Dramatis personae

Valni Severan – Turian female – Spectre

Gabriella Daniels – Human female – Former Cerberus Engineer

Kenneth Donnelly – Human male – Former Cerberus Engineer

Erata D'Ceni – Asari maiden – Structural Engineer

Zaalia Gerumis – Turian female – 2nd Lieutenant/Cabalite

Lia'Vael vas Moreh – Quarian female – Special Projects Researcher

Urdnot Chaill – Krogan male – Aerospace Engineer

Vica Severan – Turian female – Retired Envoy

Alfren Severan – Turian male – Surgeon

Naami Kamau – Human female – Alliance Spec-Ops Commander

Elaine Harrison – Turian female – Alliance N2 Sergeant-Major

Commander Shepard – Human ****** – Former Spectre/Prisoner

Garrus Vakarian – Turian male – Senior Advisor on Reaper Forces

Tali'Zorah vas Normandy – Quarian female – Admiralty Board Member

Daro'Xen vas Moreh – Quarian female – Admiralty Board Member

Jien Garson – Human female – Andromeda Initiative Founder

Alex Ryder – Human male – Human Pathfinder

Tiran Kandros – Turian male – Security Expert

Vetra Nyx – Turian female – Drifter Mercenary

Jona Sederis – Asari matron – Mercenary Leader/Fugitive

Aisa T'Moirai – Asari matron – Former Asari Commando

Djamil Leptis – Turian male – Head Artificer

Antoni Cressoni – Turian male – Marine Commander

Captain Verress – Turian female – Captain of Arcadias

A Matter of Life and Death

PROLOGUE

Severan Estate, Luciana Province, Palaven – 17:10 LT – 30th April 2167 CE

Valni had fond memories of her childhood.

At nine-years old she had few cares in life. Her free time was spent in good-natured, if boisterous, rivalry with her siblings, and kept in check by her parents. Her mother was soft-spoken but keenly intelligent, and her father, though strict, was always quick to smile – especially when Valni performed a new kata successfully. Valni was happiest when she was training. Her only cause for concern was a niggling feeling that maybe she shouldn't love violence as much as she did. But when she was sparring with her brothers and the adrenaline was flowing she had to admit that beating up her brothers was so much fun!

Her older brother, Avitus, squirmed as he tried to free himself from Valni's armlock.

"Dad! Make her stop!" Avitus cried out, his shrill voice slightly muffled by the fact he was face down in the grass.

"It's your arm, you stop her," Titus replied.

Maintaining a watchful eye on the match, Titus Severan, Special Ops Commander and Governor of the Northern Provinces (and a formidable martial artist, if he did say so himself) gauged his son and daughter's performance; amusement, and no little pride, making the tan skin around his eyes crinkle as he tried to suppress a smile.

Standing beside him, Titus' old friend and Tribune of the Hierarchy, Gaius Alicix watched the display with interest. The Tribune had known Titus for nearly twenty years and trusted him with his life – Titus had even saved Gaius' life on more than one occasion, so if there was one thing he could assured of it was a warm welcome at the Severan residence.

On Titus' right, Avitus' twin brother, Arrian, shouted words of encouragement (or derision, depending on who was winning), while Titus' partner, Vica, lounged on the grass opposite, holding their youngest, Alfren, in her arms; the six-year old eager to jump in with his junior medi-kit and patch up the wounded.

"Do you yield?" Valni asked Avitus.

"No! Ow!" Avitus bawled as Valni applied more pressure. "That hurts! Alright, I yield. I yield!" Avitus tapped his free hand rapidly on the ground.

Valni immediately released his arm. Avitus struggled to his feet. He was muttering under his breath and held his right arm tenderly.

"Are you hurt, Avi?" his mother asked.

Avitus shook his head, but his pained expression said otherwise.

Ever the helper, Alfren leapt to his feet and ran to his older brother, a tube of medi-gel clasped in his tiny hand. Avitus recoiled from his younger brother as if he'd been burnt.

"I don't need it," Avitus said stubbornly.

"Avitus," Vica said, her tone suggesting she wasn't in the mood to argue, "if you've pulled a muscle, let him help."

Reluctantly, Avitus allowed Alfren to smear his arm with the alien-made medi-gel. The relief was immediate and Avitus' expression relaxed.

When Alfren was finished, Avitus mumbled his thanks, then flashed a stern glare at Valni before running off to join his twin.

Gaius chuckled and turned to Titus. "Visiting is such an education," he said.

"You're always welcome here, Gaius," Titus told him, "we value your visits."

"Even if they are unannounced," Vica said, reclining on her elbow, her mandibles twitching as a wry smile played on her lips.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting something?" Gaius asked.

"Not at all," Vica replied, "but I take it you're not here simply for our 'educational' value."

Gaius smiled. "Am I that transparent?" he asked. Vica inclined her head. Gaius nodded admiringly; Vica had always been a shrewdly perceptive woman. The Tribune reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved a slim box. He handed it to Titus. "I know you're not one for ceremonies."

Titus opened the lid. Inside was a circular medal inscribed with the Hierarchy insignia.

"The Palladium Star?" Titus asked in surprise.

"You repelled the Batarian pirates over Aephus. You've earned it."

"We drove the batarians away from the shipyards. But I didn't capture them. And I certainly didn't earn this."

"The Primarch disagrees."

"This came from the Primarch?"

"On my recommendation."

Titus snapped the box lid shut. "You shouldn't have done that, Gaius."

"What are old soldiers for?"

"The squad deserves this more than I do."

Gaius shrugged. "You can try to give it them but you know they won't accept it."

Titus grunted, reluctantly agreeing with his friend. Titus' squad were unwaveringly loyal and proud to a fault. There was no way they would agree to take an award meant for someone else.

Gaius patted Titus' arm. "I'm sure you'll think of somewhere appropriate to stick it," he said.

"One place does come to mind!" Titus said, smiling. "Why do I put up with you?"

"I ask myself the same question, old friend," the Tribune replied with a grin.

"This calls for a celebration," Vica said as she rose to her feet. "Would you like a drink?" she asked Gaius.

The Tribune grinned. "As if you have to ask."

Vica led Gaius back towards the house.

Titus didn't follow them, instead he called over his four children.

"What's that?" Alfren asked, pointing at the medal box.

Titus took the Palladium Star out of its case. The children gazed at the medal in awe.

"They gave you the Star?" Arrian said, his mouth open.

"What was that for?" Avitus asked.

"You must be proud, dad," Valni added.

"Only of my family and my squad. Pride in yourself is vanity. It leads to overconfidence and an arrogant spirit. That is the path of destruction."

"Sorry," Valni said contritely.

"I want one of you to take charge of this for me," Titus said. "But who should look after it?"

A chorus of 'Me! Me!' filled the air as Avitus, Valni and Arrian all raised their hands, seeking their father's approval. Titus waited patiently until the battle for supremacy had died down.

"A true Hierarchy soldier always thinks of others before themselves, and puts the squad's needs ahead of their own," Titus said.

He turned to Alfren.

Smiling, Titus knelt down and pinned the medal on the aspiring medic's chest.

"You keep this safe until I come to reclaim it, alright?" he said.

Alfren's broad grin lit up his small face. Alfren thanked his father, and then turned and dashed off to show Vica his prize.

The disappointed trio watched Alfren run towards the house, with their father trailing after him.

Avitus pouted. "I'm the oldest, I should have the Star," he complained.

"You're not," Valni said. "Vereen's the oldest."

"But she's not here, is she. She's at boot camp, which makes me the oldest."

"You're only a few minutes older than me," Arrian pointed out.

"Yeah, older but not wiser," Valni told Avitus. "I can still kick your ass!"

"I let you win," Avitus said.

"In your dreams!" Valni scoffed.

Arrian gave his brother a shove. "You're just jealous 'cause she's got bigger horns than you!"

"I do not!" Valni protested.

"They're bigger than Reen's," Arrian told her.

"Yeah, Val wants to be a boy when she joins the Hierarchy," Avitus taunted.

"No, I don't! I hate boys!" Valni yelled.

"You train like one," Arrian said mockingly.

"Sweaty, stinky Valni! Sweaty, stinky Valni!"

"Stinkhorn! Stinkhorn!"

"Shut up, Arri!" Valni screamed.

She turned and stomped away.

The twins giggled. "She's so easy," Avitus said with a wink at his brother.

Then a deep voice boomed behind them, "Boys!" Avitus and Arrian froze.

"Go inside and tell your mother what you said!" Titus ordered.

Cringing, the twins scuttled back to the house, not even daring to look at their father as they ran past.

Titus didn't follow them. His focus was on Valni. Not that he needed to worry, he knew exactly where she had gone. It was where she always went when she was upset.

The cliff-face.

Valni sat on a boulder on the cliff-top overlooking the Luciana grasslands.

Her brothers' words had hurt. They always hurt, but Valni had learned to defend herself against them. She didn't dwell on the past, she focused on the future.

Valni had her future mapped out: at fifteen she would enlist to serve the Hierarchy – specialising in hand-to-hand combat like her father. She would steadily rise through the tiers to a command position, and enjoy a long career before eventually having children of her own, not that she was in any hurry to find a partner (boys were yucky!), though she recognised it may be necessary in the future, just so long as she could stay on Palaven far away from those strange blue-skinned aliens that ran the galaxy (aliens were nearly as yucky as boys!).

More importantly, though, she would make her father proud…

"Is there room for one more?"

Valni recognised her father's voice but didn't bother looking at him.

She shrugged nonchalantly. If dad wanted to sit next to her, then fine. Whatever.

Titus perched on the boulder next to his daughter and gazed out at the pastures.

A comfortable silence settled between them.

It was a game they played. Neither of them wanted to be the first to speak.

But inevitably, one of them had to lose the game. And that was usually her father.

"Did I tell you about the time I sparred with Master Jue'bruc Fanleen?"

Valni sighed. "Yeah, you did, dad."

"Really?" Titus said innocently. "Even the story of how he broke my ribs?"

"Lots of times," Valni assured him.

"Oh… Well, I guess I have talked about him a lot. There must be something I haven't told you."

"I doubt it."

"Hmmm… Well, did I tell you Master Fanleen helped plan the invasion of Earth during the Relay 314 incident?"

"Against the newcomer aliens?"

"The humans, yes."

Valni's lip twisted. "They're horrid! Weird-looking and belligerent."

Titus grinned, admiring his youngest daughters expanded vocabulary. "I don't disagree. But they're also disciplined and powerful. A good soldier should respect his opponent in battle. You have to learn to understand them; to think like them. Because any enemy worth their salt will be doing exactly the same to you. Remember, if you can study your opponent you can learn to predict them, and if you can predict them then you can beat them. That's how we won against the humans."

"I thought the asari ended the Relay 314 Incident?" Valni said.

"True," Titus admitted, "but we were on the verge of beating them. Our ground troops weren't making any headway at Shanxi, so the leadership decided to take the fight to Earth. Our combined fleets would have neutralized their military and brought the civilians under the protection of the Hierarchy. No more need to fight them ever again. There would have been peace. But then the asari and salarians stepped in. They realised what was happening – despite our Councillor's effort to keep the invasion secret – and voted to end the conflict. The asari even positioned their largest dreadnought between our forces as a show of strength. But, in truth, the humans surprised us. They were stronger than we thought. Master Fanleen judged them a threat to galactic peace. He thinks they can't be trusted."

"Is that what you think?"

Titus took a deep breath before replying. "As much as I admire Master Fanleen, I don't believe we should judge an entire species based on one skirmish. Or their appearance," he added wryly. "Everyone has something to contribute to the galaxy. The humans are outsiders now, but with the right guidance they could be so much more." Titus paused for effect, hoping his analogy had taken root.

But Valni shook her head. "Well, if one of those hideous aliens came near me I'd put it in an arm lock and throw it down on its stupid, flat back."

"A sound strategy, but not the best way to make friends," Titus said with a grin.

"Who'd want to be friends with that?" Valni said heatedly.

Titus watched his daughter clench and unclench her fists. Her mandibles were clamped against her jaw and her chest was flushed. She had never made friends easily. Children her age were taller, more developed; hardly any girls had a crest of horns like hers. Valni was an outsider. Even at home. Invariably, the times she did try to make friends, some idiotic class-clown would make a joke about Valni's height, or her horns. It didn't go down well. And usually ended in recriminations and a few cracked carapaces – mostly other children's.

But despite these setbacks, Valni kept trying.

She persisted.

And eventually she learned restraint. She learned when not to fight.

He taught her how to control her emotions so that her anger wouldn't show.

Like now.

Titus tapped at his chest. "You're still flushed, time to study your forms."

Valni nodded and hopped off the boulder. They moved closer to the cliff.

Standing side-by-side, they gazed out over the silver-green grasslands. Golden rays of sunlight pierced the clouds. The scent of rho'dainnberry and spice drifted on the wind.

"Centre yourself," Titus said and slowly drew his hands upwards with his wrists bent. Valni followed his lead and they moved into the first form. She exhaled, extending her right arm out and turning her fingers into a hook. Bending her right leg, she slowly crouched down and moved into the 'Penetrating Palm' form, her left leg straight and her left hand touching her toes. This changed into 'Pulling the Louza's Tail' as Valni shifted her weight to her left and moved her hands around in a series of arcs.

The slow sequence of movements was performed in perfect unison.

A feeling of serenity settled upon her. Valni's frustration evaporated as if carried away on the evening wind. The world seemed to melt into the background. There was only the now; she no longer noticed the grass beneath her feet or the sun on her face. All that mattered were the forms and the energy flowing through her limbs.

This was a moment of true peace – a moment that Valni always cherished. The forms were her way of connecting to her father; with his wisdom and compassion and love.

She swore she would always follow his teachings.

19 Years Later

Vallhallen Threshold – Final Weeks of the Reaper War – 2186 CE

Valni's lungs screamed for air.

She lay pressed against the cold, metal deck, her eyes and carapace stinging from the pressure change as precious air escaped into the frozen depths of space. The emergency shields weren't working properly – likely due to the firefight – and the breach in the ship's dorsal hull was blowing out the atmosphere faster than the environmental systems could replenish it.

Her situation was bad.

It wasn't helped by the gaping wound in her abdomen.

Valni clamped a hand over the wound, trying to stem the blood seeping between her fingers. She gritted her teeth against the pain. Her vision swam. The shriek of venting air roared in her ears. All her senses were under assault.

Just then the deck-plating shuddered beneath her. Valni recognised the tremor. The vessel had jumped to FTL. The ship was powering away from the Raheel Leyya system; away from her squad-mates. Part of her was relieved: her squad – those who'd survived, at least – were out of danger.

Despite the pain, Valni was formulating a strategy.

If I can get to the Command Centre, she thought, I might be able to alter the course or deactivate the drive core.

But even as the idea flashed in her mind she knew it was hopeless. The navigation computer was code-locked, and the only person who could unlock it had been blown out of the hull!

Valni looked around, searching desperately for something, anything that could help. Every item not tied down was gone – medi-packs, breathing masks, weapons, they'd all been blown out.

The only things left standing were the sleeping pods. If she could reach one, she might have a chance: The pods were hermetically sealed, they would have their own oxygen supply.

Valni began to drag herself across the floor towards the closest pod.

The crawl was painfully slow. Her arms trembled from exertion and lack of oxygen. She could feel the pull of unconsciousness tugging at her mind.

Drawing her last reserves of strength, she clawed her way to the pod and reached up, her talons scrabbling for the lock.

But it was no good. Valni couldn't support her weight.

Her hand dropped, blood painting a blue smear down the glass.

Her strength had gone.

This is my fault, she thought bitterly. She'd failed to read her opponent. She couldn't predict her enemy's movements; and now she was paying the price.

I let you down, dad.

There was nothing she could do.

She'd failed.

Valni shut her eyes.

I'm sorry, dad. I'm sorry…