Chapter 1

Kinetic barriers online, Commander Shepard stood at the docking port and watched the Collector ship as the Normandy wove its way through debris to the Omega 4 relay. As they drew close, EDI commenced with the automatic lockdown necessary for relay travel, and Allaya Shepard angled herself to keep her gaze locked on the Collector ship until the last possible moment. Just before she lost visual, a silent orange ball of flame erupted in the center of the ship, just where she'd been standing not 10 minutes before, and grew until it swallowed the entire, massive craft. Then the door closed, and they were through the relay. Heaving a sigh of relief, Allaya turned from the port and headed to the medical bay. Every member of the Normandy crew had made it back alive, against all odds, but those who had been kidnapped by the Collectors and held in the melting chambers had not been in the best shape.

When she reached the elevator, Allaya reached to program the elevator to descend to the medical bay, but a gloved hand with the middle and ring fingers fused together intercepted her reach and programmed the elevator to instead ascend to the captain's cabin. Allaya opened her mouth to object but was cut off.

"I apologize for interfering, siha, but there are enough available hands in the medical bay, and you have extended yourself more than others," a warm voice interjected before she could speak. At the sound of the familiar voice, Allaya sagged a little bit and turned a tired smile on the concerned features of a green-scaled drell.

"Thane," she greeted softly, leaning against the wall of the elevator. "Tell me, is it your ingrained observation skills that allow you to predict my every move?" Thane moved forward and wrapped his arms around Shepard's waist, the corner of his mouth twitching in a show of amusement none but those close to him would catch.

"I'd like to think personal familiarity has something to do with it," he replied in his usual formal tone, but Allaya could read the underlying warmth and smiled reflexively, leaning in to give him a slow kiss just as the elevator doors opened to reveal the door to her cabin. Allaya didn't frown, exactly, but a wrinkle creased between her brows, and her expression became thoughtful.

"I really should go check on the crew-" Interrupted by her own gasping inhalation of breath, Shepard's knees buckled the moment Thane pressed a hand gently but firmly into her side, right where heavy debris had landed on her in the Collector ship. He caught her before she hit the ground and swept her up into his arms.

"It is important for a leader and a ship's captain to concern themselves with the crew's health and safety," he said matter-of-factly while carrying Allaya into the cabin, "You spend a lot of time together and depend on each other in perilous situations, after all." Placing her on the bed, Thane sat beside her and gave her a hard look. "But you cannot ignore the needs of your own body, siha. At least allow me to look after your injuries before you are off saving the world again." Allaya grinned sheepishly and made no move to get up. It was nice to be off her feet for a while.

"It's only a bruise," she objected on principle but without any heat. Thane didn't respond, merely began aiding Allaya in removing her armor. When all her skin lay exposed, Thane began poking and prodding her more serious wounds and applying medi-gel until all internal injuries were healed up and bruises faded to a yellowish tinge. When that was finished, Thane began running his fingers gently over her skin.

"If you keep doing that with your armor on, Thane, I'm going to have to rip it off of you," Allaya commented breathily. Thane continued to slip his hand over her curved with a passive expression, but his deep black eyes sparkled with restrained humor and something else entirely. Shepard lunged, only just hooking her fingers underneath his armor plating before Thane caught her wrists lightning fast and held them together, eyebrows raised in a flirty taunt.

Snaking her leg up between them, Allaya hooked her knee around Thane's neck and swung him around until his back hit the bed with a thump and she was straddling his waist. She managed only to remove his shoulder pads with deft fingers, but Thane bucked once, jolting Allaya into the air, and slid between her legs, twisting and shooting to his feet as he went. Then, he pressed her back into his chest, her wrists pinned in one of his hands, and chuckled. He actually chuckled. Indignant, Allaya struggled to get free, but his hold was tight.

"Are you ready to surrender yet?" he asked mildly. Instead of responding, Allaya collapsed onto the bed, taking Thane off guard and dragging him with her. In that moment, she took advantage of his surprise and wriggled out from under him, taking his gloves with her.

"Not hardly," she replied smugly. It was Thane's turn to lunge, and he pinned Allaya to the wall. She twisted away and took his jacket. The two continued like that for several more moments until Thane stood equally naked in the cabin.

"I must admit, I was not trained to prevent the removal of my clothing. Perhaps I should encourage the hanar to include this eventuality in their training." Allaya raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think anybody else who finds themselves in your situation…" she paused and looked down Thane's body, her mouth going dry at the sight of his erect phallus, so different from a human male's, "…will be overly concerned about the weakness?"

"No," Thane replied immediately, his voice becoming rough, "And the discovery of this weakness has proved rather…stimulating." As he spoke, Thane moved slowly forward, his stance that of a hunting predator. Allaya responded to his sleekness with a graceful stalk of her own. At the same moment, they sprang at each other, but Thanke was faster. He had Allaya on her back with a knee pressed between her legs in a matter of seconds, but she merely reached between them and took hold of his dick.

While drell have the scaly skin of a reptile, their genitalia were different, softer, though not as soft as a human's. Also unlike humans, a male drell's penis curved upward, like a gentle hook. Allaya wanted to put her mouth on him, to follow that curve with her tongue, but she hadn't had a chance to get some anti-hallogen drugs from Mordin. As she didn't want to hallucinate their time together away, Allaya settled with stroking.

The adrenaline caused by their battle and almost violent introduction into sex didn't allow them to remain at an impasse for long, however, and Thane snatched her hand up away from him, nibbling on her wrist with his pointed incisors while keeping her other hand under control with his. Unwilling to remain passive, Allaya wrapped her legs around Thane's hips and lifted her own to rub her slickened pussy lips against Thane's heat. His throat inflated, and a low croaking groan escaped his lips. Then, just as quickly as before, Thane flipped Allaya over and slammed into her from behind.

Thane thrust forward again and again, and Allaya pushed her hips back as hard as she could, and they lost themselves in a wild, untamed rhythm. Twisting her torso around and using one hand to brace herself, Allaya reached the other hand up behind her and pulled Thane down to her for a passionate kiss. Then, she moved her lips to his ear and whispered

"Bite me, Thane." His responding growl rumbled through his entire body, and when Allaya turned back around, he leaned down and sunk his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck. Allaya cried out in painful pleasure. Neither of them lasted much longer after that, and soon, they lay in a tangled heap of limbs and sheets, Allaya on her stomach and Thane lying on his side facing her. When they were able to catch their breath, Thane turned his attention to Shepard's face, his inner and outer eyelids blinking in slow alternation.

"How did you know drell often bite their mates during lovemaking?" he asked with mild curiosity. Allaya laughed out loud at that, recalling precisely how she'd learned about the mechanics of physical relationships with drell.

"After Mordin saw you and I were becoming friendly, he decided to have a 'doctor's chat' with me. Then he sent lots of research material including everything from drell mating habits to positions most comfortable for drell and human coitus. He was…thorough."

"You…researched?" Thane asked, for lack of a better way to phrase it. Allaya laughed again.

"It's not like cross-species relationships are instinctual. Also, I noticed you were no stranger to human anatomy, both in bed and when you were healing me earlier."

"I admit I did my own fair share of research, though healing came from...previous professional needs. I've had to heal humans before…" As he talked, Thane began trailing his fingers over Allaya's back, tracing old scars marring her skin. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he said:

"You are a warrior, siha, fierce, passionate and strong. I cannot begrudge you your battles, but there is a small, irrational part of me that wishes I could heal these old scars as well." Placing a hand over Thane's, Allaya lifted it to her lips and kissed the palm.

"I could have them removed if I wanted, but it is good to have reminders of certain things, memories that should not be forgotten," Allaya's expression became distant for a moment then she shook herself and smiled at Thane. "Humans don't have the same capacity for memory as drell do." Thane remained silent for a while, turning the information over in his head before speaking again.

"I do not imagine memories that leave scars are pleasant…nor easy forget." Allaya shrugged at that.

"You could also say they are badges. Testaments to my survival."

"Would you mind telling me about them?" Allaya rolled to her side so she could face Thane fully.

"You have revealed the most painful sides of you to me without hesitation. I would do no less for you," she replied seriously. Again, Thane did not respond for a long moment before reaching out and outlining a deep scar on her hip with his index finger.

"What about this one?" Allaya's expression darkened immediately; she didn't even have to look to know exactly where and when she had obtained that scar.

"That one was my first," she began slowly, her eyes distant as she recalled it. "You've probably read my information, so you know I was born on Mindoir and saved by a passing Alliance patrol from a batarian slaver attack there when I was 16. My file would have told you all that, but files rarely include all the information…" Rolling again, Allaya rested on her back and stared up at the ceiling absently, almost not noticing when Thane moved closer and laid an arm across her abdomen…almost.

"The slavers killed everyone before the Alliance even knew they were there. It was meant to be an easy for them, and they had no qualms about slaughtering my father and brothers. They weren't the only ones either. The slavers killed every male sight, no matter the age, but the women…" Allaya's fists clenched, but she forced herself to continue.

"There weren't many females in our colony, for different reasons, and there were much fewer of us than there were slavers. Since we couldn't put up much of a fight against their numbers, they decided to take a little time for pleasure." By that point, Allaya's voice had grown distant and mechanical, but she kept going. "Three of them chose me, and the second was taking his turn when the Alliance patrol showed up. I struggled away from them the moment they were distracted, but I didn't get away fast enough to avoid being slashed by one of their knives. It was deep, and the patrol couldn't take get me medical attention quite fast enough to prevent scarring. Plus, medi-gel wasn't nearly as efficient 15 years ago. I've had that scar ever since." They lay together in silence, Allaya avoiding looking at Thane directly, afraid to see pity.

"You are stronger than I previously anticipated. I never would have guessed you held such memories." Thane commented lightly. Allaya turned her stare on Thane.

"I could say the same for you." The two gazed at one another while time ticked by. Finally, Allaya pushed herself up. "I've delayed going to see the crew long enough. Would you like to come with me?"

"Anywhere and everywhere, siha."