By the homeworld I wish to see.

Mira'Kuula nar Qwib Qwib. Keelah se'lai. [Independent RP blog for a quarian on her pilgrimage. Human FC: Mindy Kaling]

[flotillamiracle]

Two-faced | edenpride & flotillamiracle

[edenpride-blog]

Neil wasn’t sure why— he wasn’t even sure this quarian was telling the truth. It was like he said, they hadn’t done anything to her, but she stole from them all the same. Whose to say that that was just a line she used on chumps? Well, if it is then it worked on me, he thought. He’d always been a sucker, though usually the lines he fell for were much sweeter. “Don’t ask, just go,” he said through half-gritted teeth. “And don’t thank me either.” He’d take the apology. She was probably scared shitless by now, so he figured they’d both rather move on.

Repay him? Neil couldn’t help but snort softly at that promise. Somehow she didn’t seem to be in the best position to ‘pay him back’. He stood up, dusting off the legs of his pants. “Yeah, see you,” he muttered incredulously. Despite his offer, he wasn’t sure if this wasn’t the last he’d see of her. The Citadel was huge— giant. If she wanted to disappear, she could without even trying. He took a few steps toward the market, ready to turn his back on this alley for good. “Just remember what I said, okay?”

[flotillamiracle]

"I..." Mira clenched her hands tightly behind her back. She could still feel the weight of his body on the small of her back. It throbbed dully, a subtle reminder of her failure today. She really wasn't cut out for thievery, not with her build. Examining her front for any snags or tears in her suit she could have missed, Mira dared not look him in the eye. Not after that betrayal... that kindness. He owed her nothing, and yet he decided to let her leave on her own two feet, with a promise to deliver more food.

Mira really couldn't repay that, but she'd try. ...Without thievery; she thought he wouldn't appreciate that, somehow.

She rubbed at her cramping leg, eager to soothe her aching muscles from the unexpected sprint. Hearing the clank of footsteps, she straightened, staring at the human's leaving form. Before he was out of earshot, she called out what she hoped was his name. "Uh, Neil!" Mira stammered, remembering the name on his tag, lowering her head in gratitude, "I'll remember it. I... Thank you." Quietly limping away in the other direction, she dared to take one last look at his retreating form before fleeing the scene herself.

[flotillamiracle]

16. In an Embarrassing/Provocative Costume

"Oh, no…" Neil went pale when he saw Mira coming towards the shop. He looked down at himself. His boss wanted to try out a new marketing strategy, and let’s just say it involved him in a cupcake outfit. His cheeks reddened, going from pale to pink in a matter of seconds.

Shit. It was bad enough having strangers see him like this, but someone he knew? Hoping she hadn’t seen him yet, he slunk back into the store, a metaphorical tail between his legs.

It was impossible to miss the large costumed figure retreating into the Upper Crust Bakery. She’d only come by to pay a visit (and maybe pay for some of those delicious pastries), but this wasn’t something she could drop so easily. Mira quickly followed into the shop, her beady eyes sweeping the store for the baked good costume.

"Er, excuse me," she said with a giggle as she approached her prey, who had his back turned. "I'm looking for someone. Is Neil working today?"

[flotillamiracle]

Two-faced | edenpride & flotillamiracle

[edenpride-blog]

Another seed of pity was planted at the back of his mind. Neil knew what it was like to not be able to go home again. Even if he could afford it, he wasn’t sure he wanted to face his family. Not like this. For now they were better as happy memories. He felt her breathing slow to an even, calm pace as she explained.

Neil bit his lower lip, unable to tell what was real and what was just a show to win him over. Alien body language was hard to read, and the suit didn’t make things any easier. Nor did the whole “pinned to the ground” thing, for that matter. But the truth was, some of this was beginning to sound familiar, and he hated that. He knew what it felt like to be desperate.

"That… really sucks," he offered lamely. "It sounds like some people you’ve stolen from had it coming, but we didn’t do shit to you." And he wasn’t going to, he decided. Neil rolled off her abruptly, figuring she’d run away any second now, he thought he’d get a last word in. "If you’re looking for food, you should stop by the bakery about eight. Just… for future reference."

[flotillamiracle]

All at once, the weight lifted from Mira's back, and immediately she scrambled to a sitting position, in case he changed his mind. It'd be easier to fight him off if she was in a more advantageous position. Her next reaction was to run; knees tensed, she was prepared to do so at the slightest movement, but something stopped her from just making a break for it. Aside from the fact that he could probably catch her again (the stitch in her side was still very present, causing her to groan and rub at it), she saw a kindness no other alien had offered her to this day.

"W-why?" She sat and stared, awed and apprehensive at the same time. She inwardly berated herself for not just bolting immediately anyway, but she wanted to know. "No one has... I..." All at once, Mira felt like a horrible person. The man (Neil, she thought his name was) was so kind to her yesterday, even presenting himself as friendly, and she'd just attempted to steal from the one person who had shown her mercy. No wonder the quarians couldn't be trusted.

"Thank you," she stammered, lifting herself to her feet. "I'll... I'll repay you for this somehow. I'm so, so sorry." She was prepared to leave, but then she remembered his sudden offer. "Eight? Um... okay. I'll... I guess I'll see you, then." Initially a lie; she had no intention of ever seeing Neil again. But the offer intrigued her; could it be a trap? She'd deserve it, not that she would just walk into a trap without being careful.

Mira decided to believe him. Cursed be her naivete should he be tricking her, but something told her he was telling the truth. At least, he wasn't trying to deceive her, right?

[edenpride-blog]

Neil paused, lowering the photos so they rested on his knees. He glanced at Mira, noticing how her head was suddenly tilted down, staring at her lap. Of all the aliens he had met quarians were the hardest to read. There was the faintest flutter behind her mask that might have betrayed sadness, but other than that all he had to go off was tone and body language. Still, he could hear the happy lilt to her tone when she spoke next, and he smiled, hoping he was returning hers. “Hopefully, yeah. I miss her.”

"Yeah, beaches are pretty dirty. The oceans are cleaner now than they were like a hundred years ago, but I would be careful." He chuckled to himself, a thought occurring to him. He brushed it aside, choosing to concentrate on the photo in front of him. "Halloween’s when you dress up and get candy if you’re a kid. Once you’re grown up it’s a bit, uh… risque, I guess?" Krogan? "Well, uh, no. I’m supposed to be a dinosaur."

[flotillamiracle]

"I know she misses you, too," Mira replied, her own smile strengthened by the one mirrored into her mask. Quarian families were close knit, and though she held her family close to heart, her pilgrimage still forced her to feel the cold, steely loneliness of the Citadel. While the walls of the Qwib Qwib were warm, close, and inviting, the Citadel's walls were far more open and free, unwelcoming and sombre. The world around her was against her, and while the absence of her parents stung, having a friend helped to cull the bite of isolation. "I miss my parents, but making... connections helps."

"How did they manage to clean all of those grains of sand? Not to mention avoid all the sand leaving the beaches attached to clothes?" she giggled, inwardly shuddering at the thought of parading in skimpy clothing on filthy public beaches. "Hallo...ween?" she enunciated, crossing her arms. "That's a weird name. But I like the sound of any holiday that gets me food." She paused, tilting her head. "Wait... risque? Like... No clothes? That sounds like the opposite of dressing up." Again she paused at the sound of the unfamiliar concept of ancient animals. "Dinosaurs? I've heard of them, but... I've never really seen one."

[theswordsmanofurdnot-deactivate]

He crossed his arms and let out a faint grunt. “Why would I target Quarians? It’s not like they’ve done anything against me.” He nods in confirmation. “Yes, blades. But not that holographic garbage. I use the real blades, the ones that were used by real men… Real steel, actual beauty and swift… Not to mention the outstanding lethality.”

[flotillamiracle]

"A-and I don't plan on any of us doing anything to you. No way. " A particular detail caught her attention, and she straightened up. Unable to keep her mouth shut at something she does know, even in the face of a krogan, Mira spoke up, "Actually, that's not quite accurate; the omniblade is a silicon-carbide weapon kept in a mass effect field, forged in an instant when needed. It's just as deadly... n-not to say that your steel is any less deadly, I mean, you say you can kill twenty five Cerberus soldiers singlehandedly..."

[theswordsmanofurdnot-deactivate]

He slowly grinned deviously, giving off that feeling that he was ready to prove why were others calling him a madman.

"Get me… 25 Cerberus Troopers. And my Blade… The thought of it should be more than just enough for you to see, Quarian."

[flotillamiracle]

"O-oh," she stuttered out, hands frozen to her sides. She knew all krogan were dangerous, and this one was no exception. "I-I'm glad you're after Cerberus and not other people, like, poor little quarians... A blade? So you use things like omnitools, mister...?"

[dyinglikeicarus]

Second Art Giveaway Prize for mording!

He asked me to draw his quarian OC and urdnot-mordin's human OC ^^

Hope you like it! ^^

[tavianalvia]

"Pistols, sure but throwing a rock ain’t the same as shooting a gun."  He snickered faintly when she just barely caught the rock, mandibles flicking slightly in a touch of embarrassment.  Most of his subvocals were audible to all species.  That had apparently not been one of them.  "Sorry, I forget that not everyone hears the same as turians so uh… not exactly your fault."

He flopped onto the ground, content to let her try her hand for a little while.  ”Yeah, you’re good.  I wouldn’t of offered if you weren’t good to stay a bit.”  He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and blinking curiously at her efforts.

[flotillamiracle]

"Same concept. You're still flinging projectiles at a target," she griped, planting her hands on her hips. She waved off his apology, focusing on how hard she needed to chuck the rock to actually reach the bottles. "I wasn't paying attention, it's fine."

Frustrated at how the turian made it look so easy, she threw it one more time, overshooting the group by several inches. "Ugh," Mira sighed, resigning herself to grab the rock before gingerly sitting herself beside Tavi, handing him the rock. "Show me how," she grumbled.

[edenpride-blog]

A shadow seemed to pass over Neil’s face, though his face quickly lit up with another smile. “When I can. I mean, Eden Prime’s been… going through some stuff.” That kind of went without saying these days, anyway. “They’re safe for now, I think. Jane’s with her husband. She’s thinking of leaving Eden Prime, though. Maybe the Citadel. Or that Horizon place.”

Neil bumped her with his shoulder, jostling her on the seat. “I won’t forget,” he said. Sitting up straight, he rolled his neck before settling back into the couch with a satisfied sigh. “It’s not sticky. It’s dry, it just… gets everywhere. But um, I think you’d be okay in your suit. The beach is pretty dirty.” Neil licked his thumb, turning over the next photo, grimacing at it. There he was again, a little older and able to stand without help. It was Halloween, and apparently he had been going through his dinosaur phase because that’s what he was dressed as, standing as Jane the Pirate and Kim the Nurse. “Er, have you heard of Halloween?” he asked, hoping to distract her.

[flotillamiracle]

"Yeah... everybody's starting to feel what it's like to lose their homeworld now, huh..." Mira sombrely stared into her lap briefly, sighing. "Ah, let's move away from that. So it seems you might be able to see your family again soon, huh?" She smiled beneath the mask, happy for Neil. "At least, some of them."

"Ah!" she startled, rubbing her shoulder before bumping him back. "So long as you keep yours around, hm? Don't be getting rid of them." She leaned back into the couch as he did, keeping her gaze trained on the photos. "So... sticky. It's small particles, right? I think they wouldn't get through, but I don't think it's a good idea for me to go to the beach anytime soon. It sounds germy, anyway." Her eyes grew wide at the turn of the next photo, delighted at the little costumes. "Is that... what is that, some sort of krogan costume? I haven't heard of Halloween, but if it involves costumes, it sounds fun!"

[tavianalvia]

"Heh, whole hour of practice."  Tavi went to retrieve their rock, wishing again that they had at least one more so it wouldn’t be so tedious.  Lightly, he made a click of subvocals to get her attention before tossing it back towards Mira.

"You’ll get better, I just ain’t had nothing better to do.  Got like an hour before I’m bettin’ the cops are gone though.  You wanna hang out that whole time with me and the rock?"

[flotillamiracle]

"An hour to my none. And I'm assuming you've had some experience with weapons." Mira barely hears his attempt to get her attention before the rock is suddenly flying at her. Barely catching it, she laughed nervously. "Um, I was definitely paying attention."

She took aim again, taking care to remember just how hard she threw it last time. Tossing it forward, she sighed as the rock fell short of even reaching the bottles that time. "Yeah, that's fine. I have nothing better to do, either. I was just going back to the refugee camp to sit around and do nothing, anyway. ...That is, if I'm welcome to stay." She trotted down the hall to retrieve the rock again, eager to redeem her failed throws.

[flotillamiracle]

Two-faced | edenpride & flotillamiracle

[edenpride-blog]

His arms went weak, stomach twisting as he thought about what was going through her mind. “I’m serious!” But the conviction of his words failed. If anyone were to see them now they’d not believe him, so why should she? When he felt her struggle Neil was almost tempted to let her go. His boss would be furious if he found out. That thought was enough to firm his grip.

"You can’t just go home?" His knowledge of the quarians’ flotillas were limited. He had heard of them, seen photographs, but the only thing they taught about quarian history in school was that their hubris almost destroyed the galaxy. No AIs, that rule wouldn’t exist without them.

The pity in his heart gave way to the anger. He could hear the hollowness of her words, he’d heard them before. “You’re not sorry, you’re only sorry you got caught.” Desperate, the excuse was all-too-familiar. Neil wasn’t a thief, he didn’t steal from people who didn’t deserve it, but…

He snorted softly. Maybe he had this coming. Karma had come in the form of a little green quarian. “You’re sorry, but you’re desperate. You’ll just steal again if I let you go.”

[flotillamiracle]

Mira could feel him pondering her fate with every twist and squeeze of his palm on her back. She could feel Neil considering what to do with her despite his strong words, knowing that what she did next could cause everything to fall into her favour. While she couldn't simply wrench free and escape at this point, she knew he was listening, and maybe she could garner his sympathies.

"Going home? Hah," Heaving out one more sigh of frustration, she lowered her head, falling flat against the ground so as not to aggravate her captor any further. Embarrassment boiling in her chest at being grilled in such an awkward position, she tapped her head against the ground a few times, still cursing herself for being caught. "I can't go home. Not like this. Not when I haven't gotten anything of use for my clan. Not with nothing to show for all the time and love they've spent sending me off..."

Taking a calming breath, she continued, still hopeful she could get away with her failed crime. "I'm truly sorry. I really am. But if I'm almost out of money, what can I do? No one trusts the quarians." She ignored the fact that her actions did nothing to indicate any trust was deserved. "No one would hire me. I'm last to get any rations, and no one cares if the poor little quarian gets dirty food because we're in a war."

She kicked the ground in frustration for crimes against her race, for crimes against her... for the mess she'd gotten herself into. "All because of those damned geth that went and rebelled out of nowhere."

[tavianalvia]

Tavi watched the rock go up and back down into Mira’s hand.  ”C’mon, I bet it ain’t that bad.”  He glanced down at the bottles.  ”Betchya I still win though.  There’s like four bottles and I knocked ‘em all down in one hit earlier, think you can beat it?”

His challenge was light, teasing.  He hadn’t been planning on someone showing up but now that they did, he didn’t intend to not at least have some fun.

[flotillamiracle]

"...It's pretty bad. But maybe I'll get lucky." She sighed, again tossing the rock into the air, testing its weight. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition. Nothing was at stake, so what did she have to lose by throwing the rock?

Hesitating only a moment longer, Mira threw the rock with a grunt, stumbling forward a step. Having closed her eyes, she heard the clank of metal scattering. Had she hit her target? She opened one eye, and then the other. "Well... two isn't too bad," she shrugged. "But you've had practice. I'll get it soon."

[edenpride-blog]

"Well, yeah. I love them." Funny that five years ago he wouldn’t have been able to say those words without having to scrape off his tongue afterward. "Oh. That… makes sense, I guess." He frowned anyway. "It’s just weird thinking about growing up with no siblings."

Neil grinned, his tongue poking out cheekily. “Whatever. You bring me your baby pictures then we’ll talk.” He paused, wondering what a quarian kid even looked like. Once Daniel hit fourteen he kept growth-spurting, it seemed like every other week his mom had to take him out clothes shopping. A tight fitting enviro-suit seemed… uncomfortable. “Yeah, good luck with that. Sand gets everywhere. You could probably still find some in my shoes.”

[flotillamiracle]

"Well, since you've never known not having siblings, that's like me wondering what it's like to not be an only child." She crossed a leg over another, stretching. "Do you still keep in regular contact now that you're out here?"

"Deal," she nodded, amused. She didn't have too many, and she didn't think any of them were embarrassing... Life in the bubble wasn't anything super exciting, but she still managed to have fun, and had plenty of memories to look back upon when she wished. Back on the Flotilla, anyway. "Sand's that sticky? ...Maybe I'd better not go to the beach. I might get infected if that sand has bacteria."

[tavianalvia]

Right.  Birth ships.  That was what the last names meant.  Tavi shrugged at her question.  “What, make fun of it?  I mean it’s a weird soundin’ name kinda, but whatever.  Ain’t gonna judge ya, heh.”

He offered the rock back to her.  “You as bored as me?  Cause you can take a few shots at the bottles if you want.  Better than goin’ too much farther that way.  Think C-Sec’s still hanging around.”

[flotillamiracle]

"Yeah, that's about par for the reactions I get at my name." Mira snorted, shaking her head. "Sometimes more prying, but they do usually laugh a bit at the ship's name. But, I appreciate the not-judging."

She stared down at the rock, looking up at the bottles. "Yeah, I'd rather show you my bad marksmanship than deal with C-Sec right now." Taking the rock from Tavi's hand, she tossed it into the air slightly, catching it again as she took aim at the bottles with her eyes.

[edenpride-blog]

He caught the little headshake, his brow raised in apprehension, but not explanation came. Okay, then, he thought, shrugging mentally. Maybe he’d ask, but not today. Whatever she had to say it probably wasn’t pleasant, these days he made an effort to turns for the worse.

"Oh, she is," he answered, not missing a beat. "She’s always had her head screwed on straight, y’know? It’s had its advantages. Kim’s smart, though." Neil bit his lip, feeling their absence weighing heavy in his chest. "Jane and I fought more, though. Don’t quarian siblings fight?" he asked, not surprised to hear she was an only child. She had the kind of impetuous nature he’d come to associate with them.

"Nahhh, let’s look at this one. That kid was a loser," he chuckled, staring at a photo that was blissfully Neil-free. An empty beach, with black storm clouds gathered overhead. "Dad used to take photos of the beach before the rain, when all the tourists ran off. I think he got some pretty good shots, don’t you?"

[flotillamiracle]

"You sound very fond of them, in spite of what you're saying about them. I guess that's a younger sibling thing, huh?" Her head tilted in a content, curious gesture, eager to know what it was like to quarrel and have fun with people who were your kin. "Um, I wouldn't know. Nobody I know has any brothers or sisters. It's very rare for a family to have more than one child; because of space problems on the Flotilla, we can't afford having too many children."

"Loser? Maybe, but it looked cute. Aww," she pouted as the photo of what she assumed was him in the terrible-twos was quickly hidden. "That looks like a really great shot. Very artistic." Mira marvelled at the juxtaposition of the cloudy, gloomy skies with the empty, desolate beach, devoid of life but for a few sets of footprints. "I should go one day... hopefully sand doesn't get stuck everywhere in my suit."

[edenpride-blog]

"I think she was afraid one of us would stand on the screen or something. I dunno." Neil scrunched his face slightly, trying to do math. "Like two hundred years old? More like 250. It was before the first man on the moon, anyway."

His neck flushed and he mumbled a dismissive, “Yeah, whatever.” It was better than whenever Jane got her hands on an old photo of him “You had such fat baby legs!” she’d say every. Single. Time. “Kim’s older, she’s always been on the serious side, I guess. By the time I was old enough to want to play games with her, she was too cool for them. I played with Jane, instead.”

Keen to get away from the dreaded baby photos, he placed the photo at the back of the pile, only for another to make its way to the front. This time it was just little him and a face smeared with ice cream. “Oookay, we don’t have to look at that one,” he chuckled, trying to put it away before Mira got a look at it.

[flotillamiracle]

"Wow. That's quite awhile ago. Not too soon after the um..." she bit her tongue, shaking her head. "I'd think an infant could easily rip the photo apart, too, but okay."

"Ha ha," she laughed at his embarrassment, before glancing over the photo some more. "Too old to play games? She sounds a bit stuffy," Mira blurted before  realizing what she'd said. "Er, sorry. No offense meant. But I take that as meaning you had a better relationship with your sister Jane, then, if Kim never played with you. Still, it sounds nice having siblings." Sighing, she wished she lived on a planet so her family needn't have abode by the breeding rules. Friends were nice, but there was something irreplaceable about familial bonds, she felt.

"No, no, hold on, I want to see!" she giggled teasingly, having caught a glimpse of a messy kid in the hidden picture. "Who's that?"

[edenpride-blog]

"Yeah. My grandma was afraid we’d lose ‘em if we kept them on a datapad. We switched eventually." Neil propped his foot up on the coffee table, leaning back so Mira would have a better view. "Most of my memories of Earth are vague, my parents’ stories would fill me in on the details. Um, here." He tilted the photo towards her, revealing a photo of three kids on the deck of a steely grey ship.

"That’s the U.S.S. North Carolina, it’s this ship from World War II they kept in the bay for tourists. It’s ugly as hell, but, um… they had these firsthand accounts from the soldiers who served on it? Oh, and these are my sisters. Kim annnd Jane." He pointed to each in turn, Kim already twelve and looking unenthused that she had to pose with her two-year-old brother. Then Jane, who was probably just excited because Dad had promised her ice cream.

[flotillamiracle]

"Wouldn't you be just as liable to lose them on paper?... Never mind." Grateful for the extra room, she took advantage, leaning forward to see the photos clearly through her tinted visor. "How old is World War II? I don't recognize any of those designs. It must be ancient," she muttered, poring over what she could view of the old battleship, and the three children standing on board.

Quickly, the image of the two year old infant boy caught her attention. "Aww, so that must be you, then. That's adorable," she commented, cooing over the human children. "It must've been exciting having siblings. What were they like?"