Darcy's Starry Sky

by Theodore Daniels

  Shiala demand continued to strain and make the soldiers of the local garrison, tested and inspected in strict mode, the system of local a militia corps. Attacks Reapers, unrelenting efforts landings better than any exhortations showed the colonists that the army - not a bunch of freeloaders and bums, but a necessary and now - a critical safety tool colony. Initially, militia provoked a wry grin and frank misunderstanding, but when ferostsam with my own eyes, not on the screens and eyepiece periscopes to see how stubbornly the Reapers and their supporters are trying to make a landing in different areas Ferosa - and all the discontent had disappeared. As there said earthlings? "Salvation drowning - the handiwork of drowning." Very accurately and concisely stated. The main thing - briefly. So now Shialy concern was to maintain combat capability at extremely high levels. The war has just begun and very soon the battle first decades of the fuse will be repaid. Heroism becomes routine, the war - the danger, but the daily routine work, the end of which is postponed for months, if not years.

  Occasionally Shiala Shepard remembered the evenings, in the rare free moments looking at the remaining segments Extranet information about units and its activities. About the incident on Rannoch and Tuchanka she learned from regular messages transmitting stations of the Citadel - the news lifted the morale of the defenders of the worlds of the galaxy, because spread with the greatest possible speed and completeness. Shepard worked, fought, served, supervised, raised not by words but by deeds.

  The colonists repeatedly offered Shiale agree with and accept the colony transports asari. But Shiala understand: Should this occur - and Ferose instantly on space standards formed perhaps the most complete International. Following the asari turians pulled behind them - salarians and human colony would be multiracial and multicultural. I had to explain, well, not the fingers, all hazardous proposed, to draw analogies, give examples of the sad death of multi-racial overcrowded fugitives colonies. Fortunately these examples suffice.

  The colonists were astonished by its unique asari resistance, because they just wanted to get close to their compatriots and Shialoy appeared tribeswoman, and it turned out to be looking much further than they and calculates the situation is much deeper. Yes, many colonists, among the earliest inhabitants of Hope Chu knew that Shiala very partial to Shepard, but did not find it anything reprehensible - every reasonable organic to someone very indifferent, so why they Shiala should be some an exception? Especially about Shepard here knew enough, tracked his activities were worried about him and his colleagues, they were glad the next success. So if the defense minister Ferosa indifferent to such outstanding earthling, John Shepard - means that it is entirely corresponds to and their position and their position. And then,

  Shialu not attracted to understand all the intricacies of these perceptions and preferences with the preferences. She had a problem, it has been the case, and she found it enough to not feel superfluous or useless. Yes, the rest had little rare, but as the war ... This war or asari, even more so, people did not know. So, it was necessary to maximize focus on the fight against such an experienced foe.

  Aria and the world. "Omega"

  The station kept. Not because of the latter, fortunately, forces, but he kept. It arrived refugees here and left lined zhnetsovskimi posobnicheskimi ships ships here eager to get those who have not already been hope. No, rather, almost no one remembered now about the fact that once the station was considered a den of lawlessness and criminality. To get here is no longer meant to quickly finish the journey of life, is now coming here meant to save lives. And his life and the life of luxury you reasonable.

  Now a huge advantage, "Omega" was that it was supplied from the worlds Traverse Terminus and without affecting their needs and the needs of supplying the structure of the Central Galaxy and Space Citadel. Around the "Omega" were the military, paramilitary and civilian vessels and ships, scurried shuttles and loading platforms.

  The station has lived and acted. Everyone who is needed and it is interesting to know and remember that at the head of the station still stands Aria T'Loak, eight hundred asari recognized Queen of criminal organizations, relies now on the Council, composed of professionals. Man rule? Yes, it was preserved and worked fine, but not samodurstvovala Aria, she sought to thoroughly examine any question and any problem, she could be trusted and loved checking out. So much thanks to her and to the Council Stations "Omega" continued to live and continue to fight.

  Aria knew that now, with the start of a reasonable organics war inevitably learn to appreciate times of peace. It always happens. "How's the people said - recalled the matriarch, coming in the morning to his office - What we have - do not store, lost - we cry?". Perhaps because it was in this time too. We had to introduce additional tightening station, had to do a lot of things that previously would have been considered a violation of any rules. And now? Now - resigned and accepted as the norm.

  Sitting at the table, Aria pulled up to his next pack of readers, then folded his arms and leaned back in her chair. Everything is the same. Morning Mail, morning solutions. And I want to think about something else. Absolutely. Eight hundred years - is no joke. Two hundred years - and it is an old woman. Yes, she remembered that proteanin Yavik gave her at least six hundred years of life. Additional. What it these extra years of life, if that's it, Aria T'Loak, not sure that will live until tomorrow morning? Accomplices Reapers have already made several attempts to storm the station. And it is - after been here "Cerberus". Yes, since the troops station got a great military experience and have learned to cope with the paratroopers and attack aircraft. But the losses! Figures just dumbfounded, and this despite the fact that she, eight hundred matriarch has not stuck like fainting - in her life and this has happened. No, that, that is the Reaper in her life, of course, had not happened, but everything else - one to one. Almost all.

  She knew that life is actually very simple thing and obeys very simple laws, but now this knowledge does not save from mental irritation and emotional emptiness. Who better than her long-lived asari Matriarch to know what is actually in this world, everything is simple. Who was she inclined to hate less long-lived intelligent of organic because they are still in something believe. Here believe, and that's it. And she? What she believes, ruler, sovereign of the matriarch, and if it can not now even have a baby? No, it is physiologically and biologically, thanks proteaninu can get pregnant ... Maybe even make it in the past month and give birth. Can bring up ...

  How long ago it all was. Lizell ... At the thought of his daughter Aria eyes welled with tears. It's good that no one sees her at this moment. Weeping ruler "Omega". Weeping bitterly, his head in his hands in time to the substituted. Well, she still does not use makeup, but ... it's time. Lizell ... Now she was all grown up. Even if she wanted to be a dancer or desantnitsey - Aria would not say the word across. My daughter should have the right to their own destiny. Goddess, she Aria, asari matriarch now considers himself and it is not asexual "it" that can equally successfully co-exist and interact with heterosexual reasonable organics, and one hundred per cent of women!

  What made her normandovtsy, including Anderson and Shepard ?! What made her Yavik? She Aria, eight hundred years, knowing that gender issues do not exist for it, in principle, now wanted to be one hundred percent woman old age ?! Where is rolling her inner world ?! People talked about this for a very interesting word ... Now, now ... What a memory today, because everything always remembered almost instantly: Yeah, that's ... "hell." What do they mean by that? - Aria instrumentrone scored on a database query. - Hmm. Unclear. Obviously, this is an analogue of the abyss. For asari "gap" is more clear than for exotic azariyskogo perception of "hell." Probably, in the perception of earthlings with this concept relate some extra sensation, which is natural for the race,

  After reviewing readers, Aria gained on instrumentrone several orders, took his hands off the keyboard, again sat back and thought. Today, it definitely does not work. That most definitely. No, of course she could bring herself to perform the n
ecessary actions, but thoughts ... thoughts were with her did not work. That's all. Enjoy that, if in a dilapidated part of the station, to work with biotics?

  Aria slowly got up from the table. She got up, walked to the closed bronezaslonkoy window, including the screen. Survived omegovtsy. Now, all the windows are closed station armor. Well, almost everything. Even in the most crowded places in the most expensive and coolest entertainment-nutrient institutions - and there, too, only the on-screen representations of the station residents know what is happening abroad. Security. It seems reasonable that the organics are afraid of the Reapers and their henchmen. Be careful not to look at them with my own eyes. Not because bronezaslonok not on the screen, and with my own eyes. How much more will drag this war ?! "What a strange question for asari matriarch, is not it ?! - Aria smiled bitterly to himself -. There was not enough even with itself begin to talk out loud at all, say sbrendila, old hag ....".

  Hmm. With the advent of the big cosmos galaxy Earthlings all the other races had a very, very attend to the adaptation. Somewhere even change their core beliefs. Who would have previously called Aria old hag? Is that turians. But these have always been poluptitsy chain armed barn blue-skinned virgins, and they are not opposed Salars - understood that genophage Salars are contrived against them, bone nedomerki. Yes, Salar lucky, they came to the Citadel second. Maybe The order of the and had no value. It happened ... Maybe.

  In an empty room Aria worked. She worked as a frenetic, destroying over and over again and more new designs that here regularly drags on gravizahvatah equipment "Omega". She worked, of course, not in the fullest force, but tried to hammer into every movement of the maximum energy. Lizell ... P-pax! Reapers ... Tr-r-ah's! Leng .... Fir-p-ah! Goddess, today I ditched the room and everything in it, but at least I will be able to work today as usual, but do not grind out the status of work. Kar-ra-ah's! - With a clang and groan ringing shattered the next cube of metal structures.

  Aria knew that when she was here, in this room, it will not be disturbed. She even had time to think about that, if it happen that will die here, here for a long time do not wish to go - all the inhabitants of the station knew temper matriarch-ruler. Because trying to stay away from her. Hmm. Shepard dream is to be left alone and do not hang around his neck at every opportunity, and it is a state of freedom and loneliness provides itself once or twice. Almost without straining. Well, it looks askance or sideways.

  Liara once told her that the people are very surprised when they did not find ears asari. This is not found and all. Aria laughed long time, and now she did not want to laugh at all, even if she'd imagined Liara suddenly obzavedshiysya human ears. Not funny. Well there all other asari Liara but for Shepard - absolutely not "all other asari." It is for it - special. Yes, she told how Liara accepted the news of the relay for the Troop "Omega-four." Needless to say - peredrozhala young asari then. Peredrozhala. And Aria too ... Seeing something with which faced normandovtsy and volgovtsy there ... Few of organic reasonably could remain indifferent.

  Tr-ra-a-x! - The matriarch with a force raised biotics trёhtonny cube, which were made of metal are mixed, and the design and plastobeton. Held it over his head, Aria dropped her cub behind on the surface of the floor of the hall and walked away. Something is happening with it completely wrong. That's all. At other times the cube would have been broken down into components. Or - biotics or - a simple stroke on the wall or on the floor. But today she did not want it "a work of technological art" trash. And she used techniques of special care was not - always assemble structural failure in neat piles, so they were easier to ship it all the former splendor of the platforms. No, it is necessary to destroy all the same, if so and so can grow lazy. Tr-r-e-ar-ah! - Cube broke into components,

  Looking at the entrance to the room and making sure that no one is spying, Aria went to the mirror. Yes, asari no human ears. She knows something that the Imperials have that old cartoon character - a funny little animal named Cheburashka. Strange name for azariyskogo hearing, but oh well. So any asari with human ears would look like the one Cheburashka - ridiculous and absurd. For the majority of the asari, I guess. Although, according to Vere, the Minister of Culture Station, ridiculous and absurd Cheburashka looks just the first few minutes. And then ... then it is quite normal looks like, well, familiar and decent. Maybe asari have become accustomed with their appearance, although the requirements evolution ... Evolution vs. requirements. No one from the asari not forget that Protheans forced asari ancestors out of the water Tess Ocean. Yes, there, Ocean in a lot of space. Lots of. And as science proves, asari ancestors there was too much. All space enough in the ocean. Maybe since then and has become a tradition that the asari settle numerous, often - multi-million colonies on other planets.

  And now ... these colonies under attack. Under the impact of the Reapers. And Aria saw indoctrination asari captives. Wandering columns to vehicles processors. As found them indoktrinatsionnaya wave, so they huddled together in the column and went to the portals of these terrible razzyavlennym ships. Thousands, tens of thousands of compatriots. Reapers did not care how old asari, whether she had a family, children, husband, wife. For them, the asari have only material for processing into husks or paste. Yes, there were asari who resisted. But the Reapers quickly calms such. Goddess, this is the result of levity! Instead of creating a regulatory army Asari stopped on the landing and in the special forces. Everything is good, maybe it would even become a counterweight to the pursuit of the large number, but the ability to ... A skills were not too,

  Desantnits always less. Yes, they beat the Reapers and their henchmen, but the landing is not designed for front-line operations. He has other tasks and other preparations. It can be time - another go on the attack, you can try again - another crush number. But the troops are preparing for another. Prepare ... What to varren preparation? Teen, asari barely graduated training fall into uniform meat grinder! - Aria miserably disorganized biotics to pieces, adjoining cube plastobetona. How did it happened - she did not understand. Whether worked on reflexes, or - by instincts, or even ... from the fullness of disheveled feelings. And why is it, matriarch, suddenly felt sorry for these young fools asari. Who are they and who is she ?!

  No, definitely something to it, with Aria today, and not only today, but in recent times not. If she tries it at least to explain to any of the doctors ... She was just silence instantly pack in obezdvizhivateli. How did people called? Yeah, "straitjacket". The Extranet said - very often used, and used to be used. And not only earthlings, by the way. I do not want, of course. One has already tried, however, not a doctor. Petrovsky. The best strategy, "Cerberus", huh? Three "ha ha." Shepard had already gathered on the Citadel nonweak a reasonable collection of waste organic life. Prison Corps Spectres have not known such a change. Now - he knows. D-p-p-i-n-la-à-x! - Now another cube shattered into pieces. Surveying the wreckage, Aria thought sadly,

  Clean up debris, Aria stopped. With these disheveled feelings have to do something. She's working day or what? And she killed three o'clock in the exercises with biotics and still not stabilized the internal mental state. It is, even now, being physically depressed, she does not understand what she really wants. Good, ruler of "Omega". On her face, she listened for her pinning their hopes, believe that she will find a way out of any situation, and it practiced and did not calm down for three hours. How in such a state to make decisions that affect and at stations and on Terminus, and Traverse?

  That's right, in this state can not make such decisions. And you just have to sit anywhere in the bar, sipping a cocktail through a straw and looking around unclear, it is not authoritative look. Resolved. If she is not able to take anything out of the ordinary administrative actions, no it does not hurt to relax a little and think the bar. In a nearby bar.

  With this thought Aria left the room, locking the door as usual. Code known only a few techniques, they know what to do. In the meantime, she gets to the bar.

  Familiar salarian barman poured her usual
five glasses. All stations on its know in person. All. All of it is known. Famous person. Aria sat down for a single table, stuck a straw in the viscous upper layer cocktail, took the other end of the straw in his teeth, looked around. It looks dull, of course, but so it is. Three tons Thrust - small pleasure, especially if the result is not achieved. Needs result. The desired result. Inhale - exhale. Inhale - exhale. Calm down. She - not the boss, it is - not the head. She - the old asari asari elderly, came to the bar to miss a glass of cocktail.

  - It does not work? - Miralem quiet voice sounded close. "Over the ear", as one would say people.

  - Sit down, Mira. - Aria said quietly. - I'm all in disheveled feelings.

  - Interesting. Purely human expression with a very human sense. - Asari-telepath sat down next, noting as usual that all of the other patrons of the bar and the waitress kept carefully as the ten-meter distance to both of them, and to their table. At least do not want to interfere, and are unlikely to overhear - Aria and peace are experienced in such matters.

  - That's it, that human. The war, which we, the asari, did not expect and did not call. And we were not ready for it.

  - Well, we have not really fought the last two or three thousand years. - Said the world, taking a cocktail and snack. - You can not whip a liquid, Ari ...

  - Ugum. Insinuate that I'm a woman ... - sadly noticed Aria, realizing that by Miralem hardly hid her disorientation.

  - You know, because people are largely correct. "It" - it is - it is impersonal. - Said the world, picking up a glass and sipped a few mouthfuls. - While on the other hand - pure anatomy and physiology. But the sense - much higher.