The Quarian Solution chp. 3

Like always, Rorik was hunched over some samples in the Med Bay. In between missions, it seemed like that was all he did now. For the past eight months since Yinmah's reaction, he'd take his meals back to his quarters at the back of the lab, and get right back to work. Rorik understood the importance of his research more than anyone. And, he needed to get it right this time...for her.

The doors hissed open. Yinmah stepped through into the pristine lab.

"Yinmah. How are you feeling?"
"All things considered? Pretty good."

She sat at one of the metal tables near the note-filled wall. He handed her a steaming cup of amber liquid.

"Drink this to stimulate your immune system for the meds."

"I actually don't mind this stuff. What's in it anyway?" she said as she inserted the straw into the little hole behind her breath-light.
"Tea with multiple herbal supplements. I got it on Earth a while back. Altered for dextro-aminos, of course. I even picked up some I can drink. It's quite good."

He turned to one of the metal cabinets.

"Last batch of nanobytes finished overnight."

Yinmah looked at the tube of orange fluid Rorik held. "...Even after another eight months, are we really this close?"

"Yeah...yeah, we are. Ready?"
She stood and sighed, "As I'll ever be."
He filled up a syringe with the solution and crouched to get a better angle at her bicep. "All right. Now hold still."
Yinmah looked away. "Keelah, I hate needles. Even before--"
She stopped herself. Rorik looked up at her. They both knew what she meant, but she didn't say it.
"--Do it."

He inserted the solution. Instinctively, Yinmah gave a small, sharp intake of air. There was a pregnant pause before they spoke again, waiting for her body's reaction.
"Any dizziness?"
"No."
"Headaches or nausea?"
She shook her head.
"I'm okay. Did it work?"
"Let's find out."
As he stood up, Yinmah placed a slender hand on his shoulder.
"Rorik...You've done so much. If this works, I--the Quarians--will owe their future to you. So, I..."
There was a soft click and when she removed her helmet and placed it on the table.

"I want you to be the first."

He was about to ask the first of what, when it hit him. She pulled back her hood, the pipes underneath folding and collapsing onto her back. She was allowing him to look upon a Quarian face, free and clear. No helmet, and no illusions.

She had a face very closely resembling a human. She had blue-black hair in a pixie cut. Markings began at the sides of her forehead and tapered to the front of her eyebrows. Her earlobes connected to her jawline. Her opal eyes shone just as they had through her helmet. She was young anyway, but had no wrinkles or signs of aging. Her skin was flawless from the lack of exposure. After so long in the suit, she looked unnaturally pale. Her skin was the same shade of lavender Rorik had seen on her hand.

"I imagine I may not look my best, but….here I am. Hello, Rorik."

Rorik forgot himself for a moment, and simply stared in wonder at his friend. When he recovered, he hastened to make sure she was all right.

"How--how do you feel?" he placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"Even with the filters, I'd be dizzy or congested by now. But...I'm not sick. I don't know how effective it would be on a planet, but..."

Her eyes widened a fraction, her smile revealed fangs.
"Here, right now, I feel...free."
She relished that last word. She looked at her friend with a shining face.
"Rorik, I'm free!"
"Well, we'll need to run some tests to deter--"
oompf!
Yinmah launched at him, knocked any remaining words out of his lungs. She laughed, and brought him into a tight hug. All her life, she had been stuck in suits. There were no words to describe the feelings of liberation that surged in her heart. A solitary tear of joy ran down her face.

"Thank you."

Rorik was not used to such avid displays of emotion. He always kept an air of professionalism and detachment, as was required of him as a businessman. His Quarian friend felt no such obligation. She was a loud person. It was a rare thing to see her solemn. She mostly kept problems to herself under a mask of laughter, or rage. She had to have felt despair, but if she did, she never acted like it. Her energy just seemed to fill any room she entered. Just this one time, he felt he could make an exception for her. He returned the embrace.

"I--You're welcome."
..........................................................................................

Later, Rorik was pulled from his microscope by a loud cry of suprise coming from somewhere on the deck below him.
"Rixa!" he called up towards the intercom. "What's going on?!"
He heard a mix of disbelief and amusement in the Krogan pilot's voice. In between fits of raucous laughter, she reported,
"Apparently--hehe-- Cyrus walked in on Yinmah----ahhha ah ah!-- streaking about the engine room--ahahahahah!!"
He had to pause for a minute to process that. Once it clicked, he rolled his eyes and went back to work, secretly hoping the crew didn't blame him for this. He couldn't help but smile ever so slightly. Obviously, she'd have to put clothes on at some point, but after a lifetime of being trapped in a suit, could he really blame her?