Mass Effect: The Forgotten Soul

Chapter Eight: Dying Suns

"Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look."

Both Martin and Velpia walked out of Afterlife and walked to the Skycar. "What the hell were you thinking?!" Velpia asked angrily.

Martin stopped walking as he knew this was going to happen. "What do you want me to say?" He paused for a moment looking at her and seeing the anger. "Yeah, I know, alright. Not the smartest thing to do, I get it..."

Velpia butted in, "Not the smartest? It was outright stupid, meeting some random person in Afterlife of all places? With no one to watch your back? Do you WANT to die?"

Martin took a deep breath, "I had a feeling, and I had to follow it." he replied calmly.

Velpia put her hand into her face. "What feeling could you possibly have that would compel you to go to Afterlife alone?"

Martin became quiet, he was insulted, but he knew she also had a point. The worst kind of feeling.

He got into the sky car and waited for her to get in. She hesitated for a moment out of frustration; she leaned on the car contemplating the argument but eventually got in. Martin then managed to get the sky car moving and set the autopilot. The car took off into the 'sky.' "At least you figured out the sky car." She backhandedly complimented.

Martin gave a smile and turned to her.

"I learned how to use the three seashells too."

Velpia gave a disgusted response.

They both got quiet for a while. Martin was hoping to get back to the apartment soon. His wound was hurting badly, and he didn't want Velpia to find out. In the quiet that filled the car, he was upset that he had to depend on her so much. He led men into countless firefights and sent them to their deaths; he was pretty independent and prideful and fought with and against the best, his time had to offer. He put cities to the flame, and now here he was, depending on an alien to feed and house him, afraid to disappoint her. What had he become?

"So are you gonna answer me? Who was that in There?" She asked calmly. He started to get annoyed at the questioning, but he relented.

"I knew him." He finally replied.

"You knew him? Like from your time?"

Martin stopped talking for a while as Memories began moving through his head. Velpia looked at him, waiting for a response. She noticed how his head moved lower; his eyes dropped to the dash of the car, Sadness? She thought

"He was my subordinate during the war." He replied in a somber tone. Velpia waited for him to continue.

"He said he was put in Cryo, I didn't ask when, but he got out a few years ago on Mars."

"Was he a super soldier too?" Velpia slipped, then suddenly put her hand up to her mouth.

"Super what? No! We were just soldiers."

Velpia tried to play it off as a joke. "What, no superpowers? No saving the day from evil?"

Martin remained fixated on the traffic passing by the car, completely ignoring her comment.

"If she only knew." He thought.

"""""""""""""""""""""

They had made it back to the complex into the darkened hallway to her apartment. Something felt off; Martin's stomach became tense; his instincts were rarely wrong. He pushed past Velpia, drew his pistol from its holster, and kept it at his side. She followed his example, feeding off his defensive stance. As they approached the apartment door, they noticed it was open. He quickly looked back at her in acknowledgment, his back now against the wall, his pistol aimed at the doorway. The pain from his wound temporarily faded from concentration, and he slowly scanned the room while exposing himself. He pied the corners of the room before entering.