The rules of proper conduct vary across land and epoch, but some basics are essential to learn in order to avoid embarrassment at best, exile or death at worst. When you are introduced to a sorcerer, do not put out your hand in greeting, as an eagerness to make physical contact is associated with treachery by magic or poison. Cross your arms over your chest instead and make a courteous bow, but not too deep; do keep an eye contact at all times. Do not attempt to engage the sorcerer in a discussion of magic, as an eagerness to learn or argue is taken as a sign of ignorance or lack of decorum. Instead, challenge the sorcerer with a witty inverse riddle, but be careful not to let him win out of politeness. In fact, if he fails to guess the riddle you have given him the answer to, which of course only happens in exceedingly rare occasions, you will have earned a measure of respect.
Category: Fanworks
Garrus/Shepard Timeline
Year |
Period |
Story |
| 2183 | ME 1: AU | Ghost in the Machine |
| 2185 | After Omega | Fruit from Palaven |
| 2185 | After Omega | A Game of Cards |
| 2185 | After Omega | First Kiss |
| 2185 | After Omega | Forgiven |
| 2185 | After Sidonis | The Suicide Mission |
| 2185 | After Collectors | Inappropriate Thoughts |
A Game of Cards
The little observation room was already crowded when he came in. Kasumi and Tali were sitting on the floor with their backs against the far wall, and Jack was crouching in front of them, looking at a data pad that occupied the trio’s attention in full. Zaeed and Thane were mixing drinks at the bar. Some music was on but he couldn’t quite place it; and there was a familiar scent of alien food in the air… popcorn. The word came to him with almost no effort at all. He was getting used to living on a human ship.
The Hearing
Chapter 11 of Ghost in the Machine
The hall echoed with their heavy footsteps in the perpetual violet twilight. Nihlus felt as if he were walking through a dream. Everything had a halo of unreality about it. The ancient trees with leaves of gold and brown, never touched by the autumn winds. The deserted paths, watched over by ghosts of countless generations. The glass chasm dividing the pleaders from the judges. But the most unreal of all was the life-sized holo of Saren in the witness stand, shimmering in the distance.
A New Mass Effect Fic – Directed
Check out my latest Mass Effect fic, Directed. It’s a very short, slice-of-life story, possibly the first of a series, and my first venture into Saren’s pre-Nihlus history. Young Saren reaches an important milestone in his biotics training, but at what cost?
Directed
Saren closed his eyes and willed the tension out of his shoulders. He took a deep breath, held it, let it out. Thinking out the rhythm of breathing was acceptable. Not ideal, but acceptable. It kept the words away. Or did it? They would creep back on him as soon as he’d relax.
“You’re doing it again,” said Elethea, and he nodded. “No need to move,” she censured.
He tried to clear his mind again. Nobody but him had difficulty with this exercise. Inferior as they were in both intellect and ambition, the other students have all moved on to advanced techniques. And Saren didn’t like lagging.
“May I imagine music?”
Continue reading Directed