Mass Effect: The Forgotten Soul

Chapter Seventeen: Flashback Home

In the following few days, they were forced to hunker down in an unused warehouse not far from the spaceport. The Spectre and Eclipse were searching for them. If it wasn't for the detective, they wouldn't have been able to flee the hospital in time. The warehouse office where they took refuge was small and dusty, but it was better than being dead. They did manage to arrange transport to the citadel on a freighter.

The data they acquired from the pointed to the Eclipse moving the General's son there.

A few more days passed. It would be a week and change before they reached their destination. They occupied one of the few private passenger quarters of the ship. It was small and spartan, almost like every other place they had been, and only had a small desk and one bed. The ship was a cargo hauler, and the Captain agreed to take them under the condition that they helped with some of the manual labor once they hit the dock.

"So what's this Citadel place we are going to?" Martin asked while Velpia was sorting through the Omni-tool data. Her face was illuminated by the orange glow. "It's a massive space station, where the Council rules from."

"Politicians still snobby and non-committal in this time?"

Velpia chuckled and nodded. "Some things transcend time and species."

Martin adjusted himself in the firm bed and made a slightly pained noise. "I swear I'm tired of getting shot and stabbed." Velpia looked up from her Omni-Tool, quite amused by his misfortune. "Maybe don't be so stubborn next time." Martin didn't respond to her remark, still feeling foolish that he allowed himself to be easily cornered.

"So, what's the plan for when we get there?" Martin asked while he stared at the gray ceiling.

"Well, we usually would check in with all the normal tourists, but you're undocumented. So we're going to sneak in."

Martin's chuckle turned into a cough. "And how do we do that?"

Velpia stood up to stretch before sitting back down. "It's not difficult; we just walk off the dock once we help the crew offload their cargo. It's not like they guard the place."

"That's it?" He moved his head to look at her. "Yup, C-Sec is spread thin, so it's not like they can keep tabs on everyone."

"That's... ridiculous." He couldn't believe it would be that easy to get in. They had to bribe their way past customs to get on Elysium, and all you had to do to get on the station for the supposed center of Galactic politics was pretend you were a dockworker for a few minutes? "Figures," he thought to himself.

Martin lay restless in the silence that followed. He was already tired of the inaction of the last five days. He hated the thought of just laying in bed for the trip. He had already been lying around for the previous seven hours and was bored out of his mind.

Martin rolled to his side and pushed himself upright with his arm. He made a pained noise as he attempted to stand. Velpia came to his side to help him up. "Where do you think you're going?"

"The bathroom." He remarked as he stood on his feet. "Need any help?"

"Only if you're gonna aim it for me." He joked as he made his way to the door. She shook her head and let him shuffle his way out the door. "Get some sleep. I'll be a while," he ordered as he holstered his pistol.

The rest of the ship was quiet, and the light hum of the engines covered up the low ringing in his ears. The middle of the ship had some small bits of cargo scattered around. The larger stuff was in the back. In front of him, across the ship, was a large open window.

The darkness of the void was inviting and calming. He walked over and took his place by the handrails. Shifting the weight off of his legs and chest.

After a few moments, his mind was still. He had pushed out every thought; he wanted the silence. Martin closed his eyes and listened to the small noises around him. His thoughts eventually settled in on his past.