Mas Effect - Tu-Fira

by IAmElvie

My main ME AU Mass Effect story of Thane Krios and Commander Shepard. Will have canon missions, but not a canon story. Starts with Shepard's life on Earth, extends past ME3. This story relates to my Andromeda story. Warning of rainbows and butterflies and NSFW content. Rated M. I'm not a professional writer or editor.

6. Tu-Fira Chapter 6 - Return to Mindoir 2

Chapter 6
Return to Mindoir Part 2

By week's end Castiel had received a message from Nikyrian Teiner. He was through the relay on his way to Earth. The building that his new ship would berth atop had received as much of a makeover as the building's interior. Large, hemmed in balconies were added to the front and back of the building along with large domed doors that enclosed the entire top of the roof. The balconies were supported by 4, weathered looking, greek style columns. Potted plants and benches were placed under the balconies for passersby to rest or get out of the elements. The walls were lined with slatted vents, designed to look like covered windows. From the outside it looked as if a few floors had been added to the 3 floor building; however, the additions merely looked serviceable, rather than a display of wealth.

The main outside doors, on either side of the building, between the pool area and garage, entered into elevators. A scan was required to operate them, though that part was not complete yet. Nikyrian would be bringing the final components when he arrived. To stay on the ground floor, a press of a holo-button opened the elevator doors to a hall. The left entry door led to the pool, a right led to the garage. The opposite was true if you entered from the rear entrance. The elevators went all the way to the rooftop hangar. Outside of a hidden, emergency stairwell from the third floor, the elevators were the only way to get to the hangar.

The second and third floors were mostly identical. With three bedroom suites, entertainment room, workout room, large office, dining and laundry rooms, and a large kitchen. The second floor would be the last to be finished and would remain unused for now. That floor was Reed's, but they'd discussed it and decided to share the third floor until such a time as either one had a family. Castiel had been relieved. He enjoyed the company and was not looking forward to living alone. Reed had hunted him down shortly after Aria had left. Those few days had been had been more than enough time in his own company.

The third floor was complete, the furnishings having arrived over the last two days. With his arms full of the last of his belongings, Castiel turned a final time to say goodbye to the home that he and Aria had spent the last few years. He felt Reed's pat on the shoulder as the large man slipped around him to leave. "Goodbye, Aria…" he whispered and followed his friend out the door.

He and Reed were in the office going over the influx of refugees and the next improvements the Reds needed to begin working on over comm with Trent and Marko when Nikyrian commed him to let him know he was near the coordinates. He cut the meeting short and smiled at Reed. "Time to meet the Manticore."

They took the elevator up to the hangar. After a brief scan the domed doors slid open, with little more than a hum, and the vent slats activated. The walls of the building were angled just enough that the only way you could see the doors opening is from above. Even the residents of their old apartment would see nothing unusual, now that the buildings were of the same height.

Nikyrian hovered the ship over the top of the building. The wings folded back, until the twin engines on each sat snuggly against each other. When the doors opened, he lowered the ship into the hangar. As hangars go, it wasn't bad, but it was a tight fit. The ship's AI would have no issue with it, but a manual landing would require skill.

Two inline feet lowered and the wing tips bent downwards to support the ship when grounded. After he settled the ship, Nikyrian disengaged cloaking, grabbed his bag from the co-pilot's seat. The nanowall desolidified and he stepped out of the cockpit. The Manticore was a near image of his own vessel, the Oasis. Near, because there was some technology he would never sell.

The airlock opened and a ramp began to descend at his feet. He came to a stop and the ramp did too. He continued, the ramp telescoped downward as he descended. When he stepped onto hangar floor, one arm came in front of his waist and he bowed. "Highness, it is good to finally meet you." He rose and shook the Prince's hand. The man was a beautiful as Angel.

He was stunned by the sheer size of the drell, both in height and breadth. At 6'0", he was not a small man, but standing next to Reed and Nikyrian, he felt dwarfed. When the ship came into focus Castiel sucked in a breath. It was black and sleek. The world Manticore was inscribed on the side. It started out a gleaming gold that blended into a fiery orange. He shook Nikyrian's hand, his gaze barely noticing the drell's expensive suit that was cut low, exposing his light blue chest. "She is far more than I thought she would be, Nik."

The drell smiled. "I have much more to show you, Highness."

Castiel held up a hand. "On Earth I am only Castiel…or Cas. There are only three souls on Earth that know the truth; I'd prefer to keep it that way." He jerked his thumb in his friend's direction. "This is my brother, Reed Walker."

Nikyrian inclined his head. "As you wish…Castiel." His gaze moved between the golden-skinned Prince and the dark copper-skinned man, who was of a similar size to himself.

Reed chuckled. "Brothers in spirit and blood. My birth people are native to this land, though our numbers…well, are far too few."

"Talyn Nikyrian Teiner. I am pleased to meet you." Nikyrian held out his hand,

"Likewise," returned Reed. He shook the drell's hand and then followed the men up the Matincore's ramp.

"Please stand in front of the scanner. The AI will store your scans for admittance. The interior door will not open without an approved scan. If you have personnel or visitors that are only allowed into certain areas of the ship, then their scans will only open to those areas."

He waited for the two men to be scanned. "Full clearance. Castiel Shepard-Anderson-Stanton is captain of this vessel." He paused while the native was scanned. He glanced at Castiel, who nodded. "Reed Walker, full clearance."

The door slid open and he stepped onto the deck. "The ship is a smaller frigate. It has three floors and little space has gone to waste. All functions are controlled by an AI, though you may take manual control if you wish. To the left of the airlock is the cockpit." They followed him until he came to a stop in front of wall. "It, along with several key locations, is protected behind a nanowall." He placed his hand on the pad and the wall shimmered and desolidified. "You will feel an odd…tingling as you pass through it," he warned as he stepped through the wall.

Castiel held his hand out touching the strange shimmering curtain. Then he stepped through with Reed right behind him. There was, indeed, a strange tingling, somewhat similar to being in a biotic field, except for a mild pressure within the wall.

Nikyrian grinned. "You will quickly become accustomed to it. But I warn you, the nanowall will kill or maim anyone caught within it when it solidifies. It is a defense measure. The nanowall will not reactivate unless you either tell the AI to reactivate or you touch the pad next to it in the cockpit. There is a safety fall back, but only for approved personnel. The AI prevents the nanowall from solidifying on anyone with approved access to that sector. Please stand back."

Nikyrian removed a small metal rod from his bag and placed it through the nanowall. "Activate nanowall." The wall solidified and he released the rod, now held in place by the wall.

Castiel took hold of the end of the small rod and pulled. It was firmly embedded. He stepped away and nodded to the drell.

"Deactivate nanowall." Two ends of the rod dropped to the floor. The middle was simply gone.

Fuck me. Castiel leaned over and picked up the sheared rod that fell into the cockpit. "Your warning is duly noted...and appreciated. How many rooms are guarded by these walls?" he asked as he fingered the rod's newly cut edge.

"Key locations like the cockpit, engineering, the AI core, and the batteries."

Batteries? "We have canons?" Castiel asked in surprise.

Nikyrian inclined his head. "Do you think your parents would allow their Prince to go unprotected?" He smiled. "You have forward and aft batteries. The forward battery houses two retractable, forward facing canons powerful enough to tear through even Silaris armor plating. Your aft battery has a retractable, swiveling, double barrel canon. The ship's armor is a nano infused Silaris plating. What makes that different than standard Silaris plating is that –"

"It self-repairs. But how – nevermind." Inventors do not give away trade secrets. "Can these nanos be infiltrated by outside sources?" All they needed was the hull to be ripped apart by the very nanos that protected it.

"Astute question. Nevertheless, the answer is no. I do, however, want you to bring the ship in to me once a year for a systems checkup and any upgrades that are needed. The AI will notify me if there is any damage that needs seen to." He turned his attention to the front of the cockpit. "You will notice there are 3 stations. The pilot seat at the bow, navigation on the starboard side and weapons to the port. Both forward and Aft canons can be operated manually here. The weapons station has a full 360 degree view via virtual window holo-screens. I recommend you allow the AI to fire the weapons, but it is your call. The pilot can also control the forward canons, but the aft can only be controlled by the AI or the weapons chair. The navigator seat – it is only there because I did not know your preferences on the matter. The seat also has a 360 degree view. As you can see, there are no windows in the cockpit. Even something as strong as permaglass is a structural weakness." He moved closer to the dash and keyed on the virtual window. The interior of the hangar bay came into view. "There are virtual windows throughout the ship, via a plethora of sensors embedded in the ship's hull. All three seats warm, cool or massage as needed."

He keyed off the virtual window. "The two side stations have full wrap around consoles, which only activate if someone sits in the seat. "Take a seat," he motioned to both gentlemen, holding out his hands towards both side stations.

They sat down in the plush seats; platforms on either side of them whooshed out and snapped together, completely encircling the swiveling chairs. The wrap around consoles lit up and 360 degree virtual windows surrounded them in a magnificent holo-display.

Nikyrian smiled as he watched the men spin around in the chairs to see from every angle. "Now, you need only rise from the chair for the console to recede. However, the virtual windows can be keyed on or off."

A female voice cleared its throat. "Nik, you should inform them of my other capabilities."

"Quite right, Cori, You have my apologies. The AI is capable of training individuals for full manual control of any of the stations. The AI can fully maintain and fly the ship; technically there is no need for a crew, though I have built it in mind for one."

"Cori is the AI's name?"

"Of course, Captain. This is the Manticore and neither Manny nor Tico appealed to me. Though, you may change my name, if you wish."

"Cori is fine. I'm just surprised to find an AI; they are illegal in Council Space."

"Yes we are, Captain. But my core is shielded. I scan as a VI and I will act accordingly if we are boarded by officials. There are many upgrades within me that the Council would frown upon, but all upgrades scan as standard issue. Nik is very good at what he does."

Nikyrian cleared his throat. "Thank you for the praise, Cori, but we have a ship to see. Please come with me, gentlemen."

The men stood and followed as soon as the consoles slid back into place.

"Activate the nanowall." They moved down the hall. "If you look down you will notice some of the floor panels have lighted borders. There are 5 in this hall, 10 in the lower, longer deck halls. In the case of evacuation, the panels will slide open to reveal ladders. The ladders will lower and connect with the corresponding ladders on the lower decks. Beneath the third deck are the evacuation pods. There are ten in total that sit four each. There are 5 exit tubes on each side of the ship. The pods are programmed to seek out known, nearby habitable locations. If none can be found, the inhabitants will be put into stasis to preserve them until they are found or until the power cells deplete."

The hall opened into a large room. "This is the CIC, we will get to that in a moment. To the right is the XO's cabin. They stepped into the room and the lights came on. It was spacious as far as ship cabins went. To the left of the doorway was a bathroom with a tub and shower. There was an 'L' shaped desk that sat against the hall wall. It was large enough to support two chairs and terminals. Parallel to the desk was a sofa facing the port wall and two chairs in front of the port wall were facing the sofa. At the back of the room, along the airlock wall, was a bed, two night tables, with a closet on the port wall and dresser on the hall wall. "All the furniture is magnetically sealed to the floor. But there are levers to break the seals which allow the furniture to be rearranged. Oh – and both XO and Captain's cabins have a virtual window above the beds."

They exited the room. "On the opposite side is the Captain's cabin. It is quite a bit larger than the XO cabin." The lights popped on as they entered. To the right of the entry way was the bathroom. Within it nestled a toilet, large dual basin sink and a large tub with dual showerheads, one on each side of the tub. Nice addition for a ship and obviously designed for two. "There are holo-controls for temperature, water spray, tub jets, shampoo, sani-gel, and quick-dry."

A few feet from the bathroom was another 'L' shaped desk that faced the rest of the room, the short side along the starboard hull. The entryway, bathroom and desk area were raised. There was a slight ramp leading down into the rest of the cabin. On the other side of the desk was a wet bar with four stools. There was a long 'C' shaped sofa facing the starboard hull on which hung a large, edgeless vid-screen. A coffee table sat in middle of the 'C'. "You can choose to see the vid-screen or not when the large, virtual window is activated. In the back, behind the door is a bedroom similar to what you saw in the XO cabin. It has more closet space and a couple of lounging chairs, but the same in all other regards, or nearly so. The bedroom floor temperature can be regulated."

He waited for them to look at the bedroom and then ushered them back into the CIC. "Work stations align both sides. There is also a single occupant men's and ladies' rooms on either side of the elevator. In the middle island, the consoles are solely for the purpose of updating different aspects of the galaxy map. Again, Cori is capable of handling the updates, but if you choose to have a crew it's best to keep them busy."

"Agreed," replied Castiel.

Nikyrian keyed in a command on one of the Island's consoles. A 3-D holo of the ship popped up in the middle of the table. "This will allow you to see if there are weaknesses on the ship that will need repair; the areas that are weakened will highlight in red. Touch the ship wherever you wish to get a closer look, it will zoom in. You can also set it to seek out life signs, even program in a specific person's name and it will locate them, allowing you to watch wherever they go. It is a way to keep an eye on guests or spot uninvited guests that have slipped through the defenses."

He left the holo of the ship on, rounded the table and stepped up to the Galaxy map console. The two men moved up to stand on either side of him. The console was wide enough to fit all three comfortably.

As Castiel stood next to the other two, again he felt diminutive in size. Both of the other men topped off at about 6'6", but Nik's densely muscled frame was a tad leaner than Reed's. But at only 15, he was still growing, he assured himself. Wasn't he? If not…well, then he would have to settle with being faster and more agile then the men next to him. That was something at least.

"The magic, gentlemen." Nikyrian activated the console. A curved holo-screen, appeared, it was as long as the console, the screen wrapped around the sides of the console just enough to include their peripheral vision if they were looking straight at it. The difference between this holo-screen and traditional holo-screen was that this one was opaque. They could not even see the glowing holo-ship behind it. "It currently displays all the known systems at this time, but it will be updated as new discoveries are made." Nikyrian touched the screen on the eastern Attican Traverse, it expanded to display the planets in that sector. He typed a command into the console and the screen filled with a picture. "You can see the surface of any planet that has been probed or that has satellites. You can opt to see the surface of all the planets in a system." His hand swiped the screen and a new picture displayed. He swiped four more times, displaying surface activity or the lack of on several planets. When Mindoir was displayed he stopped and typed a command to focus on Mindoir. "You can also zoom in view activity on the surface at different points on a planet. You are somewhat familiar with this planet. Find your home." Nikyrian moved to the side allowing Castiel to take his place in the middle.

Castiel swiped his hand across the screen several times until the main port was displayed. He moved the locator crosshairs west from the port and set the new coordinates. He swiped his hand across the screen; the town of Maplecrest was displayed. He swiped once more and moved the locator focus to the Royal Estate. He couldn't see any activity, so he locked in on the Royal Estate and swiped his hand across the screen. He caught movement and expanded the screen. There they were. Out back. Two drell and two humans were helping mechs rake up piles of leaves. He zoomed in closer. He caught a wicked gleam in his sister's eyes a moment before she launched herself at a large pile of leaves. The pile exploded, leaves skittered everywhere. Thane helped pull her out of the pile and picked a couple of leaves from her hair. He glanced over at Reed in concern. His face showed no emotion, but his gaze was focused only on his sister. He saw her point to the drell woman and direct her towards the leaves. The drell woman shook her head. But it didn't take much encouragement from his sister, before she smiled and nodded.

Nikyrian's heart twisted in pain when he saw Angel and the drell that had to be the man he'd lost her to. He remembered his own time with her in a pile of leaves - one of many memories that he relived countless times. He should have never left. Someone else could have handled the emergency. He'd just been used to doing everything himself. But that miscalculation on his part…No. He tucked the pain away. He would deal with it when he was alone. The moment the drell woman's face filled the screen, Nikyrian touched the screen, freezing it. Her coloring…and even more so, her eyes. It couldn't be. Her irises were a pale copper, but when the sun hit them just right, as it did in the frozen image, they had almost a melon colored glow. They were familial eyes. His grandfather's eyes…his brother's eyes. His brother, Nikyrian Teiner, died before he was born. He had been his brother's namesake, Tayln Nikyrian Teiner. "Who is she?" he asked hoarsely.

"That's Irikah…Teiner. She arrived on Mindoir after I left, but my parents had already put up holo pics of her and Rosie. Rosie is her adopted human daughter. The human male, that is Rafe…Irikah's lifemate."

Nikyrian released a ragged breath and leaned heavily on the console, his head bent down. "She is Kahje born." It wasn't a question. He'd kept tabs on what few Teiners survived on Rakhana. "Drell lives are so fleeting. Due to either starvation on Rakhana or Keprel's for those that leave. Our need for family is great. But I never stopped to consider Kahje. We were so sickened by what has become of those that were rescued. The hanar warped everything, even our Gods, to control and influence those they rescued. They are little more than beholden servants of another race. Some on Rakhana hate Kahje born drell, others pity them. Me? It breaks my heart…what has become of us." He turned his head to look at Castiel. "I am working with your family to try to save Rakhana. They can move mountains even my wealth cannot move. Together we will succeed. We have to. My people are on the edge of extinction." He rose and walked away from the console. "Turn off the displays." The holo-ship and galaxy map went dark.

He placed his hand on the pad and the elevator opened. He stepped into it and then pressed a button that opened the opposite elevator doors. "Through here on the right is the QEC." There was a large circle in the middle of the floor surrounded by several smaller circles. "You can holo-communicate with anyone else that has QEC capabilities." He left the room. "Across the way is a meeting room. The room is soundproof and there are no surveillance devices. Even Cori does not have access unless you grant it to her." He pointed to the end of the hall. "That doorway there leads to aft storage. "Come, we have two more decks to explore."

When they joined him in the elevator, he hit the holo-button for Deck 2. They exited the rear elevator doors. "Deactivate nano-wall" He stepped through the wall. "This is engineering. They can vent, cool, and reallocate power as needed to keep the core stable. But actual core repairs will only be made by Teiner Tech. If it is an emergency, then your engineers may make repairs. However, the core will lose higher functions and only operate via standard protocol. Key components will need replaced for it to function as I designed it to."

The drive core itself was very impressive. Not only was it large, but it appeared to pulse with a life of its own. Something that looked like veins snaked out across the core.

"Remember, you can remain cloaked for some time, but should you do so in FTL you will receive a warning when the heatsinks need to be vented. It does little good to not be seen if your heat emissions give you away. There are cooling measures in place that can extend the time, but use them cautiously and only in emergency. Should the core overheat it would not be…pleasant. The heat would vent into engineering when it reaches critical levels, for it would have nowhere else to vent. Cooking your engineers is, however, preferable to the alternative."

"You mean the core would detonate."

"And it still could if engineering itself overheats to the critical point. Venting is essential. You need to be aware of the limitations to cloaking. You cannot fire cloaked, nor can you use a mass relay cloaked. Firing will bring you out of cloak and vent your heatsinks. You should also be circumspect using cloak in Council Space. The technology is not…approved. Nor do I intend to release it to any military. Outside of my own, your ship is the only one I've created with cloaking capabilities. So, have a care."

"I will, Nikyrian. I appreciate what you have done for my family."

"As I appreciate what your family is trying to do for my people." He returned to the elevator and opened the opposite doors. "On the left is your Crew Quarters. I chose not to use standard bunks. There are 10 rows, three cubicles high. Each cubicle is approximately 3' by3'. There is a ladder between rows for access to the higher beds." He stood next to one of the cubicle's and placed his hand on biometric pad. The bed extended outward and the interior lit up. "The beds are 6.5 feet in length and 2.5 feet wide. As you can see there are several 5 inch shelves on each side. People should be able to sit up or lean against the padded rear wall. The units are soundproofed, neighbors will not be disturbed. I chose this method of bedding to offer privacy. Personal space is lacking on a ship. Besides the shelving for personal items, each unit has a built in locker." He keyed the bed closed and opened the front panel of the bed. "A place to store clothing and other items too large for the shelves. The lockers, once assigned, only open to that individual's biometrics. Both yourself and Cori can override the security measures, if a crew member is suspect." He closed the locker. "One thing to note. These beds were not designed to hold the weight of a krogan. Along the shorter wall," he pointed, "there are 3 units designed for krogan. I would not advise to have more than 3 krogan on your crew. I prefer not to risk the bulkheads."

"Duly noted."

"Captain, I would also like to inform you that all of the cubicles can be locked down and the occupants put into stasis, should the need arise," Cori chimed in.

"Thank you for the insight, Cori. Though, I hope mutiny isn't in my future," Castiel teased.

"Besides the terminals you see in this room, there is an entertainment room with vidscreen and sofas and a couple of small gaming tables in the connected room. If you will follow me." He exited the room. "Further down on the left are the male and female crew facilities. On the right, across from the crew quarters is the starboard lounge." He stepped into the lounge. "There's a wet-bar, small dance floor and several sofas. And, of course, a large virtual window. There is also a virtual fireplace. The lounge can also be entered via the mess." He moved through the door leading to the mess hall and proceeded on into the kitchen. There were several ovens and microwaves lining the wall as well as a large refrigerated storage and a large walk in pantry. Stove tops lined a central island. He left the kitchen and turned right at the hall. "The next room on the right is a workout room that is fully padded. Free weight benches, workout centers, sparring area and dummies."

He didn't enter the workout room and neither did the men. They all knew what a workout room looked like. Instead, they followed him to the door at the end.

"Another nano-wall."

"Indeed. This is the forward battery." He put his hand on the pad and the nano-wall deactivated. He stepped through but only proceeded far enough in to allow the men entry. "Right now the canons are retracted, this allows for maintenance and protection. Unless you have someone very knowledgeable, you will have little need to be in this room. Small changes in algorithm can be altered if needed at the console facing the cannons. But if they require repair, then bring the ship to either Sur'Kesh or Illium." He turned and left the forward battery, continuing back down the hall to the elevator.

"Activate nano-wall," Castiel said after they left the room.

Nikyrian pressed the holo-key for Deck 3. He exited the elevator towards the bow of the ship. "There are only two rooms we are going to visit on this floor. The MedBay and the Armory. Past them on the left are facilities and a laundry room. On the right is the AI core. While you have the authority to access it, I ask that you don't. If there is something Cori cannot repair or correct and it is an emergency then she can direct you in the repairs. However, bring the ship to me as soon as possible if such an event occurs." He pointed straight ahead. "There is storage, both port and starboard at the bow of the ship."

Since all the rooms were clearly labeled, they followed the drell into the room on the right. The armory. There were rows of guns, every shape and size, lining one of the walls. Below each type of weapon were clips of ammunition. All magnetically affixed to the wall. "There is calibration equipment for guns and mods and tables for minor repairs. There are lockers on the wall to store individual armors. The lockers will sanitize and recalibrate the armor within. If more extensive repairs are needed, that will have to be seen to by the gunnery chief. Like the bed lockers, these lockers only open via biometric scan."

They followed him into the MedBay. There were a few odd machines and a couple of desks with terminals and an array of medical what-evers.

"As you can see the beds in here are similar in nature to those in the Crew Quarters. Scanner arms and beds are tucked away in the wall unless needed. There are scanners located inside the chamber to monitor patients, letting the doctors know if they are asleep, awake, or in need of more medication or medical attention. The severely injured can be put into stasis until a medical facility can be reached. The far end of the room is a working lab."

"This ship is so much more than I ever expected. I mean, I don't I don't know what I expected, but never anything like this. You've thought of everything." It was hard to even imagine that all this was his.

Nikyrian shrugged as he headed down the hall. "Unlike military frigates, this was designed for both the mental and physical health of those on board. I cannot know what your future holds or the paths you will choose to walk, but this ship will see you through it."

"I believe you," Castiel said quietly.

Nikyrian inclined his head. "The tour is almost over. There remains only the shuttle bay." He entered the elevator and opened the doors on the opposite side.

To the left and right of the elevator door were easy entry to the MedBay and Armory. Right in front of them was the Aft Battery, protected behind a nano-wall. Along the port side sat one shuttle, with apparent room for a second in front of it. That was obviously well thought out and practical. Along the starboard side there were smaller spaces, meant for skycars and gliders. Down the center was a large runway. It was obvious something much larger could be parked there. With the array of equipment along the sides, it was apparent the vehicles could be worked on where they sat, they could even be lifted if need be.

The shuttle was sleek, black and bore the name Manticore S-1. "A shuttle too…"

"You will not always be able to land precisely where you need to be," Nikyrian pointed out. "The shuttle's plating and shields can handle almost every atmospheric extreme, including under water and the relays. But you must keep in mind, the fuel cells are limited, as well there is little storage room for essentials….and no facilities. It was designed for troop transport."

"So keep your trips within reason. Got it. And, Nik? Thank you for the tour. I know you are eager to get to Mindoir," he said as he followed the drell into the elevator.

"Perhaps, so. But I shall get there soon enough." He pressed the holo-button for Deck 1. "I wanted to give you the personal touch." He was eager to get to Mindoir. To meet Irikah…to see Angel. But he also knew that the trip would be heartbreakingly painful.

"Do not go there, Cas," warned Reed when he caught his friend's grin.

Nikyrian drew his brow ridges together. It felt as though he'd missed something. No matter. It was probably a human thing. On the ride down, he removed the black suit from the bag in his hand and presented it to the large native. "This, I believe, belongs to you."

Reed took the folded suit, his feeling the soft texture. "Thank you, Nikyrian. I appreciate the work you put into it. It will be put to good –"

Nikyrian's OT flashed and a male voice chimed in. "Nik, there is something…a disturbance. Southwest of your location. It's – an anomaly, the readings are off the charts, Nik. Nothing in my databanks compare."

"Keep an eye on it, Ase; we're on our way!"

When the elevators opened the three men skirted the CIC at a fast clip and picked up the pace.

"Nik, I'm being buffeted, moving to a safer distance. Winds are picking up. Be careful."

"Noted."

They shot out of the airlock and into the elevator. Reed dropped his suit in the corner and looked at the drell. "Leave your bag here. The elevator goes straight to the main door."

Nikyrian put the bag down carefully and followed the men out the door. A thunderous boom shook the ground, the wind whipped around them. All eyes went to the sky. A large, almost teal colored rip rent the heavens, purple lightning tore across the sky. It would be beautiful if it were not so jarringly terrifying. They looked at each other, each giving a shake of their heads. None had seen anything like it.

"A tornado?" Reed asked, at a loss.

"No. Though I am not sure it won't spawn one. That – whatever it is…it's not natural. I'm getting closer," Castiel shouted to be heard above the wind that was near freight train loud. Lightning struck out like the hand of god, followed by a crash of thunder that shook the ground. He looked from Reed to Nikyrian. "Nik, it might be best for you to stay here." He turned to Reed? "Ready to challenge yourself?"

"Right on your heels, Cas."

"I'm going with you. You may be surprised what I'm capable of," Nikyrian shouted with a confident sincerity.

"Nothing would surprise me, Nik. Keep up if you can." Castiel saluted the drell's grin and charged towards the distant anomaly.

-BREAK ONE-

He watched the blue and gold streaks as the men charged. He might not be a strong biotic, but he had a few tricks up his sleeve. A press of a button and a whitish-blue glow from the bottom of his shoes propelled him forward. There was a power supply on his belt, were that to be depleted it would siphon energy from his body via prongs that pressed into his lower back. It was not as efficient as his suit, but he had not expected to need it for a delivery. Even so, Nik was never caught unprepared. His arms were stretched out in front of him to help cut through the wind and ease his advance, even so, his muscles strained to keep him on course. No doubt the men on the ground were facing a worse challenge, for the ground reverberated with each thunderous boom. Rain began to sheet from the sky.

Castiel pulled up under the anomaly and braced himself to stay on his feet. The roar was nearly unbearable. Reed joined him, followed by Nikyrian. They looked up to see the rent open, two objects shot through the rent, before it closed behind them. The subsequent roar of thunder dropped them to their knees. The teal mark still present in the heavens like a wound that could not heal.

One of the objects was spinning out of control, the other appeared to have a wavering shield in place, it jerked, spun and righted itself, trying to keep control. Both were coming in far too fast to avoid collision with the ground. For a brief moment he thought his eyes were deceiving him…it couldn't be. Son of a bitch! Those are shuttles! Castiel signed; there was no way he would be heard above the din. 'Reed, try to shield the shuttle on the left and buffer its descent. I'm going after the other. Nik if we bring them down, I need you ready for whatever comes out.'

Leaving the closer shuttle to Reed, Cas charged off in the direction of the out of control shuttle. He pulled up, leaned into the wind and raised his arms, a blue and gold field enveloped him and he poured power into his aim. A blue and gold field expanded over the shuttle. He gritted his teeth and forced more power into controlling the landing.

The shielding of the shuttle was growing weaker, it flickered and Reed pushed more energy into the shuttle, strengthening the barrier. But this was not something he'd trained for. How do you even train for something like this? The wind ripped the howl from his lungs and he fell to one knee as he fought to keep the shuttle stable.

Nikyrian knew he only had enough power to aid one of the shuttles and it appeared that Reed was in greater need. He flipped on both his OTs, they burned bright orange with power and he sent wave after wave of power towards the shuttle, pushing against it to slow its descent. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the other shuttle jump as it landed, roll to the side and come to a stop on its roof. Their own shuttle drove into the ground a few inches before it came to a stop. His OTs flickered and went out.

Reed charged to the shuttle and pulled up. Nikyrian flew up beside him and lowered himself to the ground. It was a batarian shuttle. They nodded to each other and Nikyrian drew a small pistol from his belt. He aimed his other arm towards the second shuttle; his OT sputtered but released a drone. "Savvy assist the second shuttle. Possible hostiles. He did not give a second thought to the drone, focusing his attention on the possible danger within.

Reed tried to slide the door open, but it was jammed, held in place by the trench created in its landing. He placed his hands on the top of the shuttle and pushed, when it didn't budge, he sent a wave of power into it. The shuttle rocked enough for the door to release. It slid open and he caught sight of a long head of hair. A woman was slumped in the seat, held in place by a safety harness. He thumbed in Castiel's direction, crawled in and placed his fingers against the woman's neck. Thready, but alive.

Castiel was surprised at the appearance of the drone.

"I'm Savvy, a combat drone," came a sultry, very female voice. "Nik sent me to assist."

"A welcome surprise. Let's see what lurks within." He approached the downed shuttle cautiously. He was drained and in need of food, but he could still fight.

Nikyrian snapped the gun to his magbelt, rose from the ground and headed towards the second shuttle. The winds and rain had stopped as suddenly as they had come. He lowered himself next to Castiel just as both doors slid open. He heard grunts as two batarians fell to the roof and started crawling out. He grabbed a small bat at each side of his belt and activated them. Long whips flared from the bats. He charged them with electricity and waited. The men rolled from shuttle and sprung up, guns at the ready. With a flick of the wrists the whips shot out, wrapped around the guns. The men stiffened as the current shot through them. With a jerk, the guns flew from the men's grasp. Another flick and the guns dropped harmlessly behind him. "Next time it will be your necks," he warned.

"Nik, I wanted to zap them." Energy danced along the holo-drone. "Can I still zap them, Niki?"

"No, Savvy. But if they misbehave, you may do so."

Castiel grinned. "Impressive, Nik. I'll see if there's anything in the shuttle to tie them up with. I'd rather not carry them back and I'm too drained to use the kind of power it would take to lift them." He stepped in on the shuttle's roof and caught sight of two more batarians, their vacant eyes told him all he needed to know. "That's what safety harnesses are for assholes." He removed their belts and exited the shuttle.

Nikyrian snapped the whip in warning. The batarian put his hands behind his back, his eyes following the drone. He'd just as soon keep his head; escape could come later…or not. But a minute alive was another minute of hope.

Castiel heard a grunt as he cinched the belt tight. He pulled the batarian around the shuttle, none too gently and then bound the second. While Nik watched them, he retrieved the guns and trained them on the batarians so that Nik could put away his…toys. His very nice toys. He handed one of the guns to Nik. "Come on boys, we have a walk ahead of us. You lead. There are interrogation rooms at the Red's base. It's the safest spot to keep them. They'll be under my protection, for now."

"Wait. No need for such a long walk. Someone was injured but alive in the other shuttle. I'll bring down vehicles." He flipped on his OT. It flickered and then powered up. "Ase…we're fine. Send CC down in the skycar to Reed's location. Have CJ fly down the shuttle to ours."

"Will do, Nik. It is good to know you're okay. I lost contact with you during the storm."

"I'll let you know when I've completed my work here." He caught sight of the approaching craft and flipped off his OTs. "Our ride arrives."

The shuttle landed and the doors slid open. Castiel harnessed them into the back while Nik kept a gun trained on them. He gave the coordinates to the mech, the doors slid closed and they rose into the air.

Reed carefully removed the harness and then slipped an arm behind her back and under her thighs and gently cradled her against him. The brief OT scan he'd given her didn't show any major damage, but he didn't want to add to it. He ducked out of the shuttle and began the trek back to their new home. He hadn't heard any gunfire, so he suspected the guys didn't have any problems on their end. His OT lit up.

"Reed, transportation is headed your way. There were four batarians on this shuttle, two didn't make it. Taking the other two to the interrogation rooms. If yours lives, bring it in."

"This one is human, Cas. I'm taking her back to our house. She unconscious, but the scan didn't show any real damage. I'll -" He felt a soft, pleasant hum course through his body. Her body began to glow softly…golden. "Cas? Do you have any more relatives you should tell me about? Another sister, perhaps?"

"Not that I'm aware of. But I didn't actually come with a family tree tied around my toe. What happened?"

"She's got a golden glow and I feel some sort of hum of power going through me."

"Aria…"

"No, she's not Aria, her hair is a couple of shades darker."

"That's not what I meant. I think she has a power Aria has. If so, then her body is healing by taking energy from you. Hope you have it to spare, big guy."

"I'll get better."

"No doubt…I'll be there soon. I'm not going to interrogate them right now. Too damned tired. Cas out."

He looked down at the woman in his arms. She was streaked with dirt, her clothing ripped. However, something about her face tugged at him, but the angle of view was off, so he couldn't see much of it. She wore a magbelt that held what appeared to be empty clips, but no gun. "Where have you come from little one? What stories do you have to tell?" he murmured quietly.

He looked up at the whir of an engine and watched as a sleek, black skycar touched down nearby. The doors popped open and he was surprised to see a mech.

"I'm CC. Please get in and I will get you two home," said a female voice. "Does she need medical attention?"

He lowered himself awkwardly and slid into the back seat, resting the woman on his lap as the doors closed and the car rose. "She scanned fine, I think it's just exhaustion," he said, recalling the blue and gold field around the shuttle. Another thing she appeared to have in common with the twins. The mech seemed to know where it was going, so he studied the woman in his arms. The shape of her face was pretty, almost heart shaped. She was fine boned with a small, pert nose. His heart fluttered. She looked exactly like Aria, but for the hair color. She appeared to be wearing military garb, which gave him no real clue to her figure, but she didn't weigh all that much and she looked as though she would be about a foot smaller than him. Was she a child?

The car descended outside their building. He raised his arm just enough to program the frequency to lift the garage door. The skycar moved in and set down. The doors popped open.

"Would you like me to carry her in?" asked the female mech.

"I've got her." He hunkered down and slid out of the skycar. "Come on up. CC." When the mech joined him, he was surprised to discover that not only was it wearing clothing, but that it was obviously female. Well, that was new. At least to him.

They rode the elevator up to the third floor. He wasn't quite sure what to say to a mech. The few the Red's had were only VIs that followed orders.

When the doors opened, CC followed him out. "Lay her down on the sofa and find a blanket; I'll locate something to clean her up with."

He watched the mech move into the kitchen like she was familiar with the place. He laid her down, resting her head on the cushioned arm and then rose to get a blanket from his room. While he was there he pulled out a tee-shirt, grabbed one of the blankets from his room and returned to the young woman.

CC came out with a bowl of warm water and a soft towel. "You are as dirty as she it, go get cleaned up and I'll see to the young lady."

A part of him wanted to argue. But she was right. He was filthy from the storm. He didn't know the mech, but he had faith in Nikyrian. It was enough. He nodded and went back to his room for a shower and change of clothing. When he returned she'd been washed, dressed in his shirt and covered with the blanket. He hunkered down next to her. She was stunningly beautiful, reminding him of so much of Aria, though she was obviously underweight.

Lyrica moaned softly and brought her hand to her forehead. She was alive, that much was obvious, but her head still ached. She opened her eyes slowly and just stared. "Damn it, Reed, how did you find me? Are you here to kill me? Bring me in? I – how did your hair get so long?" She blinked, sat up slowly and looked around. "Where the hell am I?"

Reed looked into her hauntingly familiar face and bright blue eyes trying to make sense of her words. "How do you know me? And why would I kill you? I don't even know who you are." But her face…No…this was not Aria.

Her finely arched brows drew in. "Is this some kind of game? I didn't think you played games, Reed. You know who I am better than anyone else. My bother doesn't even know…all of me. Hmm…let's see. Lyrica Shepard? Ring a bell? Code name Shadow, remember? You had me shoot you when I first met you? Well, I've shot you twice." She reached out, her fingers skimming his long, damp, black hair. "You were always beautiful, Reed. But I like this new look. Suits you better than that military cut. Though I prefer your phoenix to a shirt."

"Shadow…" he said slowly. He'd have remembered if he'd ever met her. And there was only one woman he'd ever asked to shoot him and it wasn't her. "Shepard…it's not possible." Was she the one playing games? No one knew what happened between him and NightStar that night. But…her face…

"Enough, Reed," she said in exasperation. She gave his hair a frustrated tug and dropped her hand into her lap. "We've been through too much together for these games." Her voice softened. "I gave you my innocence. You promised me forever. When I – when I took down that slave ring and killed that agent, I ran." A lone tear slipped down her cheek and she brushed it away in irritation. "You vowed to protect me, yet here you are. Wherever the hell here is." Her eyes narrowed on him. "Are you taking me in?" she asked, separating each word in exasperation.

He could see the fear in her wide eyes and something….more; the emotion nearly tangible, but just out of reach. Something was very wrong here. His head was spinning. This was all surreal. How did the woman know so much about him and Aria? There was just no way she could know what she knew. And he certainly didn't parade around with his shirt off in public; it made him far too memorable. But her innocence? Forever? She was describing a life he didn't know. But the similarities…"She – you didn't kill that agent. She was already dead when – you arrived. The Wolves made her before she could get out. You were never under suspicion." His voice rose. "But you never bothered to contact me, so I couldn't tell you to come back home to me!" He blinked. He hadn't meant to say that. He felt like he was chasing his tail. He was blending her and Aria together. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that."

"I was never…all this time…I – I never needed to run," she said weakly. She blinked at the dawning realization of his words. "No, I'm sorry. I never meant to leave you hanging. I-" Her hand reached out, her fingertips tracing over the phoenix beneath his shirt, knowing every line of the bird she'd spent so much time touching...the matching tattoos they'd gotten together at Raphael's during an assignment in the upper quadrant. Her hand slid up around his neck and pulled him down to her. "Too long…" she whispered against his lips.

He was caught off guard by the sudden change in her. Heat spread through him at her touch. He'd started to pull back, but then her lips were on his and felt the floor drop out from under him. Her tongue slid along his lip and he shuddered. With a groan his tongue met hers in a hunger and need he hadn't known was in him. Her legs wrapped around his waist, dropping him to his knees and pulling him against her heat. He growled at the contact and ground against her, his large hands skimming up her thighs to grip her hips.

She whimpered when he rocked her against his hard length. It had always been hot between them, but never like this. She was burning with a need she couldn't control. Her free hand slipped under his shirt, his muscles rippling under her touch. Her finger slid downward, tracing just above the band of his pants. When hi s muscles contracted, giving her room, she released the magnetic fasteners.

He didn't register the smell of cooking food or hear the return of the men; he was lost in her touch. He felt himself thicken under the caress of her fingers. His cry muffled in the kiss when she gripped him. A wave of dizziness washed over him, his body swayed, but he tried to shake it off.

Castiel, CJ and Nikyrian stepped out of the elevator. The smell of food was tantalizing. "I hope you know you'll be sharing that with me, Reed."

He stiffened as the words filtered through. He pulled the woman closer to him. "Get OUT!," he snarled. His narrowed eyes moving between the two men.

Castiel froze when he caught sight of Reed and what was happening.

Nikyrian caught the glazed look, the sweat, the pheromones and knew it for what it was. He laid a hand on Castiel's arm. "Your brother is not himself right now. He will attack without thought. We need to cool him down."

Castiel looked from the large, bristling man and back to Nik. "Right. All yours, Niki," he said, holding his arm out, palm up, towards Reed.

How to take the large man down without hurting him...or them. Under normal circumstances Nikyrian would never consider coming between a couple in heat, but he also knew the man would lack the strength to fulfill the bind, so it was safer to cool them down before it got too far. He was taking a lot for granted…the man's exhaustion level and his ability to think straight. He grabbed his bats and activated them. The whips snaked out turning a light blue with the cooling charge. When the man rose with a roar he flicked his wrists, the whips wrapped around each of them, locking their arms to their sides.

Reed fought the coils with a fury until exhaustion dropped him to his knees and his eyes rolled back into his head. He toppled to the ground.

Lyrica rolled, but that only tightened the coils around her. When she saw Reed fall, she dropped to her knees beside him, putting her body between the men and her lover. Protect.

Castiel was stunned when he finally saw the woman's face. His sister was looking back at him…with pale honey brown hair, a couple of shades darker than it had been, and bright blue eyes filled with anger. He watched her eyes turn golden and felt the buildup of power. "Oh shit!"

Nikyrian felt the power emanating from the woman, it danced over his skin promising retribution. He amped up the cooling charge. As her skin began to turn blue, the large, golden eyes faded to bright blue. The woman…it couldn't be. So like his – no, Angel wasn't his. Not anymore. But he was struck numb by the woman's resemblance.

Lyrica felt numb, but the world was also coming back into focus. She slumped down next to Reed, hiding the state of his pants. Her gaze moved from the drell that had bound her to her brother. "Why the hell did you color your hair, Liam? Trying to look prettier than me, little brother?" She forced out through her chattering teeth.

Nikyrian dialed back on the cold and looked at Castiel puzzled. When the golden man just shrugged, he turned back to the woman. "I am sorry we had to interrupt, but it was a danger to you both to allow it to continue. Reed would not have been able to complete the bind unless he eats and regains his strength."

"You're not making sense." Despite her words she felt the truth of them.

"I will explain when he comes to."

CC dumped a pot of cold water over the unconscious man.

"Damn glad you did that and not I," Castiel quipped with a grin.

CC stepped back quickly as the man sputter and came up swinging. Or at least he would have been swinging if he wasn't bound tight. He caught sight of the woman next to him and felt a deep need to protect her. "Lyrica…" he murmured softly. Then his eyes opened wide and he glanced down at his exposed lap.

Castiel chuckled. "Now who's blinding who, brother?"

Reed looked up at him and frowned. "As I recall, brother, you were not invited. Nor will I share."

The golden man flushed. "I was referring to food, not her."

Lyrica shuddered. "That's just gross you two. If I could, I'd smack you both upside the head."

Reed grunted. "Would someone mind tell me why we are trussed up like roasts?"

Castiel sighed. "We need to talk. Release them, please."

"I cannot release them; they will heat back up if I do. But I will relocate the coils so they can eat and be comfortable. Fair?" Nikyrian asked, his gaze on the couple.

"I agree with that," Lyrica said quickly. She caught Reed's questioning look. "You can feel the truth of the words, trust what you feel."

That was enough for Nik. He flicked his wrists and the coils fell to the floor. Reed rose, bringing Lyrica up with him as a shield. He snapped up his pants behind her back and then stepped away, holding out his arms as Lyrica was doing. The coils wrapped around their waists and they lowered their arms with a shiver.

CJ joined CC in the kitchen as the organics sat down on the sofas.

-BREAK TWO-

Lyrica curled up at Reed's side, his arm protectively around her, and faced her brother and the drell that sat on the sofa next to them.

"You and Reed are going through what is known as the heat. It is a very rare occurrence. Not much is known about it, but it occurs when two souls that are meant to be together find each other. It is believed the souls were together in past lives; we call them lifemates," he said with a shrug. "But regardless, once they find each other the souls must be bound together or they die. They must be bound in flesh, blood, and spirit." He shook his head. "I don't know what is meant by blood and spirit."

"Then how are we to complete this binding if we don't know what to do?" Lyrica pointed out.

"Aria knows," Castiel replied quietly and shot an apologetic glance at Reed.

"She and Thane," Reed stated softly, with only the slightest pang. He felt a sharp jab in his belly.

Nikyrian bowed his head, forcing back the wave of pain that nearly overwhelmed him. It was truly over. Lifemates. Even had he stayed, if she and the other drell had ever found each other his world would have been shattered. If he had given himself to her in marriage…and then lost her to another man, a lifemate. How did anyone survive that? They say it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Perhaps so. Even thought the pain was harsh, he had the memories of making love to her…and that was enough that he no longer had the desire to live the lifestyle he once had.

"I stayed true to you…to us and you move on?" Lyrica could not stop the feeling of betrayal.

The hurt in her bright blue eyes tore at him. "It wasn't like that. We'll get to that, but this," he pointed at the coils, "seems to be the more pressing issue." His OT flashed, showing Aria's name. "It's Aria." He flipped on his OT and the screen popped up.

"Reed! About time you answered, I've been comming you for some time. I've been trying to let you know…" she caught sight of the side of a woman's face and pouted. "It seems I'm too late. You found -" the woman's face came onto the screen, "…me." She blinked.

"Reed…she's me…I don't understand," Lyrica said, her words both awed and frightened.

Castiel beamed his OT at Reed's and linked in. "Aria, have Thane link up. We have a lot to talk about and it's going to take some time." After a moment the picture on his screen split into two. "Hey, Thane."

Thane grinned. "Good to see you, brother. Though you are still not looking well."

"Thanks. We'll get to that. Do you have an OT.. Lyrica, is it?"

"Yes, Lyrica. But no, I don't have any implants; my OT was lost during the battle."

Angel's voice made his heart crack. He cleared his throat. "I'll take care of it." Nikyrian pulled a small device off his belt. He looked into it until it a blue light flashed and passed it to Castiel. "When it goes off pass it to Lyrica." In a few moments they returned it to him. He rose and moved to the sofa and sat down about a foot away from Lyrica. He saw Reed's arm tighten around the woman. "This is important or I wouldn't infringe. Castiel, I would be pleased if you would join us." When Cas settled next to him, he put the device on the table. It expanded. He swiped his hand in the air and 6 screens popped up, one was dark. "I need your frequency, High – Thane." A green light lit up and Thane's face came into view. He closed his eyes briefly.

"I need one of those," Castiel said with a whistle and turned off his OT.

CC and CJ carried out plates of food and drinks and sat them down on the table, before returning to the kitchen after everyone pulled their plates onto their laps.

Castiel stuffed a bite into his mouth, he spoke only after he swallowed. "We're not trying to be rude, but we need to eat. The call was just too important to wait. I need you to tell us about lifemate binding. How is it done?"

Castaria laughed. "I knew it! I didn't know the lifemate part, but I knew she was coming today. That's why I've been trying to com him."

Thane prodded his wife gently. "Lifemates, wife." He grinned at her blush. "I'm most pleased they asked you and not me." When she stuck her tongue out at him, he claimed it with a kiss.

Castiel cleared his throat and laughed when the pair blushed.

"Right…lifemates. Can you tell me how you two are sitting there so calmly if you're going through the heat?"

"We're just chilling out," Lyrica said with a grin. "We've been – er…cold coiled?"

"That is accurate," Nikyrian said. "I charged my whips with a cold current and wrapped them around the two to keep their temperature down." She was so beautiful his heart ached for what he'd lost.

"Nik…" she whispered softy on an exhale, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She knew she'd hurt him. They had gotten close before he was called away…No, she couldn't think about that right now. She forced a smile. "Whips? When you get here, I've got to see them. You should have showed them to me before. " She felt Thane prod her again. "Fine…I'll get on with it. I'm not sure if it matters which part of the binding you do first, but we – um, did the – er…flesh part first. But afterwards you will be," she cleared her throat, "tied together. Just…just…you'll find out. But during that time we pledged ourselves to each other, that is the spirit part. After the pledge, we took in each other's blood. We – er..bit."

"Bit?" Reed asked horrified. "I can't….bite her. That's – that's –"

"Crazy? Disgusting? To most it would be. But it will be a need that builds up in you. Thane knew it, so I didn't question it, but to two who weren't aware, they'd probably fight it and that can lead to…I've seen what it can lead to," she said with a shudder. "You will die if you don't. Instinct will guide you both, just don't fight it. The bond mark completes the binding."

Castiel chuckled. "Bites to be you two." But part of what he'd learned disturbed him. Sharing blood. This was starting to snowball and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Lyrica leaned forward, reached across the drell and whacked her brother on the back of his head. "Aren't you a bundle of wit, Liam," Lyrica retorted and settled back against Reed.

Castiel rubbed the back of his head and frowned. Why did she think he was her brother?

Castaria burst out in laugher. "Oh, I like her, but who's –"

"We'll get to that," Reed cut in. "We need to go over everything that happened today. I suppose the beginning would be what happened to you, Lyrica? Tell us everything that led up to the shuttle crash."

"How did I survive the crash….and what about the batarians?"

Reed kissed the side of her head. "We'll get to that. Please just start off with today and we'll do our best to piece together what happened."

"The batarian slavers have been striking out against human colonized worlds. They usually hit unprotected colonies. No one ever thought they'd hit earth. Not the human home world. They'd just taken out Mindoir – "

Castaria gasped. "But- "

Castiel cut her off. "Aria, let her speak, we'll cover everything in due time. No need to complicate or cloud matters. We need to hear this."

"I – ok. The colony was all but destroyed. Those that weren't killed were taken. It was all over the extranet. Horrible," she said with a shudder. "But usually there is a break between raids. Maybe they celebrate, I don't know. Their attack on us came out of the blue. I'm not even sure how they got through the defense grid…Maybe some sectors aren't watched, I just don't know. But they didn't attack the cities, they attacked the weak spots. The small towns. I - I used to live here, but after what happened.." her voice trailed off.

Reed rubbed her arm. "Tell them, anything you can tell them could help."

Lyrica took a bite of food and swallowed. "Liam and I were members of the Red's. We have abilities…Reed," she said helplessly. She didn't like talking about her differences. She felt like a freak.

"Please, Lyri, it's okay. They will understand, they won't judge. Please trust me in this," Reed said as he rubbed her arm.

"I do, but it's not just my call…Liam?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.

Castiel arched a brow. Liam, her brother again. "It's fine. We need to get this all out to make sense of everything." A part of him felt guilty for pretending to be her brother, but it was needed.

"Our parents did the best they could, tried to protect us. But we were poor. Liam and I started stealing to survive. I don't know how the Red's found out about us, but we were caught stealing from them. They demanded we join, when our parents refused, they were found dead two days later. We were forced to join. We were only 9. We were terrified." She sighed. "Liam and I have always known we were different from others. Our biotics were stronger; we could do more than other biotics. We heal fast. I can heal others by merging auras and taking their injuries." She grinned at her brother. "But Liam's never been very good at that. We were mainly used to interrogate those the Reds captured. They made us rip into their minds, hurt them, steal their secrets..." she shuddered. "I died inside each time I was forced to – to…" she shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Liam was always the stronger one. I wondered at times if he didn't like it." She shot him an apologetic look. "Sorry."

Castaria burrowed into her husband. The woman was describing her own life, but worse.

"It's okay…go on." A part of him wondered how she knew about his and Aria's life. She knew too much. But the pain and horror were far too real to be faked. He could see his sister in her. What she might have become if he'd not been able to protect her.

To make up for the things I did, I started helping those worse off than me. I stole food and blankets to take care of them as best I could. One night…I was caught rummaging a trash dumpster for anything salvageable. A man caught me…he laughed…told me what he was going to do to me…I can still remember the stench of his breath…his unwashed body. When he fell on me, I tried to ward him off; I didn't even remember I held something in my hands. That piece of trash that I'd clung to, it pierced his heart. A piece of fucking trash saved my life. It felt like I had lain there forever, before my heart slowed enough that I could wriggle out from under him. But that night changed me. I would never be someone's victim again." Her voice grew stronger. "No child deserved that. I became someone else. Shadow. I trained with weapons, my biotics, my body. I did not let doubt or impossibilities cloud my decision. Nothing was impossible. It started out a mantra and became who I was. I dressed in dark clothes, a mask and took to the streets to protect the children that couldn't protect themselves." She dropped her head. "I'm sorry, Liam. I couldn't tell you. You would have stopped me or worse joined me. I couldn't let my actions hurt you." Her pleading eyes rose to his. She saw tears glisten in his eyes and her heart squeezed in pain. "I'm so sorry."

Castiel was horrified by her story. His eyes found Aria's. Tears were sliding down her cheeks, she nodded to him. 'I'm sorry, Cas', she mouthed. He looked at the woman who'd lived his sister's life. He couldn't hold his sister, couldn't tell her what he felt, but he could to this – this other sister. He rose from the sofa and dropped down in front of her. He put his arms around her and rested his head in her cool lap, like he'd always done. He felt her fingers run through his hair just like his sister always did. "I wish you had told me. Damn it, A-Lyri – we're twins. I'd have done anything for you. To know that you were nearly – that you went through that alone – that you locked a part of yourself away from me, it hurts." He gripped her tighter. "I'd have been there for you, at your side where I'd always been…where I belonged and you took that choice away from me." He looked up at her, her blue eyes turned golden. He lowered his head, pinched out his films and looked back up at her, golden eyes locked with golden eyes.

She cupped her hands against his cheeks, her thumbs wiping his tears. "I was ashamed. I felt filthy inside. The things he said to me…killing him. I couldn't face it myself, so I threw myself into what I did have control over. By the time I could let it go, it was too late. I was already Shadow. I knew you'd have joined me…or try to stop me. I couldn't bear the thought of my crimes hurting you in anyway. I had to protect you from yourself. I had to. I loved you too much."

He shook her gently. "Stop it! Just stop it! You've always been determined to bear the weight of the world on your shoulders but you are not alone. You never have been. I love you; I wanted to help you bear that weight. I needed to help you bear it. My choice…" he mumbled and closed his eyes for a moment to rein in the pain.

Fresh tears rained down her cheeks. "It tore me apart to keep that from you, but I thought – I thought I was keeping you safe."

His golden gaze rose to meet hers. "You can't take choices away from people; it diminishes both you and them. They have a right decide their own lives."

She nodded and lowered her lips to his. "Forgive me, brother."

He pulled her into a hard hug. "Always. Just…don't do it again."

She pulled back and gave him a watery smile. "I won't."

Castiel sucked in his breath. Oh damn. Her too. He looked over at Reed and saw the tension in his eyes. Right. The Heat. He rose. "You're in for a hell of a ride," he said pointing to his smile.

Reed just blinked. It took a moment for the meaning to come to him. He sighed softly and nodded watching Castiel return to the sofa. Lyrica's story ate at him. Aria's tears and how she clung to Thane told him all he needed to know. These two women…impossible as it was…lived the same life. But how did she get here? Where was Liam? The other...him?

Nikyrian felt like he was invading a personal family moment. "Perhaps, I should leave. I can install the scanners on the doors," he said quietly. It would give him time to work out some of the pain.

"No," Reed and Castiel said simultaneously. Castiel nodded to Reed to continue.

"You've heard and seen too much. Stay. There is much more to be told and maybe an outside pair of eyes will catch something we do not."

"He's right. This is a puzzle we are piecing together and I cannot think of anyone better suited to solve it. You think outside the box every day, Nik. We need you in this," Castiel added.

Nikyrian looked from Lyrica's now bright blue eyes to Castiel's glowing golden eyes. He had to admit his curiosity was peaked. He inclined his head. "Then I shall offer whatever assistance I can."

"Are you ready to continue, Lyri?" Reed murmured softly with concern as his thumb swept across her cheek to wipe the last of her tears.

She nodded. "Yes…yes…the batarian attack. We fought to hold them off, but so few were trained. They were just poor people trying to survive in a world that didn't care. But in the end, I just wasn't enough. I couldn't save them… I overheard batarians complaining about the haul, that four shuttles were already heading east. I had to get to Liam. So I fought my way through, stole one of their shuttles. A storm hit us. They didn't know I was behind them. I was able to take out three before this – before the sky tore open. The shuttle shook so hard I thought – I thought it would be ripped apart. I fought to keep control, but it was like trying to reverse a tide by blowing on it. All I could do was shield the shuttle…I was too weak to keep it up. How – how did I survive the crash?"

"We were in a building just northeast of the anomaly. When we saw the two shuttles falling, we split up. Reed and Nikyrian took one shuttle, I the other. We used our power to help slow the descent. Two batarians survived the landing in my shuttle. I've got them locked up, I'll interrogate them later."

Lyrica stood quickly, put her plate on the table and faced her brother. "No, Liam! We need to interrogate them now! We don't have time to wait for later. They'll send more. I can't let them destroy our home!"

Reed put his plate next to hers, rose and turned her to face him, lifting her chin up gently with his fingers. "My woman, there is much more that needs to be told. Some of it will be painful, some, perhaps, unbelievable. But I need you to listen with an open mind. Please know for now we are safe. The Reds are on alert; we'll be notified if anything happens." When she sat back down, he joined her and handed her back her plate. "Eat. Regain your strength. Apparently, we'll be needing it," he teased. "But first, tell them your last name."

"That's silly, Reed. It's the same as Liam's." When he just looked at her, she huffed. "Fine, it's Shepard. Lyrica Shepard."

Though they all expected her to say Shepard, it was still daunting to have it said. The silence that followed was deafening. Reed hurried on to cover it. "The last time you saw…Liam, how long ago was that?"

"The same as the last time I saw you…the day I ran after I thought I killed the agent." She really just could not see where this was going.

"What did he look like the last time you saw him?"

"Thinner than now. He had light golden brown hair and blue eyes like mine." She gave a level look at her brother. "The hair is a nice touch, makes you look prettier, but I favor your blue eyes to the brown."

"You saw me that day too. How did I look?" He asked quietly.

She leaned back against him, angled her head and kissed his neck. "Same as now, but your hair was short. Military style. You are much hotter now, Reed. You should have gotten extensions sooner…or let your hair grow out."

His heart squeezed for the pain she would soon know. That he was not her Reed. Well, he was her Reed, but not that Reed. Even more painful would be discovering Castiel was not Liam. "I do not wear extensions, Lyri."

She turned to look at him. "Come on, Reed. You're an amazing man, but even you can't grow hair that long in a year," she chided.

"That is true. I have never worn my hair short."

Her look hardened into a glare. "Why are you playing these games with me? It's not like you." She had to steel herself against the pain in his eyes. She fought the need to take the words back, but none of this was making any sense.

"No. It would not be like me to play games. Have I ever lied to you?" A part of him feared she would say the other him had.

She shook her head. "No. That is why I do not understand why you are saying these things."

"I have never lied to you, nor would I start now. Things are and are not as they seem." His hand cupped the side of her face. "Just know that no matter what is learned, it changes nothing. We found each other because we were meant to be together. Do not lose sight of that truth."

Nikyrian puzzled over what he'd heard and seen. "Angel…" Her name was a caress from his lips and he flushed.

Castaria smiled softly. "Nik….I –I –" she wiped her eyes. What she needed to say to him did not need to be said in front of everyone.

He rubbed his eye to hide the fact that he was wiping away the tears that threatened to fall. His mouth opened then closed. He cleared his throat and inclined his head to her. "Angel. Tell us what your life was like." He needed a clearer picture and he needed something to distract him, before he gave his feelings away to everyone that was watching.

She looked down for a moment and then gazed off into her memories, unaware that she'd laced her fingers with her husband's. "My brother and I were adopted by a couple in the upper quadrant when we were newborns. We had a good life, we had to hide our differences, but we had everything we could need. When we were nine, we came home from school to find our parents had been murdered. They were reaching out to each other in death as they had in life. We ran from that life. We did not want to risk being separated. But we were not prepared for what we found on the streets below. We squatted where we could, stole anything we could carry, but never more than we needed to survive. I started leaving little crafts behind, made from whatever I could scavenge. My way of trying to pay something for what I stole." Her eyes stared into Lyrica's. "One night when I was out scavenging a man attacked me. I didn't know what he wanted, didn't understand the things he'd said, but I was too terrified to even move. The squeak of a rat drew my attention and I spotted something shiny under the dumpster. I backpedaled away from the man, who just laughed at my fear. My fingertips scraped the ground until they bled, reaching for something just out of reach. As he fell on me, my fingers wrapped around that piece of trash and I raised it up as if to ward him off. He screamed as the jagged edge of the broken bottle slid into him. His death was the birth of NightStar. It was also when I took on the name Cass Shepard and started dressing as a boy. I would never be a victim again. Like you, I felt dirty inside. I couldn't talk about it. Instead, I acted. I trained and took to the streets. I took down those that preyed on children. I stole from them and left a black lily behind, so that no one else would be blamed from my crimes."

Castaria wiped her eyes. "I used the money I was able to get off the marks and started buying cheap food like oatmeal and rice to feed my urchins. I healed them when I could. Eventually my deeds became known. My brother agreed to join the Reds to keep them off me." She looked over at her brother. "He knew what that life would do to me, so he lived it in my stead. He was stronger than I, though he never saw that in himself." Her gaze returned to Lyrica.

"One evening, after I'd just taken down my mark, I was approached by an assassin. I thought he intended to attack me, instead he invited me to join Cole's guild. I had fulfilled his contract and he said I should at least be getting paid for contracts I fulfill. Money was one thing we needed. We were finally able to rent a place of our own. I discovered the effect my blood had on organic clothing, so I bought a new suit, better weapons and technology. I started spreading out, going after affluent people that preyed on the poor. I didn't kill them, but with Cole's aid, I established contacts and became an information broker, selling the secrets I'd learned. Those that committed more blatant crimes shortly found themselves under investigation, after I anonymously turned over surveillance I had collected."

"I met Thane and later Reed after a contract was placed on my brother's life. I had to shoot Reed to maintain his cover." She shuddered. "Later that night Thane found me and we took out Skinner and Razor. The next morning I found out the raid had gone south from Reed. After I freed the children I ran. Reed said he'd protect me, but I couldn't let Reed, my brother or Thane be hurt by my actions. I had to get as far away as possible. I purchased a fake passport from Bimmy and I tried to get a tech position aboard Mindoir's Royal flagship, the Whirlwind."

Lyrica was stunned by all she'd heard. It wasn't possible. Outside of a few differences, the other her had lived the life she had lived. It was too much to take in, so instead she focused on her other self's last words. Bimmy. She frowned. "I didn't have that option. Reed and I busted Bimmy Taggit. I had considered stowing away on one of the ships, but there was nothing decent in port and I couldn't wait around and hope." Her brows drew together. "What do you mean Mindoir's royal flagship? Mindoir is nothing but a poor, farming colony. They have no royalty."

Castaria turned to Nikyrian. "Do you have another magic screen? The other me needs to see."

Nikyrian released a breath and nodded. A swipe of a hand brought another large screen to bear. A few keystrokes and a picture of Mindoir popped up on the screen. He zoomed in showed the planetary defense canons, then swiped to the right a couple of times until the Royal Estate came into focus. "Can you open a window in the front and wave?"

Castaria beamed a smile. "Sure can. Come on." She tightened her grip on Thane's hand and pulled him up. She didn't want to disturb Irikah and Rafe, but there was a window in Rosie's bedroom that faced the front of the house.

They caught sight of the other couple having a popcorn fight in the middle of a movie when they reached the entertainment room.

"I didn't know you two would be out here."

Rafe flashed her a dimple. "Even lovers need sustenance."

"Seems you're wearing more than you are eating," Castaria teased. "Come on, you two, join us. Nik, we're heading out side. There will be four of us."

"All the better. Go ahead and link them in, at least for this part. Unless you wish them to remain afterwards."

When their OT's came on Castaria beamed her OT to theirs and sent their frequencies to Nikyrian.

He swiped on two more screens and released a ragged breath when Irikah's face filled one of the screens. "Irikah Teiner…" he said quietly and just stared for a moment. There was too much family resemblance to deny.

Irikah smiled and ran a finger near his face on the screen. "Talyn Nikyrian Teiner. I am pleased to finally see you."

He cleared the lump in his tight throat. "As am I, cousin. And you must be Rafe, her lifemate. Congratulations."

Rafe flashed both dimples. "Indeed I am, dear cousin. Raphael Saviano," he said flourishing a bow.

"Always the charmer," Lyrica said with a grin.

Rafe cocked his head and blinked. He looked from the woman to Angel and back to the woman. "Of course, though I must admit, you have quite flummoxed me. I had not expected to find two Angels in one life time. Might I have the honor of your name?"

"Raphael, you are losing your touch. How could you spend hours with a woman and not remember her?" Though her words were teasing, she was concerned.

"I would surely never forget spending hours with an Angel, dear woman." Beauty was something Raphael never forgot.

Lyrica sighed, more than a little hurt. "Nik, can you please remove the coils just for a moment?"

He was puzzled by the request, but rose from the sofa, grasped the handle and flicked the whip.

Without further adieu, she lifted her shirt and tucked it in just below her breasts.

The room fell silent. A smaller version of Reed's phoenix adorned her, its head tucked just under her breast. She turned around to display her back.

Reed just stared. He drew a finger along the bird's neck and then lowered her shirt. The implications nearly floored him.

Rafe just gaped. There was no mistaking his creation. He knew his work. That was no counterfeit. "I – I…How…" It was impossible that he could have forgotten. He remembered each and every creation and who it adorned.

When she turned around, moved away from Reed and held out her arms, Nikyrian flicked the whip, settling the coils back around her waist.

"Reed and I came to your office in the upper quadrant to get matching tattoos. I'm Lyrica Shepard and this ," she said placing a hand on Reed's chest , "is Reed Walker."

This was all very surreal. The upper quadrant? He hadn't been on Earth since he was a much younger man and his first phoenix had been Reed's. Shepard…his gaze flew to Angel.

Castaria winked at Rafe. "We'll explain what we can later, let's get outside. We need to prove Mindoir has a Royal Estate."

Rafe looked at Irikah who just shrugged. "There is quite the story here and I cannot wait to hear it."

"You can say that again," Irikah said in surprise. She put a finger to her husband's lips when they parted. "But don't."

Castaria chuckled. And then her eyes widened. Of course. "I'm going to show you something." With a few quick keystrokes, the holoscreen's image displayed what was in front of her rather than her. She moved to a wall and held it up to a picture. "This is Queen Reena Stanton, King Kipton Stanton and…Prince Nikyrian Stanton."

Nikyrian had been more than surprised when he'd first met the Prince. It was not a common name and he'd not heard of it outside of his own family.

The next photo she displayed had her, Nik and their parents. She moved on to another which was a full family photo. She frowned. Except for Nik. She, Thane, Rosie, Irikah, Rafe, Reena and Kip. There were other holo pics of she and Thane, Irikah and Rosie, and Irikah, Rosie and Rafe..and others of Nik, but those she didn't bother with. With that done, she reversed the screen to display her face again and they all headed down the stairs and out the front door. The stood in front of the Estate and waved.

Castiel and Reed found themselves waving back and flushed, quickly putting their arms back down.

-BREAK THREE-

"Thank you. Now I'm going to show her a few more current pictures of Mindoir. Give me a moment." Nikyrian said as he began swiping to the left. "This is Maplecrest, the closest town to the Royal Estate." He zoomed in until he found what he was looking for. A building that displayed the name 'Raphael's' in bold script. He then swiped to the left a couple of more times. "This is the main port."

Lyrica was stunned. "That cannot be. Mindoir is nothing like that."

A few more swipes and he zoomed in on the fields, small houses that dotted the landscape, other towns, then he zoomed out until the planet was displayed once more, with a few keystrokes planetary information popped up to the right of the planet.

Lyrica felt her legs threaten to give. Reed's arms came about her and he pulled her gently back down onto the sofa with him. "I don't understand." She looked at Aria, then to her brother and back to Aria. "You are her brother," she said dully.

Castiel's heart twisted at the pain in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Lyri. I'm Castiel Shepard-Anderson-Stanton. Aria is my twin. But…" he released a heavy breath. "I think you are too. There is just –"

"Multiverse," Nikyrian stated in awe.

"What?" Lyrica forced past the hard lump in her throat.

"It is only a theory. Parallel universes. I doesn't seem possible and it is certainly not my field of study, but it's the only scenario that makes sense. When that storm hit and the sky ripped open you and those batarians must have been pulled through to our universe. That is why Mindoir is not as you know it. That is why we are not under attack by the batarians. It is why you are twins with Aria and Castiel. You share the same birth parents. It is why Reed has long hair and not short. It will also be why Earth…or at least this part of Earth is not as you know it."

Lyrica stiffened and turned to face Reed. She studied him, saw the pain and concern in his eyes. His face drawn in worry lines. A face she knew so well. A face she had loved for so long. Her eyes turned from blue to gold as they tended to do during highly emotional moments. "You are not my Reed?" she asked as tears slipped down her cheeks.

Her words tore him apart. He gripped her arms and gave her a gentle shake. "Don't you ever say that. I am your Reed. I'm just not that Reed. I am the one you were meant to be with, not him. I know I do not share all his memories of you, but I don't need to. We share some of the same memories, like when you shot me and the raid. You left me," he said quietly. "As for other memories, we will make our own."

"But –" she released a breath and sagged against him. "I loved him. I always have. We were good together. But…I felt more alive when we kissed than I'd ever felt before. Oh god…I've betrayed him." She shook her head, the tears fell harder. "If this is a parallel universe then why was he not my soulmate? I mean lifemate."

He did not think he could hurt any more than he already did. But her words ripped fresh wounds into his heart. "No! You did not betray him. Lyrica, look at me." He tilted her chin up and wiped at her tears with his thumb. "The spirit or soul within is unique to everyone. Much like an eye. No two irises or souls will be exactly the same. Perhaps you were drawn to him because he was the closest thing your soul could find to what it was searching for. Me. I know me. Trust that he will move on and be happy when his heart is ready. He will be content until then."

"What you aren't saying is that is why you were drawn to Aria?"

"Yes. I believe that to be so," he replied honestly.

Her thoughts went to her brother and her hands closed into fists. "Liam…I can't warn him…or Reed… I can't – can't save them. Can't save our people." The thought sent a shockwave through her. Her brother…her twin…, would she ever see him again? How could she bear it? How would he? She had Castiel and Aria to help fill some of the void. He had no one. She had left him alone in their world. She couldn't even let him know what happened. She shivered, overwhelmed by grief.

"Liam will be fine, Lyri. It is hard to kill us. I'm not even sure we can die," Castiel admitted. "A bullet cut through me and pierced Reed's heart. He was bathed in my blood and healed. He healed," he repeated, still hard to grasp that it had happened. He shook his head. "You can't save everyone, Lyri. However, I think, after what happened the batarians will be less likely to continue their plans. And by now, the officials are surely aware of what is going on. They will not sit idly by."

Lyrica froze at the words and stretched the neck of Reed's t-shirt down to expose the wound. It was little more than a pale pink pucker. She brought her lips to the mark and held them there a moment, a shiver raced down her spine. "I could have lost you before I found you."

"But you didn't." His gaze slid to her lips.

"What happened?" she asked, releasing the neck of his shirt but unable to look away from his sculpted lips.

"Everything went black. Then I was elsewhere. It looked the same, but different. Like two worlds were imperfectly aligned upon each other. I saw movement in the distance approaching me; maybe my ancestors to bid me welcome, I don't know. For just a moment…I felt I was in danger. The world vanished and I awoke in my body." His last word was murmured against her lips. There was no need to mention the pain he went through after he was back in his body. He did not wish to stress her further.

Nikyrian noticed they couple was about to kiss. "Pardon my interruption, but I wanted you to see Earth."

She blinked at the distracting words, looked over at the drell and nodded. "I want to see something first. Zoom in on the upper quadrant." She gave him the coordinates. As he moved towards the location she saw businesses and buildings that looked familiar. "Yes, that's the area. Now turn to face the building on the right." Montigue's Arte School. The years listed under the name made it obvious that Raphael's had never been there.

The two couples returned to the entertainment room upstairs and settled back down on the sofa. They were stunned by Nikyrian's revelation. In a nearly unbelievable way, it made perfect sense. Lyrica and Liam were Castaria and Castiel in another place. It was like something out of a sci-fi vid. They all felt their hearts go out to the woman who had just learned her world had been shattered. The thought of being ripped away from everything and everyone you loved. They shuddered and gripped their lifemates tighter.

When Irikah and Rafe heard Castiel's remarks their eyes flew to Angel. "You're immortal?" Irikah asked in a hushed whisper.

Castaria blinked at the words, an uncomfortable niggle at the back of her head. She shook her head. "No, of course not, only Gods are immortal. If –" she was going to say 'if there is such a thing', but something felt wrong with the words, so she left them unvoiced. "We don't know what we are. We heal fast," she said with a shrug.

Irikah looked at Thane. There was something in his eyes she couldn't read. If he had suspicions or thoughts, he wasn't voicing them. She returned her attention to what was being said. She'd never spoken to anyone who'd survived death. The land of the dead juxtaposed on the land of the living? She didn't know how to make sense of what he said. Maybe it was something the living was not meant to understand. Still it was an interesting concept, but not what she had hoped.

"I always thought my friends and family would be there waiting for me. Ha. That is probably my ego talking." Rafe murmured.

"Drell have a similar belief. Perhaps, we must cross that plain to get to them. I'll do everything I can to be there for you," Irikah told him.

"We are lifemates, we will cross that bridge together," he reminded her.

She closed her eyes. It pained her that she would be taking him from a life only half lived. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not." He pulled her closer and kissed the side of her head. When he caught sight of Montigue's he pointed to it and smiled. "I once considered that place to set up my parlor. But before I could meet up with the executives to purchase it I ran into the Prince of Mindoir at a club. Don't know how he did it, but he talked me into moving to Mindoir. I might have had more business if I stayed, I don't know. But I've never regretted my decision."

Lyrica absorbed his words. "In my…dimension? There was no Prince of Mindoir. You had a thriving parlor there."

"Was that me…married?" Rafe asked curiously.

Lyrica laughed. "If you were, you were a horrible husband. You had a different woman on your arm every night. You had quite the reputation, Rafe. That is why Reed chose to go first."

Rafe flushed. He knew all too well what he was like. "Did I behave myself with you?" He sucked in a breath when she blinded him with a smile. No…No, he would not have.

"You were an outrageous flirt, Rafe. I don't know how any woman can survive you. If I hadn't already been taken…" she winked at him. She placed her hand over her heart. "You have stolen my heart fair maiden, however will I survive without you at my side?" she said dramatically. "That was when Reed told you that you'd survive much longer if that heart remained in your chest. Because if he heard one more word from you, he'd rip it out and shove it…well, you get the picture."

"You were my – his Angel." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Reed, that I behaved as I did."

"A man cannot help where his heart falls. But he can gird the words that fall from his lips." Reed's voice was firm, but not unfriendly.

"I would imagine that was rather hard for the other me to do," Rafe said honestly.

Lyrica giggled and then blushed. "It was. Your parting words were, let's see… 'I shall weep bitter tears and morn your absence, until you grace my eyes with your beauty once more.' Or something to that effect. I had to distract Reed with blatant words describing what I intended to do to every inch of his body just to keep him from making good on his threat."

Rafe flushed deeply at Angel's laugh. He'd said those same words to her before she'd left Mindoir. He felt Thane's stare and flashed him a conciliatory dimple.

"It is good I was not there to hear those words," Thane replied dryly.

"Had you been, I would not have spent an enjoyable evening with her in my arms," Rafe teased.

Thane grunted. There were some things he did not like being reminded of. He grinned when he saw Irikah elbow the rascal.

Rafe rubbed his sore ribs. "What?"

"A man can gird the words that fall from his lips," Irikah said, repeating Reed's warning. "I do not care to die quite so soon, husband."

He flashed her both dimples. "For you...I shall endeavor to …try."

Nikyrian frowned. If he'd have stayed…she'd have been in his arms not Rafe's. He pushed the thought back - he would deal with his feelings alone. He stepped in quickly, he should have done so sooner, but he'd been too enthralled by the differences between the dimensions. "I wanted to show you what the Reds territory looks like here." All eyes were glued to the screen as he swiped it into position over where they were currently located. "I will leave this part to you Castiel, as I'm not familiar with the area." He traded places on the sofa with Cas.

"This is where we are now," Castiel said pointing to the building with the domed roof. "There is a garage bay and pool on the first floor. Once Nik installs the scanners, you will need to be scanned before the front, back or garage door will open. The front door opens to an elevator. The second floor is unfinished at the moment. The third floor is where Reed and I…and Lyrica live. My new ship, the Manticore, is on the roof under the dome. The building next to it is where my sister and I spent the last few years." He looked at Lyrica and she nodded. Tears glistening in her bright blue eyes. He moved the screen and centered it over a park. He smiled when both of his sisters gasped. "We've made some improvements." There was sign in front of the park that said: Shepard's Reach. "We wanted the town to remember where it all started. It was your legacy that was the foundation for everything we've done," he said looking from Aria to Lyrica. "I'm not sure Liam has chosen to do, but here I took over the Red's, weeded out the undesirables and focused on remaking the Red's into a symbol of reform and outreach."

He showed them the base, the refugee camp and the apartments they were remodeling. Everywhere they looked people were smiling, even as they were cleaning up after the storm. Everyone, even children were pitching in to do their part. "Everyone that is here is a part of the Reds. We don't force them to join, they want to. It gives them a sense of purpose and the strength to know they can make a difference. Something they've lacked all their lives. We have new refugees pouring in daily. Primarily due to words that are whispered in every dark corner. 'When you are in need, seek out the Shepard. You will be welcomed into the flock'." He smiled as both his sisters flushed. "Once cleaned up and fed, those that are old enough join in on rebuilding the community. We have doctors, nurses, teachers…even a couple of stores have opened. So much has happened in so little time because we work together for a better tomorrow."

He moved the screen. "Our borders are expanding into the Wolves territory. We are nearly halfway through now. The Wolves were forced further east into the Hounds territory. The warring out there has been intense. If they were smart, they'd work together and turn on us, but it is hard to see past the gun in your face to what looms on the horizon."

He pointed to the screen at a practice field. "Everyone is trained how to protect themselves, including the children. Even so, the children are given time to just be children. We do not want to rob them of that. But until such a time that life on the streets can be as safe as life in the upper quadrant, we will continue as we are." Though, in truth, the safety of the upper quadrant was only an illusion. Nowhere was truly safe. There was always someone wanting to take what you had, regardless whether you were rich or poor.

He moved the screen east. "Reed and I have already set the new expansion points. We are giving the Wolves some time to move further away before we take it over. It helps prevent risk to our men and the more Wolves and Hounds that take each other out, the easier it is for us to expand. Eventually it will just be us against the Hell Hounds. We are stockpiling ammunition, antibiotics and we are training hard. When we take the Hounds, it will be in one fell swoop. We will not allow them to move east. There will not be a Hounds member left when we are through. Their reign of terror ends with us."

For a moment, the silence was absolute as they took in everything they'd seen and heard. "I fed my urchins," Lyrica said with a watery smile to other self. "But there was no hint of any of the rest of this happening in my world when I left."

"It took Aria leaving for it to start here. I was so focused on keeping her safe that I just didn't care about anything else. I promised her I'd take care of her urchins. She left me her nightsuit and I took over as NightStar. It gave me a sense of self and purpose that I'd lacked before. I needed that. I needed something to keep the pain of what I'd lost at bay. Something to focus on. At first I wanted to make her proud. Then, as I came to care for the people around me, I wanted more. My deeds, what the Reds were becoming, brought good people to my side. Reed Walker, Trent Stevens and Marko Laden. They are the heart of the Reds; at least that is what the people say." He flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "To me, they are my best friends, my brothers. Together we make an unstoppable team. And it all started at Shepard's Reach by a young girl who wanted to make a difference."

A peace filled Castaria. She did the right thing by leaving. It had torn their worlds apart, but it seemed like that was needed, a catalyst for the events to come. Everything was as is should be…except for Nik. Her Nik. He was the casualty of those events. A tear slipped down her cheek. The good of the many outweigh the good of the one gave her no comfort. Not when the one was someone she loved. She turned her attention to Lyrica, her other self, her new sister, before the pain could overwhelm her. She hoped Liam, a twin she would never know, had found the same strength as Cas, his counterpart. "Liam will find that strength, Lyrica. We are too much alike for he and Cas to be any different."

Lyrica's tears rained unchecked. "I want to believe that. It is hard not knowing for sure." Her world and everything she knew had been ripped apart, vanishing as if it were nothing more substantial than a mist.

Reed cleared his throat, his own eyes hot with the need to shed tears for her pain. Her pain was his pain. "I know me. I would have hunted him down after you left. That me may not have been your lifemate, but he loved you. I know that because I would not make love to a woman unless she held my heart, he would not just walk away from that. He couldn't. You were his first love," Reed admitted without embarrassment.

Lyrica looked up into his dark eyes. "You – he told me I was his first love. But I never knew I was his first…"

"His first lover? You were, as you will be mine." He was a man of principle and honor. He was in no way ashamed that he had not bedded others. It was not in him to do so.

"I am not your first love," she pointed out.

"Aria," he said quietly. "The winds did not blow in our favor, for which I am grateful for now. You may be the second woman to hold my heart, but you will be the first to hold me." His mouth claimed hers in a hungry kiss.

"We have run out of time," Nikyrian stated, pointing to the flickering coils, before the color faded from them and they dropped to the floor. "My bats need to recharge." And so did he. His pain was raw and he needed an outlet.

"Reed, take your…wife to your bedroom unless you care to entertain us all." Castiel cut in.

Reed grunted, slid her onto his lap and rose with her in his arms.

Castiel shook his head as he watched the large man carry his prize out of the room. His gaze swung to his sister. "Do not get any ideas, Aria. I am happy with my freedom."

Nikyrian collected his bats, snapped them to his belt and headed to the elevator. He had scanners to install and he wanted to give them time alone. He'd intruded enough and he needed time to himself. The problem was he no longer felt like an outsider. What he'd learned this day bound him to all of them. He cleared his mind and focused on the task at hand.

She smiled. "Of course you are, brother. And need I remind you I had nothing to do with that?"

His eyes narrowed. Somehow, someway, he wouldn't put it past her if she had. "You knew about it. You better tell me you know nothing concerning me."

She tilted her head. "Nothing yet," she teased.

"See that it stays that way," Castiel grumbled. "Are you okay with all of this?" His voice lightened with concern.

"If you would have told me yesterday that another me was going to fall out of the sky, I would have laughed and told you that you were being ridiculous. That it was impossible. Everything I thought I knew has just been rewritten. As selfish as it is, I can't help but be relieved that it happened to her and not me. I could not bear to lose all that I have. If she didn't have Reed…" she shook her head. "But I am grateful she does. She did not lose…everything. As for her, I consider us family. We've just become triplets…quadruplets. Damn. I wish I could have met Liam." She frowned. "I wish we could let him know she's safe."

"I know. If anything happened to you…I do not think I'd like the man I would become," he said darkly.

He did not just say that. "Castiel Shepard-Anderson-Stanton, you are a beautiful, shining soul! You are lucky I'm not there to kick your ass. I don't ever want to hear you say such a stupid thing again! You would fight to protect those that needed you just as you did when you didn't know where I was. Your need for justice matches my own. You could do no less." The hard edge of her voice softened. "You would shatter my heart, no matter where I was, if I was the cause of your fall. I could not bear it."

What she hadn't said was neither could Lyrica. "I hear you," he said softly. He hoped she was right. The other side of justice was retribution…vengeance. How easy would it be to fall from one to the other? What would it take to push him there? No. He had to hold onto her words. Remember them. It would destroy him to hurt her.

Thane held his tongue. It was good that he would die with her. There was no doubt in his mind he would not like the man he would become without her light filling him. He did not like the man he was before her. But to be bathed in that light and then have it ripped away. His soul would wither and die. He would lose himself to anguish and fury. He shuddered at what he would become and held her tighter. He felt her reassuring touch on his arm and released a breath he had not known he was holding.

Irikah heard the soulful, desperate cadence that Thane was emitting until Angel's touch soothed him. There was little doubt he was thinking about having to live without her. The naked pain she'd seen in his eyes at the mere thought made her shiver. Was that why lifemates bound their souls? Dying together to prevent the soul left behind from turning rancid? Even the fates were not that cruel.

Rafe felt her shiver and rubbed her arms. He lowered his head to kiss her cheek, but she turned and her lips met his. He pulled back and released a breath. He would control this. There would be many times they could not just drop everything to...to - Distraction was needed. He focused his attention on the screen. There was much to the story that they'd missed out on and he wanted the blanks filled in.

"I'll touch bases with you later. Catch Irikah and Rafe up to speed." He waved to them all. "Cas out."

Irikah and Rafe turned their expectant eyes on the other couple; listening carefully to everything they were told. It was odd to hear a story backwards. To know the ending before the beginning, but it was no less riveting. To know that there were other 'thems' out there. She wondered who the other Rafe would find in that other world. She felt a jealousy that burned in her belly. No. That was not her Rafe. This was. She wanted all the other Rafes in any other worlds to end up with the other hers…though, according to Reed, that was probably not how things worked. It certainly hadn't been that way with Lyrica, or she'd have been lifemates with the other Thane. What was the other her like? Was she alive? If so, did she marry? Have children? What was her life like? It had no bearing on her own life, but it was a curiosity that would find no relief…like an itch just out of reach. She gasped when Rafe swung her up into his arms. She forgot all about the itch as he carried her to their bedroom.

Castaria chuckled and leaned back against her husband. "I wonder what the other you is like?"

Thane grunted. "That is not a life I wish to contemplate. He would be the man I was before I met you."

"Maybe, but he could have met a woman, gotten married and had a family," she pointed out.

"That is unlikely. My work did not put me in a position to meet many people. But even were that so, if she was not his lifemate, he would be disconnected even if he loved her. Assuming that because I have a lifemate he would too….He would be restless. He would continue his work, driven by a need he did not understand, even though that meant leaving his family behind. He would not be content until he found that which made him whole. His family would be torn apart either way. I would not wish that on any of them."

"That is what you would have done?" Her throat was tight; she could barely get the words out.

"Had I married before I met you? Yes. It was why I accepted contracts that took me so far from Kahje. I didn't know my soul was searching, but I was driven to stay on the move… until I found you. From that moment my path was sealed. There was no turning back. For the first time in my life I was content."

She shivered. "I would have hated knowing I was responsible for – for...tearing apart a family," she said hoarsely. "We would have waited.."

"You know that is not true, Siha. We were lifemates, there would have been no waiting. I couldn't even wait for you to come of age. Even if you had taken off as you did…" He swallowed hard at the memory of the agony he'd gone through when she left him. "I would have been driven to find you, nothing else mattered. And when I did, I would have bound myself to you, despite my marriage. I would have been the guilty party, not you. I could have found other work, stayed at home with my family, but I wouldn't have. I would have justified the need to continue the contracts. I would have torn my own family apart before we ever met." Then he turned the tables on her. "What if you had married Nik? Or Reed? Or Rafe? What do you think would have happened when we found each other again?"

Her head fell forward and she let out a ragged breath as a wave of pain nearly overwhelmed her. She deserved that. She had started them down this path. "I see your point. He might have found her first, you know. His lifemate," she said weakly.

"By Arashu's grace, I pray you are correct. Just know, if it had been you, not Lyrica…if you-" He stumbled over words he could not speak. "I would have torn the heavens apart to find you."

She shivered at the sharp edge of his voice and brought her lips to his. "I know," she murmured as she straddled his lap. She never doubted for a moment the lengths he'd go to for her.

With a groan of need he rose and carried her to their room.

-BREAK FOUR-

Castiel shut down the device and watched as it folded back into itself. I so need to get one of those. He stopped at the elevator and then debated on taking the hatch down. He wasn't sure if Nik was working on the elevator. He turned towards the hatch when the elevator slid open. He shrugged and stepped into it. The door slid open and he looked outside. No Nik. But there was a scanner next to the door. One down. A flashing light caught his eye. There was a scanner next to the garage bay door that was blinking. He wondered what that meant. With the tap of a holo-key the front door slid closed. He turned and opened the opposite door and stepped into the hall that separated the bay from the pool. No Nik at the end of the hall, so he entered the door to the right leading to the bay. Nik was just shutting off a glider.

Nikyrian glanced up when the door slid open. "I've installed two of the scanners so far. This one," he said pointed to the bay door, "will require a vehicle to be synced to the door scanner in order for the door to open. I've just synced your gliders and your skycar."

"Ha, amusing. I don't have a- a…" his mouth dropped open. A metallic black skycar was parked away from the gliders. The skycar CC must have come down in. It was his? He whistled. "Another gift from my parents?"

Nikyrian's smile was tight. "No. Aria and Thane."

He studied the man for a moment. There was something he was missing. Something in the man's expression, but Nik had shuttered it too quickly for him to discern what he'd seen. He moved towards the skycar, appreciating its smooth angles. He stopped at the door and placed his hand against the pad. A holo-menu popped on. He grinned and touched 'owner'. A little lock symbol snapped shut and the door flipped up. "Fuck me…" he murmured at his first sight of the interior. It reminded him of the Royal skycars on Mindoir, but this one had a more sporty look to it. He slid into the seat, which molded to him and felt like a cloud. An array of sensors popped on. He slid back out with a sigh, moved away from the door and it lowered, locking into place. "You know this place is not quite ready for a car like that."

"I think it was intended more for the upper quadrant or off world," Nikyrian teased as he disappeared through the door that led back to the hall, black bag on his arm.

Castiel hurried to catch up. "No doubt. Still, she is a beauty." He watched a moment as Nik began the work on the rear entrance. "I know you're a busy man, Nik. But when you find the time, we're going to need another one of those nightsuits."

Nik glanced over at Castiel and then back to the task at hand. "I suspected as much when Lyrica spoke of Shadow. I've already sent The Oasis to my Sur'Kesh office to pick up what I'll need."

Ouch. He knew what that cost the man. How eager he was to get to Mindoir. It wasn't right to leave him stranded here. "Can we give you a lift to Mindoir when you're done?"

He shot a surprised look at the young man. He hadn't expected that. "I – thank you. You are eager for a test flight?"

Castiel's brows drew together. "I suppose I am, but that is not why I asked. I asked because you sent your ship to do something thoughtful for us, despite what it would cost you. How could I leave you stranded here when your heart wished to be elsewhere?" He could feel the heat creep into his cheeks with the admission.

Nikyrian froze, his eyes falling to the ground. Again, the young man had surprised him. There was much of the sister in the brother. But the brother's eyes seemed wide shut to his very nature. Perhaps, one day, he will see past the reflection to what lay within. He returned to his work. "I will accept the offer in the manner in which it was bestowed. Thank you… Cas." That final word. That familiar nickname said far more than any words he could have spoken.

Castiel blinked. A small grin formed on his lips. About damned time. Nik was so formal in everything he said and did. When he called him Cas, it was not a slip. It was his way of saying that he understood their relationship had gone beyond professional to personal, maybe even familial. He leaned a hip against the wall. "Please tell me you aren't married."

Nikyrian grinned. "Why? Were you interested?" The stunned look on Cas' face was priceless. "Sorry, Cas. I prefer the ladies."

His jaw dropped open. So the drell could let his hair down. "I – you –" He shook his head. "Hell, NO! Damn, Nik. I am every inch a lady's man. No strings, no commitments, just fun."

Nikyrian fastened the plate back on the wall and slipped his bag onto his arm. He thought of Angel, what he really wanted to have…what he could have had if he'd never left. But could he go back to what he was before her? Drown himself in women? Would that ease the pain or only make it worse? "Then we think alike." Once the words left his lips, he knew they were false. He didn't want that life back. He wanted only one woman in his life and she was no longer his to have.

Castiel released a breath of relief. "I was beginning to think I was the only one I knew not hooking up. Fair warning, you might want to stay away from my sister…er – Aria. She has a way of finding someone for everyone she cares about. If you end up on her radar, you, my friend, are a goner."

The blue drell cocked his head and looked thoughtfully at the human. "I appreciate the warning, Cas. I will entrust no woman with my heart." No woman but one. He also knew it was in his best interest to stay away from her, he wasn't sure he would be able to hide what he felt. Rafe and Reed had lifemates. Is that what it took to survive Angel?

"Burned?" he asked as they were walking towards the elevator.

"No. At least not in the way you might think. Early on I discovered women were drawn to my wealth. I keep that in mind and never let them get close. I can live without the web of deceit and pretty lies," he admitted. While, it was true that he was shattered when he lost Angel, he did not count that as being burned. There had been honest feelings, no deception or lies. It was his fault for leaving. If he had stayed…if they had married, he'd have whisked her away for a honeymoon and her parents would have handled the trade agreement.

Castiel nodded. "I can understand that. If I were rich, I'd share the concern."

Nikyrian chuckled. "Prince Stanton…you are a rich man."

Castiel flushed and rubbed the back of his neck as they entered the elevator. "Yeah…it is all still new to me. I tend to forget that at times. But at least no one here knows I'm rich…if they want me it's only for my bod," he said with a cheeky grin.

"Or your reputation, The Shepard. Your name holds a lot of power here," Nikyrian pointed out.

Castiel scowled. "Way to burst a man's ego, Nik."

"Perhaps, we all need a healthy dose of reality once in awhile," he said, though his tone was somber.

"Just a dose? I think reality bitch slapped us all today," Castiel grumbled.

"That it did, my friend. That it did. Will we be leaving come morning?"

"I was thinking about leaving in a few. I just wanted to see if the lovebirds wanted to join us or sit this one out." He activated his OT and held the com mic to his mouth. "Sorry to interrupt, brother. I wanted to let you know we'll be taking the Manticore to Mindoir. See you two when we get back."

Nikyrian cocked a brow. "We're leaving them?"

Castiel held up his hand and began counting down with his fingers. .1. He pointed towards the door and quickly put his hand down. He forced back a grin when he saw Reed exit his suite fastening his pants. He knew the man was protective of him and he didn't doubt for a minute, new lifemate or not, that he would accept being left behind.

Reed glared at him. "You intended to leave without us?"

Casteil's brows rose is feigned surprise. "Reed, you have a new lifemate. I assumed you'd be too indisposed to want to come with me this time." The bondmark could barely be seen on his friend's deep copper skin.

His dark eyes narrowed. "You figured wrong. How long are we staying?"

Castiel shrugged. "A few days a week? Don't worry about Lyrica. We'll leave the ship via skycar and drive straight into the bay at the house. Aria will have something she can wear and will likely take her shopping. Oh - and pack your nightsuit."

Reed folded his arms across his wide chest. "Expecting trouble?"

"No," Nikyrian answered for Castiel. "But nor was I expecting trouble on this delivery. I could have used my suit."

Reed grinned and inclined his head. "Point taken. We'll be ready in a few." He turned and disappeared into his room.

Before they left, Castiel had learned the two mechs were also his, compliments of his parents. He hardly needed the protection, but how can you be ungrateful when someone cared about you that much? He'd considered leaving them behind, but in the end he knew it would make his parents happy. So both mechs joined them on the Manticore.

After liftoff, Reed and Lyrica disappeared into the XO's cabin. He and Nik would share the Captain's cabin. How awkward could it be? The bed was massive. For now Castiel was content to sit at the pilot chair while Cori taught him how to fly his ship. Once he started to get the hang of it, Nik, who was seated at the Nav station, began yelling out emergency maneuvers as practice drills. The times he missed cue there was a simulated explosion noise, which was getting more than irritating, but in the end he appreciated the drills. He was far from a great pilot at this point, hell he wouldn't even consider himself good, but determination and practice would eventually make him a pilot to be reckoned with.

They were going to take Sol's relay to the Shadow Sea and then onto the Althea Crescent, which lay east of the Caleston Rift. Then it was just a matter of time to reach the Diamonte System and Mindoir. When the need for sleep overcame him, he gave up his seat to the autopilot. The men retired to the Captain's cabin.

He removed his clothes and slipped into a pair of silk pajama bottoms. "For you, my friend, I shall wear pants to bed," he teased.

"I am greatly relieved to hear that and shall return the courtesy," Nikyrian chuckled as he too put on a pair of pajama bottoms.

"This isn't awkward," Castiel said, as if to convince himself as he lay down on the soft bed. It wasn't the first time he'd had to sleep in close quarters with other men, when you were out scouting, you didn't always make it back in time. Sometimes you even needed to sleep close to keep warm or guard each others' backs. However, the setting here was a bit more intimate than he was used to.

"Not in the slightest," Nikyrian agreed as he joined him in the bed. He hadn't lain in bed with a man since he was a child. And that man had been his father. His eyes drifted closed. Best to go to sleep and not think about it.

"If we wake up spooning, it will not go past this room." Castiel was glad the dark of the room hid his grin.

Nikyrian's eyes popped opened wide. "You are truly horrible."

"Thank you, honey. Good night."

Nikyrian chuckled and groaned at the absurdity. "Good night, sweetheart."

The men woke up back to back, but as wake ups go, it could have been far worse. Regardless, they scooted out of bed quickly. "Take the first shower, Nik. Reed tells me I'm a hot water hog," Castiel admitted.

"Good to know. I'll be out shortly." Nikyrian grabbed his clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

The sound of running water made Castiel's bladder clench. "I should have taken a leak first," he grumbled to himself as he sat down at one of the terminals. He brought up a map and checked their progress. They had already exited the Althea Crescent Relay. During the night they'd hit Sol's Relay, jumped to the Shadow Sea, hopped back in to hit the Althea Crescent. Even in FTL, it would take a few days to reach Mindoir. It would have been nice if his family didn't live on the ass end of nowhere. "Cori, have the lovebirds crawled out of their nest yet?"

"Yes, Prince Captain. They came out long enough for CC to cook them some breakfast, which they carried back to their…nest."-

"Of course they did. Thank you for the update, Cori."

"Anytime, Prince Captain."

As soon as the bathroom door slid open, he darted past Nik. "You smell good, big guy," he said with a wink and a slap to the drell's ass just before the door shut behind him.

Nikyrian rolled his eyes and grinned. Cas was incorrigible, but it added to his charm. It was hard not to like the young man. He treated him with a teasing camaraderie of family or a close friend. It was not something he was used to, but he found himself loosening up in Cas' presence. He had always been a conservative man of principle, drive and professionalism. But he had to admit it felt good to relax in the company of friends. It was not something he allowed himself to do. Relax or have friends. He'd never trusted anyone enough for either to occur. Except for Angel.

He checked on the progress of the Oasis. It had already reached the Exodus Cluster, hopped back through the Relay and entered the Annos Basin. In another day it should be reaching Sur'Kesh for the pickup of his suit and the materials needed for Shadow's. The trip to Mindoir would take longer; it would have to hit 4 Relays to reach the Althea Crescent. The Diamonte System, itself, was a couple of days away from the Relay and Mindoir almost a day further. If all went according to schedule, the Oasis should arrive on Mindoir approximately three days after they did.

He flipped off the terminal and headed for the Mess. He glanced up from his plate when Cas joined him. "Now that you've been experiencing the Manticore, do you have any concerns or improvement suggestions in mind?"

Yeah, there was something. "Would you consider making the engines louder? It feels like a ghost ship without a crew," he said with a shudder.

Nikyrian shook his head and laughed. "You'll get used to it. Indeed, it wouldn't do much good, Cas. There is an absence of sound in the vacuum of space…at least sound your ears were capable of accessing."

"I know that," Castiel grumbled. "How about some internal creaks and groans?"

The drell pursed his lips, trying not to grin. "For that you need only walk by the XO cabin."

Castiel's mouth dropped open. Nik had surprised him with that one. "Damn, Nik. You've completely shocked me…and impressed the hell out of me at the same time." He held his fist out to the drell who just looked at it. "Bump your fist to it, Nik. It's like a high-five, but more masculine."

Nik bumped his fist against Cas'. "Pardon my ignorance, but what's a high-five?"

"Hold your hand up palm facing me." He slapped his hand to Nik's. "It's something done more often with children and women. Job well done sort of thing."

After breakfast it was back to the cockpit and more training. The next morning had a far more awkward awakening, but true to Cas' words, it did not leave the room and Cas diligently turned the heat up in the cabin overnight to prevent such from happening again. The next couple days fell into a similar pattern. They hung out with the Lyrica and Reed on occasion, playing cards or watching a vid, when the couple bothered to come up for air. For the most part it was just them training, working out or relaxing. Nikyrian even released the Savvy drone from time to time. She was charming and witty, even got along well with Cori. And damn…her voice was sultry enough to bring a man to his knees. Every afternoon, he'd grab Reed long enough to make daily coms to Trent and Marko. He trusted the men implicitly, but Castiel was a man who liked to remain on top of things.

When Cori alerted them that Mindoir was within sight, Cas laid in the coordinates on the Galaxy Map to the Royal docking bay. He considered taking his personal skycar to the Estate, but he knew there were always a plethora of Royal skycars and shuttles in the private lot for use. He needed to tell Reed of his change in plans. He and Lyri could stay aboard, he would return with clothing for her. The pair probably wouldn't mind the time completely alone.

Back in his room, he chose one of the nicer outfits his parents had sent to him. Here he was a Prince. And he would give the title and his family the respect that was deserved.

"Prince Captain, we have received docking clearance, and shall be berthed in RD-3 momentarily."

"Thank you, Cori. And you do not need to call me Prince." He took one last look in the mirror and departed the cabin. He rounded the corner and saw Nikyrian exiting through the cockpit's nano-wall . No doubt his friend had opted for a manual dock. Reed and Lyrica were just stepping out of the XO cabin.

"Look at you, don't you clean up well, bro – Cas," Lyrica corrected, a flush staining her cheeks, not only concerning her flub but also over her own attire. An over sized t-shirt over her ripped pants.

"Brother is fine, Lyri. We are siblings. And don't worry –"

"Prince Captain, the Prince and Princess are asking permission to board."

He blinked. He should have expected it, but he'd purposely not announced they were coming. He wanted to surprise his sister. He wondered if Nik let the cat out of the bag. But, then again, it was his sister…she had a way of knowing things. "Of course, Cori. Grant them full access." He winked at Reed and Lyrica and then shot down the hall towards the airlock. He slapped Nik on the back. "Good job taking her in, bro."

The door to the airlock slid open and Castaria dropped her bag and rushed into her brother's arms, clinging to him with a death grip. She hadn't seen him in almost a year. Hard to handle when they'd never been apart before. She covered his face in kisses and then buried her face in his neck, breathing him in. Tears fell down her cheeks and she didn't care. She could feel him tremble and knew it was as emotional for him as it was for her. A part of her wondered if things would ever be the same between them. She wondered if he'd moved on, if his life was too full to think about her much. Selfish, perhaps, but she missed him unbearably. She was torn between needing to return to Earth and staying on Mindoir. Her heart would break either way. There was no happy middle ground. She was needed here more than she was needed there, but it didn't take the pain away. Nothing ever could.

While his wife was reuniting with her brother, Thane gave a friendly half-hug to Reed. He'd always liked and respected Reed. The man was up front and honest. He was just grateful the man's eyes had turned from his wife to his new lifemate. He grinned and introduced himself to Lyrica. He couldn't help but study her features. She was his wife…but not. The resemblance was absolute, but for the hair and eyes. He noticed she was thinner, but suspected it was because food had been hard to come by for her. His wife could have so easily lived her life. The tiniest alterations of her path would have led to a drastically different outcome, as it had for Lyrica. Himself, Bimmy, and Prince Nik…there for one Shepard and not the other. In truth, the Prince had been the greatest contribution to his wife's outcome. He would have found her much sooner if Nik wasn't involved, but her family and the good she could do would have been diminished. He owed a lot to the man, even though he was the one thing that stood between him and his wife, casting a shadow upon their lives.

He forced himself to look away from his wife's double and focused on the other drell. He just blinked. He'd never seen a drell that size before. Males were generally between 5'10-6', 6'2" being considered quite tall. But the man before him matched Reed in size. At 6'6", it was unheard of for his species. He shook the drell's hand. "I am pleased to meet you, Nikyrian. You have done much for my family and much more for our people."

Thane. A man he both liked and hated. Nikyrian pushed his pain back and tried to ignore it. He always felt strange around his own kind. His size made him feel uncomfortable and out of place. But the other drell did not appear to be judging him on his size, but rather on his accomplishments. He tried not to let it bother him when his hand dwarfed the other man's. "Likewise, Hi – Thane. I'm honored to be working with…your family to provide a better future for us all."

After Castaria finally released her brother, she was in Nikyrian's arms. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. He could smell the other drell on her and he closed off the pain. For the moment, she was in his arms and that moment would be all too fleeting. He wanted to savor it, not feel a pain that would overwhelm him.

Castaria stood on the tips of her toes. "I missed you," she whispered in his ear.

He placed a soft, lingering kiss on the side of her neck beneath her hair. "I should have stayed..," he said tightly.

She pulled back, a troubled look on her face. Her lips grazed Nik's. "I love you," she mouthed against him.

Pain ripped through him and he clenched his jaw. Words he'd longed to hear again, now far too late to matter.

She released Nik and threw herself into Reed's arms with a jump. Her feet dangled off the ground. "I missed you, you handsome devil…and I'm so happy for you," she murmured into his ear.

Reed caught her and held her tight, his eyes closing for a moment. She was such a shining light; it was hard not to be blinded. He knew he still loved her, he always would. But the need no longer clawed at him…at least not for her. "I missed you too, beautiful star. You have guided me down a path that has given me much joy. You will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you, Aria."

Castaria blushed. She knew what he meant. If not for her, he would have left the Reds after the bust and gone on to other assignments. But she was why he sought out her brother, why he stayed with the Reds. That led him to a sense of fulfillment, of being a part of something that would make a difference. Staying led to his meeting his lifemate. She drew back enough to look into his dark eyes that shined bright with unshed tears. No matter, she would cry enough for both of them. "You do not need to thank me, Reed. I love you. I will always be there for you. You are my family." She smiled, tears glistening on her cheeks. "Though you may come to wish I guided a bit less often," she said with a soft kiss to his lips.

He sucked in a breath at her smile, a comforting warmth filled him at her kiss and then he chuckled. "Never believe that. You have shown me far too much. You see more than most. I would be foolish not to listen. And I am not a foolish man. Know that you will always have my love." He lowered her to the ground when he saw her look towards his wife.

Lyrica watched as her other self leapt into her husband's arms. She had expected their tender words to hurt, their embrace to fill her with anger over the trespass. She was surprised when they did not. The why of that was puzzling. Was it because Aria had a lifemate and was no longer a threat? No…that thought did not feel right. Something about her other self was calming and soothing, but she didn't think that was it either. Something inside the other her was vibrant and shining. You could feel the love and acceptance just being near her. It radiated from her like a wave of warmth. Was that it? Maybe. She imagined it would be difficult to be the lifemate of someone so giving of their love. One thing she was quite certain of was that no other woman would be allowed such liberties with her husband. The lifemate bond was absolute and territorial. She looked over at Thane, but his eyes were shuttered. Whatever he was feeling was kept locked inside. Then again, maybe it didn't bother him or he had the patience of Job. Either way, he seemed like a good match for her…sister.

Castaria moved to stand in front her twin…her mirror. She drank in every line on the woman's face. She was unaware her eyes had become briefly vacant. "We are one…yet more than one; destinies entwined or divergent. The path yet unwalked…unknown." she said softly as her fingers trailed down familiar cheeks. She smiled at the woman's blush and blushed herself. "Sorry. Ignore me. Sometimes I just say things out of the blue."

Lyrica smiled back and shook her head. "I feel the truth and the weight of your words." She ran the tips of her fingers through thick golden waves only a couple of shades lighter than her own. "Are you a seer?"

"Yes," the others chorused without hesitation.

Castaria's cheeks darkened with color. "It is hard for me to see myself in that light. But it might explain why I win at cards so often," she teased.

"Oh you will regret admitting that, Aria. Now we all know your secret. Lead card stands for everyone," Castiel quipped with a grin.

She groaned at his silliness. "I'm hardly superman. No need to poison yourselves on my behalf," she said pointed out. "Superman was a comic book and vid superhero. He could shoot lasers out of his eyes and fly," she explained to her husband. "Not exactly my bailiwick."

"Yeah, she could probably see through lead anyway." Castiel winked at his sister. When she stuck her tongue out at him, he grinned. "Real mature, sis. And as much as I appreciate the offer, no thanks. I use toilet paper…or a bidet…bidets are nice."

Castaria closed her eyes and shuddered. "You are horrible."

Castiel grinned at Nikyrian. "So it would seem. I doubt you will be the last to say that to me."

She shook her head. "You have my full agreement on that. Husband, can you please toss me my bag?"

Thane inclined his head and retrieved the bag, slipping the strap over her shoulder. His lips grazed hers, as much out of love as the need to wipe the other mens' kisses from her lips. He could smell them on her and he had to fight the need to replace their scent with his own.

For the first time since she'd arrived she allowed herself to look at the ship. Her mouth fell open and slammed shut. It wasn't over the top like the Whirlwind or the Jade, but it was obviously a wealthy man's ship, filled with top of the line…everything. Okay, enough drooling. She'd tour it before her brother left though. That, he would not get out of. She took Lyrica's hand. "Show me to your room, sis." She waved off the others with her free hand. "We'll be back shortly."

-BREAK FIVE-

As Lyrica led her away, she squeezed her hand and grinned at her. "There is entirely too much testosterone in that room." She fanned herself. "Every one of them beautiful enough to make a woman weep."

Lyrica's laugh was lilting and soft. "Glad I'm not the only one that noticed. Probably a good thing Rafe and Irikah waited in the car."

Castaria looked at her in surprise. "You knew they were here? Of course, you see things too, don't you." It was not a question. The woman was her…doubtless they had many things in common.

Blue eyes sparkled as she was scanned for admittance into the room. "Maybe a thing or two…but I'm not as good at it as you are."

"Rafe – oh my god." She flipped on her OT and commed Rafe. "Hey you two…this is taking longer than expected, get in here before you christen my skycar." She flipped off her OT. "I nearly forgot about them…not the wisest course of action when dealing with lifemates."

"Truer words…" Lyrica said with a chuckle as she pulled Castaria into the room.

She handed Lyrica the bag. "The bag and everything in it is yours. Well, there is one small thing for Reed in there. He's probably in pain and has been too distracted to notice."

Lyrica took the gorgeous, obviously expensive bag carefully. It was the nicest bag she'd ever seen. Certainly nothing she thought she'd ever own. "I – I can't this is too –"

"I bought it for you," she cut in gently. "I knew you were coming. Of course, I didn't know how you were coming. But I dragged Thane out the moment I got the feeling. It's not much right now. Three outfits, panties, bras, makeup, some bathroom items… and a sexy nightie. The tooth brush will take some getting used to," she warned. "It's a Cision Pro Mark with tiny mass effect fields to massage the gums. Feels good, but startling at first. It made me jump. Thane had to pull me off the ceiling," she teased.

She gave a crooked smile at the joke. "I don't know what to say," Lyrica said humbly. "Thank you seems inadequate."

Castaria placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "You are family and you will be spoiled. In fact, I've no doubt my parents will want to adopt you," she said with a knowing laugh. Her parents wouldn't be able to resist.

Lyrica's eyes opened wide and took a stumbling step back, her knuckles turning white with the grip she had on the bag. "What? Why?"

"They are an amazing couple, and you will end up loving them dearly, it's inevitable…as they will love you. Circumstances only allowed for them to have one child. Nik," her voice was tinged with sadness. As happy as she was for Reed, a part of her wished her other self could have been Nik's lifemate. But that had been a fleeting and selfish desire. She'd already been with Nik, and that was one thing even her other self should not share. But she would find someone for him, she had to. She could not bear the heartache to come. "They always wanted more. So, if they fall in love with someone, they adopt them. I was the first. Through me, they got Castiel, Thane, Irikah, Rafe and sweet little Rosie. They didn't adopt Irikah or Rafe, but they did adopt their daughter into the family as a cousin's child. I will explain all that later. Still, I wouldn't put it past them to try to adopt her parents legally. And I've no doubt they will be adding you to their brood and gaining Reed in the process. Mindior is never going to be in short supply of Princes and Princesses."

Lyrica began to tremble. "Princess?" she squeaked. "No…I'm just...me. A street rat. Nothing more." She wanted to disappear into the ground. This was all too much. A Queen and King possibly adopting her? Why would they want her? Why would they see anything but an uneducated street rat? A street rat had no place in a palace. Frogs turned into princes, not rats. Everyone knew that. Oh stars, she was losing it.

Castaria took the bag from Lyrica's hand, tossed it onto the sofa and pulled her other self into her arms. "Lyri, I may not have been born a street…rat, but I became one. I lived as you did. I fought Nik, I fought them…didn't think I was worthy, but they taught me how wrong I was. I gained a new purpose in life. And this time I had the means to do it right. I could never lose sight of that little girl that fed oatmeal and rice to her urchins, but now I can help far more people than I ever dreamed. What I start builds on its own, like a spreading ripple. Those that are too proud to accept my aid freely, I have them pay it forward in return, thus the ripple grows. All it takes is one person to make a difference…as we did…as our brothers did." She kissed her sister gently on the lips. "The girls we were, the women we are…built on a heart that stood strong in the wake of adversity… a heart that took a stand and said 'no more'. We shined light in the darkness and gave hope and strength to those we protected. Those little girls…us…we are worthy. Worthy of the good life gives us…worthy of tackling whatever life throws at us…because that heart that guides us grows stronger with each beat. It might break, but it will heal stronger and it will never be defeated."

Lyrica just stared, absorbing the words. Words of truth. Words of meaning. Words of power. Aria was right. Her heart had broken many times, but she'd never given up. Her arms went around her other self and held her tight. "Do you always know just what to say?"

Castaria grunted. "Don't I wish… I don't even make sense half the time. Thane is the one that always knows what to say. I'd swear he was a philosopher in another life."

Lyrica released her, her brows drawing together. "What did you mean about Reed being in pain?"

Yes. That. She knew what Reed was about to go through, because her husband had gone through it some time back. "Remember how we talked about Reed getting shot and how my brother's blood brought him back from death? Reed is like us now. Our bodies can't tolerate implants; they reject them and force them out. Reed has an OT implant in his wrist. I sent a replacement OT to him, but it never arrived. It was a small package and probably scavenged somewhere along the way. Not that anyone will know what to do with it. The replacement OTs were designed by Nik. When I received mine, I ordered a few more in case mine was damaged." She searched through the bag on the sofa and held up two intricately carved bands. "Hold out your hand." She placed one of the bands around her other self's wrist, and watched as it sealed closed. "It cannot be removed without a special tool designed to cause to the strands to release. But you won't need to remove it. It is impervious to just about anything, it can charge via the sun, your suit, even the energy current within your body." She turned Lyrica's wrist and showed her several hidden buttons and what they were for, even the one that caused the band to blend in with her skin. "It warms to your skin and you can't even feel it unless you know what to look for." She tilted her head. "I was only going to bring one for Reed, but …I added a second without knowing why. Now I know why." She slipped Reed's OT back into the bag.

Lyrica ran her fingers over her wrist. She was completely stunned. "This is – I didn't even know something like this was possible. I cannot tell you how many times I lost my portable OTs."

"I probably lost just as many," she said with a chuckle. "Once I started working for Cole's guild and earning more money I put my engineering classes to good use and built a bracelet OT; it served me well, but it was very obvious. I received this one," she held up her bare looking wrist, "after I was adopted on Mindoir."

"Cole's guild? How can you stand being in a guild?" Lyrica asked with a puzzled expression.

Castaria tilted her head in confusion. Why wouldn't she? The money was good and Cole had given her a massive contact network. Not to mention the fact that he'd helped NightStar more than he would ever admit. Despite his profession, he was a good man. "My network has a vast reach. Cole's a good man."

That didn't make any sense. Lyrica grimaced and rubbed her forehead. "Like you, I unknowingly took an assassin's mark. But when he came after me, it was not to invite me into the guild. After I killed him, I – or Shadow was approached by another. Having dispatched one of their own drew their interest. That is when I was invited…or more like forced into Remus' guild. They'd apparently been keeping tabs on Shadow's …choices. Who I saved…who I hunted. They discovered I had a weakness for children and they used that against me. They showed me children they…held for my cooperation. Had I been stronger, I would have turned a blind eye and not allowed them to control me. But it wasn't in me to do that. I did get to pick the contracts I would accept; they allowed me that much freedom and the credits kept a roof over our heads." She released a harsh breath. "I know it could have been far worse. I could have become their puppet. I am relieved they were smarter than that. Remus was a despicable man, with no morals and no scruples. But he wasn't a stupid man. People don't survive stupid in that line of work."

Lyrica's hands clenched into fists until her knuckles were white with the tension. "I didn't find out until much later that the children they held were a deception. They belonged to assassin members. But by then it was too late. Once you enter a guild the cell door slams shut and you are locked behind gilded bars. I'd already seen what happened to assassins that tried to flee. They were hunted down and made an example of. I didn't fear for my own safety. But I did fear who they would take their retribution out on. I had to protect my territory. But at the same time, I wanted out and Remus was now in my crosshairs. As far as I know, no one had ever seen him and he disguised his voice. My contacts outside of the guild were few. I was hunting blindfolded, but driven by necessity. Either Remus or I would die. The…odds were slightly in my favor." A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her lips, before her arms crossed over her chest. "But I would never willingly join a guild and put myself in that situation again."

Castaria looked down and released a breath. She had thought her other self might have lived a similar occupation, but hadn't realized her experiences would have been so different. "That is understandable, I would have felt the same if I were in your situation. It's daunting to know that Remus had been keeping track of me and how close I might have come to – I'm sorry, Lyri. That was insensitive, but it wasn't meant to be. Somehow Cole found me first. He's not like Remus. He has a bigger heart than he thinks he does. I do not regret working with him. I wish you'd had a similar experience. I know Cole would release me if I wanted out, but I don't. Not sure what it would take for me to cut ties with him. He doesn't talk much about himself, but he doesn't need to. I see him," she said patting over her heart.

"I can't even imagine that kind of relationship with a guild master." Lyrica couldn't stop the slight shudder. But nor could she discount Castaria's words. The woman knew things.

"When you are willing, if you ever are, I would like you to consider just talking to Cole. He won't force or coerce. He only seeks the willing…and the best. And he looks out for his people. We all look after each other." She held up her hand when the other woman opened her mouth. "Before you refuse, hear me out. There was a contract put out on the whole Stanton family, due to the trade agreement we made with Kahje. My parents, Nik, Cas and myself were at the top of the list. As soon as Cole discovered the contract he sent out an agent to dispatch the assassin. I went dark while I was on Kahje and was unaware until I returned home. I told him to recall the agent; now that I was back, I intended to handle it myself. Trust me when I tell you Cole is not what you'd expect in a guild master."

"I wasn't going to refuse," Lyrica said quietly. "I was going to agree to talk with him. You are me, I have faith in that." Her gaze hardened. "You are the only family I have left. You will not be handling it alone."

Castaria didn't know why she was surprised, but she was. She expected Lyrica would want in once she knew who held the contract, but to want in because she considered them family…that touched her. Silly really. Lyrica was her other self and she would have done the same thing. And normally, she would have said no, as she would have to her brother. She hated putting anyone but herself at risk. But Lyrica was herself, so no doubt she was just as stubborn. "I understand, I would have said the same thing. And Lyri? The guild master that holds the contract is Remus. This Remus is just as merciless, but at least you do not belong to him."

"Remus." Lyrica's smile darkened and her blue eyes turned icy. "I will enjoy this more than expected."

Castaria grinned. "I thought you would say that." She grabbed the bag off the sofa and put it into her sister's arms. "Now, let's get you into something prettier. I hope you find something you like. I didn't know, so I just picked things I would wear." Her cheeks pinkened.

By the time they returned to the group, Irikah was talking quietly with Nikyrian. All eyes turned to them as they approached. They all just stared. Both women's cheeks colored.

Rafe was stunned. It was one thing to see them on screen, but to see them standing side by side, dressed similarly, he'd nearly swallowed his tongue. Outside of hair and eye color, they were exact duplicates. He was very thankful for his lifemate, if not for her he didn't know he'd have been able to handle two Angels in his life. He felt his wife take hold of his hand and he gave it a gentle squeeze. He flashed his dimples at Lyrica. "I am honored to finally meet you, Lyrica." He flourished a small bow. With his hand released, he took Lyrica's and brought it to his lips. Before he could even lower her hand, Reed was at her side, his arm around her. "Your timing is impeccable, Reed. Though, no longer necessary. Your angel is quite safe with me." At Reed's grunt, his gaze slipped from Lyrica to Castaria and back to Lyrica. He released a soft, dramatic breath. "I would like you to formerly meet my lifemate, b-"

"Irikah," she cut in and reached out to hold the woman's hand for a brief moment. It warmed her heart when her husband called her bella. But it was his endearment, no one else's. Like her husband, she'd been stunned seeing the two women side by side. She hoped the other world did not ripple with the loss of its angel. "You may call upon us at any time, Lyrica. I hope you will come to consider us family."

These people here…so warm and generous; opening their hearts and arms to a stranger. A silent tear slipped down Lyrica's cheek. A part of her envied her other self. It made her feel dirty, but how could she not envy this at least a little? She and Liam were denied this life. Bimmy had been her call, she would own that. But the fates denied all else. Why? No. She mentally shut it off. It was unworthy of her to even think like that. It was what it was. If she'd had all these beautiful souls in her life and then been yanked from them…the loss would have been far more devastating than just the loss of her brother. She had not lost sight of how lucky she was to have been dropped into this world, it so easily could have been worse. Another world…where none of these souls existed. "Thank you." Her eyes moved to each precious face. "I want to thank you all. You didn't have open your hearts to me, but you did. That tells me more about you than anything else could. I am blessed to know each and every one of you. I wish-" Another tear slipped from her glistening eyes. Liam.

Reed knew just what she wished. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. He nodded as the others moved away to give them a moment. "Liam is strong. He's a survivor. I won't question why your world released you. I'm a selfish man when it comes to you. But I know that world needs him, Lyri. He was left there for a reason we cannot yet know. He is where he needs to be. I hope you can find some comfort in that."

It was too soon for her to get much comfort from it. Maybe in time. She kissed her husband's chest and hugged him tighter. "I love you, husband."

His heart fluttered at her declaration. He knew she loved him. That, in itself, was his greatest treasure. But it was the first time she'd called him husband. He tilted up her chin with the tips of his fingers. "I love you, wife." He lowered his lips to hers for a brief, soft, clinging moment. When he pulled back he slipped the bag from her shoulder and slung it over his.

Thane looked over each face in the room, before his gaze returned to his wife. There were two skycars that held four each. There were eight of them. "I will ride with Irikah, Reed and Nikyrian," he said quietly. He'd had to force the words out; it went against everything within him to part from his wife, as her protector and as her lifemate.

Castaria's eyes widened in dismay. "No." The word a mere whisper that fell from her lips.

His hand cupped the side of her face. "Wife, it's the only way. Irikah and Nik won't have much time together and neither will you, Cas and Lyrica. Every moment is precious to them. They are our guests and new lifemates," he pointed out.

"So are we…and they are family," she said with a frown. "But I know what you meant."

He inclined his head in acknowledgement and lowered his hand. Regardless, there was still no other way. He watched her eyes brighten and tilted his head, wondering what she had in mind. "Your thoughts?"

She grinned. "We will take a shuttle."

His brow ridges drew together. He'd ridden in a few shuttles and they were not known for their comfort. "That is not an acceptable alternative."

She leaned forward and grazed her lips against his. "You, my love, have not ridden in one of our shuttles yet," she said with a wink. She turned to the rest of the group. "Is everyone ready to get off this boat? We're taking the shuttle back."

They filed out, Castiel bringing up the rear behind Nik. "Cori –"

"Shut down all systems but monitoring? Protocol, Prince Captain."

He could swear he heard a smile in her voice and wanted to stick his tongue out at her, but refrained. That had been what he'd intended to say. "Captain only, Cori. And I was going to have you request CC and CJ to remain active for company while we were away."

A smile played on Nik's lips as he exited through the airlock. Good save. Better than good. Remarkable. If Cas and the AI could learn to value and care for each other, they would both grow in awareness and make an exceptional team.

"I - Thank you, Captain. My apologies. That is thoughtful of you and I will do as you suggest. I will see you soon."

Castiel grinned and started whistling as he stepped through the airlock. The fact that she had called him captain instead of prince captain spoke volumes.

The walk to the dock to the lot was private. No one was allowed entry to the Royal docks without authorization. The shuttle, itself, was as sleek as all the Royal vehicles were. Castaria stepped forward to be scanned, the door slid open and the interior lit up. Cushiony leather seating lined the right wall; another row of leather seats on the left faced them. With a lot of ohs and ahs, they climbed into the shuttle and took a seat.

A man stepped into the shuttle behind them. He removed his hat and bowed. "Where to? The Royal Estate?" He wasn't sure which Royal would answer. That was when he noticed Lyrica. His gaze darted between her and Castaria. "I'll be damned…" he murmured and then flushed. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay, Jim. I'm sure there will be a lot of that. Take us home, please."

"As you wish, Princess." He walked around the middle row of seats and settled in the pilot chair.

"Table up." Castaria told the shuttle's VI. A panel slid open and table opened up as it ascended. "For longer rides, terminals can be accessed in front of each seat on the table. Vids...games…business, everything you need to pass the time." She chuckled. "This is not your typical shuttle…though it still lacks a restroom."

"That is a major design flaw," Lyrica said with a grin. Agreement around the table on that one. Her grin faded when she saw her other self…sister go still, her eye wide and empty. "Aria, what's wrong?" She shot a worried look at Thane. "Thane?"

He looked down at his wife and saw the look on her face. "Not again." He glanced quickly at the pilot and dismissed him. If his wife needed him, he would be there and damned if he would let anyone stop him. He gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Highness," he lowered his voice, "Star…come back to me, siha." He gripped her shoulders tighter, but there was no response.

Reed looked at Nikyrian and nodded. They rose and positioned their bodies between the pilot and the couple. The two large men made an effective wall. They leaned against the middle seat row casually and talked about their childhoods, because that was the only topic that seemed safe enough to be overheard. Nikyrian did his best to try not to think of what was happening behind them.

Thane was grateful for their distraction, because he was beyond caring if eyes were watching. His hands slipped up her arms to cup her face. He wasn't reaching her. His lowered his lips to hers, his tongue swept over her bottom lip. Nothing. He pulled the neck of her shirt aside, sealed his mouth over his bond mark and bit down. She responded only after he began to draw on her blood.

The pictures faded as pleasure swept through her. She moaned and arched against her husband, her hands moving to hold his head against her.

Relief flooded him and his body began to tremble. He raised his head and claimed her lips. Her pheromones igniting him.

Castiel gave Thane's leg a hard kick under the table. He watched the man pull back from his sister, panting. Not something he cared to see, nor was the dazed, heated look in his sister's eyes.

The pain shocked him and he pulled back. He took deep breaths to try to calm himself, but her pheromones were saturating him. He clamped his mouth shut and closed his eyes, his body shaking with the control he was trying to exert. A control that was failing fast.

A shiver raced down Nikyrian's spine, the soft folds of his cheeks absorbing the pheromones in the shuttle. He clamped his mouth shut to prevent greater exposure. But he still felt himself thickening, despite the offence of Thane's pheromones. His body reacted as it always had around Angel. His body still saw her as his mate, it didn't care that she was out of his reach now. "Jim…it's stuffy and warm back here, it would please me were you to cycle the air and turn up the AC."

There was a gentle hum as the air began to recycle.

Lyrica leaned into her sister and reached across her to put a hand over Thane's tight grip on the table. She closed her eyes and pushed calming waves at the couple. She didn't need touch, but the calm was more direct via touch.

Castaria was lost for a moment, before her mind began to clear. She was embarrassed and the guilt was overwhelming. To watch her husband struggle and not be able to do anything about it. She wanted to touch him, hold him, but knew that was the last thing he needed right now. She felt the waves of calm and added hers to it.

With a final shudder, a harsh breath escaped him as his body relaxed. He took a few cleansing breaths of recycled air and opened his eyes. "You have my apologies."

"We are in no need of apologies," Irikah said quietly. "We have lifemates, we know the effects of the gamble you took. What matters is that it succeeded."

"Please take your seats now folks and strap in. We will be landing momentarily," Jim warned the passengers.

Nikyrian and Reed complied with the pilot's instructions. The table folded back up and into the base of the shuttle as it was programmed to do for landing. As soon as the door opened they stepped out of the shuttle and followed Castaria and Thane up to the house. They were each scanned for clearance at the entry. Despite having seen parts of the house in their connected com, it was far more stunning in person. If they were staying a few days, they'd have plenty of time to explore, right now they had questions and they eagerly followed the pair up the curving staircase. They were led to a large entertainment room with two long halls off either side of it.

-BREAK SIX-

"Please, take a seat. I know you have questions about what you saw. I'll tell you what I know, but it's precious little, I'm afraid," Castaria admitted.

Rafe, Irikah, Lyrica and Reed settled on the longer, middle sofa against the stairwell wall. Thane and Castaria sat on the nearest sofa and Castiel and Nikyrian sat on the far sofa facing them. Castaria took a deep breath. "You are all aware that I sometimes know things. I can get feelings or I sometimes see pictures. They are not always clear pictures; they can be fuzzy, disjointed or just come at me too quickly to make sense of. That was what happened today. Thane says that sometimes I start talking in a strange language. I do not remember it when I come back," she said with a shrug. "Normally, when I see things I blurt out something that doesn't always make a lot of sense. I suspect I would have done so today, but I – well, we all know what happened." She could feel her cheeks sting with heat.

She rubbed her cheeks briskly before lowering her hands to her lap. She twirled the ring around her thumb as she gathered her thoughts. When she realized what she was doing, she stilled the action and laid one hand on her husband's thigh-. "I saw something." She glanced at her husband and then scanned the faces watching her. "I was pulled too soon to see much, but what I did see involved Nikyrian and Thane."

Nikyrian's brow ridges rose and he studied her intently. Why would it involve he and Thane? If it were drell related, it would involve Irikah as well. Unless….he frowned….it was health related?

"There was a woman...a drell. She would bring pain to one, release to another. Absolution or death is her fate, depending on the choices made." She closed her eyes, focusing on the files within her mind, trying to find something…anything regarding what she'd seen of the woman. She was unaware that her hands had gone to her head or that she was rubbing her temples as she forced herself deeper to find what she needed to see again.

Castiel looked over at Nik. "A drell woman. Hmmmm. Looks like you are next, Niki. Get ready for the shackle, my friend."

He glared at the man sitting next to him. "Do not think to go there. Her words spoke nothing of …that." No…he did not wish to love another, even if she wasn't his any longer.

He grinned at Nik. "Tell me I'm wrong, sis." His head turned to look at his sister and he froze. She had blood dripping from her nose. "Aria! Stop!"

Thane, along with the others, had been absorbed watching their banter. He gave a slight jerk and looked down at his wife. Nothing seemed too – her body recoiled and a scream shattered the quiet of the room. He pulled her onto his lap and held her tight as her body went rigid. She twisted, contorting, nearly tearing herself from his grasp. Her screams of pain shredded his heart as he held onto her. Willing her to take what she needed from him.

Castiel shot off the sofa, a moment before everyone else rose. In a flash of biotics, he dropped down in front of them, his arms coming around his sister to help hold her still. He looked on in horror as blood began to seep from her ears, eyes and the corner of her mouth. What the fuck was happening and why wasn't she healing. He glanced up at Thane when he heard the man's cry of anguish. Blood was dripping from the drell's nose. Something was seriously wrong.

Lyrica pushed the other men aside and threw herself on the sofa, her hands slipping up Castaria's pant legs to rest on her skin. She melded their auras together. There were black spot in her head, pulsing, growing. She'd never seen anything like it. She watched as the black spots traveled down her other self's body and began to crawl up her own arms. She took a deep breath, this was going to hurt.

Reed was already beside himself seeing Aria in pain. He didn't know what to expect when he saw his wife go to her. If anyone could help Aria, it would be her. But when her screams mirrored Aria's and blood began to drip from her nose, he shoved Rafe aside and dropped down next to her. He was helpless to do anything but hold her.

Rafe stumbled out of the way and pulled Irikah into his arms. Their bodies trembled with horror as they watched one after the other begin to bleed. "Medigel!" he raced to the bathroom.

Irikah's arms went around herself. This was a nightmare. Why wasn't she siphoning from the others? And if she was, why wasn't it healing her? Why were the others taking on her symptoms? What was happening?

Nikyrian released a ragged breath, forcing back the fear and pain that nearly brought him to his knees. He looked from one to the other; they all seem to be affected by whatever was happening to Angel. How was that possible? It didn't matter…the source was all that mattered. Fix the source, the others would follow. He darted diagonally across the table, which creaked under his weight, and jumped down next to Cas. His OT glowed bright as it popped on. "I need to see her face," he said forcing Thane's arm down enough that he could turn her head towards him. His OT scanned her. He could see the growing lesions on her brain. Hemorrhages that appeared to be growing. No, no...Angel. He'd do anything in his power to help her. In no way was he a doctor, but he did have a few emergency medical tools. "Someone put her in stasis!"

Castiel , his eyes swollen from the tears that fell from them turned his head to looks at Nik. "She can't heal in stasis."

"Understood, Cas, but she's not healing now. Stasis will give me time to mend the ruptures and stop new ones from forming." His voice cracked with emotion.

"Ruptures?" he asked hoarsely, his biotics flaring as he placed a blue and gold stasis field around his sister.

The others, cut off from the source, shuddered and relaxed. Lyrica released Castaria and held onto her husband shaking in the aftermath. She could not heal someone in stasis…she was cut off from them.

Rafe returned and placed a medigel pad on Thane and Lyrica, both of whom had been affected by whatever was happening to Aria. He tossed the rest of the pads onto the table. They were useless to someone in stasis, for their bodies could not absorb or use it.

"Thane," Nikyrian said firmly, catching the man's attention. "I'm not a doctor, but I do have an emergency field tool. It is tipped with a cauterizing laser. I can use it, in theory, to stop the bleeding. But this is a brain. Anyone else and I would not consider attempting it." The only reason he considered the option now was because her kind, whatever that may be, seemed to be able to survive anything. "Still, she should see a surgeon for this. It is not something I should be doing. The call is yours to make."

Thane looked down at his Star, her face frozen, contorted in pain. His gaze rose to catch Cas'.

Castiel shook his head. "No doctors. We can't risk it. She wouldn't want that," he said in a strangled voice.

Thane nodded. "Do what you can for her, Nik. It will be enough." It had to be. A part of him feared the arrival of the new Shepard portent the departure of the old. But he clamped down on that thought immediately. He needed to stay positive. She needed him to stay strong. He could do no less for her.

Nikyrian inclined his head. "Put her on the sofa and everyone back away. I can't risk her being moved." While they complied, he released Savvy. This time the drone did not spin and dance around.

"I heard, Niki. I will do what I can." Savvy lowered herself, so that her hologram covered the upper part of Castaria's head. A scanned image appeared, displaying the broken blood vessels and lesions.

Nikyrian grabbed the edge of the table and pushed it back; he frowned and plucked a splinter from his finger, before he lowered himself to his knees in front of the sofa. He held open her eyes and shined a light into each. There were a few broken vessels, but they were small and insignificant. He pulled a small cylinder from his bag belt. He pulled out a long, soft, flexible tiny tube, lubricated it with medigel and slid it slowly up her left nostril, following the path on the screen. He heated the laser, cauterizing each vessel displayed. It was a slow and tedious process. He knew there were veins he could not reach, those between the two lobes of the brain, but he had to hope that what he did was enough for her to be able to heal.

Finished with all he could find on that side, he withdrew the tube and slowly threaded it up her right nostril. When he came to a particularly bloody patch he stopped. "Savvy highlight the veins more, I can't make them out." The veins became clearer, a glowing line around each. "Thank you." Though his hands were large, his movements were slow and precise. He could not let himself think of the enormity of what he was doing, he could not falter. Instead, he focused on each tiny task. He was repairing an intricate circuit board, nothing more.

Thane's gaze did not leave the screen. He felt Irikah's hand take his. It felt odd holding hands with another of his kind, he'd not done so since he was a child, but he appreciated the support. Cas and Rafe each had a hand on his shoulder. Their strength helped shore up his own.

Castiel felt Lyirica's arm slip around his waist and he threw his around her shoulder, pulling her close. He felt the weight of Reed's arm across his shoulders and remained silent, accepting the gesture in the love that it was given, without a teasing remark. Right now, there was no jocularity within him.

It was a chain of love and support. Every last one of them loved the woman on the sofa and they were united in their pain. A bond created, growing as each added to it. Unbreakable. As Nik removed the tube from her nostril, his head fell and his large body began to quake. He did not even notice Savvy quietly moving away. Thane placed his free hand on Nik's shoulder, bringing him into the bind. It didn't matter who originally started the bind, Lyrica, Cas or Reed. Perhaps, it was love alone that created the bind. It didn't matter. They were one now. Each a part of the whole. Every last one of them knew that everything had changed. They were no longer pairs or individuals, they were 'we', and they would do anything for anyone in this room without a thought.

Nik felt a warming rush at Thane's touch. He leaned into the bond, for a moment, taking what it offered. When his body stilled, he gave himself over to the bond, releasing back what it had given him…adding to it. He doubted he would ever be able to put into adequate words what he was feeling, but he felt filled in a way he'd never been before. He turned his body enough that he could look at each of them in turn. As sure as he knew anything, he was a part of each of them, as they were a part of him.

Irikah reluctantly broke away. "I'll be right back." She hurried to her bedroom and then into the bathroom. She grabbed a small towel and soaked it in warm water. She rung it out, returned and handed it to Thane.

Nikyrian rose. "Point me to a bathroom, so I can wash up."

Castiel put a hand on the large drell's back. "Come on, I imagine we will be bunking together again. Lyrica and Reed can take my room; We'll use Nik's again." He may never have met his brother, but it didn't feel right to let a couple make love in Nik's bed.

As Castiel walked with Nik towards the bathroom, Thane sat down next to his wife and began to wash the blood from her as he had done once before. His hand stilled as he fell into the memory of the day she'd taken the bullet meant for another. "Soft, white skin. A pink, puckered wound. Rivers of blood. Crimson…accusing. Blood that I -"

Irikah sat down behind Thane and put her arms around him. "Thane, release it. Let it go. She would not want you to torment yourself over her actions," she murmured softly into his ear.

Thane blinked as the memory slipped away. "You have my thanks," he said quietly. She was the only one, besides him and Star that knew the truth of what happened that day. That he had been the assassin. He had shot her. It didn't matter that she had stepped into the path of the bullet. It was his bullet and it weighed on him. Nothing could ever change that fact.

With a final pat to his back, the bathroom door closed behind him. Nikyrian glanced down at the blood on his hands. He blinked. He turned his hands over slowly. There was no trace of her blood left on them. He blinked and stilled. It couldn't be. He searched for the splinter's puncture and found no sign that he'd ever been pierced by the small sliver of wood. He dropped the tool into the basin and leaned on the sink heavily. He had no business doing what he had done. He was no doctor. It didn't matter that the deed was sanctioned…needed….If anything he'd done had injured her further in anyway…How could he live with himself? And now this. His grip on the sink tightened. He hadn't given the splinter a passing thought. It was nothing. A nothing with momentous consequences. Why hadn't he sprayed on protection? But he knew. He'd allowed himself to be too shaken by the thought of what he was about to do, and too emotionally shattered at the thought of losing Angel. His knuckles grew white from the force of his grip. A stupid, novice mistake.

Castiel was concerned when he did not hear the sound of water running. He knew the man was too thorough to use the bathroom before washing his hands. He stepped up to the door and it slid open. He saw his friend bent over the sink, his blue knuckles white with the strength of his grip. His hand settled against the broad back as he stepped up next to him. "Are you alright?" he asked with concern.

Nikyrian released a ragged breath and held up his hands, hands that shook as he displayed them to Castiel. "Angel's blood – it…it is gone. I did not wash it away. But it is gone. The splinter…" He shook his head. "When I moved the table…a sliver of wood… I didn't even think about it." He rubbed the tip of his index finger. "It is gone as though it never was." His hand curled into a fist. "I may have stolen that which was not mine to take," he admitted, a note of anguish in his tone. He did everything he could to guard against theft, he would never steal anything. Every breakthrough, every accomplishment, he'd earned it. And he took exorbitant measures to make sure his inventions were protected from theft.

He knew exactly what the man was talking about. There was little doubt he'd been infected. What he didn't know was if the blood had been absorbed through the skin, through the puncture or both. Could their blood be absorbed through the pores of skin? Was that all it took? If so, they had to be far more careful than they had considered. He gripped the man's large arm and turned him to face him. "You have stolen nothing, Nik. What we asked you to do…we had no right to ask, yet you did it without thought. If you have…become one of us, because of something we asked of you, then the consequences were given, not stolen. Even if it was an accidental exposure, then the blame would be ours, the failure ours…never yours." He awkwardly put his arms around the big drell. The only other man he'd ever hugged was Reed. "Just don't tell me you love me while I'm hugging you, that would be too awkward when we have to share a bed," he teased to lighten the mood.

The young man's words held weight, freeing the burden from his soul. But he was caught off guard by the hug, Angel had been his only giver of hugs. Sure, he'd been embraced by more women than he cared to think about, but that had a singular purpose. It was not an action based on caring. He returned the hug with a chuckle. "I shall endeavor to hold my tongue." In truth, he had come to love the man. He wasn't sure when it happened and the when of it didn't matter. But, outside of Angel, there was no one he felt closer to. Castiel had become family, a brother to him. He'd purposely kept his heart free of entanglements…of pain. He had not wanted to love, need or care for anything but his work. Yet, two simple deliveries, first Angel's then Cas' had given him far more than he had ever bargained for or wanted. But he would change nothing. Every memory he had was precious. "Thank you for your words, I needed to hear them."

Castiel winked and pulled away. 'Maybe you will be pressed to find some way to prevent accidental exposure. Some kind of barrier or shield. "

His mind immediately leapt at the idea. Yes. A barrier…perhaps, similar to a biotic's…no.. organic. Something able to absorb blood…or destroy it…or use it for energy. He would need- he blinked and clamped down on the thought before he could think of nothing else but its creation. "Did you have to say that? Do you know what that does to a man like me? It will become a challenge that I will obsess over." He caught the man's knowing grin and rubbed the back of his neck with a harsh release of breath. "You are horrible."

He winked again at his large, blue friend. "Thanks, honey. Now finish cleaning up, we have a woman to see to…and another to find out about. Your future awaits, Niki." He ducked out of the bathroom before the other man could cuff the back of his head. He wasn't sure Nik would do any such thing, but best not to wait around to find out.

Nikyrian's mouth dropped open. "That's not what she –" but the door had already closed, "meant," he whispered out the last word. He trusted Angel, no one else. She may not be his, but he certainly wasn't looking to replace her. He busied himself cleaning and sanitizing his hands and the tube, then retracted it back into his med-tool. He snapped it back onto his belt. He glanced down at his hands and then to his reflection in the mirror. He looked the same…physically. But there was something…something in the depths of his eyes. Something he couldn't put a word to…or maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, seeing something that wasn't there.

He turned the water on and vigorously scrubbed the non-existent blood from his hands again. He stared at his reflection as memories came flooding back. He'd been exposed to Angel's blood far longer than he'd known, but it was back before either of them knew any better. He'd taken her blood on the back of the bull and again when he'd nipped her too hard while they were making love. And that also explained why his implants had become painful and he had to remove them. This was his third exposure, not his first. He needed to talk to her.

-BREAK SEVEN-

With a final glance in the mirror, he turned away and headed back out towards the entertainment room. It was time to find out if his ministrations had helped in anyway. He halted dead in his tracks. It was like time had come to a complete halt. Everyone was frozen in mid-movement. Everyone but one. A woman was kneeling over Angel. The glow around her became so bright he had to shield his eyes from its intensity before winking out in a puff of golden sparkles. Or, at least, that is what it had looked like. He saw her hand caress three frozen cheeks before vanishing. Then time resumed, his friends were talking in hushed tones, trying to comfort and encourage each other. Had he really seen that? Or was it his mind playing tricks on him again? No, that didn't sound right..it didn't feel right. She had been there. Whoever she was. A ghost? A god? Regardless, she had not meant to be seen. He did not have the answers, but he there was one thing he was absolutely sure of. Angel would survive. He smiled as walked towards the people that had become more precious to him than he ever could have imagined. "I would suggest either waking her up or tucking her into bed if you wish her to keep sleeping."

Castiel returned to his sister's side. "I'm not a praying man, but tonight I will pray that Nik's help was enough to begin the healing." He reached his hand out to absorb the stasis field and blinked. He looked around at his family. "Did any of you remove the stasis field?"

"No, they did not. The visitor did." He grinned. "And before you ask, I have no intension of explaining that remark until Angel is awake."

Castaria yawned. "Then consider her awake. How am I supposed to sleep through all that yammering?" In the next moment she was buried under a pile of bodies. Everyone was trying to hug her at once. She chuckled. "I love you all, but I enjoying breathing too."

As they moved away, Thane pulled her onto his lap and everyone settled in around her. "More locked memories?" he asked quietly. He closed his eyes at her nod. He could not protect her from the gods.

Castaria frowned. "But this was different. I don't think it was the woman this time."

"The woman?" Reed and Nikyrian asked simultaneously.

Castaria rubbed her head. Her gaze left her husband's to travel over a sea of worried faces. "I haven't said anything before because I didn't know what to make of it, I wasn't even sure it was real. I have – er…episodes. I don't remember much, but I think it centers around a woman and I think I'm someplace I'm unfamiliar with. Thane said that during these episodes I speak a language he has never heard. He repeated something I said and when I found it in my memories and tried to see it, pain wracked my body and my nose bled." She shook her head. "It was like the memories were locked against me. Like she didn't want me to see them. But I think they are important."

"I was visited by a woman the night Crypt showed up at our house. She visited me in my dreams and awoke me. If she had not…" Reed's voice trailed into silence.

"That is why you burst into my room when I was incapacitated by the powder." Castiel cleared the lump in his throat. "I saw a woman too. She came to me in a dream as well, told me I had to wake up NOW." I rolled off of my bed just in time to avoid losing my head to a sword. She looked familiar, but I couldn't place her, but I do not think it's the first time I've seen her," he said thoughtfully.

"That makes sense. She looked like you and Aria." Reed's gaze fell to the woman in his arms. "And my wife. Perhaps, you are being watched over by the spirit of an ancestor."

That didn't sit as quite right to Thane. "I think it is more than that. If she is the same woman…I believe her to be one of the gods." There, he'd said it. Finally voiced his suspicions.

Nikyrian blinked. "That might explain what I saw." He rubbed the back of his neck as all eyes turned to him. "I saw something I don't think I was meant to see. " He cleared his throat. What he was about to tell them sounded crazy, even to him and he saw it. "When I came out the bathroom you were all frozen, like time stood still. A woman was bent over Angel. A golden glow surrounded them...it was so bright I had to shield my eyes until it dimmed. When it winked out the woman started to fade, but she reached out and stroked the cheeks of three people before she was no more." His gaze went to each of the three. "Angel, Castiel, and Lyrica. It was she who removed the stasis…to heal Angel." His voice lowered. "I – well, I don't think a spirit would have the power to heal her…or freeze time, but then I know little about spirits." Silence hung heavy over the room. It was obvious no one knew what to say about the revelation. It was far easier to believe the apparition had been an ancestor…a powerful one. He understood their silence. Regardless, he wasn't done yet. He needed to come clean. "There is something else I need to say. When I moved the table, a splinter pierced my finger. I didn't think much of it, only of the task I was about to perform on someone I lo -care a lot about. My hands came into contact with Angel's blood. By the time I went to wash the blood away, it was no longer there." What he didn't mention was his earlier exposure. That admission he would leave up to Angel. He looked at her intently, her slight nod acknowledged him.

Lyrica reached out to touch the faint scar on her husband's chest that spoke of his brief death. By the looks of it, that too would soon fade as if it had never been. "If I am you..is my blood…" she couldn't finish the sentence. The implications were too much. She was all but sure she knew the answer to her question. Had her blood touched anyone? She couldn't be sure. But could it have touched any of her enemies? Brought them back to life? And if it had..she shuddered. She leaned into Reed when his arm tightened around her.

"I think you already know the answer to that," Castiel said quietly. "I've already talked to Nik. He's going to try to find some way to prevent us from spreading…whatever this is. But if what Nik saw and what Thane believes is true….and as much as I want to say it's not possible, a part of me believes it is true. That being said, we need to know more. Is our blood absorbed through the skin or only through an open wound? Can those infected spread it to others? Can we die? What happens if an enemy comes into contact with our blood? Does that release a monster on the world that we can't kill?" Castiel ran a hand through his hair in agitation. "And why do the gods care what happens to us? If we were a threat of some kind, you would think they'd want us dead."

A shudder raced down Castaria's spine. Niggles were shooting off like fireworks in her head, but she was afraid to hunt them down. "We have more questions than we do answers. I'm not sure about you, Lyrica, but I think Castiel and I know the answers…but they are locked away from us."

Irikah looked at her husband; she should talk it over with him first, but now was the best time to voice what she was going to say. "Everyone in this room has been directly exposed to either your blood or Castiel's. Lyrica shares your blood, so we cannot use her as a test. Rafe and I are the only ones who have not been exposed. "

Castiel shook his head. "You can't be serious. We don't know what we are or what the long term effects will be. Accidental exposure is bad enough. But exposing someone on purpose? When we don't know much? It would be like handing a loaded gun to a child."

"Bella…" Rafe said quietly.

"I'm not jumping into this blindly. Listen to me before you decide. For one, there is no way to test if the transmission works through absorption. This is something we must know. Nik had a puncture, so he is not a reliable test subject. As Cas pointed out, we also don't know if someone infected can pass it to someone else. If Rafe agrees, then this can be a controlled experiment. It will help Nik fine tune whatever he comes up with if we know the degree to which it can be passed." She sighed. She had to be honest; she loved these people…her family…and would not keep secrets from them. "But there are other reasons. Selfish reasons. Drell live only half as long as humans….and there is Keprals. Most of us never get to live a full life. I - I can't bear the thought of leaving Rosie to grow up without us…of taking Rafe's life long before he should pass." Her voice grew stronger. "So yes, some of my reasons are purely selfish, but that doesn't negate the necessity of the test. We need to know the extent of exposure in order to control it."

She turned into Rafe's arm and reached a hand up to his chiseled cheek. "Rafe…"

He did not want to leave Rosie parentless either. Not that he didn't think Thane and Angel would make great parents, but she was his daughter. He wanted to watch her grow up. The chance to stay with her was worth anything. "I am willing. You are all my family and I would follow you through heaven or hell with no regret."

Castaria looked at her brother. She could see the hesitation in his eyes, but for her there was none. Right or wrong, they needed this. They had to know. She looked at each of her loved ones before her gaze settled on Irikah. "You're right. We need to know." She rose from Thane's lap and walked slowly to her friends' sides. She raised a hand to each of their cheeks. Their hands settled upon hers. "It is not something I would ever have thought to ask of you, but if this is something you really want to do…"

"We do," they said in unison. No pause. No hesitation.

She dropped her hands and felt the press of something cold into her left palm and the soft caress of fingers. She looked down at the knife then up at the giver. She returned Nik's nod.

"Aria, if we are going to do this, then let it be me. You have just been through an ordeal," Castiel reminded her.

She shook her head at her brother and gave him a soft smile. "No, little brother. You are hesitant and I believe in this. It should be me. The responsibility mine. " She flipped open the knife and lowered the blade to her wrist.

Thane clenched his fists at her hiss of pain. He knew they needed to know and he believed in his wife, but it was hard to see her hurting, intentional or not.

She took Irikaha's arm and turned it to expose the underside of her forearm. She drew her wrist along her friend's arm quickly before her own wound knitted closed. She felt the heat of bodies as everyone moved in closer to watch. Within a few minutes the blood faded. She released a breath and drew her thumb along clean, blue skin. Nothing was left. She looked up into her friends eyes. "Do you feel anything?"

Irikah took Castaria's hand in hers. "A warmth when the blood sank in." she gripped her friend's hand tighter. "If this doesn't work…"

She pulled her into her arms. "Then we will become true blood sisters. I'll do whatever it takes. If it is within my power, you will watch Rosie grow up."

Irikah clung to the woman in her arms, a woman who had given her everything and asked for nothing. "I love you, Angel. I'll always be here for you."

Castaria smiled. "I love you too, so you had better." She released her friend, took a step back and returned the knife to Nik. Arms encircled her and she leaned back against her husband.

Nik took his knife into the bathroom and disinfected it, before snapping it back to his belt. These people had become his family and like Irikah and Rafe, he would walk through hell at their sides.

When he returned to the front room, everyone was seated again. "So, we know, thanks to Reed and Cas, the larger the exposure the faster the…assimilation. So it stands to reason that Irikah may have some time before effects, if any, are shown. Before I leave, with permission, I would like to take samples of everyone's blood." He held up his hand before they could say anything. "I have no intension of leaving the house with it. I have some equipment in my ship. I am by no means a doctor, but the equipment I have should suffice for what I need it to do. Anything I can find out about the blood will help me better understand transmissions and how I can prevent it. You have to know what you are fighting or you cannot defend against it."

"Our blood heals organic clothing," Castiel offered.

Nik nodded. That explained the suits.

"Wait! I mean, we don't have to wait for your ship to get here." Castaria beamed a smile. "I was taking biogenetics courses. I purchased my own lab materials. I didn't want to risk any testing I did on myself to fall into Cerberus' hands." She jumped from Thane's lap and rushed to her room. The closet doors slid open and she pulled down a case from the top shelf and returned quickly. She sat the case down on the coffee table and opened it up. She removed the equipment and moved the case off to the side. "I never thought to compare my blood to Thane's. At the time, I didn't know it might be communicative." She looked up at the faces around her. "Are you all in agreement with this? Nothing leaves this house and we will destroy everything that comes into contact with our blood." Her eyes went to her brother. He was likely to be the only one to reject the idea.

Castiel sighed. "Nik is right; we can't fight or defend ourselves from the unknown."

Castaria nodded to him. "It is settled. I will draw blood from myself, Cas and Lyrica first. I expect our samples will perfectly align, but we need a solid base. Then I will take samples from Reed and Thane, they have had the most exposure. Followed by Nik, Irikah and yes…even you Rafe. We need your virgin blood," she said, winking at Rafe.

Rafe chuckled. Virgin indeed. Not a word anyone associated with him for a very long time. "Take it while you can, it won't remain virgin for long."

After a round of laughs, Nik spoke up. "There is something else I must tell you. I do not know if it bears any significance, but I found it interesting at least. When I was exposed, I felt the same warmth as Irikah described. However, I do not know if that has any bearing. Perhaps an acceptance of some sort is needed?" He was referring to his original exposure, but he hadn't paid attention to it at the time, because his body was already heated by sexual need.

Well, that was odd…interesting, but probably not relevant. Though something about what he said…Castaria shook her head, she could not dwell on it. "Thane didn't accept anything and he –"

"Wife, I accepted you the first time I saw you. And if the theory of lifemates having past lives is true, then I accepted you long, long ago. I am not reliable source to negate Nik's observation."

She nodded. "Fair enough. Okay, then …Reed accepted nothing, he died." She grimaced and sent an apologetic look to Reed and Lyrica. "Sorry, you two, but we have to look at all the angles.

"Understood," Reed said, "but you have to understand that by that time Cas was like a brother to me. I loved him as I loved you." He caught Cas' grin. "Ok, maybe not the exact same way. But I would have given my life for him, he had my full acceptance. Not quite the same thing as accepting the gift he bestowed upon me, but it might have played some part, if acceptance is even significant."

Castaria inclined her head to Reed. "Thank you for bringing that up. There are some things that we will not be able to feasibly test, but anything we can learn will leave us in a better position than we are in right now."

"The batarians," Castiel said coldly. "They are to be executed after interrogation. Nothing will change that fact. We can delay the execution …for a time."

"Cas, No!" Castaria was stunned that her brother would have ever brought up something so horrific. Not the execution…but the implied exposure. Using them as unwilling test subjects. And this from the mouth of someone who didn't want anyone exposed. "If we sink that low, we are no better than what I saw with the Cerberus experiments. Need I even bring up the fact that if they - er..mutate, we might not be able to kill them?"

Castiel's gaze didn't leave his sister. "Those men are little more than monsters. You know what they were doing over there. I'm not saying we should round up innocents in the night, experiment on them and then kill them," he said in disgust. "These men are going to die anyway. They might as well die after doing some good. As far as killing them goes, a body can't survive without a head. We take their heads and cremate them separately from the bodies. There's no getting up from that."

"He has a point," Lyrica said in agreement. "You didn't see what they did to my home, to other worlds. We can't risk them getting back to batarian space here, telling them what they've seen or how they broke through the defenses of several worlds. And if they can do some good before they die..I know it won't make up for what they've done, not by a long shot, but we obviously have a role to play, or I wouldn't be here. If they can help us understand what we are up against, then I say let them."

Castariia glanced from face to face, each nodding in turn. She stopped at Irikah, the only other that might feel as she did.

"Angel, I adore Yarl and Litu, but those men out there are not like our friends. Even I can see they cannot be allowed to leave. What they know can devastate worlds. While I'm not comfortable with the notion of using them, I can see the logic behind Cas' words. I am grateful the choice is not mine to make," Irikah admitted.

Castaria closed her eyes. Where do we draw the line? How far was too far? If only she could access her memories, so many questions could be answered. She was sure of it. She released a breath in defeat. "Fine. I can see the necessity, even if I don't like it." She turned her attention to something she could do something about. She numbered the cylinders, drew her blood and deposited a few drops into one of the cylinders. She slid it into the analyzer and watched the holoscreen come to life. Composition facts were displayed on the screen; she saved the data to look over later and swiped the screen a few times, bypassing charts and graphs to see the cells. What she saw looked like a frantic race. Cells were darting around inside the sample, releasing copies of themselves at a near impossible rate. If was almost as if they knew their time was limited. The sample was quickly filled to the point that the cells no longer had room to move…but still they reproduced. She moved back away from the screen when she noticed the sample size had increased. It was growing and that wasn't possible.

She looked at the stunned faces around her. She popped out the cylinder. "Nik go cleanse the cylinder before the sample outgrows it. He returned quickly. She took a sample of Cas' blood and then Lyrica's . She saved the results and handed the cylinders to Nik when they reacted as hers had done. As expected, Reed's and Thane's samples showed faster cellular growth, though nothing like hers. One interesting thing that she saw was there had been a slight difference in cell shape and it was apparent the cells coming from her and Cas were assimilating...or mutating normal blood cells turning them into copies of themselves. It was not random chance; it looked like they were aggressively going after normal cells.

She blinked when she saw Nik's sample and looked up at him. While he was not as far along as Reed or Thane, it was obvious his exposure had been some time ago. He was exposed prior to Thane, but Thane had frequent infusions, whereas Nik only had a few exposures, primarily when they made love. "Nik – by the appearance of your cellular growth, you were first exposed months ago, probably during the accident with the pin. Have you noticed anything unusual since then?" she asked quietly.

He backed away from the group, he knew he was scenting – it wasn't something he could control and it happened whenever he thought about Angel and everything that they had been. "My implants started paining me. I had to remove them some time ago. I'm currently using the same bracelet OTs that you are – just altered to fit my needs. I was unaware why that sensitivity occurred, but now it makes sense."

Thane studied Nik and frowned. He appreciated the man trying to spare him, but Nik had never been able to completely hide what he felt for his wife. However, he also understood that it was beyond his control. "You needn't move to another room. I am aware that you are in love with Star. I do not hold that against you. You are both friend and family and I know you would do anything needed to protect her."

She looked in surprise from Thane to Nik. She hadn't realized her husband knew anything. She had tried to be careful, she didn't want to cause any discomfort among her family. She caught Nik inclining his head to her husband. "Nik…no….don't ever-"

Nik could feel the heat rise into his cheeks. He could tell that the only the other drell had been aware of his feelings, the others wore surprised expressions. Since neither of the drell had said anything or even let on that they knew, he had assumed he had been successful in masking what he felt. He saw Angel's frown, but he could not tell her what she wanted to hear. He would do anything for her. He smiled softly at her. "There are things you cannot control or stop, so focus on what you can do something about," he said, motioning back to her analyzer.

Her eyes narrowed on Nik. "Later, Nik." She glanced back down and focused the holoscreen. "I do not yet see anyting in Irikah's blood, but her exposure was light and recent. I will go over the rest of the data as time allows, but I will need frequent samples from you three. I imagine Nik can manage his own testing and get the results to me, if business calls him away. But Irikah, Rafe…would you mind staying on here a while longer? I know our parents would be tickled to spend a lot more time with you two and Rosie."

Rafe looked down at his wife. What did he have to offer her but a place to live over his shop? Here she would be surrounded by people who loved her and Rosie. "Are you in a hurry to return to Kahji, Bella?"

Irikah smiled at her thoughtful lifemate. "No, lover. As you said, I have family on Earth and Kahji and I intend for us to spend equal times with both."

His eyes rose to meet Angel's. "Then, yes, we can stay here." He had no intension of leaving until he knew his wife was as safe as she could be from the threat of keprel's.

"Did you learn anything from the bloodwork?" Thane asked, trying to redirect his wife back to what they'd been doing.

"Yeah," she said breathlessly. "Some. I learned that the origin blood cells move and replicate far faster than normal blood cells. I also saw evidence that origin cells are more aggressive. It looked like they were actively hunting down normal cells. Once contact was made, the normal cell mutated and then went off in search of other normal cells to begin the cycle again. If it is the origin cell that is the catalyst to the change, then skin contact alone will not alter an individual. Cells are too large to be absorbed through the skin. However, I do not know enough yet to decipher if there is something else in the blood - molecules, atoms or some other substance that can be absorbed and is the true catalyst. I can't see anything that small with this equipment, nor do I have the knowledge to discern it if I did see it. I can tell you that white blood cells did not attack the intruders; they were not seen as a threat. That would mean a single cell slipping into a tiny wound is all it would take." She drummed her fingertips on the table for a moment. "We have watched the blood get absorbed into the skin. So something in the blood is obviously absorbable. I suspect the cells were abandoned on the skin, perhaps even died when the blood was absorbed. A scraping or small skin sample would tell me more, but it would negate the skin test as a small abrasion is all it would take to start the cycle, if any of the cells remaining on the skin were still functional."

"That's where the batarians come into play," Castiel reminded her. "We will do another skin test on one, and then take a skin sample; the other will be injected directly and heavily. We can test the acceptance theory and find out what happens when blood absorbs into the skin. We'll take daily blood draws, and if any of our origin cells are found multiplying, they will be executed immediately. At most their execution would be delayed a couple of weeks. If the origin cells are not active by then, I'd say we have little to worry about." He frowned. Something – it felt like there was something he forgot to do…or something was about to -.

Castaria stilled. "It's time," she murmured. Her eyes cleared. "Cole!" She shot to her feet and raced to her bedroom. Thane and Castiel hot on her heels. "Stay back!" she said, throwing up her hand in warning and pulled her mask over her head. She flipped her OT on and commed Cole.

"It's about damned time Ni – Nova. I've been trying to com you for hours. You need to get to Ilium. The contract originated from there. From what I've been able to uncover, it was put out by –er, Jaesa Ydros. I can find no reason for her to set the contract. She's just a small shop owner with no seeable ties to the hanar or the Stantons. Her shop is Ydros Antiques. I'm sending you the coordinates and schematics."

Her omnitool blipped. "Got 'em. Thank you, Cole."

He nodded and leaned forward in his chair. "Nova? I thought you should know…Arrow died getting this intel. I'll provide for his family, but make sure he gets justice."

She knew the hard tone in his voice was because he cared. "Consider justice served. I'll get back with you soon. And Cole? You're a good man." She grinned under her mask.

Cole laughed and shook his head. "I don't suppose you'll consider telling my ex-wife that?"

"Tell you what, dad…We'll have a big family get together and I will sing of your big heart to anyone who will listen."

"Make sure that you do. Stay safe, son." He clicked the button on his desk's console and Nova's holo winked out. He leaned back in his chair for a brief moment. Justice would be served. He sighed and rose. He had a funeral to plan and a family notify. Sometimes he hated his work.

She closed her omnitool, pulled her mask off and turned to her husband and brother. "Game's on. - Will you do the honors, brother?"

A cold grin spread across his lips. "Absofuckinglutely," he said as he spun around to let the others know what was happening. She grabbed her suit and Thane's and stuffed them into her bag. She stilled a moment and then pulled out one of her extra OT's and tossed it in too. She saw her husband cock a brow ridge. She shrugged. "You never know."

"Perhaps not, but you seem to." He pulled down their weapon cases from a shelf in their closet and followed her out the door.

Castiel turned at their approach. "I've already notified the heart. The men will make sure the batarians will be kept safe and secure while we're gone."

Castaria nodded and her gaze shifted to Lyrica. "Lyri, please go get that OT in your bag. It's needed now." She turned to Nikyrian. "Nik…your knife. Reed is going to need your assistance." As the final words left her lips, her friend dropped to his knees clutching his arm, a hiss the only indication of the pain Reed was going through.

Implant rejection. Thane could commiserate. He remembered when the same had happened to him, though at the time neither he nor his wife had known why it happened.

Nikyrian dropped down next to Reed, placed the man's arm on the coffee table, ran a thumb over his wrist to locate the implant's location and slid the knife through his skin. The implant popped out, freed from its prison, and the skin began to knit back together.

Reed grinned. "That will never get old." He rose at his wife's approach. She took his hand and laid the OT on his wrist. He watched in fascination as it laced together. She showed him how to use it and he watched it disappear. He drew a finger over his wrist, the OT barely discernible to touch. He nodded and turned to the others. "When are we going."

"You're not, Reed. This is a suits only party and Lyrica doesn't have one yet." Castaria told him gently.

His shoulders drew back and he stood straighter. That was unacceptable. "We're going. She can stay on the ship where it's safe, but we're going," he retorted, his voice firm with conviction.

Castaria knew full well Reed wasn't thinking clearly, conflicted between the new bond and his perceived duty. "Think about it, Reed. You won't be able to leave her behind, so there is no point in you going."

Reed opened his mouth and then promptly closed it. He knew she was right, but he still couldn't let them go without him. He needed to be there as much as he needed to stay.

Nikyrian blinked. That he could do something about. "I have a solution to make the choice moot." He retrieved his bag and withdrew a black suit, offering it to Lyrica. "This is the suit Angel sent me for Thane. I didn't end up using it, because the material didn't have the composition that I needed it to have. It's not augmented, but it will hide your identity well enough."

Lyrica took the suit from Nik, her fingers slipping down the fabric. Even if it wasn't modded, it was softer and nicer than the one she'd left behind. "Thank you, Nik."

Castaria frowned. Something inside her screamed at the wrongness of his absence. Nik had to be there. Thane too. There was no choice. "You have to be there, Nik. How do you intend to disguise yourself?"

Nikyrian cocked a brow at her statement. He had assumed he'd be staying back with Irikah and Rafe.

"Guess you'll be sent to the corner in a timeout, brother, since you left your suit behind," Castiel pointed out with a smirk.

Nikyrian grinned. "That I did, but I'm never unprepared." He withdrew another item from his bag and shook it out. He slipped the cloak on and pulled the cowl up over his head, his face hidden in the shadows.

Castaria chuckled and shook her head. "Nice try, Nik, but that's not quite –" she gasped when he popped out of sight. "That will do."

"Gather your gear, everyone. We're taking the Manticore to Ilium." He turned his attention to the couple staying behind. "Make sure you two stay indoors. I'm sure you'll find something to do," he said with a wink.

-BREAK EIGHT-

It was a good thing he and Reed had thought to bring their gear to the Manticore earlier. A stop at Earth first would have taken too much time.

It didn't take long for their shuttle to reach the port. Flight checks were already taken care of before they boarded the sleek Manticore. Castiel gave everyone full clearance as they entered the ship. With Cori handling the flight, he gave his family a tour of his ship. He smiled as he watched them take their first steps through the nano walls. As Reed has said earlier, that would never get old. He gave his room to Angel and Thane. He and Nik would sleep in the crew quarters. The krogan bunks, to be exact. Which, come to find out, were far more comfortable than he would have thought. Nik was a genius.

During the voyage, they met up several times around the conference table, going over the schematics holo of the antique shop and its surrounding area. There were three main points of entry: front, ventilation and rear cargo, which was likely a storage bay area.

Castaria pointed to the ducts. "Thane and I will hit the ducts; we have experience and will have the best chance at getting through undetected."

Nikyrian shook his head. "That is unadvisable." His fingers flew over the holopad, the ducts highlighted and data appeared next to it. "As you can see by the dimensions, Thane will not fit through those ducts."

"Maybe we should grease him up," Castiel snickered. He jumped and rubbed the back of his head after twin hands swatted him. "Two against one…that's low," he frowned at his sisters. "I wish – we had a better plan," he amended. "Aria shouldn't go it alone." He'd nearly said that he wished Liam was here with him to take some of the heat, but that would have been grossly insensitive.

"She won't," Lyrica stated firmly. "I'll go with her. I grew up a duct rat." She felt her husband's grip on her tighten, but she knew it was the only thing they could do.

Thane and Reed looked at each other and then their wives. "No," came the terse stereo reply.

"There is no choice," Nikyrian interrupted, "if we are going to hit all three points of entry simultaneously." He also knew it was imperative to keep Thane and Reed separated. If the mission was to succeed they didn't need them feeding off each other's lifemate separation anxiety and going off course. Each would have a cooler head to keep them focused. "Reed and I will hit the bay entry; Cas and Thane will hit the entrance. We will then make our way towards the middle where the women will be." Nothing could be done concerning the women. They would have to persevere. All he could do was base his hypothesis on gender instincts of the majority of species. Females were more instinctually driven to protect children, while males were driven to protect their mates.

They debated the issue for a while, but each idea offered seemed worse than the last; they all eventually conceded that Nikyrian's strategy was the most sound. Once the course of action was settled, they fine-tuned the what ifs to prepare for as many contingencies as possible. Always have a backup plan. Always be prepared. That was where Nikyrian excelled.

On Illium most shops did not close, they remained open at all times, but traffic was reduced significantly late night to pre-dawn. But according to the logs, the last few weeks Ydros Antiques had been closing overnight; an unusual precedent for the small store. Even odder was the fact that the power consumption did not dissipate as would be expected. "For the past several weeks Ydros' has changed its pattern, closing early, yet retaining its power consumption." Nikyrian rubbed the back of his neck. "It appears to align with the approximate time the contract was placed on the Stantons. So we can extrapolate the two are related. However, what she stands to gain is perplexing. Ydros doesn't trade with the Primacy and the Stanton trade routes should have no effect on her business profits."

Castiel raked a handed through his golden hair. This didn't make any sense. "So why would she put out the contract?"

Thane's gaze grew stony. "It appears we must get our answers from Jaesa Ydros." There was no mistaking the edge in his voice. No one would ever harm his family. He would protect and defend them unto his dying breath. For a man who had nothing but a pact to keep him going, a man who had shunned connections that could be used against him could not imagine his life without the love and support of these precious people. He felt his wife's brief, calming touch and caught her wink. She knew him well enough to know the directions his thoughts had taken him.

"One way or another," Castiel ground out. He chose to ignore his sisters' concerned looks. Why did women always want to look for angles and hidden meanings?

"Rarely is a thing exactly as it seems. Do not judge until you have all the facts," Lyrica admonished gently. "More may be at play than we are aware of."

Castiel gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes. See? He saw a problem and he hammered out a solution. He opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but Cori chimed in.

"Captain, Nik, I have the local security feeds and surveillance points." Various locations highlighted on the holo.

Savvy spun in excitement. "I'll handle security detail. Nothing will look out of place; they will never know you were there."

"You don't exactly have hands, Savvy," Castiel pointed out the obvious.

Savvy darted over to Castiel, her hologram flashing a cascade of colors. "Ye of little faith. I do not need such rudimentary appendages. I communicate with electrical impulses and wavelengths…Far more accurate than your fat fingers."

Castiel cocked a brow at her rebuke. Sassy little drone. "I happen to enjoy these fat fingers immensely. I've certainly had no complaints -"

Nikyrian cut in. "If you two children are done baiting each other…."

Castiel frowned at being called a child and then stuck his tongue out at Nik. Then ensuing chorus of laughter warmed him. For some reason the term did not agitate him as it normally did.

When the meeting finally ended and dinner was over, they met up in the entertainment room to unwind, before heading to bed. Despite the direness of the trip, they were enjoying the time they had together. They all knew it would be fleeting. Too soon, they would part, their lives calling them in different directions. Vids and coms were nice, but no surrogate for touch.

Castaria pulled on the mask of her nightsuit, slipped the knives into their sheaths, snapped on her guns and turned to face her husband. She'd never seen him in his nightsuit before. The way it clung to his muscles was sinful and taking her mind in a direction it didn't need to go. He had his sniper snapped to his back and a pistol on his hip.

He watched his NightStar – Nova…though, in truth, she would always be his NightStar, approach him. Her hand slid up his arm and skimmed the neckline of his mask with a finger. She peeled his mask upwards exposing his mouth. He grinned when he saw her do the same with her own mask. Their lips met with a spark of hunger. He groaned when she pulled back and rolled their masks back into place. The action had deep meaning for both of them. Thus, began a tradition they would never forego.

Hand in hand, they left the Captain's cabin to join up with the others. Nik's shimmery black cloak stood out from the array of nightsuits. It felt odd seeing so many NightStars. She knew they each had their own monikers, despite looking near identical. BlackWind, NightStar, Nova, Thanatos, Shadow and Nik. She selfishly felt an odd sense of freedom. No longer did she stand alone in her fight for justice. No longer was it a secret of one; for once shared, it had grown on its own. That didn't stop her from worrying about each and every one of them. If anything happened to them…No – she couldn't think that, it would shatter her. The blood would protect them, it had to.

-BREAK NNE-

Themis stirred in her body of stone, unable to surface. She had drained herself to near death to save her daughter. Trapped inside her prison of stone, her thoughts roiled in whispered tendrils. Had she been wrong to lock the knowledge away from her children? That lack of knowledge had repercussions she had not foreseen. They were growing an army they could not comprehend the ramifications of. Each soul they added gave them strength. How long before the other Gods took notice? Before their father took notice? But to release them ensured they would be hunted. Her mind clawed at its stone imprisonment. How had she not foreseen this? Were their other forces at work undermining her? Pictures slowly materialized, fading to nothing before fully forming. Her consciousness shattered with her silent scream.

-BREAK TEN-

They boarded the shuttle and descended to a nearby landing pad. The shuttle's cloaking device had kept them off radar. Savvy's holo winked out as she diffused and she slipped out of the shuttle to take care of surveillance.

It only took Savvy a few minutes to reprogram the main terminal. "Finished, Niki. I'll remain here to monitor communication and set off alarms in distant sectors if the security officers start poking around. And Niki – be careful out there," she said softly. "You better come back to me in the same condition you left."

"I'll be fine Savvy, you worry too much." She really did mother him too much some times.

"Oh, this is too much," Castiel chuckled. "Your drone is in love with you." He covered his mouth, trying to hold back the peals of laughter.

Nikyrian looked up from his OT. As comprehension dawned, his mouth fell open. His hand shot out and cuffed Castiel on the back of the head. He was stunned by his own actions and nearly apologized.

Castiel rubbed the back of his head, his laughter bursting forth. The look of horror on Nik's face was priceless. "Oooh Niki…come back to me," he said with his best Savvy impersonation. He ignored the clearing throats of held back laughter. "My orb glows for only you."

Nik shook his head and folded his arm across his chest to prevent him from cuffing Cas again. "That's not even possible. It's – " he gave a slow, double eyelid blink. He could feel the heat creep into his cheekfolds. "She mothers me at times, that is all."

Castiel snorted as he choked on his laughter. "Sorry to burst your bubble there, Niki, but you are blind. That drone does not see you as her child."

Castiel looked at the faces around him. Their knowing nods and grins said far more than any words could have. "No," he said simply. "It's not possible." His cloak shimmered and he faded to nothing. He pushed at Reed's back to get his partner moving. "We have a Royal family to save." The irony of it all is that many of the Royal family were walking straight into the den of those that were trying to kill them. Hunting the hunters.

That sobered everyone up quickly. With a final look at their lifemates and a not so subtle push from their unencumbered partners, the men moved out in opposite directions. The near anxiety from the parting was palpable, but firm strides and a goal of clearing a path to their wives put their heads back in the game. Ydros' time had come.

The women gripped each other's hands as their husbands walked away, released a slow breath and turned to each other. A brief, mutual nod and they darted into the shadows.

As expected, the store front was locked tight. Thane inspected the locking mechanism. It was a standard card key scanner. They had been concerned that the device would have been changed to a biometric scanner, which would have been a lot more difficult, if not impossible to get past. Thane opened a case on his belt and pulled out a small toolkit. As an assassin he preferred not to break and enter to reach his target, but he'd had to use his training on a few occasions. There was a slight hiss and he nodded to Castiel. The door slid down into the floor and the pair darted through, Castiel slapped the pad on the wall, reengaging the door once they had cleared it. Thane had his pistol trained on the surprised occupants, Castiel quick to follow suit.

"Jaesa Ydros. Now!" Castiel grit out.

A krogan chuckled. He eyeballed the two masked men. Hardly a threat. Not even worthy drawing his gun for …yet. "You did notice the door was locked? That means we are closed for the night. Be good little boys and leave the way you came in." He pointed to the door behind the men.

"Ooh…a krogan with manners. Sorry, pops. We are here for the woman. Give her to us and we will leave."

Thane was more than sure Cas' attitude would ensure they would not leave without a fight. But he had little doubt that is what his brother going for, he was obviously itching for a fight. "I suggest you do as you were instructed."

The krogan held his hand up to his men, waving them down. It was not yet time to strike. He did not even know why the masked men were here. Not to mention, he did not care to have their blood all over the place. They did not need to raise speculation with security. That would not do at all. His plans were unfolding nicely, no need to risk anything. "Ha! I cannot give you what you came for. Our…boss is not here…as I mentioned, we're closed. So, I'll tell you again. Leave…before I change my mind."

"Well, that put a chill down my spine," Castiel quipped with a faux shudder. "We're not leaving until we get what we came for. Get her here."

Thane took in every slight movement from the six that faced him. He could tell the others were strung tight and ready for a fight, but the krogan kept them in check.

The krogan sighed. "That is disappointing."

"Get used to it."

The krogan barked a laugh. "You have a quad, son. You can count, yes? You do realize you are outnumbered?"

"Hardly," Castiel scoffed.

The krogan sighed. "Then let me spell it out for you." He pointed to each of his subordinates, "One, two, three, four, five and yes, me. That makes six of us compared to the two of you. Now, you can see that is hardly fair."

Castiel shrugged. "I can ask my partner to leave, if you think that will be more fair to you."

The krogan roared with laughter. "If you weren't so soft, I'd think you were krogan."

"Enough," Thane said softly. The longer this farce played out, the more likely something unforeseen could happen. It was more than apparent this hireling was not going to spill all their plans and more than likely he was using the time to get the upper hand.

"I quite agree, " the krogan said amicably. He raised his arms and sent a biotic wave at the intruders.

Thane put a bullet between the eyes of a twitchy turian that had been reaching for his gun. The only sound heard was a "thck" from the silencer equipped Carnifex. In the next instant he found himself thrown against the front door. He and Castiel hit it hard enough to jar their bones. In a flash of blue and gold they charged the krogan, their biotic fields slamming into him with such force that all five went flying. He motioned Cas towards the others. The krogan was his.

Castiel didn't even blink, he knew the drell was a well trained assassin. He also knew krogan were hard to take down and he'd never fought one before. He faced the three humans and remaining turian as Thane drew the krogan away from the group.

-BREAK ELEVEN-

As the women tunneled through the ducts, Castaria stopped cold.

Lyrica put a hand on her sister's back. "He's fine. Focus on what we need to do."

"I know," Castaria whispered. "Thanks." They continued silently for a moment. Castaria stopped again and raised her hand and then pointed to the left. Peeking through the first grate they came to, Castaria held up three fingers. There were two turian males and a human female in the room below them. She quietly removed the grate and handed it to Lyrica. She grabbed the edge of the duct and flipped down through the opening and flung out two stasis fields before landing in a crouch, Lyrica threw out another field as she dropped from the duct. She looked over at her sister. "I won't kill unless I have to. I don't like killing unless I know their crimes deserve it. Pistol whip the other turian, I'll get this one. Then we will bind and gag them quickly."

Lyrica nodded in relief. This was her sister's family and she would play it the way Aria wanted. She slapped the butt of her gun into the side of the turian's head.

When they were both down, Castaria drew the fields back into her. They ripped a couple of strips of cloth from the men's clothing, balled one and shoved into their mouths, using the second strip to secure it. They belted their hands and feet together. It was the best they could do with the time they had.

Castaria sighed. "Unload their weapons and pocket the ammo. I'll deal with the woman." She didn't know Ydros' race, so couldn't be sure who the woman was. She cleared a small area in the stasis field, removed her glove and rested her fingertips on the woman's temple. "I need to find out who you are and I can't risk you screaming." She weaved her way through the woman's mind, peeking into memory folders until she found what she was looking for. This was not Ydros. She knew the woman could hear her, because she'd weakened the field. It was hard to rifle through a frozen mind. "Sleep deep, you are very tired." She absorbed the stasis field and lowered the woman to the ground. When she was gagged and tied like the men, she returned to her sister. "The woman is not Ydros, but nor is she evil. She's doing this to feed her kids."

"You don't have to justify anything to me, Aria. Come on, we have other rooms to search."

-BREAK TWELVE-

The back bay entrance was open. Very generous of Ydros. Nikyrian moved swiftly. They had to clear the dock and get into the building before anyone noticed Reed. A human stepped out onto the landing dock and lit a cigarette. Nikyrian slipped around him and into the storage bay. When the man caught sight of the large black figure, he dropped his cigarette, spun around and darted back inside and slapped the pad to close the door.

Reed amped his new power and flung the man to the side, but it was too late, the door had already slammed shut. "Damnit!" He had no way of knowing if he and Nik were now locked out. He could feel the anxiety begin to build and took deep breaths. There had been nothing for him to take cover behind on the loading dock. The door slid down a moment later and he grinned behind his mask. Nik had made it inside. A voice whispered next to him once he'd made it into the storage bay.

"Glad you could join me. I could hardly risk you beating down the door that separated you from your wife." Nik had never experienced real love and he was okay with that. He was more than okay with it; he had no interest in it. Life was complicated and busy enough without adding feelings for someone who feigned love for the sake of what he could give her. But a lifemate? While there was no denying the feelings were true, he had no wish to be turned into a raw, emotional wreck.

"I – you're right, I would have lost it." Normally, such brutish actions would have never crossed his mind, but having a lifemate - that was a far different realm than normal.

The storage bay was empty but for stacked crates and the lone man that lay crumpled against a wall. A man that would be shouting no warnings, he had died on impact.

The next three rooms were also devoid of life. Reed opened the next door. The room was hot, stuffy and dark. He heard breathing and stilled, going on high alert, with his gun trained in the direction of the breathing. At the sound of a whimper he slapped the light pad. The sight that greeted him was nothing like what he expected. A woman, a teal colored drell was chained to a bed, legs and arms spread wide apart. The terrified look in her eyes and the way she cringed when she saw him told him she knew exactly what he was there for. He immediately snapped his gun to his hip and help up his hands. "I'm not here to hurt you." He approached her slowly. "Let me free you." He ignored her struggles and gripped the chain, testing its strength.

The woman had been resting when the door opened. Fear immediately struck her. She'd been left alone the past couple of weeks. The men thought she had come down with some illness, they didn't realize the swelling of glands and rise in body temperature meant she was going into heat. But she was achingly aware of it. Regardless, she could not bear their touch. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light. The large, black clad man had caught her by surprise. She couldn't help but recoil as he approached. It took a moment for his raised hands and gentle words to sink in. "It won't work," she said, with a slight tremor in her voice. "The krogan has the key. But he's dangerous. His voice is kind, but his heart is black."

He released the chain that refused to give. "Don't worry. I'm not alone and we won't leave you like this." He looked around. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't see anything to cover you with."

She looked at the man in black for a moment. Would he really be able to free her? She had to hope. Had to trust. She had been cast a lifeline and feared he would walk out that door and this single, last hope would be lost. "There is a trunk in the far corner."

He looked in the direction she was nodding and spotted the trunk. He sprinted over to it and lifted the lid. Nestled within was a blanket and pillow. He withdrew them, laid the blanket over her body and placed the pillow under her head. He moved to the door. "I'll find the krogan. I'll be right back."

"Be careful!" she warned.

"Of course," he said with a bow to her and stepped into the hall. "Nik!" he hissed. He felt a rustle of air and turned towards it.

She closed her eyes as he slipped away. "Don't go," she whispered. It tore at her that she had crumbled into a whimpering mess. That those men could have shattered all she had been. She had left her homeworld when her young husband had died of kepral's; left the memories and ghost behind to start anew. She worked hard to get where she was, just to have it all ripped away. She didn't even know why.

"I'm here."

Reed reached out towards the disembodied voice, felt a bicep and followed it down, settling his hand on his new brother's forearm. "There is a woman chained to a bed. I think she's ill. She's been…abused," he gritted out. "She said a krogan has the key. I'm about to remedy that."

The drell could appreciate the need to go after the krogan. He intended to do just that, after the woman was freed and cared for. "We will get to him soon enough. We need to see to the woman first." He felt he didn't need to say, 'in case something happened.' "I'll free her." He patted the other man's hand and entered the room. He came to a dead halt. His sensitive cheekfolds were blasted with the heat and pheromones that saturated the chamber. Her heat prickled along his skin. It had been some time since he'd been in the presence of a woman in heat. But his heart lay elsewhere and he was still undecided if he wanted to return to the man he'd been.

Reed stepped back into the room and bumped up against Nik. "I doubt even you can free her from this distance, brother."

Nikyrian shook his head. "Yes, of course. I was caught off guard. She is not ill, she is in heat."

Reed blinked in surprise. Apparently, that had more significance to drell than humans.

The woman's eyes opened wider. "Who are you talking to? Did - do you have the key?" She barely dared to hope. But she wasn't sure if she could handle him walking out that door again and leaving her alone. It had taken everything she had left to not call him back the first time.

Reed moved to the woman's side and knelt down beside her. "Everything will be fine. My brother will free you. Nik?" he said, turning his head to peer around the room. He felt the rustle of cape a moment later and then Nik popped into view.

The woman jerked back at the man's sudden appearance next to her.

Nikyrian cleared his throat. "My apologies, I'll have you free in a moment. He pulled out his tool kit and began working on the lock.

The woman looked between the drell and the black clad man. It was apparent the suited man was not also a drell. "Brother?" she mouthed, then repeated the word in a voice that now appeared to function.

As Nik moved on to the lock at her left ankle, Reed grinned behind his mask. "We are an eclectic family." He began to rub circulation back into her arm as he spoke, as she was incapable of doing it herself.

Nik tried his best to ignore what Reed was doing. On Rakhana men would often compete for the right to breed and prove their superiority to the woman in heat, if she were unattached. Mating with the woman was not why he was here. He was here to protect Angel and her family, so he focused on that. He moved on to the chain that bound her other ankle, looked up at the woman and found her gaze pinned on him. "I am Nikyrian Teiner."

"Why are you and your brother here?" She paused. That sounded so ungrateful. "Not that I'm not grateful," she assured them.

"My family is here to – settle a debt," Nikyrian said vaguely.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't owe any debts. And I would certainly know if you owed one to me."

Nikyrian stilled as her foot was released from the shackle. "Jaesa? Jaesa Ydros?"

"Yes.s.s…" her voice wavered. She could almost feel the temperature drop in the room. Fear began to caress the edges of her mind and sent a chill up her spine. Something wasn't right.

Reed stood up and gazed down at the woman. "Why?" was all he could get out.

She glanced at the large black encased man that had made her feel safe but a moment ago. "Wh – why, what?" With both of her legs freed, she scooted backwards on the bed, resting her back against the wall. She hated feeling helpless. She drew the blanket tight over her chest, as if that would protect her cold stare of the of the only eyes she could see.

Nikyrian's eyes narrowed. "Why did you put a contract out on the Stanton's?"

She shook her head, baffled by their words. "What? Who are the Stanton's? And how do you put out a contract? Contracts are signed not put out. You are making no sense." She absently began rubbing her shackled arm.

Reed looked at Nik. Something didn't add up. They were talking in circles and she seemed utterly bewildered over what she was hearing. Not a mastermind at all. It could be that she was talented actor, but he didn't suspect that was the case. "How long have you been in this room?"

She let out a dejected sigh, her hand falling limply to her side. "I don't know. There has been no way for me to tell day from night. It seems an eternity. But – " she paused for a moment, "My heats tend to come annually. That means – ", she frowned and swallowed hard. "A couple of months at least," she forced the words through her tightening throat.

Nikyrian nodded at Reed. He believed her. She was not behind the contract; she was used in more ways than she new. He unlocked the final shackle and sat down on the bed to briskly rub her arm. "Then you have our apology, Jaesa. We were informed that you were the one who placed the death contract on Mindoir's Royal line."

"No," she whispered, her hand flying to cover her mouth in horror. "Why would anyone think I could do such a thing?" Tears slipped from her eyes.

"Your name was attached to the contract. So we came here to confront you." He gently wiped the tears from her eyes. "We didn't know why you would care about the Stanton-Primacy trade agreement. You appeared to have no connection to either."

She looked up at his light blue irises, her gaze pleading with his. "The krogan and his friends showed up on a very slow night. Cut the power and..and…I – I couldn't stop them! They – they chained me like an animal and..and," fresh, hot tears burst forth.

Nikyrian pulled her into his arms to comfort her as her body shook with the force of her misery. She clutched at him with a strength that belied her malnourished body.

Reed paced from the door to the bed, he felt so helpless and keeping watch gave him something to focus on. It was too quiet. But the one thing they agreed upon was to not leave their partner.

She clung to the large, pale blue drell. It felt so good to be held, to feel safe after so long. As her body calmed she became aware of the beat of his heart against her chest. She rubbed the frills and folds of her cheek against his neck and felt his body go still, his pheromones began to respond to hers, though not as strongly as she would have liked. She lifted her head to gaze into his eyes and trailed her fingertips over his sensitive cheekfolds. "Stay with me for a bit; give me memories to blot out the-the others. I need you, Nikyrian Teiner. I need the memories."

Nik released a slow breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Not only was her heat beginning to affect him, but her pleading words tore at him. He didn't really want to bed her. He would have preferred to walk away, but he also knew the effect those memories would have on her. Angel wasn't his and he had the power to help her, he just wasn't feeling it like he should be. He closed his eyes for a moment and brought a memory of Angel into focus, memories of making love to her flooded through him. Angel… His body began to shake, responding to her touch, her pheromones and her need. His lips brushed against hers. He barely heard Reed clear his throat but the loud crash that followed a moment later filtered into his brain. He lept over the bed, placing his body between the door and the woman.

Reed shot an anxious look at his brother, his fists clenching with the need to find his wife and help the others. But there was no way his brother would have his head in the game. He hated breaking an oath, but he had to find his wife. "I'm going, Nik …but you are in no shape to fight. Do what you can to help the woman." He certainly didn't need to witness that. He turned towards the exit.

He knew Reed was right. He could not risk the others to play hero. "Blackwind – wait!" He peeled off his cloak and tossed it to his brother. "There is a manual trigger. Touch the button at the neck. I'm sorry."

Reed caught the cloak, nodded, slipped it on and faded from view.

With his heart pounding and his body aching, he closed the door and turned to the woman, seeing his Angel, who had dropped the sheet. He slipped off his clothing and placed his bats next to the bed. Despite the heat, he did not forget the danger they were in. He lowered himself into Angel's arms. He would cherish her this night and leave her with memories she could cling to.

-BREAK THIRTEEN-

No one noticed the small, cloaked shuttle as it set down, nor the being that disembarked. The assassin stood still for a moment and then disappeared into the shadows.

-BREAK FOURTEEN-

The women had just cleared out the third room when they heard the crash. Infiltration time was up…anyone left would be heading for the sounds of fighting. Two more doors heading to the store front opened and more enemies poured out. They were too focused on what was going on up ahead to bother looking behind them.

Castaria grasped the hilts of her knives and let them fly, two men in the rear fell, blades buried into the backs of their necks.

Lyrica threw out a stasis field, trapping a third straggler. As she passed her she snapped her neck and kept moving. She shivered when she felt lips brush her cheek and the swish of a cloak, but saw nothing. If her husband was wearing Nik's cloak, what did that mean for the drell? No, she couldn't think about that.

Before Castaria could pull her blades from the necks of the dead men, they rose and disappeared. She blinked in surprise and then smiled. It appeared Nik had something in mind. As the hall opened up to the storefront, it took her a brief second to get her bearings and locate her people. She knew Nik was around, but she saw no sign of Reed. She knew Lyrica would be the first to know otherwise and her sister did not seem concerned. She spotted her husband taking a large krogan on alone. The krogan was throwing out biotics left and right, but Thane was forgoing the use of his own. Why? It was just making his job all the more difficult. Since when is wrestling with a krogan a good thing? She amped her power to charge the krogan when she saw her husband leap, grab hold of the armor near the krogan's head and flip around the large body. The krogan spun with the momentum and landed on his back. Thane looked up startled and jumped backwards. Twin blades drove down from thin air, sinking deep into the krogan's beady little eyes. She caught his gaze briefly, before ripping the weapons from the hands of the remaining attackers. Their moment of surprise gave her team a chance to act.

Thane slammed into a turian so hard his head spikes drove into the wall and his eyes glazed sightless. Another man's neck snapped on its own. Lyrica and Cas sent two unlucky people flying in different directions. A human male spun around, the light glinted off a large blade as it aimed to gut her. She amped her power, but before she could react, a gold tinged blue blur was seen a moment before an arm wrapped around her ribs and she was swung around, feet first in the direction of the man's head. She locked her ankles around his head and twisted her hips, the momentum snapping his neck. She landed on her feet, still wrapped in her husband's arms. When he caught sight of the last two remaining attackers drop to their knees in surrender, his mouth captured his wife's. The need to hold her and never let go caused his arms to tighten, unable to release her.

Castiel let out a whoop when the last two surrendered. If they wanted answers, the living told better tales than the dead. That is when he noticed the silence. He caught sight of three couples lip locked. Wait – was Lyrica kissing Nik? Or the air…and where the hell was his brother? "I don't suppose any of you realize we are down one man? And sister, why are you kissing Nik? Where the hell is Blackwind?" His concern was growing. No one could have missed the ruckus they had caused. He could even hear distant alarms that Savvy had set off. He slammed is fist into the sides of the captives heads and they slumped to the ground. "BLACKWIND!" he bellowed.

Reed blinked. He'd forgotten he couldn't be seen. He lowered the hood and pressed the button, popping into view. "Nik's fine. We need to talk. Were there any empty rooms? I'd rather not sit among the corpses."

Lyrica nodded. "Aria and I found one. Grab the two survivors. You can tie them up with the others."

"Others?" Reed asked.

Lyrica shrugged. "We didn't need to kill, so we didn't." Her husband grinned at her, kissed the tip of her nose and then tossed one of the men over his shoulder, none to gently. She winced. He would surely feel that when he woke up. Castiel grabbed the other man, albeit more carefully. Turians were hard, his shoulder not so much. They followed the girls back down the hall, trussed up the bodies and tossed them on the others.

The empty room held only a few crates. They sat down on the crates and waited to hear what Reed had to say.

Reed looked at all of them and then sighed. "First off, things went a bit…sideways. Nik and I discovered things were not quite what they seemed. Jaesa did not put the contract out on the Stantons. In fact, she was in no position to do so. She had been held prisoner here for the last couple of months. We found her malnourished and chained to a bed." Reed gritted his teeth. "They were not – kind to her. Nik is with her right now."

"I need to go to her."

Reed blinked at the stereo reply from the women. "In a bit," he said awkwardly, "healing is not what she needs most right now. At least not that kind of healing. " His gaze settled on Thane. "She's drell."

Thane gave a slow, double lidded blink and then nodded. "She needs new memoires to replace the old," he said quietly.

"Yes, but it is more than that. She's in heat."

"Oh, damn," Castaria muttered.

Castiel frowned. "So, if she didn't put out the contract – the krogan. It had to be him. But why?"

Reed nodded. "That is what we suspect. I imagine the survivors will be able to fill in the blanks. I think we need to –"

Castaria froze. "It's happening," she said distantly. A look of horror dawned on her face. "NIK!" She darted off her husband's lap and rushed the door.

The others looked up in surprise, quickly replaced with dread. They were hot on Castaria's heels.

-BREAK FIFTEEN-

Slipping through the ducts, the assassin wasn't concerned about the sounds of battle beneath her. They were too engrossed in killing each other to hear any slight noise she might have made in passing. But she was taking no chances, if the battle finished before she reached her target and slipped away, she had little doubt her life would be endangered.

Halfway through the shop an odd sensation swept through her and she froze. Her hart gave a hard beat and began to pound harder. Even more odd was the deep need to go West. She turned into the duct heading right and stopped at a grate, peering through the slats at a couple in a sexual act. The drell woman rode her lover in wild abandon. The woman was her target. When he cried out his release, her heart squeezed tight in a vice; a fury consumed her, blinding her to all but the need to sink her knife deep into the woman's back. She wrenched the grate off, flung it behind her and propelled herself from the duct, knife arching for the teal back.

A sharp noise brought Nik out of his pleasure-induced haze as if he'd been dashed with ice water. He caught sight of the figure just in time to roll to the side, covering Jaesa with his body. Ice-cold pain sliced through him as the knife tore through his side above his hipbone, leaving a seven-inch gash. He arched back with the shock of the pain, warm blood poured from the wound. Gritting his teeth and turned sharply, the masked woman tumbled backwards, the knife slipping from his flesh. He pushed Jaesa to the floor, tossed her the blanket and rolled off the bed in the direction of the intruder. He grabbed his bats and flicked them on. His ears rang from the anguished scream that tore from the masked woman. He froze as he watched her rise.

In a blink her target was gone and her knife bit into the man's side. All thoughts of killing the woman vanished at the sight of the man's blood. At what she'd done. A scream of pain ripped from her lips, she felt torn apart from the inside. She barely noticed being flung aside. She had to get to the man. She had to save him…protect him…she couldn't begin to make sense of her tumultuous feelings, but raw instinct drove her. When she stood the man faced her, naked, hard, muscles flexed like some light blue god. She barely registered that he was holding weapons at the ready. "I'm sorry; I never meant to hurt you. Please, let me help." She moved towards him, ignoring the whip that twitched. She had to get to him and it made no sense.

Something about the woman held him still. Every warning bell within him went off, his body ready to spring into action, yet frozen where he stood. When she moved in his direction he forced his wrist to flick the whip in warning, but it was a feeble attempt at best. Her voice sent a pleasant ripple down his spine and his heart beat faster. Why couldn't he move? What was he waiting for? Why did he want to believe her words?

The door burst in and Castaria took in the scene at a glance. Nik had a vicious, long wound on his side, a knife was on the ground and the attacker held at bay. The roots of her hair prickled. Something was off.

Castiel stepped around his sister, saw what was happening; his power surged and he grabbed the attacker with it and flung the masked figure across the room, pinning her to the wall.

"Cas, no!" Castaria said, but she was too late.

Fury whipped through Nikyrian, his whip shot out, wrapped around Cas' wrist and yanking it away, breaking his hold on the woman. He dropped his bats to the ground and he moved purposely towards the woman who fell forward when she was released from his brother's power.

"What the fuck, Nik?" Cas asked in a bewildered, but aggravated tone. He rubbed his throbbing wrist. His brother was about to bleed to death after nearly being gutted. Why the hell had he stopped him and why the hell was he approaching the assassin unarmed?

Brynnia rose to her feet shakily, barely giving the other occupants that were filing in a glance. Her only concern the man coming towards her.

Lyrica took her husband's hand and led him around the bed to the blanket covered woman in the corner of the room next to the bed. She could tell the woman was in shock watching the scene unfold. She squatted down next to the woman to get her attention. "Nik will be fine; there are healers who will take care of him when he needs it. I am – Shadow and you know my husband, Blackwind. Let's get you out of this room. Do you have any clothing here?"

"Yes," she said softly. "In the dresser over there." She pointed to the chest of drawers on the left side of the bed.

Lyrica nodded. "I'll be right back." She moved quickly to the dresser, grabbed some underwear, a shirt and a pair of slacks. She returned to the woman and held out her hand. She could feel the woman's bones too easily. She'd gone too long without decent food. She turned to her husband. "I'm going to take her to the room we were in earlier to dress. See if you can find a pair of shoes for her in here, then join us."

Castaria tore her eyes away from Nik and the woman. "We are running out of time. Cas, grab Nik's pants and see that he puts them on." She turned when she heard the hard thud as a body hit the ground. The masked woman cried out and dropped down at his side, her hands covering the wound with as much pressure as she could manage.

"Help him, please!" Brynnia begged, her gaze never leaving the man at her side. She was pouring her power into him, but knew she wasn't powerful enough to give him the help he needed.

"Cas, his pants! I doubt either Thane or that woman wants me that close to his unclothed body."

"Fine! But you have all lost your minds. Why do you care what that assassin wants, Aria?" he asked as he gently slipped pants on the drell, trying to jar him as little as possible. Then it dawned on him. Aria's prediction. "Oh, god, this is rich! This is the woman you told us about! You are in for it now, Niki."

"Shut up, Cas…Take your ass to the survivors. Rifle through their minds, find out what you can. We don't have the time to interrogate them. Thane will give you backup in case any wake up."

The drell blinked and folded his arms over her chest. "No, he won't. I'm sorry wife, I'll not leave you again this night," Thane interjected.

Reed finally found the mate to the shoe he'd been searching for. "I'll drop these off and back up Cas."

Castaria shook her head. "No you won't. Your wife will be healing Jaesa. She will need your strength." Her gaze rounded on her husband. "Thane, there's no choice in the matter. Cas will be too distracted, if they wake up…"

Thane nodded, though he was none too pleased. His gaze fell to the masked woman then rose to his wife. "If she harms one hair on your head I will kill her slowly," he warned as he followed Cas out the door.

Castaria picked up the knife and then knelt down next to Nik. She forced back the urge to touch him and lend him her presence. If things were as she believed, then the gesture would not be appreciated by the other masked woman. "My name is Castaria, I know what you are going through. I know you'd rather scratch my eyes out right now then let me touch him. But know I have a lifemate and I love Nik – I ned to help him. He could not be in safer hands. You are also about to see something that won't make much sense to you. Nik can fill you in later." She reached her hand out to touch the woman's hand. "Please trust me in this. I won't let him die." She paused for a moment to let her words sink in. "I need you to remove your hands."

Brynnia stilled. Something about this woman calmed her. To trust anyone was not like her, but something about this woman gave her hope. She wasn't sure how the woman could understand what she was going through, because she didn't. Her world had tilted on its axis, a nightmare she couldn't awaken from. She reluctantly removed her hands and sat back on her heels.

Castaria removed her glove and pushed up the sleeve of her nightsuit. She hissed as the knife bit into her flesh. Her blood flowed into the gaping wound. She made a second slash when the first knitted closed. When her flesh healed a second time she wiped the blade of the knife on her nightsuit, knowing it would be absorbed, and handed the knife back to its owner. There had been no need to aura-heal Nik; he'd already been exposed to her blood.

Brynnia was beyond shocked. What kind of healer used their own blood? And how had Castaria's wounds healed so quickly? She blinked when the knife was handed back to her hilt first. She nearly killed the human's – brother and yet the woman had handed the weapon back to her? She shakily took the knife back and sheathed it. "What-?"

"Just watch," Castaria said, motioning towards Nik's side.

Brynnia fell backwards onto her ass when the drell's skin began to knit back together. In a few moments it was nothing but a puckered, pink scar. "I – I don't understand. I- I need to wake up." None of her training had ever prepared her for anything like this.

Castaria put a hand on the woman's arm. "I know this is a lot to take in. I only ask that you keep this knowledge to yourself. We will explain everything we can when we are safely away from this place."

Lyrica returned with some damp warm towels and bleach. She handed one of the towels to the assassin and backed away when the woman grew tense. "Clean up every trace of his blood on and around his body. I'll get the rest."

The drell moved back a bit with towel in hand. She'd nearly growled and jumped over the man on the floor when the other woman approached. She shook her head and gripped the towel tighter. "What is happening to me?" she asked weakly. "I've never been fueled by emotions before, we are trained to bury them deep and lock them away. And now I want to - want to…." She shook her head and gently started removing the blood from Nik's body. She had to keep busy, it was better than drowning on the morass of turbulent emotions that were whipping at her. She was being torn apart by the need to flee and need to stay. She was surrounded by a man's family that she'd nearly killed; in the shop of a woman she'd failed to kill. Why they hadn't killed her yet was beyond her ken. If someone had tried to kill her family…her brother – her brother was all that was left and she hadn't seen him since she was a small child. Nevertheless, she would kill for him without a thought. They'd been inseparable as children.

"What you are going through is normal. It will always be difficult; but once you understand it is easier to handle. I would tell you more now if I could, but time is not on our side." And now it involved Nik as well as security. If Nik awoke before they were safely away – no, there was just too much at stake. Castaria rose to lend her sister a hand. No trace of them being here could be left behind. "Are you comfortable enough to give us your name?"

Her name. Only one name she ever gave while suited up. "Nightwind." Most drell bound by the pact did not hide their identity. But on an early assignment she'd run into a retired man who had taken her under his wing and warned her about the consequences of using her real name. He'd lost any chance of having a real life. He drifted from place to place and name to name. She'd taken his words to heart. His story of having to leave his family behind, the tears he did not bother to hide…No one should have to go through that. That would never be her life. Brynnia worked as an information broker and Nightwind fulfilled the pact.

"Fair enough, Nightwind," Castaria acknowledged.

"No, it's not," Brynnia said with a shake of her head. They had not hidden who they were from her and she suspected that was not a normal behavior for them. She didn't know why they entrusted her with that information, but she would not break the pact she'd made with herself. Especially, when she did not know what they had planned for her. "But so long as I wear my role, Nightwind is all that I am."

"We understand, Nightwind," Lyrica assured her. "I am known as Shadow, my husband is Blackwind. Aria is Nova, her husband is Thanatos. The man that threw you against the wall is NightStar. He, Aria and I are…triplets." She carefully pulled the sheet from the bed and rolled it up tightly, to trap any dna within.

"What about Nik? " she asked, looking away from the drell for the first time. "Who is he?"

"Nik is Nikyrian. He is not in our line of work. He's a businessman. So he doesn't have a moniker, like we do. But he's damned ingenious in a fight." Castaria tilted her head. "Was Nik your mark?" She didn't suspect so. No assassin worth any merit would go after a target without learning as much as possible about their target.

"Of course not! It tore me apart when I struck him by accident. I was overcome – I wasn't thinking straight. I wasn't prepared for him to move so quickly. If – I never would have struck unless she was alone. But – but…" Her shoulders slumped. And that was the crux of it. She'd lost control.

"So it was Jaesa. I suspected at much, but I had to be sure. I was unaware jaesa had a contract on her." The primacy must have found out about the contract on her family and sent the assassin. That would make Nightwind a drell. Moreover, it confirmed her vision. "I believe we are on the same side in this. All I will tell you now, is the contract on Jaesa will be nulled. She was not responsible for anything. We will fill you in later."

A burst of fury struck Brynnia. "It doesn't matter!" she growled. "She dies!" She flung her head back, releasing an anguished cry.

Lyrica flung out a stasis field at Nightwind, a deafening silence fell over the room. "Time's up, we have to go. Now."

The rest of her team came bursting through the door. "Savvy is about to have a fit, she can't reach Nik and that scream drew too much attention. What the hell just happened?" His gaze caught the assassin in stasis. "And why the hell – " Castiel shook his head. "Tell me later, we need to get the fuck out of here!"

"NightStar, Thanatos, grab Nik. Shadow and I will get Nightwind. Blackwind, go dark and gather up the evidence. Make sure Jaesa will be okay. She can lock herself in the -"

"I can assure you, I will be fine," Jaesa said, cutting off Castaria. Between the healing and the clothing, she felt more like her old self. More in control. She knew she had a long road to travel, but she also knew she'd make it. Thanks to her rescuers…and Nik. Her eyes traveled down the length of the man. He'd given her so much and she would never forget his kindness. She didn't know what happened, she didn't ask. But she knew they would all be okay.

Castaria blinked. The drell looked like a different woman. Stronger, more confident. As the men looped Nik's arms around their shoulders, she and Lyri did the same for the frozen woman. "You look much better, Jaesa," she said with an acknowledging nod. "C-Sec will be here shortly. I've no doubts that Nik will contact you when he can."

She held up her and in negation. "There is no need. Just tell him I'm grateful – grateful to all of you, and I'll be fine." She expected nothing more from the man. He'd already given her far more than he'd intended. Her heat was already beginning to fade. It was slight, but she could feel it. Her body now preparing for the precious cargo it carried. But she had no intension of ever telling him. She would never interfere in his life in such a way.

As they slipped past her out the door, Castaria turned one last time towards the drell. "He's a good man, Jaesa. He'll do right by you." They hurried to catch up to the others and slipped into the shadows.

Jaesa watched them head out the back docking bay. She wasn't sure where they would go from there, but she had little doubt they knew what they were doing. "He already has," she whispered into her empty shop. She heard the beeping of the store front door and knew C-Sec was using their security key to open it. She stepped over the bodies and made her way to the front to greet them. It was going to be a long night. She rubbed her lower belly and smiled softly. She was not alone anymore.