face and greying streaks through his short-cropped hair. A neutral gaze watched Jason as he made his way over.
"Sorry, sir," the young man apologised. "I had a close call with my aunt.
"What?"
"Don't worry, she didn't find out," Jason promised.
"Maybe we should rethink things. With what we're doing, I would be in trouble if it was found out. Not to mention the frantic screaming you'll likely endure from the captain."
"Don't worry, sir," Jason repeated, trying to keep the man's tone down. Even at the lower decks, sound could travel up pretty quickly. "Even if we are caught, I promise I'll make sure it's only me who's punished."
Alan huffed, gesturing for Jason to follow him down the corridor.
"Honestly, I'm just surprised that you're still at it. Captain Shepard was right, you're more than just a colony kid, aren't you?"
"Let's just say that I'm determined," Jason muttered. "What are we doing today?"
"Today, you're going to learn your way around a weapon," Alan explained, pausing as the sliding door they had approached opened up to an old storage room. Crates and racks of munitions lined the walls, alongside rows of lockers. A dim light flickered overhead. "Using a gun is more than knowing how to shoot - you need to understand how it works, too."
"You want me to take it apart?" Jason asked.
"Smart kid," Alan huffed, pointing to one of the lockers. "There should be an old rifle in there. I want you to clean it - make it spotless - and then dismantle it. Take note of how you do it; there aren't any manuals here. Trust me, I've looked."
+
What could be considered as 'evenings' in space were one of the few times Jason felt as though his life hadn't changed much. Just like he had with his mom and dad back on Mindoir, aunt Hannah and Sarah would often settle down together for dinner. Prepping his utensils as he sat before his relatives at the small table, Jason would try to hide his overworked hands. Alan had pushed him hard, today.
"It's a good thing we stocked up on supplies last time we were at the Citadel," Sarah grinned, bringing her own plate of steaming hot vegetables, alongside a platter of bread rolls which she set in the middle of the table. "I don't know how much more rations I could take."
"Imagine what people had to eat in the old space days before we found the Mass Relays," Hannah mused, her gaze switching between the two young adults. "I think that's something to be thankful for."
"That, and gravity generators," Jason added quietly. "I remember watching old vids where the astronauts would float through the insides of their space-rockets.
"I've actually experienced something like that, one time mom took me to Earth," Sarah interjected. "They were called anti-gravity chambers or something. You could do somersaults without ever touching the ground!"
Hannah laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm, joining Sarah and Jason as she dug into her meal. After a few quiet moments, her demeanor turned somber.
"So, Jason… are you feeling well after this morning? The anniversary of the incident is coming up in a few days. Remember, you don't have to go through this alone…"
"I'm fine, auntie," Jason promised with an assuring smile, remembering their interaction that morning. "It was just a bad dream - nothing I haven't had before."
"You're still seeing that doctor, right? What was her name…? Oh! Karin Chakwas."
"Every week, yes," Jason nodded. That much wasn't a lie. He genuinely had been meeting with the doctor of the Hastings every week, either in person or via video call - usually the latter. "She says I've made progress."
"Well, that's a relief," Hannah nodded enthusiastically. Jason was able to catch a strange look in Sarah's eye as his cousin spoke up.
"Hey mom, are you alright if I take Jason on a trip using one of the Kilimanjaro's shuttles? We won't be gone long, I just want to show him something on Nirvana. Brian will be there, too."
Jason frowned slightly. He'd met Brian before, a few months after he'd moved in with his aunt. He was Sarah's boyfriend, and not someone Jason admired, to say the least.
"Why Nirvana?" Hannah asked.
"Brian found something really cool in one of the old refineries down there. I thought Jason would be interested, so I extended the offer. We won't be gone for too long, in case you're worrying."
"Well alright, if Jason agrees. Just make sure you take the necessary precautions before going down there. Take environmental suits and everything."
Jason wasn't sure why, but he couldn't help but feel a pit sink down in his stomach.
+
"So… why are we going down planet-side again?" Jason got up from one of the shuttle's loading bay chairs, meeting his cousin in the cockpit of the vessel. Sarah had begun a slow descent into Nirvana's atmosphere, causing the foggy clouds to part way against the shuttle's windshield. "I don't think you actually told me what we're doing."
"That's because it's a surprise!" Sarah flashed him a grin, before returning her attention to the dashboard.
"But why Nirvana? There's nothing here except ice flats and dormant factories."
"Because, I'd prefer it if we weren't interrupted," Sarah muttered, her eyes scanning the rising horizon. "Besides, Brian was the one who suggested this world."
Jason hoped that his groan of dismay would be masked by the low hum of the shuttle's thrusters. Unfortunately, Sarah glanced back over, her eyes narrowing.
"Why don't you like Brian?"
"Maybe because… he's a show-off?" Jason sighed. "And obnoxious, and loud at times, too. One time, I actually caught him stuffing his finger up his nose…"
"Okay," Sarah groaned, leaning into her words. "You've made your point, but that last bit is totally a lie."
"Sure - fine," Jason conceded, unable to help himself but smirk. He swore he'd actually caught Brian in the act, though he decided to let it go. In doing so, Jason realised Sarah had completely glossed over his second question.
"You should probably get ready now," Sarah advised, giving Jason a light punch to his white environmental suit. His cousin wore a matching outfit. "We're landing in about five minutes."
+
As the side doors of the shuttle lifted upward, Jason took the moment to let his eyes adjust to the new lighting. After spending a moment in the dim cargo bay of the vessel, the blinding reflection of Nirvana's sun against its ice sheets nearly pierced the thin veil of tinting on the visor of Jason's helmet. He raised an arm to shield his eyes.
"I know it's not ideal," Sarah spoke up, being the first to touch down on the ground. Dried ice crinkled under her boots. Watching her do so, Jason noticed his cousin clip a small Mass drive-boosted pistol to the belt around her waist. "But at least it's not an arid world."
She had parked the shuttle a few metres away from one of the factories, hidden in the shade cast by the large, steel structure. The Alliance had used Nirvana as a fueling station back during the First Contact war, but now, almost every single facility lay silent - a relic of the past.
"Are you sure we're allowed in there?" Jason glanced upwards to the highest point of the factory, lining his gaze to what appeared to be the overseer's office. "Does Hannah know?"
"Relax, Jason," Sarah insisted, guiding him over to the front entrance. A gust of wind would whistle flecks of snow around the pair's boots. "We won't be here long, I promise."
The doors opened up into a lobby laid barren and eroded from outside forces. A thin layer of snow coated everything, thanks to the wide, shattered fibreglass windows that lined the reception. Even in its abandoned state, the facility looked like it had been quite advanced.
"Brian's just down the hall." Sarah gestured down a dimly-lit hallway to Jason's right. A door was open to the side about halfway down. Jason jumped in sudden alarm as his cousin called down the hall. "Brian, are you there?"
Jason felt his stomach sink further as her voice bounced off the walls.
"Yeah, you brought the kid?" Brian called back, sticking his head out from the room. A flicker from the light above sent a ghoulish effect on the young man's face. If Jason's nerves weren't already shot, they definitely were now. All of his senses were on high alert. "Hi Jason."
Jason mumbled a reply, the light above Brian flickering a chill down his spine. With soft prodding from Sarah, he stepped down the hallway to meet the older man.
"Is the surprise ready, babe?"
Jason's fear was almost overcome with a grimace. His footsteps echoed in unison with his cousin's, until they finally reached the room.
"I had to rough him up a little, though it was a welcome distraction," Brian said with a smirk, eyeing Jason. "I mean, only so much you can do in an abandoned factory, right?"
"Oh I'm sure we can think of something to do later," Sarah mused. Jason fought hard not to gag at the vague idea as he walked into the room.
It was mostly empty, save for a few discarded crates strewn in hastily-organised piles. A rustle of movement from the centre cluster drew Jason's attention.
"Shh, he's awake," Brian said with the most devilish grin Jason had ever seen from him. The burly young man would hurry over to the crates, awkwardly shoving a body into view.
"Go on, Jason," Sarah encouraged, nudging him closer. "This is good for you. Whatever happens, just remember we're doing this to help.
"Help me with what…?" Jason trailed, his words stopping short as the lights flickered on bright, illuminating the room in tone as white as Nirvana's landscape. He froze, finally able to get a good look at the figure lying slumped against a crate at Brian's feet.
It was a batarian.
The very image of the quadruped-sighted alien sent Jason back a year ago, when he had been trapped under the ruins of his family home. Jason tensed, feeling the memorable weight of the rubble begin to press back down on his chest…
"What… What's going on?" The batarian asked in a rumbly voice, his eyes flickering between the three humans in unison. "Where am I?"
"Shut up, scum," Brian snapped, whipping the batarian with a sudden swipe. Jason winced internally as the alien recoiled. "You're here to pay for what you did to the colonists of Mindoir."
"MIndoir? I don't even know where that is!"
"What do you mean, 'pay'?" Jason asked, just as alert and frantic as the batarian before him. As if to answer his question, Brian would hand him a pistol.
"We're giving you the chance to avenge your parents death, Jason," Sarah explained, her voice in a level tone. "For everyone who was taken or killed on Mindoir."
Brian placed the weapons in Jason's reluctant hands, dropping them slightly at the sudden weight. The batarian flinched.
"Wait…!" the alien pleaded. "You - y-you have the wrong batarian! I wasn't part of any raiding party!"
"I said, shut up!" Another punch. Jason closed his eyes as the batarian recoiled in pain.
"Come on, Jason," Sarah prodded, gesturing to the weapon in her cousin's hands. "This is what you wanted, right?
Jason felt his heart pound against his chest, emanating within his eardrums. For months, he'd been terrified of the aliens who had burned down his home. True, there had been times in which Jason had wished for revenge, for severe repercussions.
But now, seeing the batarian before him - properly, for the first time…
Jason realised that the alien was just like him. Scared - terrified, and trapped beneath the rubble. And right now, Jason held the remaining pillar in his hands.
"This isn't right…" he muttered quietly.
"Please, p-please don't do this!" The batarian cried, growing more frantic. "I'm innocent, I swear! Please, I-I have a family!"
"Hurry up with it, will you?" Brian glowered at Jason, casting Sarah an irritated look. "What, are you a coward? Shoot the damn alien!"
"S-Sarah…" Jason stammered, taking a shaky step backwards. "I can't…"
"Brian, maybe… the batarian is telling the truth," Sarah muttered reluctantly, stepping in between Jason and the alien. "Maybe this was a bad idea. We should-"
In one sudden motion, Brian swiped the pistol from Jason's weak hands. Jason could only watch in slow-motion horror as Brian fired a single shot from the weapon into the batarian's chest. The alien spasmed, choking blood as he died.
Jason flinched, then crumbled in recoil as if he had been the one to get shot. He felt sick, stumbling backwards in horror.
"N-no! What… what did you do?!"
"Come on, don't give me that pathetic, defendant stance," Brian smirked, though turned a disapproving look towards Sarah. "Thanks for the waste of time, too. Your cousin is a fricking wimp, Sarah."
"Brian, that's enough," Sarah frowned, "This was for Jason, not you."
"You killed him…" Jason gasped, his gaze locked on the dead batarian. The weight of the situation was only just catching up to him. "You killed him!"
"Yeah, and what are you going to do about it, huh?"
Jason saw the red haze sift into focus as the larger young man squared up.
"Brian…!"
Jason felt the adrenaline seep through his body, his legs feeling jittery and heavy. Before he could stop himself, Jason lashed out in angry fashion, striking Brian's left jawbone.
Jason froze, realising what he'd done. By the time he could react, Brian had already barrelled into him with the power and force of a krogan.
Sarah's cries and please for Brian to stop seemed distant as Jason would stagger back, forced to the nearest wall. Fear and anger overcame him, and he would swing a desperate punch into Brian's abdomen.
It was responded with a flurry of violent strikes, each one rocking Jason's body. One struck his head, and a seam crackled through his helmet's visor. Jason's vision would fog, as the surrounding elements crept through.
"You're hurting him!"
Another strike, hammering into his stomach.
A kick to the shin, and Jason stumbled - barely able to hold his hands up in defense. All of Alan's training lost meaning as darkness formed in the corners of Jason's consciousness.
"Stop!"
The crackle of a mass effect field filled the room, and Brian's suit flickered with the energy. Groaning in fatigue, lazily turning to face Sarah with a look of anger and betrayal. She had managed to pull out her own pistol, sending a stun shot into her boyfriend.
"Sar…" Brian mumbled as he fought to stay awake. He took one step towards Sarah before he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Jason felt himself black out alongside Brian, falling to his knees in pain. Sarah rushed to his side, discarding her weapon.
"Hang in there, Jason," she said, trying to hold back tears. "I'll get help - I'll call my mom, j-just hang on!"
Her arms were the only thing supporting Jason's body as he too, succumbed to unconsciousness.