[Book Four] Chapter 30: Back Home

Chapter 30: Back Home

Rick, Ashley and Hannah were waiting at Cassiopeia’s docks. The Normandy had just arrived and they watched as it was locked down. The moment Jane came out from the she quickened her steps at the sight of her waiting brother and jumped into his arms one close enough. They kissed deeply, making up for the time missed together before breaking it off. Five months felt like an eternity for the both of them. As Jane steps to the side to hug her mother. Liara then Tali, then EDI each got a turn with their man, under the surprised look of people coming out of the ship that Rick didn’t know. He was also surprised when he saw Arianna hang out with a brunette girl and boy in the group of new faces. Looking at Jane for an answer she just shrugged her shoulders as if the answer was out of her hands.

“I think our daughter has found love for the first time.”
“Which one?”
“The girl.”
“... Good.”
“Good?”
“Good.” he repeated in confirmation. “I said no babies and boyfriend before forty but said nothing about a girlfriend.”
“I doubt she even thought about that.” Liara replied with a chuckle.
“Who is she?” he asked.
“That would be my daughter, Sara.” said a man that Rick had completely missed as he had searched for Arianna before paying attention to anything else.”
“... Alec Ryder, I presume? Nice to meet you.” Rick replied as he presented his hand for a handshake that the man took.
“I am and you are Rick Wald.”
“Indeed. I have to say, I’m surprised to see you and your family arriving aboard the Normandy. Plenty of questions are coming to my mind but they will have to wait. First let me welcome you to Cassiopeia and the Andromeda galaxy. It’s a pleasure to have on board the man who made everything easy for everyone.”
“The pleasure is all mine. Meeting the man who made my dream a reality…”
“Oh, I didn’t. I’m just the rich idea-man who asks very competent people if they are possible and spends money to make them a reality if they are.” joked Rick.
“From watching Mass Effect for the last three months, I would say you’re more than that.”
“I used to be. Now I’m a husband, a father and the one in charge on Project Eden. Too many responsibilities to do anything other than think.”
“Oh, I hear you. Once I got roped into the Initiative, the same happened to me.” Alec replied with a knowing smile. “I have to say, I’m feeling quite nostalgic.”
“What about?”
“Exploring the unknown with a Grissom.”
“... You were with him when he went through the charon relay.” stated Rick, understanding that the man recognized his father by looking at him.
“I was. A very good leader and a man I was proud to serve under. I’m sure you already got that a lot but you look just like him.”
“I’ve been told many times before, yes.”
“However, unlike him you seem to have a sense of humor. Definitely an improvement.” he announced and that made Rick snort.
“Mister Ryder has the same kind of humor we have.” EDI said.
“Oh! We’re going to get along just fine.”
“I hope so. Having a bad relationship with your boss isn’t a good thing.”
“That’s why I chose to be my own boss. Way less problems to deal with. In the end I was taken down and chained, though I don’t regret it one bit.”
““““You better.”””” replied his lovers in one voice making Alec laugh.

The ladies around looked attentively at the exchange between the two men. They said nothing but like the development. Rick had very few friends and among them even less male friends. That it got along so easily with a total stranger was in their eyes a good opportunity for him.
After being introduced to the man’s son and daughter, named respectively Scott and Sara, Rick invited them to follow him for a tour of the station when he caught sight of another group exiting the Normandy. Among them was Abby and her teenage daughter’s Amelia. He had heard from Ashley what had happened but didn’t know they would come to Andromeda. He welcomed his sister’s in law too with a warm hug and fist bumped his niece as it was the way she was greeting people now. They were followed by a man as tall as him in an N7 armor and the new model of his helmet. The man was looking straight at Rick a few feet away, standing straight and proud.

“...You may be an adult and N7 but you’ll never be too young to be bent over my knee for a good spanking, Adam. Now get over her and give your old man a hug.”
“HOW?!” exclaimed throwing his arms up in the air to the hilarity of his mother, Aunts and Grandmother. “Who told you?” he said as Ashley hadn’t been aware either and nearly tackled her son to the ground, removed his helmet and kissed his face repeatedly. “Mom!”
“Give it up, son. Your mother has been missing you like crazy for three years. The more you resist the longer it will last. And nobody told me. I just know, because I’m awesome like that.”

After dozens more kisses from his mother, Adam was released from her rib breaking hug and gave one to his father.

“I missed you too and I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, dad.” the young man replied with a happy smile.
“Come on, we have plenty of time for more family drama later. I promised a tour of the Cassiopeia and I’m a man of my word.”

And with no interruption or people to distract him, Rick led everyone away from the dock to show the newcomers everything the ship has to offer.

____________________________________________________________

“This is… fascinating.” Alec said as he looked through the gigantic glass of the Command room, giving him a beautiful view of the Heleus cluster.
“Give it a couple weeks to learn everything we discovered and you’d be ready to explore it yourself. Or perhaps a bit more, it depends on how well the exploration department head is ready. So far we’ve been focusing on Ryder and Eslah Cicelia.” replied Rick.
“I still can’t believe a planet is named after me. It’s.. at the same time I feel immensely proud but also so embarrassed.”
“Well, don’t get used to it because we’re not naming another one like that in case what you’re feeling right now goes away.”
“Ah! Not a chance of that happening.”
“Good to hear. Are you and your family well accommodated?”
“We are. Though I’d like a spacious room to put SAM’s servers in it.”
“That’s not a problem, half of the original crew members left to live on the colonies. There is plenty of free space.”
“Would EDI be amenable to help SAM grow? Or a Geth?”
“You would have to ask them. I may be their boss but it’s a rather private matter hence none of my business.”
“Then I will do so. The fact that AIs are unshackled and more interested in understanding than their directive…”
“I do not know about the geths but I know that without Rick conversing openly with me for a long time I wouldn't have turned out as good as I did.” Dorothea said as she entered the Command room and gave Rick a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m… sorry?” replied a confused Alec.
“This is Dorothea but you know her as EDI.”
“Wow, synthetics bodies really advanced far in twenty five years. I can’t tell the difference with an organic one.”
“That’s because it is an organic one.” Dorothea replied with an amused smile.
“Pardon me?”
“‘Thea got the idea…”
“From you.”
“Indirectly from me, that an AI may more easily understand organics if they were in an organic body themselves.”
“Using the peak of gene therapy and advanced cloning I created this body down to its very DNA and implanted, right from the beginning, implants allowing me to download part of myself into it. To feel through my five senses and to experience emotions helped me understand organic better. Any information that this body gathers is sent to my servers where they are analyzed and processed. That also allowed me to experience things like friendship and motherhood.”

Alec’s jaw dropped to the ground at their explanations and he didn’t know quite what to think.

“I think we broke him.”
“We?” said Rick with a brow raised, looking at his ebony goddess.
“Alright, I broke him.”
“Better. How long do you think it will stay like that?”
“I’m alright, I was just… And to think the council didn’t say anything.”
“The council can say whatever they want it won’t matter, they’re my bitch.” replied Rick and made Alec snort.
“As for SAM, I do not mind helping him grow as long as he understands that I’m the alpha AI here.”
“Oh, I don’t think SAM would cause any problem in that regard.”
“Then I’m good.”
“Thank you.”

Rick left Dorothea and Alec talked to go and see his eldest daughter. The quick hug she had given him a couple days earlier when she arrived back on the Cassiopeia was the only time he had any contact with her since then. To him this wasn’t acceptable. He found her in her lab, Humming to herself as she did some test on something he couldn’t recognize.

“Good morning, sweetie.” he greeted her and made her jump out of her skin.
“DADDY!”
“That’s me.”
“You could have knocked!”
“Why? This is my ship and my lab, I can come and go however I please, or are you afraid I could walk on you and… Sara?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Arianna, do I have to give you a remedial class about lying? I remember you learned it well when you were…Three? Five?”
“...”
“Sweetie…” he began as he walked towards her and took her in his arms. “I’m offended that you would think that I would care, especially with your grandmothers and Aunts.”
“You’re not disappointed that I’m into girls only?” she asked, looking her father in the eyes, a bit of fear in hers.
“If anything you just went from best daughter, to best daughter of all time but don’t tell your sisters.” replied with a smile.
“What?”
“No boy or man is going to defile my precious baby girl, that’s a father’s dream.”
“Daddy…”
“I know, I know, you may get on even more freaky shit but what I meant is… With you being a lesbian my place in your heart is secured. No male is going to challenge and take it from me.”
“That’s stupid.” she replied with a flat expression.
“I’m well aware. It’s a paternal instinct I think. I have taken care of you since you were three months old. I raised you, kissed your booboos, read you bedtime stories, trained you, taught you… For so long it’s been both my duty and privilege to be your father… thinking that someday some random boy was going to sweep you off your feet and that you would now turn to him for everything instead of me… Very difficult to stomach.”
“You’re my daddy. No one else is going to take your place in my heart. Not now, not ever.” Arianna declared as she kissed his cheek with a loving smile.
“Wait until you have children. Look at your mother.”
“Your relationship is really unique and different. She lost you for so long then got you back… Enter me. An almost perfect copy of her but way younger with a very special connection with you. Of course she would feel threatened. Especially with the family’s… kink or whatever this truly is.”
“Your mother is stupid sometimes, she’s worrying for nothing even at her age she’s still rocking that body of hers.”
“Daddy! Too much information!”
“Eh! As for the kink, I’m glad none of you inherited it.”
“Don’t jinx it. Siobhan and Analysse are still young.”
“Shit! I hope I didn’t.”

Both laugh at that and Rick asked if she wanted to spend time together working on something.

The work on the nanomachines has been a good way to focus his mind on something else and she also took pleasure in it. She went beyond her medical expertise and helped her father code the little bots. The both of them had fun together doing it. They haven’t done something like that since Arianna entered Celeste Academy.

“We should have done this long ago.” he said to her while taking a break.

“I was a bit busy doing research on the diseases of this galaxy to work with you.”

“I meant having father-daughter time. I miss it.”

“...I do too when the thought crosses my mind in my down time. With the exception of Mordin, I never had so much fun learning or working than with you.”

“The only thing missing is Mandy. Gosh you were adorable every time you came to your lesson with it in hand.” he said with a smile.

“I couldn’t bring it to class and can’t really bring it to work.”

“It’s been years since I have seen it. You still have it?”

“Hmm-Hmm. Still in a relatively good condition on my nightstand.”

“I wonder what happened to your siblings’.”

“I know Sandra and Adam still have theirs. Adam’s is in pristine condition.”

“I’m not surprised to hear that. He always took great care of his belongings.”

“I don’t know about JJ or the twins, Matt has his on a shelf in his room on display and Siobhan…”

“Dyed it purple.” replied Rick with a chuckle. “That girl… she’s more unpredictable than we are.”

“She is an artist.”
“That she is.” he replied and took her in a one arm hug resting his head on hers. “I didn’t ask yet but… how is everyone back there?”
“Aunt Miranda is still as beautiful as ever and Aunt Jen finally let her hair grow all over her head.”
“Jennifer with no parts of her head bald? I need to see this.”
“I may have a few pictures of her like that. As for Aunt Kahlee, still as happy as ever and working hard making sure every student reaches their full potential. Uncle David is happy too but he got a few more wrinkles. I won’t be surprised if he retires from the Navy in a few years. Aunt Lyn is doing really well, though saddened to be the only one left at Celeste with her mother. I won’t be surprised if she and her family decide to come here to be closer to us. Ana has grown so much! But she’s a real hellion. She’s totally Aunt Jen’s girl through and through. Aunt Miranda may act stern but she’s amused by her antics most of the time. She misses you greatly.”
“Sandra?”
“She took over Aunt Abby and is working under her mother. I think she wishes to replace her one day.”
“Oh? Wanting to take over the company? She has the best claim, second only to Leeha.”
“I don’t think she’s interested in the company itself, just in running it and following in her mother’s footsteps. As for how she’s doing… She’s like a better version of Aunt Miranda. Taller and curvier.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Good. Interested in taking my place when I retire?”
“Not really.” she answered plainly.
“That’s good too.”
“It is?!”
“Dealing with the company is a chore that I hate the most. Sure there are plenty of perks but… I could have spent more time with the family. Thank God Miranda was there or we would never have seen each other. I don’t want that for you nor any of my children. Unless they absolutely love doing it.”
“I don’t see that happening any time soon.”
“Me neither. Now… Tell me about Sara…”
“Daddy!”

With a fake evil laugh, Rick put his hand over Arianna’s shoulders and led her out of the lab, it was time for lunch and it was the first family one they had in a while.

____________________________________________________________

Adam’s mission in Andromeda was simply to serve there. It was some kind of gift from Hackett for the good work he was doing in the Milky Way. The colonies were expanding and Adam would be the first leading a small team that he came with to bolster the forces in the galaxy. Just because there was no conflict so far with the Jardaan, didn’t mean that they would never be any be it from them or from another species that no one knew about yet.

His younger brothers were a bit jealous but were mostly proud of his achievements. In their free time, the five brothers  were up to plenty of things, either spending time at the gym, training or playing video games. With how strong minded their mothers and aunts were they quickly understood that they had to band together and present a united front when they were younger. They respected their father immensely for doing it alone.

"Hey, Adam." JJ asked after the end of a game.

"Yeah?"

"Did you know why dad never celebrates his birthday?"

"...I did." Was the answer the eldest gave after recovering from the bit of shock at the out of the blue question.

"Ari said there was more than him losing his family but she never said what." said TK.
“With good reason.” he replied cryptically.
“Come on! Spill the beans!” AJ egged him on.
“... I can’t, it’s… it’s dad’s story to tell.”
“We can’t ask him! But we can’t be kept in the dark either.” argued Matthew.

Adam took a moment to think about Matthew’s point. He was right, they couldn’t be kept in the dark, not when their father had shown everyone in the Milky Way. Taking a deep breath he sighed in resignation. He opened his omni-tool and connected it to the holo screen they were using to play games. He opened the movie and series library and began to search.

“Really?! You’re just going to ignore us and watch something.”
“TK! Ari said something about watching something did…”
“Dad made a whole series about the Reaper’s war. To show the world how it all started for him and Auntie Jane and everyone else. How it went, how it ended…”
“We know that, we won.” said AJ.
“Yes but you don’t know the price they had to pay. You don’t know what they went through to win. Nor do you know the pain that everyone suffered. Dad… Dad mostly put it all in there to bond people together, to keep the galaxy united and to help people reach others to overcome their loss.” replied Adam as he found what he was looking for.
“Mass Effect?”
“A whole series? Dad made a whole series?”
“It’s in three arcs. You… may not recognize our parents, especially Dad. Everything you know about him will be thrown out the window. You won’t ever see him as your invincible and infallible hero and badass anymore but just a really good dad with flaws. Glalring ones. Are you sure that’s what you want?” 

His four brothers looked at each other in a silent conversation before looking back at him and nodding.

“It’s rated R by the way but I don’t think you care?”
““No.”” / “Nope.” / “Not one bit.”
“Just so you know, I’m all signing you up for therapy.”
“““WHAT?!””””
“Ari, needed it. Sandra and I needed it. You will need it.”
“Shit. What the heck happened on Eden Prime?” JJ voiced his thoughts aloud.
“Dad’s… You’ll see. Enjoy the show, it’s really good. Really, except some very classified shit or relationship development it’s all there like it actually happened. Oh! I don't need to tell you to not let Siobhan…”
“It’s rated R, dude. We’re not the brightest bunch…”
““Speak for yourself!””
“But there is no way we’re showing that to our baby sister.” said JJ and all his younger brothers nodded.
“Wait! We need to tell Leeha!” exclaimed Matthew.
“Oh shit, she won’t be happy if we do that without her. I’m calling her.” AJ said and used his omni-tool to contact their sister.

Less than five minutes later a very out of breath beautiful teenage quarian with midnight hair and lilac skin came rushing in.

“Please tell me you haven't started yet!”

Matthew patted the space next to him on the couch and moved a bit to let his favorite sister sit by his side. Once everyone was ready. Adam played the very first episode.