The Assassin’s Ordeal

DISCLAIMER:
I do not own anything, Mass Effect is not mine. The characters, game content and materials in the following story are copyrighted to BioWare. Neither I, nor this story, are endorsed by or affiliated with BioWare, or its licensors or subsidiaries. I do not receive any monetary compensation from the publication of this narrative. All Rights Reserved.
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3: SEARCHING

Kolytat wakes suddenly to someone calling his name, in an instant he is prepared to fight the Turian and Human who have entered his home without permission.

“Easy kid, we’re friends of your father’s.” the Human says.

“I’m Garrus, and this is Zaeed, you asked for our help.”

“I didn’t expect a response this quick, let alone one in person.” Kolyat says, visibly relaxing.

“We happened to be in the area.” Zaeed says, causally looking about the small apartment, taking a moment to admire the holo of a Drell woman, going so far as to pick it up.

“That’s my mom.”

Zaeed makes some approving sound and carefully sets the holo back on the shelf.

“Your message said Thane’s missing.” Garrus starts.

“Yeah, he’s got an apartment on the Presidium we’ve been…rebuilding our relationship. Every day we meet and talk, three days ago we met for lunch, then the next two days, nothing. His doctor called me looking for him, I went to his apartment but it doesn’t look like he’s been there.” Kolyat reports keeping while half an eye on Zaeed who was now studying the computer.

“What about Shepard? What does she have to say about his disappearance?” Garrus asks

“The Council has her on a mission…she doesn’t know.”

Garrus and Zaeed exchange brief looks.

“What’re you working on over here?” Zaeed asks before Kolyat can question their look.

“Captain Baily forwarded me the security video from the last day I saw my father. I’m having the computer isolate only the pieces concerning my father.”

“When did you start this?”

Kolyat glances at his Omni-tool’s time feature, before answering it was nine hours ago.

“Well, it’s up to 80%. I say we take this and have our ship’s computer render it.” Zaeed suggested.

“How long will that take?”

“I would estimate about 2 hours.” Garrus said. Kolyat shrugged and agreed. Garrus used his Omni-tool to access Kolyat’s computer to transfer the file and begin the rendering.

“Now, while the ship’s doing that why don’t you tell us about your dad’s activities, places his frequents, friends…things like that.”

“Sure, but let me change first.” The young Drell said, heading towards the bedroom.

Zaeed returned to the holo on Thane’s late wife and studies it closely.

“You know, she ain’t half bad. Nice tits.”

You do realize that Drell women do have mammary glands like your species, right?”

“So?”

“I’m just saying they’re fat reserves their bodies use when pregnant and do not produce milk. I’m not sure if they even have nipples.”

“So? I like small tits, I don’t care if they make milk or not. What about you? You like small tits? Do Turian women have tits?”

“You know what, I’m not going to stand here in Kolyat’s living room and talk about his dead mother.”

“Why? She won’t care.”

Garrus simply remains silent.

Kolyat walks back into the room, in a clean set of clothes and trying to work a kink out of his neck. “Where do you want me to begin?”

..~~~**~~~..

Thane is exhausted, hungry and his throat is raw from his constant screaming; when the Batarians were not torturing him the Salarian was. He knows this tactic, keep the Drell awake, deny him food and water, inflict enough pain and hope he slips into a useful memory. Thane; however, would not slip so easily, he forces himself to stay in the present. The chains wrapped about his wrists were cutting into his skin; he could feel a thin trickle of warm blood make its way down his arm. He clenched and unclenched his hands help keep feeling in his fingers.

“You know you can end this any time.” The annoying little Salarian reminds.

After yet another refusal to break, the Salarian curses loudly and leaves the room. Thane moves his weary eyes to Monster. She has not moved all day, not even when they brought her food and water, which still sits beside her completely untouched.

He wants to call out to her, to see if she is ok, but he finds he lacks the energy to do so, instead he drops his heads and passes out.

..~~~**~~~..

Zaeed, Garrus and Kolyat sit in front of the monitor aboard their ship and watch the security recordings of the days Thane disappeared.

“There’s us having lunch. I was there for about 20 minutes before I had to return to work.” Kolyat stated, pointing to two figures sitting at a far table. The trio watches as father and son sit, talk and eat. They then watch Kolyat leave, the small diner followed by Thane five minutes later. The video feed jumps, showing Thane walking up to a small kiosk; he sits on a stool and orders a hot beverage from the clerk. Thane and the clerk talk for a bit, but there is something odd about the conversation.

“Who is that?” Garrus asks.

“I don’t know, but I know where that shop is.”

They watch as Thane stands up on uncertain legs. He tries to take a step but stumbles heavily into passing Krogan, who catches the lithe Drell and escorts him out of the shop. There the video stops there and the screen informed them that there was no more information for the search perimeter. With a few clicks on the virtual keyboard, Garrus pulls up the entire feed and limits the search for the Krogan and Drell after leaving the shop.

Fifteen minutes later the video resumes, showing the Krogan escorting an intoxicated looking Drell towards the docking bay and passing him off to a well dressed Batarian who hurried his prize into a small ship.

“We gotta find that ship.” Zaeed pointed out.

Kolyat pushes past Garrus pauses the recording and zooms in on the ship’s registry getting the ship’s name and number. His heart racing, this is their first real lead into his father’s disappearance and he was not going to loose it.

“I can use my C-Sec access to track that ship.”

“First, show me where this shop is; I want to talk to this clerk.” Garrus said.

“I think I might know that Krogan, I’ll check out the Wards, meet you back here later.” Zaeed said, grabbing one of his guns as he left the ship.

..~~~**~~~..

Thane finds himself floating weightlessly, in a warm comforting void. He could hear the singing of underwater life of Kahje as stars and began to dance about him. He takes in a deep breath, for the first time in years he is finally able to breathe.

“Thane.” A woman called. He slowly turned, he knew that sweet voice, and found himself staring into those sunset eyes.

“Irikah?”

She smiles warmly and opens her arms to him. He holds her close, breathing in the spicy scent of her.

“Mah’salrok.” He whispers, using his pet name for her; a word which translates into ‘My Awakened Soul’. Tears streamed down his face as he holds her tightly. “Mah’salrok.” He repeats his arms tightening about her small waist. She presses her warm lips to his, pushing her tongue into his mouth. He almost cries at the taste of her.

“Thane.” She sooths, running her hands down his back.

“I’m sorry, Mah’salrok. I am so sorry. I should have been there. I should have…I…”

She places a hand to his lips and silences him. “All is forgiven.” She says, he holds her close again, resting his head on her shoulder.

“I will wait for you here.” She says after a moment.

“I don’t understand, Irikah, I’m here now.” He pulls back to look into her eyes.

“It’s not yet your time. Kolyat needs you.” She spoke softly, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

“I don’t understand.”

“He’s looking for you. He’ll come for you. Please, keep our son alive. Promise me, please.” The desperation in her voice breaks his heart.

“I…I…” he struggles; he wants to stay with her, in her arms, surrounded by the love and comfort she brings. But if his son is in danger he cannot refuse. He sighs, resting his forehead in the crook of her neck. “I promise.”

“Mah’salrok…” He whispers, aware of dark swirling energy surrounding him.

“Be happy, my love.”

The dark energy intensifies and pulls at him, pulling him away from his beloved. He called out her name as he is lifted up and taken away. She reaches out to him and smiles softly. Thane is violently pulled back into his body, a scream of agony caught in his throat as his muscles convulse.

“Thane, ok?” Monster asks, once his body calms.

“How did I get on the floor?” he hoarsely asks, looking into her battered face. Her left eye swollen shut, her bottom lip split and puffy to the point it looks painful for her speak. Dark blue scabs and black bruises covered her tiny form.

“Monster fix Thane.” She says, gently pushing food into his mouth. He tries to protest, insisting she eat.

“Thane eat.” She says, pushing another small morsel into his mouth.

“How did I get on the floor?” His throat is so parched he barely has enough saliva in his mouth for the small bite of dry bread she pushed past his lips.

“Masters take Thane down.” She whispers then carefully helps him sip some stale water. Thane looks about; his hands are chained together and secured over his head to the wall he had been electrocuted on earlier. His ankles are secured to a large weight.

“Eat.” She whispers, offering him another bite of food.

“When Siha come. Take Monster away?”

“Yes. We’ll take you with us.”

She smiles brightly, her eyes sparkling with hope. “Siha not come if Thane dead.” She says, again helping him sip more water.

“I think your name should be Thisla.”

She looks at his quizzically, helping him drink a little more water.

“Thisla is a rare flower that blooms on Kahje; it is a symbol of hope to the Hanar.”

She starts to smile again, but gasps suddenly her eyes going wide. “Masters come.” She whispers, and scurries back to her corner.