Listen. I apologize for the sheer amount of fluff that is about to come out of me for the extended future. 😅
Mara Cerrillo didn’t need to see the face behind the opaque visor to recognize her son. She had been there the day he’d graduated ICT. The Alliance had paid for a week’s long vacation to Brazil for two members of every graduate’s family. The Cerrillo family had been small for a long time, so Mara made sure that she cheered louder than anyone when it was Isaac’s turn to walk across the stage.
The paladin armor was far more weathered than it had been even since the last time she'd seen him without the aid of a dozen comm bouys. She watched him take off his helmet and marveled at the grey taking over his dark hair. She noted the deep lines on his face and the obvious weight on his shoulders and wondered if he had been letting anyone in.
Mara stood next to Major Rose, woven between a gaggle of dazed, terrified, horrified and straight up angry civilians. She watched Isaac file out of the shuttle and tried not to think of a clown car with the sheer number of noticably more-than-humans that piled out in rainbow colored hues. Her breathless chuckle was humorless as a million emotions swirled inside her.
“Go on, Cute Thing.” She swatted at the Slayer playfully, pushing him forward to greet his team. "Hey Major? Thank you."
Archer ground out a small, knowing chuckle. “Recon, then.” He flashed a fanged grin and Mara made a delighted little thrill. "It's been my pleasure, ma'am." He disappeared on a flash of blue only a heartbeat later.
-
Mara had never had the connection to the land that Isaac and his father shared. For the first time in a very long time, she noticed as she watched Isaac peel off a black glove and kneel down, Mara felt that genuine, flowers after a rain storm type of hope.
Isaac knelt to scoop a handful of fertile, dark earth before carefully rubbing it between his fingers. The act coated his wide palms in a thin layer of dirt and he shamelessly brought the hand to his face to smell it.
His bisabuelo always said it was the best way to "be where your feet are" and while he was normally far more inconspicuous about it, the sheer relief of being back, of know that they had a workable game plan and, for now, everyone was safe, had him helpless to sentimental ritual.
A small, bare hand with painted red nails trailed his armored shoulder, running down the N7 stripe to lace her manicured fingers in front of his face with his dirty, calloused hand.
Isaac's eyes squeezed shut and he pressed a kiss to the underside of the blonde woman's exposed wrist - a fury if Mara's memory hadn't failed her. For the first time in a decade, at least, a new hope began to bud again.
"I don't know why you're wanting to watch a movie anyway, you're just going to fall asleep ten minutes in."
"No I'm not."
"You always say that yet you always do."
"Not this time."
"You always say that too, yet-." Luca laughed when a pillow smacked into his head.
Eva opened her mouth and he obeyed the silent signal, picking out a Krogan Kracker and flinging it from between two fingers. She caught it easily between her lips with out taking her eyes off the screen.
"To answer your question, yes, I can feel them all." Eva shrugged, still scrolling through the list of movies and making a mental note to get some more. "I just hope the Commander deals with him, Isaac doesn't need anything else on his plate." As soon as the words left her mouth her finger froze in place and Luca could see her gaze slowly drift out of focus.
"He's still sad huh?" Lucas voice dropped an octave and his hand moved to lock his fingers with hers.
Eva blew out a breath and dropped the data pad to her stomach. "I just. I'm trying to not take offense that I can't pull him out of whatever he's bogged down in. I can't get through." A small sound of frustration escaped her lips and she concentrated on how her fingers smoothed against the edge of her oversized sweater. "So does that mean I'm not enough? Am I not doing a good job as a girlfriend? Do I not make him happy?"
"Evie, you're doing the thing."
Eva looked at her best friend with a storm building in her blue eyes. "What thing?"
"For being an expert at sorting your thoughts, you sure do get stuck in your head a lot."
"I know." The words were muffled by the pillow she had shoved onto her face. "Why do you think I had to become an expert at an imaginary mind box?"
Luca tossed another cracker in the air and he smiled when she pulled the pillow away just in time to catch it on her tongue. "Evie, you know you are everything that man needs. As much as you try to hide it, anyone with half a brain can see it."
Eva crunched and sighed again. "I just want to help him."
Sooooooo. Hey. We should grab a drink one day so you can tell me all about Isaac and this asari stripper......🤔
Eva
He made me swear a blood oath never to say a word. So, naturally, I'd love to talk. Your place or mine? I will probably have a Luca-shaped monkey on my lap. 😏
some tidbits and general outline (but feel free to alter/massage/throw out as you wish) in one place for easy reference (because we’re all short on time/inspo/sanity)
New Characters:
Hema - Drell smuggler (looks like X hello yes I’m obsessed with this drell dude) not biotic
Kira - Drell smuggler (Hema’s XO/2IC) - she’s older, skin more blue and purple tones than green. mean. biotic.
Hema’s crew - mix of all races inc three batarians, at least two asari commandoes and an ex-STG salarian with a bad attitude. The handful of humans are very young, probably too young to be where they are.
Ships:
UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttle (Luca calls it Kodi). Limited FTL travel.
Merkava Ravel - Modified Turian Freighter (Hema’s ship, well armed for a freighter)
Possible Locations:
Nemean Abyss - The Nemean Abyss is a region of space that is further away from the jurisdiction of the Citadel Council than even the anarchistic Terminus Systems. The Abyss is a lawless region, populated by pirates, mercenaries and bounty hunters. In recent years, war between rival krogan warlords has escalated, resulting in several powerful individuals declaring themselves as the one true ‘Pirate King of the Nemean Abyss’. Mercenaries and pirates have used these self-appointed monarchs to their advantage, fueling their conflict while carrying out their own operations throughout the region in secret.
Tortuga (planet) located: Milky Way / Nemean Abyss / Testudo System.
Much like the infamous Tortuga of the 17th century, it acts as a place for pirates, thieves, smugglers, and slavers to drink, boast and barter.
Thred'nakka (planet) located: Milky Way / Titan Nebula / Brikhaun System. Thred'nakka is a barren world in the far edge of the galaxy, a haven for desperate individuals seeking to disappear forever. It is a hot, arid world with little in the way of desirable climate, what little water there is being mined from the shrinking poles or deep caverns beneath the dusty surface.
Illium (planet)/Nos Astra (city) located: Milky Way / Crescent Nebula / Tasale System. Illium is infamous for its abusive labor practices and legalization of nearly everything except murder. It’s the preferred production site for weapons and pharmaceuticals that would be illegal nearly everywhere else, made even more lucrative by legal indentured servitude. Illium is renowned for glamor, luxury, and safety (provided by near-total surveillance), making it a favored tourist destination.
General outline/plot ideas:
Luca, Eva and Ben leave Berlin & rendezvous with the Merkava Ravel
Luca is told Kio is alive but in hiding due to bounty on his head
Luca offered opportunity to square his brother’s debt by taking on a job for Hema (probably steal credits/tech/object from rival smuggler/mercs/sketchy corporation) – new location/city, stealing, drinking, violence and general shenanigans ensue
Tidbits of note/plot bunnies or whatever to play with or ignore:
Kio bounty may or may not be legitimate
Hema claims to transport medical supplies for refugees and colonists the council ‘ignores’ - spoiler: he transports people (kids - possible link to Archer’s kids? SSV Berlin catches up? possibilities are endless)
Luca unaware of Hema’s real activities, he’s known Kio and Luca since they were kids on the wards/docks - used them - Luca sees him as ‘good’, trusts him (too much). Will get bullheaded/pissy if told Hema is not A Good Man.
Kio and Hema did not part on good terms (unbeknownst to Luca, Hema will hide this fact)
Hema has particular... tastes. Likes them young and usually human. Grooms them. Was particularly fond of Luca. He's very big, quite charming for a drell. His offsider Kira is ‘the bad cop’. Hema likes to pretend to be the ‘good cop.’
Hema, Kira & crew are all fair game. Kill, maim, fuck, whatever as you will
Kodiak sync’d to Luca’s biometric ‘handprint’ (he’s not letting it get trashed again). if pressed, will claim it’s stolen
no uniforms in sight (altho Luca still has his drones and his kit bc he never leaves the ship without them)
war. paint.
finding Kiosho is not definite but if they do, he won’t be happy to see Luca
again, these are just ideas whatever i had floating around, nothing set in stone but it helps me personally to have something to bounce off/ref back to so idk if it helps you - just ignore if not! have fun!
silly fluff... thing. idk doesn’t have to be canon just something that was floating around in my head for a while. took a few liberties so feel free to ignore.
--
Post War Terra Nova
The kitchen was the heart of the farmhouse and the heart was beating strong.
Mason grinned at the sight of his husband, immaculately dressed and hair perfectly styled, his head bent close to Mara in deep conversation. Mara held a cup in her hands, empty, but too engrossed in whatever she was discussing with Ethan to notice. Mason suspected it wasn’t so much the subject Ethan was waxing lyrical about, but more the cadence of his voice and the clear, precise tones of his accent. Mason could sympathize – Ethan could spent hours reading out the dreariest Alliance regulations and Mason wouldn’t mind one bit as long as he could lose himself in that voice.
A clatter on the stairs behind him had him turning towards the porch. Luca pushed his way into the kitchen, the screen door banging behind him as he came in. His skin was flushed and sweat beaded along his brow as he ran a hand through his curls. In his white tank top it was easy to see the new muscle forming from the hours of hard labor on the farm.
“Why is it that you’re the super soldiers with crazy strength and incredible stamina, but I’m the one out there with Mason and Isaac digging holes for the fences?” he complained, draping himself dramatically over Ben’s back where Ben sat at the long kitchen table helping Eva shell peas. It was weirdly domestic and a sight Mason wasn’t sure he would ever get used to.
Ethan looked up and smirked. “Because we’re pretty,” he said.
Luca looped his arms around Ben’s neck and perched his chin on his head. Ben exchanged a long suffering glance with Eva but didn’t push the engineer away.
“So pretty,” Luca yawned in agreement, rubbing a cheek against Ben’s hair. “Kalahira, but I’m exhausted. I don’t think I can make it another step.”
“You’d better,” Eva shot him an amused smirk. Then she wrinkled her nose. “You kind of stink.”
“That’s sweat from working so hard, Evie. Very manly, thank you very much.”
“Stinky,” Eva laughed. She nudged Ben. “Go take him to get cleaned up, Ben.”
“Yeah,” Luca brightened. He was all but sliding into Ben’s lap now, a sly smile and a waggle of eyebrows. “Take me to get cleaned up. You have to carry me though. Suddenly my legs don’t work.”
“Bloody hell,” Ethan muttered, glancing away.
Mason laughed and squeezed Ethan’s shoulder. “Hey, Luca worked hard today. I was impressed.”
Ethan didn’t look convinced and pointedly ignored Luca being carted off by Hurricane into the hall. They passed Isaac coming into the kitchen as they went, his hair damp and a towel around his shoulders. Isaac paused by the table, leaning down to give Eva what was supposed to be a quick kiss, except that her fast hands latched onto his neck and held him in place for a kiss that was significantly more than just a peck on the lips.
“Ah, newlyweds,” Mason joked, catching Mara’s eye and winking. “I remember what that was like.”
“Well, here’s hoping for some grandbabies sometime soon,” Mara sniffed. “I’m not getting any younger, you know.”
Isaac and Eva broke their kiss to exclaim together. “Mom!”
“We talked about this,” Isaac added as he straightened up.
“You talked,” Mara dismissed him, but her eyes were bright with mirth. “I still want grandbabies.”
“You have grandbabies,” Eva said pointedly. She nodded at the two dogs curled up in the corner. Gus, sensing attention on him, raised his head and thumped his tail happily against the floorboards, tongue lolling out.
“Not quite the same,” Mara laughed but she was soon distracted from that subject by Mason pressing a fresh mug of tea into her palm. “Oh, Mason, you do know just how to make a lady feel pampered.”
“I get that a lot,” Mason teased, laughing again when Mara’s cheeks stained the faintest pink. He was falling in love with Mara in a whole new way, wishing this woman could have been his mother. Wishing this whole family in the farmhouse could have been his.
Something of his thoughts might have shown in his face because Ethan was suddenly there, curling an arm around his waist.
“Babe,” he protested. “I haven’t showered either. We just came in.”
“I know,” Ethan murmured, running a palm over the dark stubble along Mason’s jaw that was only a few days shy of a beard. “Very manly.”
Mason chuckled but let Ethan kiss him, just as Mara chimed up, “if you’re handing out kisses, Sabre then I’d like one too.”
Ethan drew back, a quirk of his mouth that made Mason struggle not to laugh more. “Well, it seems my work is never done.”
“Mom,” Isaac and Eva groaned again.
--
Later, after a loud, hearty meal and a few too many sips of wine from Nico’s ancient wine cellar, Mason and Isaac poured over the map spread across the table.
“And this trail?” Mason asked, pointing a finger to one section that appeared to be nothing but forest and mountainous terrain. “How many clicks is this one?”
“This one,” Isaac nodded. “This one just might give a phoenix a run for their money. Its rough terrain, and a good eighty clicks to the summit. You’d probably smash it out in a few hours.”
“Less, actually,” Mason mused, running his eyes over the map. It wasn’t a brag, just a fact.
“Will your husband be joining you?”
“Ethan?” Mason snorted. “No, running trails is definitely not his forte. Or running at all. But why don’t you?”
“I’m an old man these days, Huntsman. I doubt I could keep up.”
“I’ll pair it back for you. It’s no fun running the trails alone all the time. And I doubt Luca is going to let Ben out of his sight long enough to join me.”
Isaac chuckled. “You’d be right about that.”
Mason grinned then turned back to the map. Terra Nova was beautiful, wild, and rugged in a way he imagined the Wild West back on Earth might have been once. But it wasn’t without its dangers. And Isaac’s farm, nestled in one of the most fertile and beautiful valleys, was prosperous and thriving in a way that had too many covetous eyes turned towards it.
“You’re not really thinking about the trails, are you?” Isaac said quietly. He was mindful of the activity nearby, his mother perched on Ethan’s knee, giggling over a glass of wine while Luca played one of his melodious love songs he’d written for Ben he had no hope of Ben understanding. Eva was tucked up on the couch, one of the dogs gazing up adoringly at her as she scratched their heads while Ben sprawled on his stomach on the floor at her feet.
Mason gave Isaac a glance. He wasn’t surprised that Isaac had picked up the thread of his thoughts. He was an Alliance admiral after all, trained to protect, trained to be always thinking five steps ahead. Of course he was aware of the dangers.
“Your neighbors. Are they as prosperous as you?”
“No,” Isaac shook his head. “But they don’t have my mother, or a Luca. Even though we share what we have.”
“And the defensive satellites? Are they in orbit yet?”
Isaac’s silence was telling. Mason didn’t need him to say more.
“You need to keep your guard up. The war is over but not everyone got the memo.”
“I know,” Isaac answered, his eyes suddenly hard as he studied the map. “But right now… Well, I don’t need to tell you that I’m glad to have a few phoenix around.”
[ARGUS/MAU1qeclink/ time since landfall connection 49:35:15. FWD by Switchboard]
Yo, hoss, final recon assessment attached to this. Jarvis should have enough to update the maps of Scott City. I got in as far as I could. Inner 5k of the city’s completely destroyed. Reaper control extends about 25k out from borders, but it’s sparse.
I would have sent this sooner but found some civilians. Hotwired an abandoned truck and brought them west to coordinates
There’s someone at location who claims to be your mom but she’s way too young and good looking for that. But here she is. (Aside) Ma’am, right here.
“Your friend is pretty cute. I’m thinking of keeping him, miho. ...... we have a lot to catch up on, so I hope....
Be careful, Isaac. Please.”
Isaac made some sort of sharp inhale and closed his eyes, squeezing them shut against the sudden sting and leaning his chair back from the main console as if he’d been pushed.
Eva was on him a flash of blue later. He pulled her into his lap with his eyes still closed and buried his face into her chest as she twisted to comb her fingers through his hair.
“Isaac.” She did well to hide the fear in her voice, but he knew her better than that. “What happened?”
The captain could only shake his head, still trying to reign in the wave of desperate emotion that threatened to swallow him whole. He focused his breathing, savoring the scent of her to keep his feet metaphorically planted as he gestured to the small screen.
Eva squinted, trying to make sense of it. “From Argus? I just see the attachment. What was the message?
Isaac took a shaky breath and composed himself enough to manipulate the volume controls, replaying the message loud enough for the small group gathered in their anxious pre-battle vigil in the CIC, everyone eagerly awaiting further reporting from the Major.
His reddened eyes watched Eva’s face as Archer’s gravel voice played.
“Marie, I might literally kiss your boyfriend.” His heavy hand squeezed Eva’s thigh with the first genuinely hopeful smile he’d had in weeks. “Looks like we have a safe place to land. Pack up.” He barked louder, tapping a few keystrokes to send a ship-wide ready-alert. “Shuttle’s hot in 15. Be there or we’ll see you after. Luca. You’re up.”
"Hey." Eva's arms wrapped around Isaac's neck as she slipped into his lap and nuzzled her face into his neck. "You okay?"
Isaac read the question one more time before closing his messages. "Do you ever have trouble with the quarterly psych evals?"
Eva hummed against his adams apple. "Not much. They get me on the sleeping." She pulled back to meet his eyes. "Why?"
His sigh sounded a little more wheezy than he was comfortable with. He put his hands on Eva's hips to pull her closer and that seemed to help.
Her manicured fingertips traced the lines of his semi-permanent furrowed brow as his eyes drifted shut, leaning into her touch. Eva scratched at his scalp and pressed kisses to his jaw. By the time his arms abandoned the terminal to wrap around her small frame, he hugged her into his lap and let their weight lean back his chair.
It wasn't so much a hug as it was Isaac clinging to her but they stayed that way for several long minutes before either of them spoke.
"Would you still want me if I wasn't a captain anymore?"
