Introduction: "Exploration of the self"
It was a starry night on Illium. The skyscrapers stood high above the planet's surface, a surface which was too hot to live on. Because of that, the lower flats were uncomfortably hot and warm. The uppermost flats however were so high up it was too cold to live without heating. Further in between, the temperatures stayed at a comfortable constant, as if it was always late spring, turning to summer. In one of the more middle placed apartments a young Asari was lying in her bed, her slender body barely covered in a thin silken blanket. The curtains were dancing to the gentle touch of a night breeze as the moonlight lit up the room. As the soft wind touched the skin of this beautiful young woman, she sighed and rolled over. It was the evening before her birthday, and she was pondering about what the future would be like. Her name was Iyala, and tomorrow she would be turning 89 years old. As it was with most young Asari of her age, Iyala would soon be leaving the safety of her parents' home and find her own way in the galaxy as an Asari maiden.
Since she wasn't likely to find her way back into the land of the sleeping, Iyala decided to get out of bed and walk around the apartment. As she got up, her smooth blue skin shined in the moonlight. Only now would you be able to see the pure beauty of the Asari. Her athletic body, her supple and ample breasts, her flat stomach, her round hips, her long and thin legs... The sight of such an amazing girl wouldn't leave any person untouched. Her movement was elegant and gracious, as she walked she seemed to glide over the floor. Her hips swinging left to right with every step while her breasts gently bounced up and down. She walked out of her bedroom and moved silently through the flat she and her mother lived in. Being fully aware of the security probes that kept track of her, as was the norm on Illium, Iyala pondered on where she was going to go when she left her home. With every step of her tender feet on the hard tile floor, the security camera adjusted its lens to properly track this Asari beauty. She didn't mind being seen, since everywhere on Illium there were cameras. By now she had gotten so used to it and didn't even notice them anymore. "Goddess, this flat is so beautiful at night. I will miss it when I leave" Iyala thought to herself.
As she came out of her room, a dim artificial light provided barely enough luminescence to be able to see. The apartment was arranged in such a way that in the center of it a large fish tank with exotic fish was placed. The lighting of this tank would be enough to provide the entire flat with light, even if it was very little. From the center fish tank you could see every room in the apartment. The living room with handmade Salarian furniture, the kitchen with exclusively forged Drell knives. The walls were decorated with paintings made by Hanar and Elcor artists and drapes from the Asari home world of Thessia itself. The ceiling had hovering lights floating about which would follow you around, a simple click of your tongue would turn them on. There were no doors, except for the ones in the living quarters and the bathroom. It was quite a large apartment compared to most others, filled with luxury and comfort.
In every free bit of space you could see some kind of artifact or trinket collected by Iyala's parents. Gifts from others to her mother, who was a trader on Illium selling bath salts and other luxury items. Valuables found by her father during his multiple travels through the galaxy. However obtained, their home was a monument to their achievements, to their wealth. But not in the least, to the love of their child. Even with how many trinkets there were, there were countless more pictures of Iyala throughout the entire flat. Pictures of her childhood and of her parents, pictures of their travels together and the good times they had as a family. And one picture of the family on the day Iyala's father died. All in all, an homage to happiness and love. As Asari tend to say: "Do not mourn the loss of loved ones, rather celebrate and enjoy the time you spent together".
Pacing around her home, butt naked as she was, Iyala couldn't help but stop and stare at her father's collection of blades and knives. As the child of a Turian and an Asari, Iyala was always fascinated by weaponry and the art of war. Since Turians are a very militaristic and disciplined race so their children often share the same treats. As a young girl, Iyala loved listening to her father's stories about how their ancestors fought the Krogans during the Krogan Rebellion, and stories of what her father did in C-Sec. Through these stories she wished for nothing more than to learn and someday become a security officer like her father was. However as she grew older and came closer to her maiden stage, Iyala felt that the life of a security officer barely scratched the surface of her passion. She wanted more and began looking for alternatives.
By now Iyala knew for certain that she was going to join the Asari military. Ever since she was a young child combat training and martial arts were her kind of thing. Throughout her life she dedicated herself to perfecting her form, her skill, her mind and her body. Iyala knew that every Asari who became a Huntress had spent their entire life preparing for it, and so did she. With her apartment not far from the central plaza of her skyscraper complex, Iyala had very easy access to the gym and the martial arts training dojo. Every day she spent at least four hours training her skills and biotic abilities. She didn't know many people who could stand up to her in a fight, but she realized that once she actually became a Huntress she wouldn't be very significant compared to other, more experienced fighters. But that didn't discourage her to keep training. She already spent the better part of the last twenty years preparing for this moment and she knew she was ready to join the Asari Commando unit of Nos Astra.
For now though, being alone in the flat, Iyala was considering a more enjoyable approach to dealing with her anxiety. She ran herself a hot bath with plenty of bubbles, foam, fragrances and candles. A romantic night in the comfort of her home, treating herself to an "exploration of her own body". The perfect way to start what would likely be the most important day of the rest of her life.