Power of a Flower

Copyright Notice:

All characters and individual material is © Daniel Riverton & Jasmine Becker 2011. All rights Reserved.

©2003-2008 EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Mass Effect, the Mass Effect logo, BioWare, the BioWare logo and the BioWare hands logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Microsoft, the Microsoft Game Studios logo, Xbox 360, and the Xbox 360 logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and other countries.

This is fan fiction only. This work may not be reproduced for commercial, marketing republishing or copying purposes. The work is sexual in nature and may not be to everyone's individual taste. Please do not continue reading unless 18 years or older.

This was actually inspired by the Star Trek Episode "Blood Fever". The difference is that it's set in the Mass Effect universe, there is no Klingon or Vulcans, and the effects are brought on by local flora! Still a fun write. Let us know if you like it! We appreciate all comments.

*

"You know, I really can't stand sharing this damn ship with you any more!"

"You're telling me?" The woman in front of him shouted back at the top of her lungs. "Back the fuck off, you worthless little prick, before I shove you out the nearest airlock!" She pushed her foot forward, raising her fist as though getting ready to punch him.

He leapt at her, snarling in a way he thought he wasn't capable of. The bitch was impossible! He crashed into her, bringing her to the floor and locked her hands with one of his arms.

"Get...." She panted, kicking and kneeing at his body. "the fuck...OFF ME, FUCKHEAD" She loosed one of her hands, her surprisingly strong punch catching him square in the jaw.

His vision flecked and his head spun for a moment. He punched her back, striking her nose with a loud "crunch" That reeled her head to the side on the metallic floor of the ship. She grunted loudly in pain.

He grinned in triumph, quickly establishing a locking hold on her body. Below him lay Elizabeth Tah, his fellow scientist. She was of age with him, a young 29, but just like him she was brilliant for her young age.

Her features were a mix of South-american with Scandinavian influences, results of long generations of intermarriages and relations on earth. Her hair was a quite lovely shade of red-brown, and the body he held down was strong and full. The white scientist clothing, cut with a distinct marking and stripes of blue-and-gold which spoke of their allegiance, concealed what he imagined to be a class-A body.

If she had been the last female in the universe.

Even a Volus maiden would be more attractive then this bitch! Michael Qesson panted, catching his breath. They had been running, him trying to catch her with what she had stuck behind her belt. The multi-spectral analysis omni-tool he required for his experiment! Of course that wasn't really the extent of it. Not really.

He reached down to retrieve his valuable tool, searching the behind of her suit where pants met shirt...

...and caught her full-on facial strike with her forehead straight onto his chin.

Running steps from the corridor behind him only caught his attention through a haze of pain but he managed to hold on to the tool even with her tugging at it and shouting at him to let go.

"You two! This is ridiculous and disgraceful. What are you doing?" The avian-featured Turian crossed her arms below two protrusions that in humans would have been called breasts. "Get off her! If you want to fight each other, set up a sparring match and do it properly!"

His vision cleared. They held the tool with iron grips between them, each tearing at one end. He would never quite get used to the Turian view on fighting and bickering, he thought. Another human would have been aghast at the fact that he'd hit a female. Taera was just annoyed at their lack of discipline during the act of battling.

"He...tried to take...my....TOOL!" Elizabeth spat, pulling hard at the device he fought to hold on to. "Let go already!"

"You let go, you cunt!"

"Infantile." The alien commented, glaring down at them. Her features gave her somehow a very....fierce and intense look. Also he remembered that she was older then both of them combined -- well over seventy earth years.

Michael slowed down a bit and noted Elizabeth doing the same. The woman even looked slightly abashed, her face slightly bruised. Both of them held the tool with iron grips however, refusing to let go entirely.

"Elizabeth. Can't you wait a few hours while Michael finishes his experiment until you need the tool? Is there nothing you can do in the meantime?"

"I suppose." The redhead grumbled after a moment, glaring up at him and then at the motherly Turian.

"Michael! Do you always attack and assault women like that? As far as I understand, if what you did had happened on a human ship..." she let it trail off, her plated visage grim.

Michael swallowed, thinking about the possible consequences of such an act.

Elizabeth grinned triumphantly. "Exactly! You shouldn't hit girls, moron!"

"You're more a keeper then a woman anyhow, Elizabeth. Women...are different. You wouldn't understand." He countered, grinning at her suddenly enraged expression.

"Both of you, STOP IT!" Taera screeched, her flanging voice quality making it a very impressive sound.

"Curious observation: Humans do like to fight, do they not?"

Ulsar had finally taken the lumbering steps to join them in the cargo hold of their small science vessel. The Elcor stood at least seven feet tall with four, lumbering and muscular limbs that supported it's body as it moved. It, like all of it's race, spoke in a dull, ponderous monotone, beginning every comment with a clarification of their inflection, mood or tone.

"All the time, it seems." Taera actually ground her sharp teeth slightly.

"Thoughtful comment: Perhaps it is an elaborate mating ritual, meant to select a compatible breeding partner, casting out incompatible and potentially unexciting prospects."

Michael was unsure whether he or Elizabeth blushed harder, looking at the Elcor as though he was completely insane.

Taera didn't bother to hide a vulpine smile, looking at them both. "That's true. The way they're positioned, you'd half expect her to tear his clothes off next. Or perhaps him to open her shirt." Her feral, reptilian smile grew.

"Wha...ne...GET OFF, FREAK!" Elizabeth sputtered, then screamed, fighting her way from under him and losing the grip on the valuable tool in the process.

He stood, grinning at her as he hefted the instrument. "Trust me, both of you. If there is any....mating to be done, Ulsar, I'd rather mate with you for two weeks then with" He jerked a thumb in the woman's direction "that."

"Shocked exclamation: That is very inappropriate, Michael. You should not say such things to me, nor to her. She might take offence."

"Whatever." He grumbled. "She's disgusting."

"Don't worry" Elizabeth Interjected. "I'd rather fuck a bulkhead then let that guy get anywhere near me" She sneered at him. "Fucked any Grandmothers lately, Michael?" She sniffed loudly, gave him the middle finger and stomped off towards her quarters, pushing the door open via the access panel with a soft 'wsssh'.

Michael stared after her, until he noticed the looks the two aliens were shooting him. He sobered up and cleared his thought, drying some of the blood from his nose.

"You two really need to stop that. We're going to be out here for another three months. We can't work with the two of you fighting like Gabak runts for dominion." Taera told him, still frowning. "I thought as the two humans you'd be much more companionable.

"You have a lot to learn about humans." He replied dryly. "It's thanks to her that I didn't finish at the head of my class in the academy. She was too stupid for the experiment we were told to perform and her shoddy work caused it to fail. If not for her, I'd be in the Alliance working for Intel or something more exciting then Fauna research-" He growled.

"I know the story." The turian interjected dryly. "I seem to remember either of you telling it whenever it's time for dinner. I personally find her version where your...fucking..." she mimicked the human word oddly "... the class professor got you both the lowest grade much more endearing, Michael."

He felt himself flush.

"I don't think there's any race in the galaxy that condones sexual behaviour between student and teacher, you know." She commented dryly.

"I didn't..!" He began, glaring.

"Amused interjection: On Dekuuna, it would bring the Elders to speak to you in great detail." Ulsar said, managing even to almost break his usual monotone with the slightest emphasis on 'great'.

"It was consensual! My business, and hers!" he explained. "None of the Deans, or the other teachers, and certainly not Elizabeth's! It had nothing to do with the grade!" He lied. Well, it was true that what they had done wasn't illegal. Just the next thing to it. Perhaps he had contributed to their lousy grade, but Elizabeth with her limited understanding of Quantum entanglement mathematics had been their doom.

Teara chuckled, and odd sound with a flanging quality. "Regardless. You are where you are now and you're conducting important fauna study in this system, mostly uncharted. We will touch down on Telegris IV in a few hours." She informed him, nodding to the console indicating the speed their autopilot maintained.

Michael sighed and nodded, straightening his lab clothing carefully. He would have to have it washed later, get the blood off.

"Anything new on the scanners?" He asked, genuinely curious about plants for once.

They had had trouble getting accurate scans of the surface. Telegris IV was a verdant garden world, with emphasis on 'Garden'. It was completely overgrown as far as they could tell. Trees, plants and algae covered the surface. Animal life must thrive down there. It was amazing that they hadn't detected a sapient species down there, he considered.

"Factual report: No, not thus far. I believe pollen, moulds and fungi have filled the air and atmosphere to such a degree that they block scanning equipment. Even ours."

One of the Elcor's hands came up to grab a small-screened tool from his belt, holding it up for inspection. "The extent of the growth is impressive. The planet is 2300 % more verdant than your Earth. The atmosphere is filled with all manner of chemical compounds and what the scanners identifies as plants that evolve, grow and die in the air.

"A Quarian's nightmare." Taera commented dryly. "And not easy for us either. We'll wear envirosuits, including breathing masks."

Michael nodded. "Hostile animal life?"

"Unclear" It was the Turian who answered, walking from one spot in the room to another. "The computers can't make heads or tails of the life signs down there. It's impossible to tell what's an insect colony and what is a ten foot predator. We'll go down armed." She said emphatically, patting the gun at her holster. "Armed and ready for anything."

"We'll do our best." Michael said with a nod.

The Turian smiled. "Much better. You may not like Fauna, but you at least still do your very best with whatever is assigned to you." She observed. "Who knows what will come from this."

A load of plants, he thought glumly but didn't voice it out loud. The Turian with her impressive history would make an excellent reference later on in his life. As would Ulsar. The Elcor also had a most impressive history.

An hour later, they touched down on Telegris IV, the fourth planet of a star named after a Turian historical hero. Regardless of the abundance of fauna, the plants proved to be non-issues when they entered the atmosphere. Their small vessel could land on the surface with ease and Taera had already selected a landing site on a verdant, high hill overlooking the main continent currently in sunlight.

"Remember." Taera schooled "This excursion is your first, both of you. Touch nothing you don't have to and be wary of strange animals and plants. This is uncharted territory and you never know what lives in the surroundings.

Michael nodded soberly, patting his specimen box on one hip and the collapsed Armax T-21 Handgun with double clips. It was extremely difficult for a non-turian to get a hold of Armax Arsenal weapons, but Taera had connections. The Elcor held a heavy assault rifle upon his shoulders and the sight was almost laughable.

Until you remembered how strong the Elcor truly were.

Elizabeth looked slightly nervous. It was easy to remember at times like these that the young woman was two years his junior and had never been on a field trip not in the Academy. The Turian gave her an encouraging nod.

"The two of you will move together. I don't want you splitting up for any reason. Do not take your breathing masks or Envirosuits off." She said sternly.

"We're not that stupid, you know." Elizabeth commented dryly.

The turian opened her mouth.

"I know, I know. We'll be careful. I'll make this idiot be careful too, don't you worry." She hurried to interject.

Michael shot her a glare.

Stepping out into Telegris IV was...impressive. He could think of no other way to describe it. Through the visor of his breathing mask that accompanied his envirosuit, he saw everything through a faint haze of green, yellow and lilac. Flower petals and spores as well as plants, he realized. The grass growing on the ground was as thick as down, giving soft leverage to one's steps. The light seemed...alive, bouncing off the innumerable objects floating in the air.

Yet sight wasn't the most overpowering thing. Smell was. A myriad of smells ranging from sweet, sticky, sour, musty and hearty drifted through his visor. He felt his head clear from a strong smell, then felt it drift off when catching a particularly sweet variety. With a grimace, he adjusted the filtration of his breathing mask, not allowing anything to pass inside.

Elizabeth quickly did the same.

"What's the matter?" The turian asked.

"The smell!" Elizabeth exclaimed, gesturing to their surroundings. "Don't you smell it?"

The turian sniffed once, then carefully disobeyed her own order and allowed the breathing mask to filter planetary air. She frowned. "Not really."

Michael shook his head.

"Interesting" Taera noted, entering a few notes on her mobile pad. "It seems to affect humans in a much stronger way. There must be chemical compounds which your biological make up is more sensitive to." The avian alien adjusted her envirosuit. "You should be extra careful. You two head over the grasslands there, avoid the forest. I will go to the west. Ulsar, you go east."

"Note of caution: Please be careful, all of you. Scans on the surface show the plant life concentration to be even higher then expected. This truly seems to be a remarkable world but we do not yet know what dangers it holds."

"We'll be careful, Ulsar." Elizabeth commented. She turned to him "Let's go. This work isn't gonna get done while you drag your feet."

Michael was readying a most cogent response, but she was already walking away, leaving him to either stand there or follow her through the dense grass.

He decided to follow her and not look like an idiot.

"Keep up." She told him when he had walked up beside her. "I'm not going to wait around for you."

He decided not to reply to that. "They're right, you know." he found himself saying. "With all the species of plant life here, we could find something truly interesting."

She grimaced. "You sound like Taera. This is a pointless excursion. Fucking waste of time."

He knew that what she truly wanted to do was genetic research. Improve life expectancy in humans even more, find ways to birth even healthier children. Perhaps find some way to make human genes regenerate themselves like Krogan, he thought dryly. Elizabeth had always been a talker when they had been in college, yet always lacked some of the brains to truly push her theories and experiments.

"Let's just get this over with and get back to the ship." She said when she seemed to understand that he wasn't going to reply. "I have some samples of an embryo as well as stem cells and other material I can use for actual research back on the Laqina." She snorted. "Ridiculous ship name. Sounds like damn pasta."

"You should give them more respect. They are both known in their field." He pointed out. "They could be excellent references for us both if you only were a bit nicer."

"Nicer." She said dryly. "I see. Like you with whats-her-face? Professor Jordan? May Jordan? Was that friendliness?"

He had expected her to bring up that affair again. Rarely did that they discussed science and she didn't bring up the name of his college professor whom he had....spoken to. Among other things.

"No." He said calmly. "That was sex and desire. I don't expect you to understand. It would take a woman, or at least someone with a working sex drive."

He was smiling when she turned, fist raised. "If you damage the suit, I will tell them who and why and they will throw you off the team."

The threat halted her and she snarled, the breath and saliva misting her breathing mask.

"It's not as though what I say is wrong." He decided to comment after several minutes of silent walking and scanning the area for interesting flora. He had collected several varieties of grass and one purple flower. Elizabeth hadn't even opened her specimen box. "In all the years I have known you, I've never seen you with a man. Or a woman for that matter."

"There are more important things in life." She replied with surprising calm. "I will change humanity eventually. Much more important then a few short, fleeting orgasms."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive."

"Perhaps not. But judging by your love life, it involves a lot of disappointment." She shot him a smirk.

"Not always." He struck back. "Your friend Melanie certainly didn't think I was a disappointment."

Her expression darkened markedly. "You...and Melanie!?" She snarled. "She only visited for two days!"

"And where was she the second night?" He smirked. "In your room or mine?"

She looked at him for a long time. "Shut up!" She growled. "Let's get this over with."

He followed her with a smile. He had one that exchange for certain. Melanie had been an excellent lay, despite being raised in the same backwater town as her friend.

He saw her halting at the edge of the forest, scanning both the air and ground for plant life. He reached her and looked at what she was scanning.

"This is weird." She said, frowning. "The computer says this Is an insect." She pointed at a bright, red flower with thick, green stems. The petals were dusted with what seemed like yellow-golden powder -- pollen, he assumed.

He frowned, scanning the plant. "Definitely qualifies. Grab it."

She removed a pair of gloves and leaned down, gently digging around the plant to free it from the loamy earth. "Rooted deep." She grumbled, pulling at it. The plant suddenly exploded, showering her from head to toe with yellow-red powder that stuck to her envirosuit. The flower she held was still intact however, only thinner and lacking the petal coating.