Little Tsu: Ok, before we officially start readin' this next one, I'd like ta apologize. I disappeared for a long time towards practically all of my work and not posted anythin' at all. A lot of things happened over the last few years towards my family and then my health takin' a really bad turn. I'll try to get some of my work updated over time so please continue to be patient with me everyone.

Moment 1

Since the arrival of the human Pathfinder upon the Nexus all those several months ago and the succession in colonization on some of the chosen planets, - Eos and Vold to just name a few - the Nexus, itself, had come quite a ways towards its completion at last. In fact, one of the newer areas was a series of large training rooms all compiled onto one massive floor. This room had been accustomed to fit the styles of any form of training, whether it be weapons, hand to hand combat, tech, biotics, or even simply exercise thanks to all the equipment. The floor had been designed to specifically accommodate the needs of, not only soldiers and others with military training to stay in top form when not on missions or out fighting, but to also train new recruits that wished to help and serve in such a way; to protect their friends, families, and new home.

In fact, three hours before the break of what would have been considered dawn, the sound of shots being fired could be heard echoing throughout the floor in the distance. The sound came from the weapons training room as laying there on the floor with one magenta eye closed and the other focused within the scope of their Vanquisher V sniper rifle was none other than Apolla Shepard of the APEX Team. A slow steady breath was released from her lips before the trigger was pulled and she released an electrically charged bullet from her precious weapon; the shot hitting its target directly between the eyes, which released an electrical shock throughout the entirety of the dummy's body.

"You know. Most normal people would still be asleep in their rooms..."

Remaining where she was on the floor, a faint curve of her lips formed in amusement while she still gazed through the scope of her sniper. "Well then...Good thing I'm not like most normal people...Though that'd leave me to question why you're up and about, yourself there."

A deep, rumbling chuckle sounded off above her that almost sent a shiver coursing through her spine. "I'm not most people either, Apolla."

Now that had caused her to finally pull her head away from her weapon and raise it as she gazed up at the one who had shown up; her gaze instantly locking with his own teal ones. Normally, one would feel at least slightly intimidated with having a very tall and quite nicely built turian looming over them, but not Apolla. Instead, she actually welcomed it as her faint smile returned. "Yeah, good thing, huh?" Chuckling softly as she said this, the young woman pushed herself up onto her knees, pulling up her sniper with her in the process, but once she had, a taloned hand suddenly came right into her view. Blinking slightly, she reached up with her free hand and curled her fingers around the much larger one as she was hoisted up the rest of the way onto her feet before her hand was released so she could fold up her Vanquisher and rest it once again behind her back.

"So, what brings you down here, Tiran?"

It wasn't often when it happened. Whenever she was out on a mission with her team and spoke over the coms with him or when they were together, but in view of the public eye, they spoke with formality and respect by calling each other by their last name. However, during the rare times when they found themselves alone in each other's company, they naturally slipped into the more friendly terms with one another; saying their given name. It was times like these that Apolla and Kandros had actually come to enjoy as it was how a friendship had formed between them rather than keeping it strictly soldier and commanding officer.

Shrugging his shoulders lightly, he raised a hand and pointed a clawed digit over his shoulder towards the room that held a number of different weights, treadmills, punching bags, ect, which also seemed to only cover one portion of that room as the rest of it possessed a massive training mat for those that sparred with each other. "Couldn't sleep so I came down here to get some training done before it was time to get any work started for the day. I didn't expect anyone to actually have a similar idea though. What's wrong? Have trouble sleeping again?" A faint flash of concern allowed itself to pass over his teal gaze as he asked this. It wasn't often at all that Apolla was seen without her living shadow following her; that shadow being her little brother, Nihlik. Practically, everywhere she went, he was with her or at least not far behind. This time though, she was completely alone with the turian teen no where in sight.

If anyone else were to have asked such a question, Apolla Shepard would've responded in the exact same way as her big sister. She would've told them she was fine and to not worry about it any...Either that or she would've told them to 'fuck off before they found a bullet in their ass' if she was in a more...'generous' mood...With Tiran Kandros though? Well, he was one of the few that she got along with that could see passed her barriers and get her to confess if something really was wrong...Sometimes she really hated that trait of his...

"...It's not really that...I just have a lot on my mind. I kind of woke up to another nightmare. It's always the same dream though; of being informed of my sister's death. It happened when I was only nineteen and Nihlik was fourteen...I had always looked up to Nova more than I had towards our oldest sibling, John even though he had become a Spectre too. I think it mainly had to do with the fact that my sister was easier to approach. She was more open with her friends and trusted them to have her back, while John was more of the 'do it solo' type. When I found out she began dating one of their teammates, Garrus Vakarian, and after meeting him, I admired her all the more for it cause it meant she didn't care how others would view the relationship and stuck to her own views and beliefs. She didn't let anyone stop her..."

Listening to her as she confided in him on, not just that she had a nightmare, but towards the reason it had effected her so much to the point that she couldn't get back to sleep, Kandros couldn't help but feel for her. After all, he had family too...Or did...He was sure that they were actually still alive since back in the Milky Way, it was probably only a few years after they had actually left. Space travel to such distant galaxies that took around six hundred years to get to had a funny way of doing that. He couldn't help but wonder though, towards what had happened with the Reapers and Geth after they had all left...Was the war over? Did they win? Who all did he know die? They were questions he knew would never be answered...

"But you found out that she was alive, right?"

"Yeah, two years later and only a few months before we left to make our way for Andromeda...She had been brought back thanks to Cerberus technology and I was grateful for that. I mean, sure I was glad to have my sister back and have my family practically whole again for the most part, but...seeing how elated Garrus had been after he had been reunited with her was what got me the most." She then chuckled softly and shook her head before finally deciding to lighten the mood and get off such a sensitive subject. "His adorable factor practically skyrocketed with all that affection and purring he was giving my sister...Made me want a turian for myself, haha."

That instantly got an arch of his brow plate as he crossed his arms over his chest armor. "Oh really? And pray tell, who did you have in mind, hm?" Kandros knew exactly what she was doing. His friend wanted off the subject of his sister's death and rebirth and he would humor her with this subject change. Besides, he had come to enjoy their playful banter. It was almost like they had known each other and been friends for years despite their differences in age.

"Hmm...Well, Kaetus is pretty cute and he's working towards redemption since he finally came to his senses a few months after Sloane's death..." Cupping her chin in one hand while her other cupped the elbow of that arm to hold it in place as she took on a thoughtful expression for a moment, she allowed her magenta eyes to shift slightly up towards the much larger turian, who, she noticed, had what she could only have described as the turian version of a deadpanned expression that showed he was clearly not amused by what she said.

"...Kaetus?...You're kidding, right?"

"What? He's cute, good with a gun, quick on his feet, powerful like any other military trained turian, and his clan markings are the same as yours, but teal like your eyes instead of light blue like your markings are." Eyes narrowing part way in a way that one instantly knew was mischievous when it came to her, Apolla knew that her friend wasn't pleased in the least bit nor the slightest bit humored even. She couldn't help it though. The young human loved to draw out these different reactions and expressions out of him when they were alone. It was her rare treat to see him unguarded like this.

Rolling his eyes at her reasons for even considering the ex-rebel turian, Kandros huffed lightly in irritation, his sub-vocals releasing a faint growl of their own accord to show his displeasure. "I refuse to have you decide on Kaetus of all turians to go after to see whether or not you like turians in such a way. Choose someone else." With how he worded that and in the tone he took on, it was like an older brother or father blatantly refusing or rejecting their sister or daughter's choice in a boyfriend, though he probably didn't really mean for it to sound that way.

Apolla had noticed this though and took quite a bit of effort not to laugh. As she managed to keep it in though, she closed her eyes and shook her head once more before turning around and walking off to head for the tram so she could have it take her to hydroponics and the apartments beyond that. After all, she needed to take a shower after her training and wake her little brother up. However, as she walked away and left Kandros standing there, she spoke up one last time; not even needing to see the kind of expression it would cause to know what it was. "Like who, Tiran?...Someone like you?"

Kandros stared after her in a bit of stunned silence for a moment towards her playful retort. He had actually played right into a human woman's trap; a woman that was quite a bit younger than himself, no less. Snapping himself out of his shock, the turian quickly strided after his subordinate and friend; his long legs allowing for him to catch up rather easily as he soon fell into step with Apolla's own after lessening his gait considerably to match her own pace before they both stepped into the tram to head for their next destination.

This was the start of yet another interesting day for Tiran Kandros thanks to his human friend. After all, there never seemed to be a dull moment with her around and it certainly kept things interesting for him whenever Sara Ryder wasn't visiting the Nexus.

End.

Little Tsu: Ok, so with this story, it's gonna be a series of one-shots, but they're gonna be titled as 'moments' and 'missions' since I'm really not the best when it comes ta comin' up with great titles and this one might be a decent length towards the amount of stories it has. It's literally gonna be different moments, instances, and missions within the life surrounding Apolla and her APEX team in particular along with her relationship with Kandros as her close friend and possibly eventually more as the shots can be linked together in some manner of form.