[Rannoch, Kassali] Temporary Homecoming (Open)

Silently playing an old salarian arcade game on her omni-tool Preeya eagerly tried to kill time.
Guessing the mines based on the contact-counts in the surrounding fields... Disarming them... Guessing new ones... Disarming them... Not exactly challenging, but it made her appear busy.
She was not used to travel by public transport, and therefor found it to be most unsettling that everybody from the personnel appeared to coddle her. (Of course, it was their job, but Preeya felt more than just uncomfortable receiving so much attention at once...) She had been almost alone in that transport, and in an act of temporary daydreaming Preeya almost was able to see herself being brought to her destination with classical music and in slow-motion...
Releasing a silent sigh of relief she raised and tried to leave as soon as the transport had reached Kassali central space port.

So this is Rannoch...
She thought by herself, turned around her own axis and stopped at the direction of the sun.
...This is the planet that made practically sixty percent of my people behave like utterly irrational children... She mentally added and slowly walked some steps forward.
She was not able to deny some general natural beauty, and she already started to enjoy the dim light of the dark orange skyline. It felt relaxing to her eyes, which had always been a little overstimulated by the Citadel's bright illumination.
From her profession's point of view she however still preferred stars over planets...
Besides the practical reasons like her people finally having returned home and slowly recovering, what was it with planets that so many people wanted to live on them?
After all, to a resident of the Flotilla and even the Citadel - like Preeya'Lem -, right in this moment her first impression of Rannoch was silence, relative emptiness and the curious feeling of temporal loneliness.

Taking some minutes to sort her thoughts she started looking for the person who was hopefully already waiting for her.
A woman named Ragia'Riett vas Rannoch, an old acquaintance of Preeya, who recently invited her for some days.
At first she actually had not been her acquaintance but rather her father's, since Ragia's husband had been one of her father's comrades amongst the Marines.
Ironic causality however had made Preeya keep up a better contact to Ragia and her husband than to her own father - maybe because both of them were less irrational...

Actually Preeya did not plan to visit Rannoch before her Work on the Photosphere Project was finished, as well as earning her degree.
She planned (or at least vaguely hoped) to join Rannoch's people as a freshly deputized teacher or a serious astrophysicist some day, and making herself useful at this planet's first university.
But now things had been unexpectedly speeding up.
Ragia had invited her, and Preeya simply was too curious to say no.
How could she ever not be curious?
And now she at least had a reason to come here. (Another reason than her already overdue "immune boost therapy" which she also planned to take after finishing her work on the Citadel.)

Taking a deep breath she finally made up her mind and walked towards a loose bunch of people standing within one of the exterior waiting areas in hope to find her date amongst them...

A brightly colored quarian family was sitting on a bench in the waiting area... waiting. The mother, her suit draped in dark blue cloth. Was currently surveying the area looking for her guest. The father, wearing dark red and much taller than his wife was currently contending with a little quarian child sitting between them and pestering the male. As only an impatient child can.

"Where is she, daddy? Where is she?" Tualni said for what must have been the millionth time. "I don't see her."

"I don't know, dear", Atingo said. "But maybe you don't see her because you don't know her."

"Oh..."

Ragia herself kept quiet. Looking through the crowd of newly arriving quarians for their guest. No easy task considering the lack of faces, it had gotten so difficult identifying each other after the Migrant Fleet was over and done with. But Preeya had said she would be wearing a bright red hood to make that easier.

"I think that's her right there", Ragia said pointing to a quarian just now entering the building. "Let's go greet her shall we?" she took Tualni's left hand in one arm while Atingo took the other and they walked over to the red hooded quarian.

Yar'Del vas Bova was a busy Quarian. Very busy. And also extremely wanted by the Quarians. It shocked her that they actually let her land on Rannoch and not shoot her out of the sky. But then again, she was good at covering her tracks. Especially since most Quarians didn't know what a joke is, even if it bit them right on the ass. Of course she wasn't going to blow up a live ship. That would be stupid.

Unfortunately for her, she had goods that were consumed by only two species in the whole Galaxy (at least only two with enough credits to buy from her). The Quarians and the Turians. And the Turians would actually recognize the ship she had as stolen, rather than 'gifted' as she so tactically put the situation, and then arrest her on the spot for both murder and arrest. While there was no guarantee that the Quarians wouldn't do the same, she took a calculated risk. She would have tried Omega, but Omega is where she got the goods from in the first place. And the Citadel, well that was a big no no, since apparently other species could tell Quarians apart, and she may have swindled a few people last time she was on the huge station. And Salarian records really do last forever. As she always said, at least mentally, if people already have a pre-made image of what a Quarian should be like, then dammit, she would meet all their expectations. Didn't hurt that smuggling and flying space-ships was what she seemingly was born to do.

Which left the Home Planet: Rannoch. The center of Quarian life and other things. In truth, she was bit jumpy at the whole situation. You know being a wanted criminal and all. Not that the Quarian police (is there such a thing as Quarian Police? Yar'Del was really curious to know) were looking for her. In all the chaos before and after the war, she just disappeared. Assumed dead in all the fighting. Still, couldn't hurt to be cautious, never knew when someone might recognize her.

This all culminates in one simple fact, she was waiting for her buyer on Rannoch to come and take the goods off of her hands. Which is why she is in the waiting area, watching a family (perhaps friends) gets reunited here, in the waiting area. Where was her buyer? This was extrememly rare Dextro-Amino, whatever Quarians and Turians could eat but other species couldn't (She wasn't a scientist, she knew machines and how to work them, nothing else), chocolate. And by extremely rare, that meant rare. And by rare, that meant uncommon, and by uncommon, she meant extremely common in a fancy box. Also, the chocolate might have gotten old or something. She really should have bought a refrigeration unit for her ship for whever she transported perishable goods. At the very least she should get a few hundred credits for this lot, which would cover her expenses. But this meant waiting, which she hated.

Slowly walking around Preeya looked at the people in the waiting area.
It might have been a little more useful if she would have been able to tell apart most people around her, but with new Quarians (or to be more specific, Quarians she never physically saw before) it was the same as with all other species: All people looked alike to Preeya!
The only thing around here she was able to tell apart from each other were males and females as well as Quarians and Geth.
By all means, everything but useful for identifying a person, so she walked around in slow circles, hoping Ragia might spot Preeya first.

By now she did not expect Ragia to bring along her family, which was why Preeya was looking for one single, female Quarian in a blue suit.
(And blue definitely was one of the most used colours, which didn't exactly make things easy for Preeya.)

As no one "found" her after about a minute, Preeya however did not plan to rely on only Ragia collecting her - Maybe she was late, or had not spotted her yet.
Preeya started browsing all sorts of images of acquaintances she had on her omni-tool, in hope to maybe find one of Ragia.
However - Before finding what she was looking for she accidentally bumped into someone...

"Well, that was not greeting I expected", Ragia said with a chuckle as she extended her free hand to Preeya, noticing the quarian's red hood. "Hello. You must be Preeya! I'm Ragia!"

"You should watch where you're going, lady!", Tualni said, Jumping up and down in a way only a hyperactive child can.

Preeya cleared her throat and gave the woman in front of her a look.
Judging by the manner of her greeting, Preeya concluded that they knew each other...
After the woman introduced herself Preeya gave her a tiny invisible grin. They definitely did.
"Yes. I am ." She answered and did a polite hailing bow towards Ragia and her two companions, which she by now assumed to be her family.

"I am very sorry. I was not exactly sure where to look for you. Your colour scheme seems to be quite... Poppular."
She then looked at the young girl next to her.
Preeya did her best to lean forward a little (without losing balance due her stiff leg) and reached out one hand towards her.
"You must be Tualni, right?" Preeya asked rhetorically.
She still was not entirely sure how to act towards children, but did her best, and patted the little girl's shoulder.

"Oh yes. Blue seems to be a very popular these days. I probably should have worn something more uncommon like yellow or orange. But I'm not so fond of those", she laughed, watching as Preeya introduced herself to Tualni.

"Yes!" Tualni shouted, bouncing on her feet showing little shyness in the face of the other quarian. "And I think you should where you are go~ing"

"Tualni please watch your manners", Ragia said, squeezing the child's hand a little. Just a few months ago Tualni would have gone quiet. But now, she was one of the most vibrant and energetic child she had ever seen. Sweet. But it could wear on you at times.

"And this person", she said nodding her head to the tall quarian beside her. "Is Atingo, my husband."

"Pleased to meet you, Ma'am", he said offering his hand to Preeya.

Preeya hesitantly took Atingo's hand and shook it while nodding towards him.
"So am I.
I'm glad I found time to visit."
She took a look around again.
To her Rannoch still appeared silent and lonely (Compared to life on the Citadel or the Flotilla) but everyone around here looked quite relaxed and content to her, which was a good sign.
"Remarkable Planet." She thoughtfully mumbled, then looked back at Tualni and Ragia again.

"Oh, no. It's okay. She actually is right. I indeed should have a better look where I am going... Guess the new environment is quite distracting after all. Didn't expect it to affect me though..."
Preeya gently patted the "cheek"-part of Tualni's helmet, then returned her gaze to Ragia.

"I hope you did not have to wait for too long. I really can't tell what took the transport so much longer than planned."
Actually she had a few ideas about incompetent personnel in mind... Preeya however put that thought aside. She actually was terribly tired, felt as if she was about to starve and her knee hurt more than usual. Time for something positive to focus on.
"How are things going for you? You three look very content."

"See!" shouted Tualni, probably a bit too loud as a few quarians turned their heads in the families direction. "See! She just said!

"Yes, yes. I heard, sweetie. Now please, stop shouting. This is a quiet place, use your inside voice please Ragia said to the child before focusing her attention back on Preeya. "It wasn't too long a wait. The only hassle was managing a rambunctious child who doesn't like standing still for more than a few minutes. She smiled underneath her helmet at Tualni. Oh. Do we now? she chuckled. "Oh its wonderful here, Preeya. We have a nice little home that isn't a cubicle so I don't have to squeeze in with my giant of a husband taking up most of the space. I can't imagine how it would be with Tualni as she is now. I'd probably die! she laughed, a very colorful sound. "But yes. Its wonderful here. Even with the geth, I wouldn't dare trade it back for the Fleet. But how about you? How is the Citadel? I've always wanted to visit it myself."

Preeya looked at Tualni, then back at Ragia.
They seemed to have a turbulent but very loving relationship. To Preeya this was something rather new. She had always been a reclusive and overly intellectual child and her father had not exactly been loving but rather paranoid...
Preeya observed both of them for some seconds, in vague hope to learn and behave as positive as these two for the (most unlikely, but still theoretically possible) case she ever had children of her own.

As Ragia explained their luck to live on Rannoch now, Preeya silently nodded.
She almost assumed Ragia to smile under her helmet, and Preeya was tempted to do the same.
"I can imagine the countless benefits of living here. When my work on the citadel is finished I maybe will return to Rannoch as well. But then again, that depends on countless circumstances, for example whether or not the Photosphere Project will be funded the next couple of semesters..." She said thoughtfully, then took a look around.
A fix house sounded like an interesting idea to Preeya - Even though she was wondering what to do with it when she would decide to move to another place then...
To Preeya the concept of living in one single, fix place still was a tad exotic, and a part of her indeed missed life within the flotilla.

...Even with the Geth. To Preeya that sounded like their presence here would have been some sort of a drawback... "I'm wondering. Do your two species still find co-operation here on Rannoch to be difficult?" She gave Ragia, as well as Atingo an invisible curious look.
She knew that many Quarians did not exactly feel comfortable within this new situation, and several ones even saw it as a problem. Preeya actually did not think about this before, but right now she was curious about Ragia's and Atingo's point of view regarding their new alliance.

With a tiny smirk she however finally deactivated her omni-tool (which still had been displaying reference photos to help Preeya identify Ragia) and finally leaned against a railing next to her.
"...Well. Aboard the Citadel everything almost has returned back to daily routine by now.
Currently I have lots of work. I spend most of my time on my main project, as well as my dissertation. Sometimes I think whether I should hire a personal assistant...
I however enjoy every single day of being me. Life aboard the Citadel is gorgeous, and I really can recommend it.
If you like, I would be very glad if I could return your invitation one day! I am sure Tualni would love a trip like that, for there's always something new to see, discover and do.
I'm still trying to get used to the new sight though. The planet Earth is a true eye catcher with it's bright blue surface. Even though I consider it to be less exciting than Rannoch as to be seen from orbit."

"I think you would really enjoy it here, if you stayed", Ragia said. A smile evident in her voice. Before pausing for a brief moment at Preeya's second question, shifting uncomfortably a little.

"Yes... even with the geth. ", Ragia said, looking over her shoulder just in case a geth was within range. She doubted one would be here (and it probably wouldn't care if she talked about it anyway) but she still didn't fully trust the things. Not seeing one she continued. "Even though I don't really like them at all. I know we aren't at war anymore. But they are incredibly creepy, at least to me anyway."

Tualni looked up at Preeya, a bit of wonder shining in her eyes as she listened to Preeya talk about the Citadel. "I wanna go!" she shouted loudly hopping up and down again in excitement.

"Maybe someday", Atingo said, scooping the child up to give Ragia some relief before turning his attention back to Preeya. "No racism from the aliens? When I went there on my pilgrimage it was a living hell. Has that improved?"

"Well, I assume so - I've only heard good things about moving to Rannoch.
Even though I think It won't be easy getting used to the relative loneliness and all that vast empty space around us...
Of course I'd like to become a permanent resident at some point though, for I think after all, here I might make myself most useful. I heard there's a continual lack of teachers. I might change that one day."
Preeya tilted her head, still looking at Ragia.
Probably not the enthusiastic "Back on Rannoch"-speech most other Quarians in Preeya's situation would have held, but then again, maybe she simply had to be convinced of it's awesomeness yet.

As Ragia answered her question about co-operation with the Geth, Preeya raised an eyebrow.
"You mean, you find them scary because of non-political reasons?" Preeya remembered being scared of Geth when she had been much younger. Countless horror-stories of course did their part on that, and she actually never met any until she was an adult.
"I used to do so as well when I was a child. I however quickly got over it after I worked with them during and after the second attack on the Citadel.
However. Does that mean you haven't started the immune boost procedure yet? As far as I know the majority of the Quarians takes it. I plan to do so myself when I have more time, as well as more information whether and how it affects my daily routine."
Preeya stretched her neck - still leaning against the ceiling and looking at Ragia. She appeared slightly worried and randomly looked around. Was she searching for someone else?

As finally Atingo spoke Preeya immediately turned towards him and looked up.
"I assume it has. I remember there being more racism and less self-evident co-operation with us some years ago.
On my pilgrimage I was not exactly welcome at most places as well, but I think the war after all might have changed several points of view, especially in a place like the Citadel, where we have literally everything united. Of course there's still a certain level of fears of contacts, but I don't remember any of our people being treated badly within the last couple of years. I think along with the Humans our people had been integrated a little better."

Ragia nodded, "Yeah, the space is... overwhelming at first. So is having a house, that's bigger than a cubicle. The geth... its all very overwhelming and has taken a lot of time to adjust to. Culture, too. Did you know we had an actual harvest festival here several months ago?" She sighed, remembering the sounds, the dancers, and the lights of that night. It was wonderful and she couldn't wait for such a moment to happen again.

She paused a little at Preeya's second question, glancing over her should again. "Political too of course. I mean, they outnumber us in a ridiculous manner. They have all those ships and...", she laughed. "Oh ancestors I sound like that exile on the extranet don't I? But yes, I am worried about the geth. Its hard not to I think." She got skittish before speaking again. "No I... don't have a suitrider yet. Neither do Atingo and especially Tualni. Though we have all been considering it. I want Tualni to live outside of her suit... you know?

Atingo waited until Ragia had finished speaking before talking, Tualni still in his arms. "That's... very good to hear. You know, when I went there for my pilgrimage ages ago I was stuck in customs for hours until they finally let me in", he sighed. "Then I couldn't find any reasonable work and took me a year to get off the damn thing. But I'm glad", he looked at Preeya, his gaze or expression not as easy to discern as Ragia. "I am very glad that we are respected by aliens enough that you could get into a school and not slave away hauling scrap", he stopped momentarily to shift Tualni. "I'm sure your father's very proud of you because of that"

"The aliens. They don't bother you at your college do they?"

"Oh, I read about the festival" Preeya answered quickly. "It sounded fascinating! I'm glad you and your family found the time to participate! It must have been a most interesting experience to see the first - of hopefully many - quarian events take place."

As Ragia mentioned "The Exile" Preeya secretly raised an eyebrow. Of course she knew whom she was talking about. The young girl who apparently hated everything in this universe, and nothing more than the Geth...
"You know... " Preeya started slowly, simultaneousely trying to find the right words while already speaking. "...As far as I understand, a lot of people still are afraid of Geth. Obviousely you, apparently the exile, and very probably thousands of other emotional Quarians out there.
You however do not act disrespectful or threatening, steered by any irrational urge to spread hate or to harm them. And therefor I think you definitely do not sound like her.
But to answer your... Statement: No, I am not afraid of the Geth.
Guess I'm not that sort of person to be easily scared by conceivable things."

She waited for some seconds, hoping not to have crossed some sort of interpersonal border by freely speaking of her inability to understand other people's fears.
"Suitrider? Is this how you call the... Well... Help-... ummm... Assistant-... Companion-programs doing the immune boost therapy? Interesting term of minimisation.
I think already living here you three definitely should hire suitriders.
Just as you said. For Tualni's sake. She might be one of the first to completely live without her suit one day..."
Preeya thoughtfully smiled, looked at Tualni and remembered reading an article about a quarian child being born with an intact immune system not so long ago.

As Atingo answered her question Preeya nodded, then became more and more thoughtful as he finally mentioned her father.
"No. He very probably won't be proud of me. He... Is not a bad person, but does not exactly agree with the choices I made for myself.
...You know him Atingo. Always emotional, continually overly worried about the future....
He would have preferred if I've never even left the flotilla for my pilgrimage. I think he loves me as a child, but I'm not sure whether he accepts me as a person.
I am okay with that however, for I do not expect anyone to actually like me.
So to answer your question: No, I was not bothered by any non-quarians at college. Many people have difficulties with me, because they think I was uncaring or they don't like me because they are not keeping up.
Regarding the team I am working with however there are no problems like this. All of us worked quite hard to get ourselves into that project, and our profession is far more important than any possible interpersonal differences most of the time.
We are currently 67 members, me being one of the five executives, and we have members of... Well... Any species so far, working together without any problem.
Regarding this I really wish matters in politics would be as simply solved as challenges in theoretical physics."

Preeya waited for some more seconds, before she finally - almost enthusiastically - added.
"So. We have twelve days, and despite my sore knee and my recently increasing headace I am very eager to explore whatever you can recommend to me. It's your home planet after all, and I am already looking forward to discover all the things you told me about it."

"It was!" Tualni said, much quieter than before as she turned her head to Preeya. "We got to see the dancers, they were really cool!" She paused. "Daddy didn't get to go though", she said sadly.

"I may be able to go next time sweetheart. Don't worry there will be more I am sure", Atingo said. Putting her back down and deciding to just hold her hand instead, Tualni was getting far too big to carry around these days.

emotional? Ragia thought, a bit perplexed but altogether relieved a little that she didn't come off like Pariah. "I see... You are a braver woman than most I think. A lot of my friends can't even talk to a geth without stuttering and making a fool of themselves. Though I guess... I guess we also look odd and confusing to them too", she finished with a shrug before answering Preeya's second question. "Its what some people call them. I guess it rolls off the tongue better than say 'On-suit immuno booster assistant", she chuckled before getting serious. "Well... Its a scary thought to have one. It involves letting your cultural enemy for over three centuries access the primary thing that keeps you alive. And if we were to travel off-world I've heard that they can cause issues depending on AI regulations and other things. That's just a rumor I've heard online. But it would make any traveling we had in mind for the future a hassle and..." she looked down. "Its just scary to let one in your suit. Especially your child's."

Atingo gently squeezed Ragia's shoulder and apparently whispered something judging by the flicker of his helmet before looking at Preeya. "Your father does care for and love you Preeya, in his own way. He's just overprotective of his only child. As a father myself I can understand that" he nodded a little at her second remark. "That's good to hear. Really, its good to hear that one of us is accepted enough to actually work with aliens like that."

Ragia perked up and walked to Preeya's side. "Of course!" she looked down at the other quarian's knee for a brief moment. "Are you sure you don't want to sit down? There are a few benches outside near a little park so you can sit and rest for a little and enjoy the scenery. Its real beautiful this time of day too. Its simple of course. But its probably better for your knee then just standing. The public transport to our home should be here... soonish too so it'd be a perfect resting spot... as I probably already said", she finished, chuckling a little. "Shall we?"

"You should send me some pictures next time you're going to that festival, I'd be interested in that as well" Preeya said to Atingo, then took a bow and patted Tualni's helmet. "I'm sure you father will do his best to come with you next time, Tualni."

As Ragia answered, Preeya immediately tuned towards her again.
"You know, from a sociocultural point of view I actually understand why so many people are scared of Geth. Me not being scared of them does not make me brave - I just see many things from a different perspective. I try my best to perceive the whole picture about everything.
But you're right. Geth have their problems with understanding Quarians as well. I remember some weeks ago there was one at my faculty, accompanying a colleague of mine. When I was discussing some work-related things with that colleague, the Geth behaved very weird towards me. I didn't think too much about it at first and assumed it was as horrible in social things as I am - I mean after all it was a Geth. Some days later the thought crossed my mind that it maybe was not sure how to behave towards Quarians.
I mean, to them we had been a destructive threat several times, just as they had been to us, and with the potentially development of individuality for them they might be unsure what to do with us in the same way we are."
She stopped for a moment. Why was she even trying to explain this? Very probably Ragia and Atingo knew about matters like these far batter than her and did not have to rely on speculations and logical assumption.
She released a silent sigh before she continued speaking about more useful matters.
"You mean with a suitrider I very probably would have to stay here until the therapy is finished? I actually expected the possibility of that, which is, why I have not applied for it yet.
Stupid AI regulations..."
Actually she found the idea of being forced to stay at one place - no matter how appealing - far more scary than the idea of letting a Geth into her suit.
"...But then again I also would not simply want to kidnap my suitrider just to get back to work in time... Would it even be aware of things happening around me?..."
...Would it even be possible to communicate with it? Guess I don't know too many things about that procedure yet. A shame for someone as curious as me..."

Thoughtfully she bit her lower lip, then looked at Atingo and Tualni again.
"I know that he loves me. Things are just difficult. More difficult than peacefully uniting Quarians and Geth again I assume... I haven't informed him about my arrival yet. I'm not sure whether I actually even should.
He might make a drama out of it again."
She smiled a little and focused her attention to Tualni again.
She indeed was very lively - Far more than Preeya had expected. But she liked the little girl - She appeared completely positive thinking to her.
As Ragia suggested a little rest at the park area Preeya - almost thankfully - nodded to her.
"That would be a very good idea.
I assume after all the travel had been far more exhausting than I expected, I would welcome the chance to sit down for some minutes."

"I certainly will", Atingo said. Giving Tualni a small smile underneath his helmet as the child let out a little giggle. "And we would be glad to send you pictures of the next Festival, Preeya. It shouldn't be too complicated."

Ragia nodded slightly, though she was still a bit... confused? By how Preeya could just rationalize all of that away. Or maybe it could be just be herself that was the odd one. Still terrified of the geth she was convinced hid under her bed as a child. "There are other therapy's of course and they can improve your immune system incrementally. Its hard to remember that since the suitriders are quicker than the alternative. Afterall, we wanted the Homeworld back because it was a matter of a generation here to get our immune system back here, or centuries on some other world. Geth make shorten that considerably. But it would still take time of course. Not even the geth can snap their fingers and then you live outside of a suit. But I think in a decade or two most who opt for it will be out of these", she stared at a gloved hand a little, a teensy bit of disdain glittered in her eyes.

"Things."

Refocusing she looked back at Preeya, her eyes warm and welcoming again. "From what I hear it is still fully aware and can probably communicate through your suit if it wants. But I'm no expert and none of my friends have taken the procedure yet", she chuckled. "I sound old don't I?"

"No you do not, dear", Atingo said, putting his free arm around her and holding her close before speaking to Preeya. He knew the relationship between her and her father was troubled. But he might as well say one last piece. "I understand and I will say nothing. But maybe you should call at him at some point anyway? It doesn't need to be here and now. But I'm sure he would love to here from you."

The two adults nodded at her and the group started off for the exit, moving fairly slow both to account for a small child that was holding one parent's hand one moment, and then racing off to hold the others. And to also account for Preeya and her knee. The exit wasn't far however and they all stepped outside into the beautiful Rannoch scenery. Tikkun high in the sky and shining down on the party as they walked the short distance to the park, which had been placed for for weary quarian travelers to come and rest before they went on their way, and had continued to be cultivated and cared for by geth platforms since.

There they found a bench near the entrance and sat.

"Well?" Ragia said, scooting up besides Preeya a smile evident in her voice. "How do you like the Homeworld?"

"Cargo and crew manifests received, Dal'Selai. Permission granted. Proceed to docking bay thirty-six. As a precaution, your ship has been flagged for quarantine until your crew and cargo can be declared clean." The voice of the quarian docking controller echoed across the bridge of the freighter, but it didn't seem to bother the two crew members present. They had other things on their minds, after all.

"Copy, Rannoch control." The smooth voice of the Dal'Selai's pilot, a human female by the name of Julia Hawthorne, replied with a stiff professionalism. She ran her hands across her computer interface, pulling the small freighter away from the holding pattern of orbital traffic above Rannoch.

"Furthermore, due to the nature of planetary-wide quarantine, be advised that non-quarians are restricted to the docking terminals. Welcome to Rannoch. Keelah se'lai."

Cutting communications between their ship and docking control, Julia relaxed a little. Having done sort of things a hundred times before, she wasn't at all worried.

"Still back there, Kel?" She called out behind her.

Kel'Voris nar Reyna stood there silently, staring out the bridge's observation port as their little hunk of junk pulled in closer and closer to the planet. He had been standing there since the minute they had entered visual range of the planet, and hadn't so much as said a word since he first laid his eyes on Rannoch.

Rannoch. The quarian homeworld.

His homeworld.

It had been about 300 years since the quarians had walked on the solid ground of their homeworld. Entire generations of his people had lived and died without even so much as seeing it, reading about near-legendary tales of it in readings in school and pieces of it preserved on extra-clean areas of Migrant Fleet vessels.

"It's...Rannoch." He said aloud, the light from the planet reflecting off his helmet's visor. "That's...my homeworld."

Julia chuckled. "Yep, you're still there." She didn't exactly have the heart to break him away from his trance-like state. She still remembered the first time she saw Earth. She remained quiet as she guided the ship closer to the docking bay.

"Yes, I am aware of that." Preeya answered towards Ragia, slowly walking besides her and using every second none of both talked to curiously look around.
As they slowly walked towards the exit more of the surrounding environment could be seen.
"...But to be perfectly honest, I am not a person with much time to regenerate, nor much trust into medical procedures in general.
Even to the standards of our people to me medical treatments are difficult and risky. Look at that knee there - Everyone else might simply have had a surgery to get an implant and be able to normally walk again, but after I almost died during the emergency surgery when the leg had been crushed I consider a second one to be simply too risky - Not to mention the extremely long regeneration time afterwards...
With my immune system I consider it to be pretty much the same. From everything I know hiring a 'Suitrider' is the least invasive therapy combined with the fastest and most effective possible outcome."
She paused some seconds looking at Ragia.
She appeared thoughtful. At least as thoughtful as Preeya was right now.
She wondered what Ragia might have thought about. She assumed it might have been the question whether she should get the immune boost herself as well. This at least was the most obvious speculation.

"...You do not sound old." Preeya finally added in a polite tone. "Just inexperienced. Like me."
Preeya was glad to hear that immune boost programs very probably were aware of things happening around as well as likely able to communicate. This definitely would have made identification and elimination of problems in case something went wrong far easier for both.

As Atingo spoke to Preeya, she looked up to him again, thoughtfully toying with her belt and already expecting him to try to convince her to call her father. Surprisingly - and luckily for Preeya - he neither told her to do so, nor told her to neglect it, but suggested her to do it when she was ready to do.
Tilting her head and releasing a tiny invisible smile she looked at him.
"I will. As soon as I have a distinct matter of conversation. Thank you, Atingo."

As they finally entered the park area Preeya raised an eyebrow.
This was not what she had expected. Even though she knew Rannoch had been maintained by Geth for almost three centuries, as well as it slowly but surely had been made more pleasant and pretty regarding quarian needs and taste after their return, Preeya ironically always had an image of Rannoch in mind, that resembled a desert with nothing bur rocks and ruins.
Maybe because compared to the starships she had been living on as well as the Citadel, most other places to her appeared to be exactly that: A lonely desert.
This however was unexpectedly appealing, and she gladly took seat, releasing a little content sigh while relaxing her sore knee and curiously looking around.
Judging by Kassali's location and Tikkun's position in the sky she assumed it to be late morning. No wonder, she felt awfully exhausted - it wasn't just the traveling, she still suffered from the jet lag.
Looking over the park area for a felt eternity - only to be interrupted by feeling forced to watch some ships and transports passing by now and then - Preeya finally realized that Ragia had spoken to her.
Forcing herself back into reality she looked at the other woman.
"Excuse me. Guess I was distracted. What did you say?"

"I see", Ragia said looking down at Preeya's knee. "You are very, very lucky to be alive. My immune system is about average and even I doubt I would have lived through that", she laughed. "But thank you for not calling me old." she laughed again.

Atingo only nodded, "That's all I'm asking for Preeya. Thank you."

---

Ragia laughed at Preeya's reaction to the outside. Tualni, mimicking her mother also started laughing. "Its really overwhelming at first isn't it? I think when we first got here we sat out here for hours watching Tikkun set. It was such a wonderful feeling, especially after that near death incident during the Second Geth War and with the Reapers bearing down on us... and Atingo going to leave with the fleet to help with the effort against them", she sighed. "It was very, and still is, quite comforting don't you agree?"