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Marked Effect (AFF Edition)	By : unrealuniverse Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 22185 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Mass Effect characters, species, locations and the universal setting are owned by Bioware and not myself. Any other brand names mentioned are property of their respective owners. This work is and always will be free for anyone to read.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
Chapter 18 - Mistake
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Everyone had grouped at the airlock ready to go and as they were walking down the walkway Kriana, Emala and Shiala turned and met them half way.
"I see you are all going out." Kriana evidently missing Adastra out given that there was ten of them.
"Everyone except Adastra and one of her security." Sam added.
"Why is she not going Sam?" Shiala taking a keen interest.
"The commando would not go against explicit rules that seem to only affect her to clear trips in advance." Sam adding as best he could.
"How did she look when you told her?"
"No idea Shiala. I did not want to stay to find out." With that Shiala ran into the Enlighten and to the lift. Her security tried to follow but Sam held out his arms. "Shiala will be fine. I want everyone to wait until she reappears." Kriana suddenly seemed to remember what happened last time and helped in stopping everyone moving towards the door.
-----
Shiala was about to shout of Adastra as she exited the lift, but stopped short after seeing widespread carnage, tables and chairs everywhere. Shiala after looking around spotted a commando slumped against the shower room door which had a large dint in it. Quickly moving over she checked to see if she was still alive, she was so she opened her Omni-tool.
Kriana,
I need Sam and a couple of others down here now. Just tell everyone to keep their voices down.
Shiala.
With that she closed her Omni-tool and surveyed the damage. She could see Maritha's rifle hiding between two flat packed chairs not far away but could not find the pistol and it was not on Maritha. She knew that Adastra would not have taken it but she also knew it wouldn't be a great idea to try and talk to Adastra. She just kept one eye on Maritha and another for anyone appearing.
-----
"Sam, Shiala needs you to go down with a couple of others and keep your voices down when you do." Sam tried to think quickly why she would say couple of others. "Fosanta and I need one other person who is medically trained but will not ask questions." Talmira the Asari C-Sec officer that was assigned to Kriana stood forward. "Right both of you with me. Everyone else wait in the Enlighten on the top deck until I say it is safe to go down." With that the three of them get into the lift and go down a deck.
The door opens to reveal debris littered everywhere. They step out just looking at the damage.
"Over here." Shiala gestures them across to Maritha while trying to keep her voice down. The three of them see Maritha slumped by the door. Talmira looks around the room and then looks back at the commando. "This makes no sense. Maritha seemingly did all this damage but there is no sign of anyone else being in the room."
"I will have a talk to Adastra." With that Sam walks down the corridor to her room as the three Asari lift Maritha into the lift. He is a little surprised to see Adastra's room empty so he looks in his own to find no one there either. Sam after a quick think runs back to the lift and presses the button for the bottom deck.
Sam gets hit by a wall of noise as the doors open and the first thing to do is to turn off the gas turbine. He tries to listen carefully as the device spins down for anything which could give away where she was. With no hints after there was near silence in the room he decided to search the maintenance spaces. He grabs a torch from the equipment rack and goes into the left space. He was just about to give in when he heard a small noise from between the outboard thruster and the hull. Pulling himself around the hull framework so he could see behind the thruster he points the torch at the gap. There in front of him was Adastra, curled into a ball, with nothing on. Looking closer he could see her skin had been burnt.
"Oh Adastra," was all Sam could say knowing how bad she felt about previous times she has harmed someone. It would not be a big stretch for her to have harmed herself to have some payback. Adastra slowly pulled her arms down and lifted her head which also showed burns under the chin, the nose and the cheeks mostly. Sam took a deep breath and tried to steady himself. Adastra needed him now more than ever. "Can you get out of here and into engineering?" Adastra said nothing but just started moving tears still rolling down her burnt face.
Sam helped her out of the maintenance space and into the light of the engineering deck being careful to try and not touch anything that was burnt which was not much. In the light the burns didn't look too bad in that there wasn't any real sign of blistering, it was the extent of them that caused Sam more worry. That and it had basically ruined all the markings on her body unless there was no scarring and the purple tinge subsided.
"I need to get a few things and some advice. Please do not hurt yourself any more while I am away." Adastra just nods solemnly and sits down in a secluded corner. Sam heads back up to deck two to see if anyone is around.
-----
Everyone turns to look at the lift as the doors open. "We would appreciate some help." Talmira shouts across to everyone sitting there. Imphaya quickly moved as she saw it was Maritha who was the one being lifted out of the lift.
"We really need to get her to at least a clinic." Shiala wondering to herself what fallout this is going to have.
"What had happened down there?" Roskan going straight into C-Sec investigation mode.
"Maritha was slumped against a door which had a large dint in it. There was no evidence of anyone else being in the room though." Talmira reports to her boss.
"That is great. There is no way we can get her past the press either." Roskan clearly wanted to try and keep a lid on this for as long as possible but feeling frustrated at nothing going in his favour.
"We could move the ship to another dock." Kriana thinking on her feet.
"That might just work. Who can fly this ship?" Roskan quickly asked looking at the crew.
"I have done some basic manoeuvres since it was damaged. I doubt I could dock it safely with no directional thrusters though." Fosanta wondering now why there was only two pilots.
"Adastra has only taught me the absolute basics." Emala adds.
"I am sure I can find a pilot on the citadel that can fly this ship." Fosanta thought before adding "It could take a few hours though."
"Do it."
Shiala and Imphaya had carefully laid Maritha on the floor as it was the only obvious, large flat surface that was available on this deck. Talmira begins trying to make a basic assessment of the damage.
-----
Sam looks around deck two to see if there is anyone around. After not finding anyone he goes to his room and pulls a blanket out of the cupboard then to Adastra's room to pull out some clothing. With the small pile of fabric in his arms he heads back to the lift to go up to the top deck.
The doors finally open and Sam steps out to be greeted with eighteen faces looking at him and one lying in state on the floor.
"What is the news with Maritha?" Sam thinking keeping everyone in the dark about Adastra as long as possible would be wise.
"I think she might come around in the next couple of minutes but with a broken arm, three broken ribs and some heavy bruising she will not feel good when she does so." Talmira doing her best given her limited medical training.
"We are trying to find a pilot to move the ship now so we can get her some medical care." Roskan updating Sam on what is happening.
"How is Adastra, Sam?" A little worry creeping into Shiala's voice.
"That is what I came up here to tell you about. No one is to go to engineering but you are free to go down a deck and look at the damage if you wish. Given what you have told me about Maritha I think the damage has been fairly even between the two."
"I knew Maritha would not loose so badly." Imphaya said to the seemingly lifeless body on the floor.
"Imphaya. It makes no sense for Maritha to have caused Adastra's injuries." There was a sea of confusion that seemed to wash over everyone and you could hear a pin drop at the silence. "I see you all want to know. She burnt all her clothes off her body."
"We really need to move this ship if we have two people needing attention."
"I highly doubt Adastra will want help, I will ask though. Again, please do not go to engineering. I will be back shortly." With that Sam heads back to the lift and down the bottom.
-----
Sam arrives in engineering to see Adastra in the same place as she had been when he had left. A wave of emotion flooded over Sam but he shoved it to one side for the moment. Adastra was shivering, whether it was from shock or the cool air Sam didn't know. He unfolded the blanket and carefully placed it around her.
"Adastra. I am sorry if I am being a little cold. I just need to get through this." Sam adding as he sits down next to her. She lifts her head up and to her left to look at Sam.
"I understand." Sam tries to force a smile but gets little more than less of a frown from his face.
"They are trying to find a pilot upstairs to move the ship so they can get Maritha off without being seen. Would you pilot the ship if Fosanta helped you?"
"I will try." Sam knew just how selfless Adastra was behind the damage but it was just now it hit home. With that a tear rolled down his face. "I will be right back." Adastra gives a weak nod and Sam leaves to go back up.
-----
The C-Sec officers had descended upon deck two taking photos and documenting everything they could see. It couldn't ever be used in a case as the scene was not undisturbed but it could be helpful. The dint in the door was of importance as it was near a much more solid wall. It wouldn't have been difficult for Adastra have thrown Maritha into that instead, killing her outright.
-----
Sam after trying to settle himself and dry his eyes in the lift walked out into the top deck. He couldn't see Maritha on the floor any more. "Where is Maritha?"
"Here Sam, she came to while you were away." Kate pointing to a commando who was obviously in pain but awake, lying down over several chairs.
"Good. You said you were looking for a pilot?" With that Fosanta stopped typing and looked up.
"Yes Sam. Why?"
The lift doors reopen and the C-Sec officers pile out. Roskan after seeing Sam moved everyone to a seat.
"Adastra has said she will fly it if you help her Fosanta."
"I would be more than willing to. I was getting nowhere trying to find someone willing to help us."
"Get someone else. I am not letting that bitch help me, especially after she tried to kill me." Maritha croakily shouted, an obvious venom to her voice. Sam could see now why Adastra was so damaged if these were the kind of comments she had got in the past. The memories of seeing Adastra truly happy on Earth made Sam feel a bubbling anger for himself that he took her from where she seemed happy to this. He walked over to where Maritha was laying, his eyes threatening to water his skin again and crouches down to be about the same level.
"Adastra is currently in pain, on a cold floor, in engineering. All she wants is to have a purpose and be accepted. She has never killed anyone and I do not think that she wants to start with herself. However that seems more and more likely every passing day because of people like yourself, who treat her differently to everyone else." Sam kept a level voice during his little speech. He stands up looking at Maritha's cold expression and starts crying as he walks to the cockpit for a bit of privacy. Kate quickly follows. Sam couldn't face sitting where Adastra did in the pilots chair so sat in the navigators chair instead and put his head in his hands.
"Is there anything I can do to help Sam?" Sam looked at Kate who also seemed a little upset.
"Go to engineering, get Adastra. Be careful." he managed to eventually get out before putting his head in his hands. He couldn't face seeing the self destruction again. Kate walked to the lift, Yasmari and Swathana getting up and approaching Kate. "No, I need to go alone," she said holding her hand out. The two of them reluctantly nod and go back to sitting down as Kate enters the lift.
Kate was getting more and more nervous in the lift wondering how Adastra will react to her. There was little time to dwell on the fact as the doors opened to reveal a quiet engineering deck. She steps out wondering here Adastra was.
"Adastra. It is Kate. Sam asked me to come down for you." Kate talking in a quiet tone so as not to spook her.
"Why not Sam?" She heard a weak voice reply.
"I do not think he can bear to see you again as you are." Kate probably being a little too bluntly honest given the soft sobbing that had started filling the deck. Kate cautiously walked to the source of the noise, peering around the corner she saw Adastra covered by a blanket, her head down. Kate carefully sits down to the left of her. "We all care about you Adastra. How bad are the burns?" Adastra looked at Kate then carefully lifted the blanket up so Kate could see the bottom of her right leg. The purple skin marks looked like bruises that covered the majority of the skin. Kate could only feel the sorrow rise in her stomach. "Is your entire body like that?" Adastra just nodded as the tears started again.
"I can see why Sam did not want to come back. I will not ask anything else Adastra." Kate having to take a deep breath to stop herself joining Adastra. "Do you want any help getting to the lift?" Adastra dries her eyes on the blanket and shakes her head. With careful measured steps they both go into the lift.
Neither say anything in the lift although Kate was wondering why Adastra burnt herself and Adastra was hoping that what she had done had not undone everything she had tried to do over the last few days to change her reputation. The lift opens and with Kate standing to the left of Adastra they made their way out and straight to the cockpit, neither of them looking at anyone that was in the room to their left hand side.
Adastra takes the pilots seat, Fosanta already in the co-pilots seat, Sam in the navigators seat. Fosanta looks over at Adastra and her burnt face but decides against saying anything. This was difficult to do when she stuck her arms out of the blanket to use the console. Large amounts of purple were covering the blue skin with the colour being more of a purply brown where her markings were. Fosanta stayed professional blocking it out of her mind for now.
"Citadel control this is the ASL Enlighten requesting a new dock in the two four four area."
"ASL Enlighten we need to request the reason for your dock change."
"Medical reasons C-Sec officers onboard will approve if needed."
"No need. You are clear to dock two three one. Citadel control out."
Adastra started the disembark process and all the journalists turned wondering where the ship was going to. It was slow progress to the new dock given the Enlighten could only use its mass effect cores to steer. Seventeen minutes later and the Enlighten slid neatly into the dock, the docking clamps taking hold.
As soon as the dock walkway was connected Maritha was helped off the ship and to the nearby medical facility.
"Kate, Fosanta. You two go and have a meal on the Citadel. I think after tonight you need it." Sam trying his best to begin to smooth things over.
"We cannot go without you two. It would not be right." Kate said from the back of the cockpit.
"Ok, could you two help Adastra down a deck and get us all something to eat. You may need to do a bit of furniture building. I need to go somewhere. I will not be long." Kate and Fosanta nod, Adastra still seemingly in her own world. Sam gets up and heads to the airlock.
-----
Hymara and Lianta get up off their seats and meet Sam as he is just about to leave as if it was scripted.
"Where are we heading to Sam?" Lianta curious as to where he wanted to go.
"I need to get someone who will help Adastra. I have no idea who though."
"I am fairly friendly with Thalmara who is a doctor at the clinic they were taking Maritha too." Hymara trying to be helpful.
"It would have been better if there was someone at another clinic. What is she like?"
"One of the friendliest people you would likely meet." Sam was thinking that would be tough after meeting Sha'ira. "You could have just asked us to get a doctor for her."
"I know that Hymara but you might have omitted her requirements which usually make people run or treat her differently."
It didn't take too long to walk the distance to the clinic. Given it was fairly late it wasn't too busy just the odd drunk in the waiting room. The three of them walk up to reception, the receptionist seemed to get tongue tied when she saw Sam.
"Could we speak to Doctor Thalmara please?" Hymara knocking the receptionist out of her trance.
"Of course." She quickly leaves the desk to go into the back nearly tripping up over her chair leg as she left.
"I am going to get sick of that stare shortly, at the moment it is amusing but it is quickly wearing thin." The two commandos laugh at that.
The door opened to their left and an Asari walked out. "Hello Hymara." She turns to the other two "Greetings, I am Doctor Thalmara. How can I help you all tonight?"
"It is good to meet you, my name is Sam. My friend had an intentional accident. Would you be willing to come and see her?" Sam hoping she didn't pry too much or outright say no.
"Where are you docked and what kind of injuries?"
"We are docked at two three one and burns."
"Anything else I should know?" 'damn,' Sam thought to himself. 'She can see right through my head at what I am thinking.'
"She is Asari. To make your life more difficult, it is her whole body but you might not be able to see it all."
"It is not Adastra is it?" Sam was wondering if it was because she had overheard it from Maritha.
"Yes. I need someone to have a look at her given the extensive nature of the problem. Hymara and Lianta will happily provide protection if you feel at all unsafe. I can guarantee if you are friendly and kind you will have no issues at all."
"Ok I will help as I doubt she would want to come here. I can leave now if we will not be long."
"Follow me." Hymara said.
It was a fairly short trip back to the Enlighten. The doctor seemed a little shocked at the amount of commandos on-board but said nothing following Sam and the two Asari into the lift.
-----
Adastra had not said a word since docking; the food seemed to go down ok though. Kate and Fosanta had found three largely undamaged chairs and a table with just a corner missing in all the scatted debris. Kate had just put her spork down as the lift opened and the four occupants walked out.
"Could you and Hymara stay at a respectful distance?" Sam asked Lianta, the pair nodding in response.
"What happened here?" The doctor asking as she looks at the carnage, fortunately for Sam she had said it quietly.
"Do not ask. Wait here until I wave you over doctor." Thalmara nodded and Sam walked to where Adastra was sitting and crouched down next to her.
"Adastra, I hope you do not take this the wrong way but I have found someone who is willing to look at and give advice on your burns." Adastra turns her head to look at Sam and manages a small smile. Sam waves the doctor over.
"Adastra, this is Doctor Thalmara."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Adastra, even if it is under unfortunate circumstances." Sam thinking she certainly has the friendliness requirement. Adastra nods.
"Would you rather Thalmara had a look at your burns here or in a room Adastra?"
"Your room?" Adastra manages to weekly ask
"Sure." With that the three of them walk to Sam's room trailed by Lianta and Hymara who stayed outside the room as Adastra, Sam and Thalmara enter and lock the door for a bit of privacy. The three of them sat on the bed with Adastra in the middle.
"Adastra. You are free to show me as little or as much as you want of your burns. I need to see some though." Adastra gets her arms out of the sheet, one at a time. Thalmara taking a good look at each without ever touching. "Is it the same all over?" Adastra nods then looks at Sam.
"It is mostly the same on her back too if that is helpful."
"It is Sam. It looks like you may be fine if you keep the skin extremely clean Adastra. It is going to hurt for a day to two though and the skin will be flaky and then look funny for a while. I would recommend you wear something loose fitting for the next week or so as something tighter could cause irritation." Adastra nods.
"Will there be any scarring?"
"I do not expect there to be any Sam. As there is no real blistering it looks mostly like surface burns." Adastra gave a small smile at that.
"That is much better news than I was expecting. I am sorry I dragged you away from the clinic this evening."
"I appreciate you coming Thalmara." Adastra manages to get out, sounding like she has been without sleep for a week.
"It is my pleasure to help such a unique individual." Adastra might have blushed at that comment but it was impossible to tell given the burns. "If either of you need me in the future you know where I am."
"We do. Have a good evening Thalmara. I am sure Hymara will see you out." Sam added as he unlocked the door Thalmara nods again to Adastra and Sam before leaving. Sam closes the door again.
"Well she was a pleasant individual. I am going to grab something to eat. Are you going to have a shower? There should be enough hot water left." Sam looking at one exhausted Asari who nods her head. With that Sam walks out and down the hallway back to Fosanta and Kate who were still at the seating.
"What is the news Sam?" Fosanta being quicker than Kate on the question draw.
"Thalmara did not think that she needs to do anything other than keep it clean. She also does not think it will leave any scarring." The pair look visibly relieved.
"I am glad to hear that news. That is your food Sam but it might be a bit cold." Kate pointing to the plate of mush.
"I am sure it will go down as I have not eaten anything for hours. Also I need to talk to Kriana tonight."
"I could talk to her for you if you wanted Sam?"
"That would be most helpful Fosanta. We could do with an immersion heater for the hot water as it is not fuel efficient to run the gas turbine constantly for just hot water. It was only used previously as it was convenient. I am sure someone will have one on the Citadel as they are not usually things that break."
"I will ask her now." Fosanta gets up to leave.
"Thank you." Sam manages to get out in between mouthfuls of food.
"I think I might head to bed Sam as it has been a long day."
"These last few hours have left like a few days so I understand what you mean. I hope you sleep well Kate." Sam didn't take too long to finish the last of his food and was just walking to his room from putting his plate in the wash as Fosanta appeared from the lift and walked with Sam down the corridor.
"Kriana says she can get hold of an immersion heater for tomorrow lunch time."
"I appreciate the help Fosanta. I am going to get some sleep though now. I will see you in the morning."
"I am going to get some sleep as well. Good night Sam." With that the pair depart into their rooms.
Sam could only shake his head when he saw Adastra fast asleep in his bed. Sam carefully got into the other side of the bed, trying not to disturb her before putting his head down.
-------
Notes.
A bit of intrigue. What happened? What will the fallout be? Find out in the next chapter.
- 17
- 18
- 19
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Marked Effect (AFF Edition)