[b]21855 CE, Somewhere in Taiwan…[/b] “I still can’t believe this is only your third visit to Earth, Nair…” came the husky voice of a human female. She was short and bookish looking - but had a pretty face hidden somewhere behind the spirals of her natural hair which seemed to spring out like the mane of a lion. “I guess I never got the time.” She offered her friend a warm smile as she embraced her tightly. “Eleanor… Where are we? And why?” she chuckled, her soft amber eyes darting around the scene. A busy pedestrian street under the canopy of several market stalls protecting them from the lashing rain. A low growl of thunder overhead was followed by a flash of lightning which momentarily lit up the whole street. “I’m trying one last ditch effort to get you to stay of course!” Eleanor took Naryxa by the hand and walked her into a tiny little shop, right in the centre of the street. It wasn’t anything particularly special. If anything, it was dingy and a bit old-fashioned looking. The Asari wasn’t quite convinced by it “- and you chose this place to do it?” She walked further into the store, noticing that it was some kind of restaurant, she watched as humans behind a counter shook up cups, and poured little tiny jelly-like balls into drinks “Elle, what is this..?” she asked with another chuckle as she turned to look at her friend “it’s a bloody delicacy! It's called bubble tea. If you try this stuff, you’ll never want to leave the Milky Way.” Eleanor knew that nothing would make her friend stay, and quickly tears started to cloud up her sight, which Naryxa noticed - stepping to the human and once more wrapping her arms around her, running her hand over her hair comfortingly. “Alright then, I guess I’ll try it…” ----- The two sat with their drinks in a window seat, watching the people outside dart through the rain - ducking under the cloth canopies with umbrellas clutched in their hands. It was hard to see through the windows. The bright and multicoloured lights outside seemed to fog it all up - and mixed with the rain which was cascading like a waterfall down the glass just made the people look like shapes. Naryxa sucked through the straw and several of the tapioca pearls came whooshing through the tube into her mouth - it caught her by surprise in a pleasant way. After she had finished chewing the seemingly pointless little balls, she remarked politely “alright, I guess it’s good. I guess I [b]have[/b] to stay…" she emphasised on some words, letting them hang on her lips. "But it’s not like I’m going to see you now, is it?” Eleanor beamed. “So you know then? I got accepted. The Turian’s were happy with my proposal. I leave for Palaven in 3 weeks… I’m going to live with them for 2 whole years writing my paper. Can you believe it?" Naryxa sat pensively for a while, stirring the contents of the tea with her straw. [“You know, Elle. You’re going to live such a fantastic life." Her voice trailed off as she spoke, eyes looking up from the street to what she could make out of the stars "..In what will feel like a night to me, your life will play out, your children and their children will have their days in the sun - accomplish great things, and I’ll sleep through all of it. When I wake up, you’ll just be stardust…” “Cripes Nair,” Eleanor interjected with a loud scoff “don’t get all poetic on me, it really doesn’t suit you. Stick to being serious.” "Don’t get me wrong. It’s just a very hard pill to swallow... It’s, very strange to think that very soon I’m going to be in Andromeda, but for you it’s stretches away and centuries… we’ll be centuries apart.” “I suppose that’s one way of looking at it…” Eleanor sighed as she too went back to her drink, before looking back and slapping Naryxa’s thigh excitedly. “Okay, okay… You’re done, now follow me!” The human took her hand again, guiding her through the still busy streets of Taiwan. Naryxa could feel the bubbles jostling around in her stomach - sloshing around in the milk tea. A regretful decision it had been to not eat food before consuming such a beverage. She was led with haste to what looked like an underground bunker. “Are you sure this is us?” she asked her friend who was already prizing open the door, only to be greeted by one of the most glamourous looking human women that Naryxa had ever seen. A massive coif of blonde hair, standing up inches above the forehead; and the make-up! It was complex artistry, such striking and bold colours all over her face - the same neon pink of the leotard that was pinching in the toned and taut body. Something was odd - Naryxa sensed that this ‘woman’, was a human man - and her senses were correct when she began to speak - it was only then that she recognised the voice of a human mercenary she had once fought alongside during a mission as a Huntress. “Goddess... Burt Macklin, is that you?” she asked, with a gasp. “Not tonight darling, tonight I’m just Effy. Get yourself in.. We’ve got a right old surprise for you!” She couldn’t resist, and she walked in - suddenly seeing the faces of people she’d met and known throughout her life. People she’d worked alongside, other Asari she had danced with, Huntresses she had fought with, and just… People. From all walks of life, from all races. They had all been stuffed into this basement on a sweaty, humid night in Taiwan waiting for her arrival. The rest of the night was spent drinking, dancing, and laughing the night away with these people who had, for some reason, cared enough about her to see her off to Andromeda in a way that only they knew how… With a party crammed to the very brim with debauchery. ----- [b]Luna - The Evening after the Night Before[/b] Well. This was it. The party on Luna to celebrate, and say goodbye, and get ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. The Asari didn’t feel much like partying, and instead sat quietly by herself away from the ruckus. The ruckus that was making her head ache even more so. The evening previous had definitely been one of those ‘Last Night on Earth’ type of deals that she had heard so much about. The reality had proven to be so much better than the theoretical. Flashbacks kept popping into her mind. She could remember jump splitting, slow splitting, backflipping, and cartwheeling across a bar while her guests took shots of alcohol. All manner of behaviour was thrown around the room in spades that night. Zero inhibitions, after all - it was her last night on Earth… In only hours she would be dead in the Milky Way. Why not go out with a bang? She remembered screaming out the lyrics of a song she’d never heard before, but was famous on Earth - something about living on a prayer, something with an excessive use of “whoah.” Her throat still felt a little hoarse from it. The memories that she could recall by vision, were the ones that she seemed to feel through her body. They caused butterflies to surge through her stomach, a smile to creep onto her face. She must have kissed every one of her guests, each a passionate and final exchange. Then of course there was the human couple that she had managed to tear the clothes off and get tangled up with through the early hours of the morning… Yes, that was exactly how a last night should be spent. Unlike the rest of the recruits, she had nobody here to say goodbye too. She’d done it all already, and she just had to wait for them to start opening the Cryo Pods, just one evening of listening to everyone else's goodbyes, watching their farewells and observing a cacophony of fragile emotions. Anger from some, happiness, sadness, grief. For those hours between the party she had what seemed like all the time in the world to think about her life, her accomplishments in the Milky Way. Time seemed, at that moment, like such a fickle thing. Hours now felt like days, and yet centuries would soon pass in what would feel like hours. “Time to put the brandy down…” she muttered to herself. Finally her wait was over. With one last long look out at the Milky Way, she climbed into her Pod - her nest for the next 600 years, and let the lights go out on her present life for the last time. She hoped she would dream and relive every detail of her last few nights in the galaxy for the six long centuries that she would be sleeping. ----- [b]Eos, Andromeda[/b] Awake. Life, suns, stars, sky. Ground - sand, water. Heat. Smells, sound. Life. There was already life here. Already the Andromeda Initiative had been through so much. Naryxa had slept through it - and as a matter of fact had only been woken from Cryo the day prior to this - the day prior to her being brought down to Prodromos. All she could see was life and opportunity. She had heard the rumours and stories about the Kett, the Remnant. It was just a case of ‘he said she said’ - with each new time she heard about it, a little more embellishment was added. She suspected that she would see and experience the truth for herself soon enough. But for now, there was Yoga to be done. Over 6 centuries in cryo is enough to stiffen a body beyond belief. She could feel tightness throughout every inch of her being. So her first morning on Eos was spent stretching, breathing, and meditating under the blazing sun. It was exhilarating and peaceful. She felt each worry and thought drift away with every pose she contorted herself into. Each pose getting easier after the last. She began to wonder if she was the first person in the Andromeda galaxy to perform Yoga. Soon it was time to form up and meet the rest of the APEX team she had been banded together with. So far, she hadn’t really had a chance to meet and form a connection with anyone since waking. This would be nice - new people, new friends, a new adventure. She walked out from the barracks, a trust M-5 Phalanx at her back, nestled alongside her Vindicator. She was excited, all of the relaxation had gone out of the window when she approached her new comrades. Then there was the Angara. She waited for the out-of-breath Krogan to get his words out, before she introduced herself to the group; “My name is Naryxa Kesir. It is truly wonderful to be here with you…”