The Red Book

Just somewhere to post fiction, my own, and other people's that I find on Tumblr.

My current fixation is Arcane. Wonderful show.

I an Unwilling_Blue on AO3.

I have a few things in the drafts folder, I'm thinking about starting up the queue tonight.

This started out as a companion pieces to an Andromeda story. But that story has grown a bit.

But I still wanted to post this one.

She sat looking up into the clear blue sky, a fresh coffee held in both hands. It's warmth was welcome in the early morning.

She was in a garden of sorts. A small lawn, bordered with plants. She enjoyed sitting in it, to be surrounded by something living, green. She had spent too long surrounded by death.

It wasn't real coffee of course, at least not human. It was an Asari equivalent that she had gotten a taste for. But it was not the only thing of Asari origin that she loved.

'Shepard?' Came a voice from the doorway.

Liara T'Soni. Archaeologist, information broker, and her wife.

'Good morning. I hope you didn't mind me sneaking away? I didn't want to wake you.'

'That is quite alright. I know you enjoy this time of day. I'll leave you to it.'

'Oh no, stay! Please?'

Liara smiled. And sat beside her.

A bird flew in, landing on a bird feeder. An integrated VI made a note of the species and relative health, and uploaded it a central database. Conservation was important since the war ended. The Shepard monitoring station was the pride of the conservation effort., "Shepard did her duty during the war, now she was doing it after", the slogan read.

'Same one as yesterday.' Said Shepard.

'Are you sure?'

'I recognise the wings.'

'What's on your mind, Shepard? You seemed distant last night.'

'Had a conversation with Miranda. She's been sifting through the Cerberus archive, looking for information on project Lazarus. It's the most extensive set of medical records on me in existence. Some of the doctors thought it could help treat the nerve damage.'

'I'm assuming they were not successful.'

'It may help a little, but not to the extent we hoped. But it wasn't just that. Miranda told me about another part of the project. Cerberus made a clone.'

'A clone? Of you?'

'It was supposed to be there for testing, or in case they needed spare parts. But the clone went missing, no one knows what happened to it. But she found something else in the archive. Have you heard of graybox technology?'

'Yes, it's used for memory retrieval, storage.'

'Apparently Cerberus took a copy of my memories. Everything from childhood up to the first collector attack on the Normandy. That is missing as well.'

'A missing clone and a graybox containing your memories. We can safely assume the two were taken together. But if there was someone out there claiming to be you, then I would know about it.' stated Liara.

It was not an idle statement, she was not just any information broker, she was the information broker.

'The graybox might not have been used. If the clone survived the war, it, she, might not even know who she is.' Continued Liara.

Shepard sipped her coffee, gathering her thoughts.

'Another version of me. Maybe not even knowing she's me. Can you imagine that? What's she doing now? Sipping coffee and thinking about her day?'

'It is an extraordinary thought.' Agreed Liara.

Someone else stood by the door, their voice interrupting them.

'Mommy, is everything ok?'

Their daughter knew about Shepards morning routine, it was when she took the first pain meds of the day. She would sit quietly with her coffee, letting them slowly ease her burdens. It was almost a ritual now, and she didn't want to disturb it. But it was unusual for both her mothers to be out here.

'Everything is fine, sweetheart. Come sit with us.' Replied Shepard, holding out her hand.

Their daughter joined them, holding Shepards hand and sitting between them on the bench.

'It's the same bird.' She said.

Liara looked from her to shephard, both observing as the bird pecked away at its food. Her father's daughter, no doubt, she thought.

'We should give him a name.' Said Liara.

'Mordin?' Suggested Shepard.

'I think he would have appreciated that.'

'Was he your friend? I've heard you talk about him.'

'Yes, Mordin was our friend. He was a salarian, a scientist. The smartest man in the room. But he isn't with us anymore.'

'He died?'

'Yes. He died bravely, doing something only he could do.'

'It had to be him.' Began Liara.

'Someone else might have gotten it wrong.' Finished Shepard.

They both shared a smile at the memory of it. Their daughter looked at each of them, aware that a joke had been made, but unable to understand it.

'Uncle Jack makes jokes like that.'

'Does she now!'

Uncle Jack. She remembered the day she first heard her called that. When Liara had gotten pregnant, they had gathered their friends to tell them. No, more than friends, family. Wrex had slapped the table top and laughed so loudly you could feel it as well hear it. It had been a throw away joke by Garrus, "looks like you're going to be an uncle, Jack!" To which she replied with her usual eloquent wit.

But after their daughter had been born, the name just stuck. Now she was always 'uncle' Jack.

'I do miss him. I miss all the friends we lost, Mordin, Legion, Anderson. I still think about Virmire, if I had done something different.'

'Not your fault, Shepard. No one thinks it was.' Reassured Liara.

'I see you cry sometimes.' Said their daughter. 'When you're alone. I want to hug you so you aren't sad anymore. But I didn't want you to think I was spying on you.'

Shepard wrapped her arm around her, pulling her in tight against her, and then kissed the top of her head.

'Sweetheart, you can hug me anytime you want to! Especially when you think I'm sad.'

'We should do this more often. In the morning, just sit and watch the birds.' Said Liara.

'I think I would like that.' Replied Shepard.

She sipped her coffee, surrounded by her family. It was a good feeling.