Mass Effect - Adventures on Omega Ch. 07

Axl comes up to the casket as he leans over and kisses Slayde's cheek and says, "Goodbye my friend, my sister. I love you."

Looking at Alley as he breathes in and looks at Alley and says, "Kathka needs to see her body, she needs the closure."

Looking at Alley, as he says, "You both need this, when Kathka is here I'll give you both some time with her alone."

Alley walks over as she touches Axl's arm and says, "We will get every last one of those sons of bitches that did this to her, I promise you."

She pulls herself away from Axl. He may not blame Alley but she sure is blaming herself. Alley walks over and looks down at Slayde as she runs her hand over her cheek.

"I'm so sorry mom, I should have been the one laying in the box not you. You had so much life left to you and it was cut short. By a mistake from my past."

Leaning closer to Slayde's face as she kisses her cheek. Holding back her tears. Alley could feel them burning in her eyes but she wouldn't allow them to fall.

"Please go get Kathka, I know you stalling because you're trying to protect her. But did you see what Kathka just did," Axl said.

Lowering his head and says, "This has changed her already, we both know that."

"Yeah I can," Alley says pulling away and walking out of the cargo hold. Going to get Kathka.

Kathka is in the cockpit of the firecracker and is piloting the shuttle ship back to the Nova Cruiser. She pilots it into the hangar bay and lands the firecracker, successfully. This was Kathka's very first mission flying the firecracker on her own without Clyger to navigate or guide her.

Part of her is proud of herself, but the other part is sad. As she sits in the pilot's chair and realizes that her friend has died. Kathka's ears both lowered and not standing up like they normally would be. She is crying and sniffling in her chair.

Alley walks up placing a hand on Kathka's shoulder and says, "Sweetie, would you come down to the cargo hold with me?"

Continuing to rub Kathka's shoulders as Alley says, "I think it would be good for you to come and say good bye to Slayde."

Kathka looks up at Allet as she sniffles and looks into Alley's eyes as she stands up and says, "Yes let's go, but don't let me go."

"I won't I promise baby girl," Alley says smiling helping her as she walks Kathka towards the cargo hold with her. Holding onto Kathka's arm.

When Kathka and Alley arrive in the cargo hold there is an Outlanders soldier from the Nova Cruiser on board, and they are trying to take Slayde's body onto the Nova Cruiser. Axl is standing in front of it and is saying, "No, not until her family says goodbye to her properly."

"We need to get her body into proper storage," the Soldier says, as Axl says to him, "That is my family lying in that casket, you will respect her and do what I fucking say, or you will end up in one right beside of her."

He just nods and says, "Ok fine, I was just following orders."

"Fuck your orders and get the fuck out of here," Axl responded.

Looking at Axl and Kathka as he says, "Sorry about that you two."

Alley pulls out one of her daggers throwing it at the foot of the soldier stopping him in front of the casket, "You touch it and the next time will go in your hand."

She looks over at Axl and says, "Get him out of here."

Alley says keeping her voice calm the soldier still standing there by the casket.

The Soldier and Axl both leave the cargo hold, as Axl closes the door behind him and is now standing guard at the door. This leaves Kathka and Alley the time they need to say their final goodbyes to Slayde.

They walk slowly towards the casket, as Kathka sees Slayde's body inside of it. Her eyes flicker as her ears point downward, as she leans and kneels at the side of it as she takes hold of Slayde's hand. Kathka then looks at her and smiles and says, "She looks beautiful doesn't she."

"She had such a fire to her, you have no idea how much I looked up to you," Kathka says, "But you would have been proud of me Mom. I know someway some part of you was with me. It was like you were in the gunnery chair beside me. "

"How am I going to go on like this without you," Kathka says, as she sobs and lays her head onto Slayde's chest as she cries a bellowing loud cry that echoes throughout the hallway of the firecracker.

(To be continued...)