Darkness swirled and morphed, a gelatinous cube of shadow. There was nothing, nothing except the blank void that sat in endless silence. Then there was a light breaking through in a sodium-silvery haze, that was almost too painful to look at. It felt like a lot of things to Nik, getting punched in the face, getting dunked into a bucket of icy water, getting burned alive but then it all stopped. His eyes fluttered open as he looked up at an unfamiliar ceiling. The room was cool and the feeling of a warm breeze drifted in from somewhere. He slowly got out of bad as his feet met carpet that felt strange beneath his feet. He certainly didn't seem to be on Omega anymore.
The room he was well decorated to say the least. There was the bed he was just on the sheets a pristine white. The walls were lined with shelves upon shelves of books and beside that there was a small desk on one corner of the room with a picture frame on it. Nik walked over his footsteps heavy as every movement of his body felt he was encased in concrete. He reached out and picked up the picture frame and Nik shook his head, because it just had to be some sort of coincidence. No, no this wasn't real this couldn't be real. He opened the door and went to explore the rest of the house, he walked by an open window and he looked outside. He knew this place from a long time ago, an expanse of green and fields stretching out into the distance as an idyllic blue sky floated above. This was all wrong, he was in the middle of a fight, he needed to get back.
”Oh Nik is that you? Could you come in here?” Nik entire body froze his heart stopped beating and time itself seemed to stop as he heard that voice. Almost transfixed, enchanted he felt his feet moving towards where the sound was coming from. His nose picked up the smell of something food being cooked as he approached what figured to be the kitchen. And she was there in front of him. She was a tall asari with a small smile upon her lips as she turned to see the Drell at the table of this small quaint even kitchen was a small child that looked almost exactly like her mother but in a smaller form. Her expression turned from joy to worry as she saw Nik’s face and she approached the Drell and laid a hand upon his cheek as she spoke.
”Are you not feeling well Nik?” Nik took a step back peeling away from the hand even though it felt so real.The face of worry soon became that of concern and soon the little child rose up as well standing next to her mother and looking at Nik expectantly. Nik took another step back as he mind ran. None of this was real, he tried to tell himself it was just another mind game. Like it always was this was nothing at all. But he still couldn't get the feeling of her hand out of his head. He stepped back again but he found himself against a wall with nowhere to go his eyes looking but at a pair of curious blue of the little girl.
”You’re dead. You’re fucking dead. I saw you die!” Nik shouted to the girl shriveled up and head behind her mother. She did not seem to be angry through, just disappointed as she shook her head and spoke to him.
”I never died Nik. You managed to put your quest for revenge behind you and so it never happened. After that we left just like we always said we would and moved out here. It’s everything you ever wanted.” As she explained it Nik these new memories flashed through his head of a different time. There they were buying the land, building the house, everything flashing through hell he even seemed happy, happier than he had been in ages. More memories followed the birth of the kid, Nik holding the small blue bundle in his arms, how happy he felt it all came through in an instinct and then it vanished as quickly as the breeze. Nik swept out with his arm in front of him keeping them back as he spoke.
”What the hell is this! Nik explained his voice getting more angry as he was concentrated in getting back. He needed to get back to his squad, he needed to back and help them and whatever this was, whatever this was supposed to be this wasn't his life, it wasn't his life at all. She smiled calmly and approached him again and rested her hands on his shoulder as he looked at her frozen. The smile she gave him was a sad one, knowing and filled with pain and regret. Her eyes met his and Nik remembered a time long ago when he was happy and when things seemed to be going well. Back when he was still working on the Citadel. This was mirrored with moments of sorrow and pain, a memory of a gunshot and a bullet meant for him hitting her in the chest. And then nothing as this world faded away from him, like wet paint dripping down her entire body dissolving before his eyes. While all he could do was watch and stare.
”It’s what could have been Nik.....”
The Drell came to with a sudden jerk his eyes opening as his body spasmed with life. The first view that greeted him was an unpleasant one to say the least. Jekk's four eyes were staring down at him with an almost predatory grin upon his face. Nik let out a groan as he shook his head, waking up from one bad dream and thrust into another as he pushed himself slowly up off of the ground. The Batarian reached out a hand which Nik grabbed and helped host him to his feet. He was definitely back on Omega and the stench of death was almost overwhelming, though he couldn't hear the gunshots anymore which was strange. He looked to be in some sort of makeshift medical area. His head was pounding and he reached up to feel a large bandage pressed against it. Jekk looked at him and laughed to himself, putting a strong hand on his shoulder as he spoke.
You, you look like you just seen a ghost." The Batarian explained with a laugh as he tongue danced over his sharpened teeth still polished to an impeccable white even as the rest of his face was covered in grime and sweat . He was dressed in full combat armor with the symbol of the Revenants emblazoned on the front of it. It was covered in dust, blood and blast residue. It seemed that whatever fighting that had occurred while he was knocked out
”Yeah.... you can say something like that.” Nik muttered as he and Jekk stepped away from the medical area. The streets looked like they came from hell and back. Bullets holes and explosive craters marked the floors at random intervals, blood of all colors mixed and congealed together. All around Nik could see Jekk’s men moving about the wreckage some dragging bodies away, others checking their guns and the rest just sitting around waiting for their next orders to come down the wire. The chatter intermingled with the sounds of fighting further in the distance somewhere.
”So pardon me by asking but what the fuck has happened here?””Well you went and met the business end of a wall and got concussed but I’m fairly sure you remember that much. But lucky for you at least your squad managed to hold out long enough for me and my boys to break through the flank and hit them in the rear routing them. We brought you back here and it's been about three week since then. We’ve pushed forward far enough that the Crimson Fist are starting to get worried and by my estimates your just up and ready for the final push.” Jekk explained as he continued to lead the Drell through the makeshift basecamp.
”Three weeks, I’ve been out for nearly a month? How many mercs does the damn Krogan have?” The Drell muttered. Three weeks was a damn long time to be fighting against one man and his self funded army. He was surprised that Jekk’s men had not all either died or quit by now. But then again Jek did not necessarily seem like the type that would understand the plight of deserters.
”Yeah you lazy ass. I paid for the best and all I get is a knocked out frog sleeping on the job. Though your squadmates have been of help recently. The explosive happy one has been helping out with our sappers to get rid of the bastard’s fortifications to clear the path to him, the sniper though not to happy about it has been doing some recon and “getting rid” of a few of the Crimson Fist lieutenants breaking down the leadership structure pretty damn good shot he is. The Quarian is a damn good field medic and because of her a lot of good men haven't killed over and died yet. Finally the Asari crazy bitch that one is so we keep on throwing her on with our strike teams figure let he ripped the heads off of the other guys before she kills us.” Jek explained with a laugh though Nik may have been hearing things but he did sound a bit grateful.
”Hmph well at least you're putting them to “good work” I guess. Not that I mind our chat Jekk but if you could lead me to where they are so that we can finish our job for you that would be just wonderful.” Nik explained in a tone somewhere between anxious and tired wondering when he could just be done with it all.
”Relax boy, relax. Where the hell did you think I was bring you the carnival? They should all be up by the barricade waiting for the next orders to come down. And my doctors said that it seemed it was just about time for you to wake up so I’d figure I’d give them a present before I sent you all on a suicide mission. Ah shit get down!” Jek explained to Nik as an alarm rang out and the Batarian dragged him to the side of a building and waited as moments later explosives rained down on the street before them turning up dirt, rock and corpses with each hit. Nik pondered on Jekk’s words as the barrage continued if was if drell was still supposed to suspect that he was a great guy and that the words suicide mission meant nothing to him as if it was just a day to day occurrence which frankly from appearance seemed to be the case these days. Eventually the explosions subsided and the alarm rang out a second time signaling the all clear.
”Bastard set up the motor teams about a week ago and they keep on hitting us like clockwork. Seems he’s starting to get scared because he is pulling out all the stops now.””I see, seems like he is staying true to his Warlord title then. Burning and salting the earth before he gets taken down. Hmmm guess its better than running right?” ”Yeah well at least he is making it fun. And look we have arrived.” The Batarian explained as they reached a small barricade of discarded metal and scrap built up to block off the rest of the street which Nik could only presumed headed into Crimson Fist Territory. At least a dozen small fires were set up on the street with soldier’s all around them. The soliders returning to their positions after the bombardment some dragging the unfortunate few caught in the blast away. Though the pair's attention was drawn almost immediately to the one in the center. The rest of the squad was all there talking amongst themselves. Frankly they all looked like they had seen better days covered in dirt, dust, blood in similar condition to their Batarian employer. But they were all there and to that Nik let out a silent sigh of relief. Jekk walked up to them with his characteristic swagger and a huge shit eating grin on his face.
”Oh if it isn't my favorite group of killers! And look uncle Jekk’s brought you a present and it isn't even your fucking birthdays!” ”Yeah, guess I’m not dead yet.”
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