[A/N] Greetings to all. If you're still with me, thanks and I hope you're enjoying things thus far. Through the IM's and reviews, one question that keeps being raised is the matter of the EVA itself. Will it be used again? All I can say is this: It wouldn't be much of an Evangelion story without the Evangelion. So, yes, they EVA still has several major parts to play in this tale, but I won't divulge anything further. That's what the hulking great load of text below this paragraph is for…

Chapter 9: History

Shinji Ikari woke feeling less than well-rested. His ears still rang somewhat from the hours of assault they had taken the previous night. He also felt like someone had made his head three times heavier than normal. Despite the displeasure, he was aware of an almost comforting warmth that seemed to surround him from all sides. He was also numbly aware of something touching his chest.

'I'm starting to realise just how depressed Misato was to do have done this to herself every single morning…'

He pushed his discomfort momentarily aside as it hit him that he had actually passed the first night. This was his first morning.

'My first morning,' mulled Shinji, his thoughts carrying on of their own accord, 'living with a space pirate…above a nightclub…on a space station in a nebula.'

It really was a funny old world.

His discomfort rose when he shifted and realised that he even found it difficult to move, 'that stuff must've been harder than I thought…' he thought, moaning slightly and feeling almost like he was being restrained in some way.

"Do you have to move about so much…?" grumbled a groggy, but still very familiar voice from extremely close proximity.

Shinji's eyes opened wide on reflex. He instantly regretted it as he found the light stabbing into his retina like a shard of ice into his skull. He winced them closed and opened them slowly once more.

He looked down and suddenly realised that the reason he felt restrained was due to the arm circling his midsection. He suddenly became very aware of the soft pressure against his back.

'Okay,' thought Shinji, his brain going into such a panicked overdrive that it went full circle and became deceptively calm again, 'where do I begin?'

"Aria…?" he muttered.

"Hmm?" she mumbled, pulling him unconsciously closer and informing an already stunned young man that there was a leg draped over one of his thighs.

"Quick question: why…are you in my bed?"

"It's my bed," replied Aria with an annoyed mutter, her voice muffled by the pillow against the side of her face.

"No, I mean…in this room."

She groaned, "There's only one bedroom. Why would I need more than one?"

Shinji's brain stalled. Considering who he was talking to, that was a very good point. It was probably very rare for a Crime lord to have house guests.

"Okay," he said, his voice small, "I guess that's fair. But why are you so…close?"

"Why not?" she grumbled in annoyance, too tired to explain that the sidearm on the nightstand by the human could be picked up, armed and fired with one twist of her body from her current position; said position would also have the human close enough to instantly protect him within her biotic barrier should it be needed, but that was far too many words for that early in the day, and so settled on murmuring, "Never had any complaints to date."

Shinji flinched as he flashed back to when Misato's touch was on his hand and the way he had rejected her, but the Asari's grip was as firm and unrelenting as it was tender.

He also really had to wonder why it was he was even complaining in the first place. Compared to the melding Aria had performed, the physical connection, whilst still…intense, was nothing in comparison. Also, he found himself admitting, having a presence there all about him was…strangely solacing in its comfort, even if the one providing said presence was a ruthless killer.

Shinji also wondered what Toji and Kensuke would have said about the whole situation were they still alive.

Most likely they'd have said nothing and skipped right on to beating him senseless for even thinking about complaining.

Shinji's gaze was drawn to the bare, violet arm about him. He realised that the heat on his chest was due to the fact that Aria's hand had slipped up his shirt slightly and that her palm was resting flat on his chest to complete the embrace. His eyes widened slightly as a thought occurred to him, "Just one last question, just one…"

"Hmmmwhat?" she half growled.

"Are you even," he paused to swallow a loud gulp, "wearing anything?"

"That depends…" muttered the Asari in reply, who still hadn't opened her eyes.

"On what?"

"On which answer gets you to shut up and gets me back to sleep."

Shinji gulped again and nodded in compliance. He wasn't sure if Aria had seen it or not, but he suddenly felt her relax slightly against him.

However, there are some questions that a young man must simply have the answers to. And so, despite Shinji's better judgement, he couldn't prevent one of his hands moving slightly up from his side and going experimentally towards the general direction of the leg hooked over his.

Shinji let out a quiet gasp as his fingertips tentatively brushed against the bare flesh of Aria's upper thigh. He couldn't help but release a quiet whimper as the Asari let out a slightly pleasured murmur that bordered on a low purr, an amused smile pulling secretly at the edge of her mouth.

'No,' thought Shinji, 'definitely not getting back to sleep…'

What was to follow would be two of the longest, most enticing and torturous hours of the Third Child's Life.

-Ω-

And so, once she was suitably rested, Aria finally uncoiled herself from around Shinji and sat up against the pillow behind her, sighing contentedly as she stretched. As the covers slipped down, an inadvertent sidelong glance from an already bright red Shinji gave a definitive answer to his earlier question, if any more confirmation were needed.

Aria wiped an eye, finding herself in the rare position of being free from a hangover. She glanced at Shinji, noticing his eyes clenched tightly shut, "Is something wrong? Didn't think you'd drunk enough to leave you too messed up the morning after."

"That's not why I'm keeping my eyes closed!" he snapped, finally letting his tension boil over, "Can you please put some clothes on!"

Aria couldn't resist the temptation just to mess with him a little more. It was so very easy, after all. She leaned in closer and almost breathed into his ear, "Are you sure you don't want to look, just a little?"

Shinji bunched up the covers in his fists, "Why don't you wear anything in bed?"

Aria shrugged, "The question is, why do you?" she asked, reaching over him and retrieving her weapon before slipping free of the bed and gathering her discarded clothing.

Only then did Shinji dare roll over and open a single eye. She had her back to him, but to his utter shock, she still wasn't decent. 'Okay, Shinji…' he thought to himself, 'Now look away. Just…look away before she-'

Shinji's brain froze as he spied Aria look him dead-on through his reflection in the window in front of her. She said nothing, merely smirked and headed for the door, thankfully at least draping a loose robe over her shoulders, "I'm going to shower, you're free to use it after me. Or," she paused and cocked her head, glancing at him, "you could just join me," her lip twitched as he looked sharply away.

"You're evil, you know that?" grumbled Shinji, who knew when someone was teasing him, and was also starting to suspect his capillaries of trying to cook his brain in his skull.

Aria merely smiled wryly and slipped into the adjoining en suite. Shinji exhaled a long, relieved breath and slumped backward. He let his head loll to the side to look out over Omega's cityscape, "Funny," he murmured as he looked out into the perpetual twilight, "I almost expected the sun to be up," he then laughed, realising how stupid that was; the sun was thousands of light-years away, and would be little more than a tiny point of light from here.

"So far away…" he sighed, and then finally sat up to survey his surroundings now there was some light.

Aria's personal chambers certainly weren't as lavish as he'd remembered the main living area to be. In fact, they seemed borderline conservative in comparison, both in terms of size and décor.

There were several innocuous dressers and large wardrobes around the walls, but besides the undeniably comfortable king-size bed and a nearby sofa, the room had little decoration other than the subdued crimson it was painted in. That and the mood lighting made the whole place seem designed to relax as opposed to impose; a stark contrast.

There was one thing he had to address though, "Aria…?" he called.

"Hmmm?" she murmured back in a relaxed tone.

"Why do you have a dancing pole in your bedroom?" he asked, eyes locked warily on said item.

"I sometimes like getting a bit of in-bed entertainment," she paused, her voice lowering slightly, "…and sometimes providing it."

Shinji's eyes went wide as several images that he could only describe as very risqué shot through his mind. He shook his head, expression blank, "What have I gotten myself into?"

Shinji all but shoved his way past the Asari as she remerged draped in a towel, "Hey!" she objected.

"My turn," he muttered as he passed, closing the door behind him. He considered trying to lock it, but then he remembered Aria probably could just unlock it if she wanted.

He sighed and headed for the shower, wondering if it had a temperature setting lower than absolute zero.

-Ω-

Shinji dressed himself and found Aria already clothed in her regular attire in the main living area. He noted that she seemed fond of wearing the same style of outfit day in and day out. He supposed that's just what happened when you lived that long: you tended to learn what you liked.

He'd donned the same coat as the previous night when he realised she'd provided him an identical one for each set of clothes provided. He also noted amongst the tops, and even the waistcoat from the previous night, that all seemed to be at least partly segmented into lightweight armour-like plating.

"Is this coat bulletproof by any chance?" asked Shinji as he walked out, still drying his hair.

Aria glanced up from the datapad in her hand, "Yes, the material reflexively compacts and solidifies when anything attempts to penetrate the outer layer. How did you know?"

Shinji just sighed, "Lucky guess…" he glanced about, "Where's the kitchen? I'll see if I can work out how to make something for breakfast."

Aria looked up again and frowned "What?"

"The kitchen. How do you…" Shinji trailed off and his shoulders sagged, "you don't have a kitchen, do you?"

Aria just shook her head, sipping the glass of water in her hand as she read, "Do I look like someone who cooks for herself?"

"I think you once did."

She scoffed, "Long time ago," and immediately went back to her work.

"But where do you keep your cleaning supplies? What do you do when it's time to tidy…" he trailed off again and didn't need to look to know that Aria was looking at him in confusion again, "and you don't clean this place either."

Shinji just patted himself on the legs and looked about in silence. No cooking and no cleaning? What was he supposed to do with himself? Though Shinji sensed if they were to do chores, their share chart would be even more lopsided than it had been with Misato.

"So what are you doing?" he asked.

She didn't look up, "trying to see if there are any other decent biomech specialists on Omega. We had one capable of helping with the EVA, but I was forced to…terminate his contract."

Shinji cocked an eyebrow, "You fired him?"

"There was firing involved," she murmured, her finger flicking over the pad screen as she passed over various personnel files.

Shinji rolled his eyes and slumped down onto the couch, "Okay, what did he do? Spill your coffee or something?"

Aria inclined her head, "Actually, it turned out he was a mass-murderer who wanted to chop you up and put you in a jar."

"Oh…" replied Shinji with slightly raised eyebrows, "I…guess that's alright then. I think."

Aria glanced up at him with a scowl, "You think?" she then just shook her head and went back to her reading.

Shinji was quiet for a long moment, "So that's twice you've protected me."

Aria smiled ruefully, "I'm glad you're keeping track."

"And that's three dead…" murmured the human under his breath, looking away.

Aria paused in her work to look at him. She considered berating him for even allowing scum like Rentola and the two gang rats to nag at his conscience. She found herself averting her eyes however when she considered just what it meant when he'd let people like them dwell on his mind when her own approach had been rejected so forcefully, and ever since then he'd flinched and been reluctant with even the slightest contact.

But, she considered, he had laughed and smiled the previous night, and despite their closeness earlier on, he hadn't reacted so badly. Perhaps there really was hope for him.

She just had to do something about that selfless streak.

She went back to flicking through faces, her irritation rising. Shinji looked up as he heard her hiss slightly through her teeth. She swore loudly and tossed the pad down onto the nearby desk with disgust, shattering it on impact.

"What's wrong?"

"Not a single one. How can there not be a single one with his skill on the whole station; seven million fucking people and not one."

Shinji frowned, "I don't understand. What is it you're so interested in doing with the EVA?"

Aria sighed and turned to look out the large window that covered most of the wall, "I need to get more information on it."

"Well I can tell you certain things. Why do you need to look into the EVA itself?" he asked, momentarily worried that she might be considering looking into a way of getting Unit-01 to reactivate, and he could spend days telling her why that would be a bad idea.

Aria rubbed her brow, "It turns out certain parties are getting annoyingly impatient. And also, there is…something I'd like to know."

"What is it?"

"There was a person in the EVA. At least, I think it was a person. She was fading and almost gone when I talked to her." Aria glanced at Shinji through his reflection, "You know who that was, don't you?"

Shinji could tell that it wasn't meant as a question. His gaze fell and he nodded, "Yes…"

All Aria needed to see was that reaction to confirm her other suspicion, "It was your mother, wasn't it?"

He nodded once more solemnly, "Yes."

Aria's eyes narrowed in thought, "Tell me. What was her name?"

"Her name was Yui Ikari, and she was a very good person. But yes, she's gone now…"

Aria nodded. She felt like she owed it to the spectre to at least learn the name that she had herself forgotten, "She mentioned something about the EVA's core, something about turning it into a data store."

"A quantum storage medium…" muttered Shinji quietly.

Aria blinked and turned about, "Yes. Did she tell you about it?"

Shinji's brow knitted together. He shook his head after a pause, "No. She told me a lot of things over the years, but not that, and yet somehow I still know about it."

Aria regarded him in thought, "Yeah, well she said it would give perspective, whatever that means. And goddess knows I could use some of that right now."

Shinji shook off his confusion for a second, "But why does it matter? There's no real rush to investigate the EVA."

"As I said: There might be," said Aria, "but don't worry about that now. Leave it all to me."

Shinji nodded and stood up, drifting about the edge of the room curiously. He noticed the walls were quite sparsely covered in terms of ornament, though there was some decoration: Covering most of one wall was a large, expensive-looking painting of a nebula with a space station that he had to assume was Omega floating in it. It took Shinji a moment to notice that the image was in fact moving and seemed to be some kind of 3D construct.

A desk with a terminal occupied the opposite side of the room and some sparsely filled shelves occupied the wall beside him. All that covered them was a few books and obviously expensive ornaments. In fact, despite the glamour that had been put so obviously on display, only two objects really caught his eye. They were set at the end of the shelf and, unlike the rest, which were so perfectly lined up that he could tell they hadn't been budged in years, these were the only things askew and showed any sign of being moved.

One was what appeared to be a fragment of blackened and scorched armour plating.

The other was a simple photograph of a young Asari.

The two objects seemed oddly out of place compared to the rest of the room. The photo's frame was very plain and silver in colour; and the armour fragment didn't seem to have any aesthetic value to it.

He didn't notice that Aria had realised his interest and had paused her reading, regarding him in silence from behind as he picked up the photo, looking down at the face of the Asari.

Aria had known who the woman in the EVA was to Shinji. In turn, somehow Shinji knew just who this young girl was to Aria. Given how oddly impersonal the rest of the lavish decorum was, he realised the two out of place items could mean only one thing.

"This girl…" he finally said, not turning back to face Aria, "Your daughter?"

Aria hesitated, but replied evenly, "…Yes."

He nodded, not looking up from the smiling face in the photo, "…Dead?"

Aria was quiet for a much longer period. And while her hesitation alone gave Shinji the answer, she said it anyway, "She is."

He nodded silently and set the picture carefully back down. His hand then drifted over and rested almost tenderly on the armour segment, "And this: someone else?"

Aria nodded, "That's right…"

He remembered that there had been absolutely nothing on display in the bedroom either besides a portrait of an Asari dancer on one wall. Shinji looked up and let his eyes drift slowly about the room and all its glamour.

There was so much stuff.

But it may as well have been bare but for those two lonely memories sitting on the edge of a shelf.

They may have been just memories, realised Shinji, but that was all Aria had. He was starting to realise why she spent most of her time down in the club. It was easier to drown one's self in possession than face true emptiness.

Aria watched as Shinji reached into his coat pocket and withdrew his S-DAT. He wrapped it up and gently nudged aside the next ornament, setting it down there next to Aria's other memories.

"What are you doing?"

Shinji stood back and slipped his hands back into his pockets, "Just…looked a little bare. Keep that safe for me, will you?"

He sighed and turned about, trying to change the mood that had descended, "So then, is there nobody else you can think of who can help with the EVA?"

Aria looked at him quietly for a moment, but then quickly shook the spell off and charged her mind to the task.

Shinji watched as her eyes widened in realization, only to clench them shut in frustration, "Damn it," she grumbled, "can't fucking believe I'm actually considering this."

Shinji stepped forward, "What is it? Do you have an idea?"

Aria just nodded silently and then walked toward the door, grabbing Shinji's arm and pulling him along with her, "Come with me…"

She paused by the elevator and glanced at him, "you still armed?"

Shinji looked startled by the query but nodded.

The asari quickly pulled up the security readout.

UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS ATTEMPTS SINCE LAST INTERFACE: 0

"Good… make sure it stays that way."

-Ω-

Shinji sated his hunger by indulging in a breakfast consisting of what he'd been informed was some kind of grilled Thessian fish whose taste he found fascinating but not entirely unpleasant.

He had been assured that the meal was a perfectly healthy and balanced thing for a human to eat and that, unlike Aria's serving, it didn't have a small quantity of Eezo added for the benefit of biotics.

The staff eating area was sparsely occupied. The only others in the room were two Turian guards discussing something over a light meal, and a single Asari curled up asleep on one of the lavish couches that circled the room.

Shinji noted that the whole club had a quiet atmosphere to it, as if it were somehow still asleep itself.

However, despite the calm ambience and lack of people, Shinji couldn't help but notice that Aria was visibly on edge. He had observed her during breakfast. She had been almost methodically aggressive and quick in the way she ate, almost as if she were on guard and had no time whatsoever for the sustenance.

"I'm surprised you have iced coffee in space," said Shinji, who had been searching for something to say and was glad for the familiar taste and the rejuvenating effects of the caffeine. He swallowed a mouthful and set the container down in front of him, "Are you feeling alright this morning?"

Aria grunted slightly, "Please, we barely got through one bottle of rum between us. I was well outside of hangover territory." At that she quickly wiped down her mouth, tossed her napkin on the table and pushed herself to her feet.

"What's wrong, Aria?" Asked Shinji quietly, looking up as the Asari stood.

Aria seemed mildly startled by the query. She looked down at him as he stared calmly up at her. She frowned and looked quickly back up, "Nothing, it's…probably nothing. Look, I need to go and take care of something," she quickly entered a command on her Omnitool, sending a brief message out.

"Want me to stay here?"

Aria nodded, "Its best you do. I-"

"I can look after him while you're gone," cut in a familiar voice.

Aria turned about to the source of the sound and scowled. Standing by the doorway was Matriarch Aethyta, her hands clasped in front of her and a calm smile on her face.

"It'll give us a chance to have a personal chat," her smile widened as Aria's eyes narrowed, "Just personal, no business I assure you. And I'm not exactly helpless myself."

Shinji looked between the two Asari. While he didn't find the matriarch frightening, he was extremely wary of someone with her level of insight.

Aria's teeth gritted slightly in her mouth, "Fine…" she grumbled, just as the door slid open behind the matriarch and the person Aria had summoned on her Omnitool entered, "but just to make sure," she said, turning to look at the newcomer and inclining her head as she looked her over, "I see you've dressed for the occasion."

"Yes, Aria," said the Asari who had just entered behind the matriarch.

Shinji's brow furrowed as he tried to place her face. It hit him with an embarrassed flush as he realised she was the Asari dancer who he'd met the night before, the one who had talked to him and he, albeit dimly, remembered getting a dance from at some point later that night.

He could still feel the ghost of the sensation of her in his lap, and the way she hugged up against him afterward.

Shinji gulped audibly at the memory, and he flushed redder as he realised she'd swapped what little attire she was wearing the previous night for some tight fitting commando-leathers that somehow managed to accentuate her form even more than the skimpy attire had, "Good morning, Shinji. Did you…" She paused, smiling slightly and glancing between the pair, "…sleep well?"

Shinji tried to respond, but he'd momentarily lost motor control of his mouth and his vocal chords seemed to have lost functionality.

"Tisala, you see that human?" asked Aria, nodding at the human sat not two feet away and bringing the Asari dancer back to attention. Shinji suddenly noticed the abrupt shift in the dancer's personality, like she flicked a switch and gone from entertainer to soldier in the space of a second.

Regardless of how rhetorical the question seemed, Tisala nodded firmly and responded in a level tone, "Yes, Aria."

"Good. Not a hair harmed. Understood?"

"Perfectly," she responded, eyes straight ahead and back straight.

"Excellent," said Aria, walking for the doors, "If anyone tries anything, paint the wall with whatever colour their blood happens to be." She cocked her head sideways at the matriarch as she passed, "and then do the same to her."

Aethyta just chuckled at the remark as Aria left.

The matriarch sighed and sank down next to Shinji, "For someone who likes to cut loose as much as her, she really is far too uptight. Don't you think, Tisala?"

She smiled weakly in response, "I really wouldn't like to comment, ma'am."

Shinji looked at the younger Asari who, now that he could see her in better light, he realised had a much richer shade of skin than other asari he'd met to the point that it bordered on a vibrant, royal blue, "I…thought you were a dancer."

Her expression softened as she turned her attention to him, but her guarded posture didn't, "Like quite a few of the other girls, I have extensive commando training on top of my…usual job. "

The matriarch smiled grimly, "Nobody tries to grope an Asari dancer unless they're ready to take a singularity to the face to make up for it."

Shinji glanced at the commando, quickly looking away when she caught his eye, "Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

"N-no, it's nothing…" he murmured almost guiltily.

"Aww, he's just shy," chuckled the matriarch, patting him on the back and earning a disgruntled scowl.

"I enjoyed dancing for you last night," said Tisala suddenly, "Did you have fun?"

"Y-yes," he muttered, still not meeting her eye, "I just don't normally do that sort of thing…It's not how I was brought up. N-no offence."

Tisala nodded, "None taken. I understand people can come from very reserved backgrounds. But there's no harm in admitting you enjoy some companionship, especially when the feeling is mutual." Shinji just nodded sheepishly in reply.

"So unlike the one who's taken an interest in you," sighed the matriarch, "but then I suppose that's why Aria has taken such a fondness for you."

Shinji blinked and looked at her, "What do you mean?"

The elder asari smiled pityingly, "If Aria wanted someone who's just like her on the surface: a criminal, hardened and aggressive, then she could just throw a stone and hit a hundred of them on Omega. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"A little, I guess…"

"It's because Aria isn't interested in people like that." She looked away, "She admires nobility and honesty in those she lets close; someone who won't stick a knife in her side as soon as her guard is dropped. Can you see the problem in that, what the curse of that is for someone like Aria T'Loak?"

Shinji nodded, "I'm guessing people like that are few and far between on Omega, and those who are…"

The matriarch nodded as she saw him catching on, "People like that don't tend to stay around Aria very long. They get captivated by her wildness, her strength and passion, but her world isn't really the environment for people with that kind of morality once the awe wears off. Frustration and trying to vainly force change on her always pushes them away in the end."

"So people really don't try and understand her, after all…"said Shinji quietly in thought.

Aethyta nodded, "What Aria seeks most in another…is acceptance." She paused to sigh wearily, "but I think she's long given up hope that that will ever come round," She turned to look at Shinji, "Tell me: how would you feel, Shinji Ikari, if your heart still yearned, but neither hoped nor expected?"

He shrugged slightly, "I'd be bitter…angry…"

The matriarch nodded, "You'd feel like Aria..."

Shinji went quiet in thought, and Aethyta could see now, having talked privately on both sides of the fence, that things were heading in just the direction she wanted.

Shinji pushed himself to his feet, "I'd…like to be alone for a while. I've apparently got a lot of reading to do."

"Have fun…" chimed the matriarch, going back to the beverage in front of her.

-Ω-

Shinji had walked half the length of the corridor back to the elevator before he realised he wasn't alone.

He stopped, frowning as he glanced back to see Tisala, who had stopped several feet behind, "Umm, I…said I wanted to be alone."

She nodded, "I know."

"So…?"

"So what?"

Shinji frowned, "So…I'd like to be alone."

She nodded again, "I know, so let's go."

The pilot cocked an eyebrow up in confusion, "Alone as in…by myself."

"Oh, I see," said the Asari, then immediately shook her head, "No."

Shinji scowled slightly. It wasn't that he minded the company of the Asari entertainer, but he really just wanted some solitude for a while, "Why not?"

"Why?" she asked dryly, "Because it's not worth my job and," she stopped to hum as if pretending to think about it, "yes, my life."

Shinji let out a defeated sigh, "That bad, huh…"

She shrugged, "You've got to take the good with the bad."

Shinji inclined his head acceptingly and carried on walking, Tisala closing the distance slightly and following on, "So how long have you been here?"

"A few years," she replied as they reached the elevator, "You'll have to open it. Only you and Aria have access." Shinji complied as she went on, "I was on a special assignment on Thessia when the Reapers attacked. The entire squad I'd been assigned to was wiped out in one of the first bombardments.

"I was one of the lucky ones…got to an evac point and got off world just as…just as it fell."

"I'm sorry," said Shinji, not really knowing what else one could say when someone was talking about their world burning. It was all he could feel for himself when it happened to him, after all.

She sighed as they boarded the elevator, "It's alright. I've had lots of time and help to start healing after that. There was really nowhere to go afterward. The fleet was all preparing to attack the Reapers at Sol, the Citadel had been moved, for goddess' sake. And so I somehow ended up here.

"It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Helped put the place back together after Cerberus and…here I am."

"Didn't your superiors ask after you?" asked Shinji as they began to ascend, "I mean, didn't they send to take you back onto active duty?"

Shinji noted that she'd suddenly gone silent, and almost looked disturbed, like she'd said too much.

He smiled and shook his head, "Don't worry. I'm sorry I asked. I guess some things must still be sensitive."

She did her best to smile as they emerged into Aria's quarters, "It's alright. Let's just say, between you and me, that there were…reasons…that I stayed. Compared to my job –my old job- just dancing and making people smile…it's like some kind of dream."

Shinji chuckled as he sank down into the chair behind the desk and, after a fumble, managed to activate the display, "Well don't knock it. After all, who knows when it'll be time to wake up?"

Her smile vanished, and Shinji noted that she was oddly quiet from that point on…

Shinji punched in some commands and brought up a search menu. He stopped with his hands hovering over the display, staring at the indicator blinking as it waited for input.

Just where did one start when learning about a whole new world?

There was only one answer. After all, there really was only one subject that had been bugging him for quite some time now.

He stole a guilty glance at the Asari standing by the window and entered the search string. The information was sent to one of the blank datapads on the desk, which lit up with the article in question.

Shinji picked up the pad and leaned back in his chair. He nodded in thought as he read. He got about half-way down the page before his brow creased into a frown.

'What in the heck is parthenogenesis?'

Suddenly, something clicked in his head, 'Oh, parthenogenesis,' his brain suddenly fed back, convincing itself that the only reason it hadn't known the word was because he simply hadn't processed it properly the first time, 'asexual reproduction involving development of an embryo from an unfertilised ova. How did I forget that?'

Now, what Shinji Ikari should have been wondering, was how he'd remembered that.'

-Ω-

Aria entered the darkened communications room and strode over to the display when a voice spoke up from behind her, "I was wondering when you'd turn up…"

She swung about, her hand glowing reflexively with restrained biotic power, only to find Garrus casually propped up against a console in the shadows, "What the hell are you still doing here?"

He pushed off and strode back into the light, "I'm hurt, Aria. You almost sound as if you don't want me around."

"Really? If that's how I almost sound, then perhaps you need me to clarify. Garrus Vakarian: I do not want you around. Kindly get the fuck off my station."

The Turian shrugged, "I thought I'd wait and tell you regardless, since I figured you'd drop back here to talk to the council sooner or later."

Aria ignored his presumptuousness, "Tell me what?"

Garrus sighed and slowly began pacing as he spoke, "As you know, the council asked me here to look in on the whole EVA situation. They didn't know about Shinji, so I filled them in on that too."

"And what did you tell them?" asked Aria, not liking where this was going.

"I told them the truth. I told them Shinji was harmless: just an out of place human who's a bit of an oddity. They accepted that much, but that wasn't what they really wanted to know. They only wanted an answer to one question: Is the EVA dangerous?"

Aria glowered at him, "What did you tell them, Garrus?"

His reply was almost weary, "I told them the truth, Aria."

"And what exactly is 'the truth'?"

"That I didn't know…"

Aria rounded on him, grasping him by the front of the armour, "I thought I told you-"

Garrus looked unthreatened, and scowled right back, cutting her off "-and I do not work for you, Aria. I am not some hired muscle. If there is something out there that I feel will jeopardize lives or the peace of a galaxy that has just came out of the worst war in its history, then I will address it. Be it as archangel or Garrus Vakarian. I could not simply say the EVA was harmless on the off chance that it may very well not be."

Aria simmered with anger for a moment then released him with a non-too gentle shove, turning away from the Turian so she wasn't tempted to punch his face in, "What did they say then?"

"Well if they were anxious about it before, then it's even worse now. And yes, I suppose that's my fault. They're demanding definitive answers. I feel it best to warn you, the Turian councillor strongly implied to me that certain measures have already been enacted. Don't ask me what those measures are."

Aria's eyes narrowed, "I know what they are. And never you mind about it."

"So what are you going to do, Aria? You have to give the council some kind of response."

She shook her head, "I know, but I'm currently…lacking in resources. The council made an offer. I was going to offer some terms for its acceptance."

"Ahh, that offer. Yes, the council told me about that."

Aria frowned, "So? What about it?"

Garrus folded his hands gingerly together, "Well, you see…"

Before Garrus could finish, Aria's Omnitool brought up an urgent alert, a female voice coming loudly over the emergency comm. channel, "Aria, we've got a situation!"

"What is it?"

"There's an Alliance ship on sensors! It just emerged from the relay and is on a direct course for the station!"

Aria's head whipped round to Garrus, "Vakarian!"

The Turian raised his hands quickly in defence, "Come on, Aria, you were just about to call the council to ask for them to send help anyway. I just…took the initiative by extending the invitation last night."

Aria looked about ready to try and separate the turian's head from his shoulders, "Yes, I was going to call them –on my terms. Fuck!" she snapped, spinning quickly about and leaving the comm room with Garrus trailing behind.

Aria kept the channel open as she moved, "Tell that ship to keep its distance. Arm outer defence cannons, and if they refuse to take the fucking hint, blast them out of space before they get within ten thousand meters!"

"Aria!" snapped Garrus.

The Asari spun about, absolutely seething with rage, "Do not fucking test me, Garrus! I will not just allow an Alliance military force to waltz on board my station!"

Garrus rolled his eyes and followed Aria as she entered the control tower.

-Ω-

The pair strode into the main control room. The central monitor was currently dominated by the image of the SSV Normandy SR-2. The ship was coming no closer but seemed to sway ever so slightly side-to-side, as if its pilot were toying impatiently with the thruster controls.

"What's happening?" demanded Aria, approaching the somewhat despairing Asari comm officer, who was currently in the midst of a very one-sided conversation with the ship on the scanner.

"-I mean you must know how it is, babe: How would you feel if your boss suddenly orders you to turn about and fly your ass half-way across space to 'render all assistance required'-and just what the hell is that supposed to mean, anyway? – and right into the Terminus systems on top of that! And why? Just what the hell are we doing here? Is it supposed to be out the goodness of our hearts?"

The Asari sighed, "I…I don't know, sir. If you'd just-"

"-and what happens? A crazy space pirate points a bunch of big-ass guns at us. You know, I told them this would happen, but did they listen to Joker? Do they ever listen to Joker? The answer is no, babe."

"I understand, sir-"

"-is Garrus there? Tell him I'd kick his turian ass if it wouldn't break every bone in my leg. I swear-"

"-will you please stop talking, sir!" pleaded the officer, "Just stand by until further instructions are given."

The Asari turned about in her seat, taking great pleasure in punching the mute button and letting out a tired groan. "The Alliance vessel has complied with instructions and is holding position. As you can see, they're aware that our defence systems are online. What would you like me to tell them?"

"Just put me on," ordered Aria, eyes locked on the slowly rotating vessel.

Garrus rubbed his brow, "Oh, this is going to be painful…"

The voice suddenly reappeared, "Oh, look, they're letting me talk again. Well isn't that kind. You know-"

"Shut the fuck up!" barked Aria.

There was a brief moment of stunned silence.

Very brief.

"Hey, don't tell me to shut up, lady. I'm telling you-"

"-Do you know who this is?"

"Should I?"

Aria glared at the communications indicator, "My name is Aria T'Loak."

There was another moment of silence, "Never heard of you."

Aria slammed her fist into the comm unit, teeth clenched, "Are you fucking with me, human?"

"Are you fucking with me?" retorted the voice.

Aria blinked.

She really hadn't expected that.

Garrus sighed, "May I cut in? Trust me, Aria, you'll be a matriarch before you talk him down."

"Oh, Garrus," chimed in the voice, the tone laced with sarcasm, "it was so nice of you to invite us over, buddy. Loving the welcome so far. Totally not pissed at you for dropping us in it. Like, not at all."

Garrus massaged the pressure point on his head to halt a rapidly oncoming headache, "I'm sorry, Joker, all right? Aria here is just a little nervous considering your ship used to belong to Cerberus and that she's had a little trouble with humans in the past. It's…probably also not great that I didn't tell her you were coming."

"You what?"

"Joker!" snapped Garrus, "The fact is that Aria won't let you dock. So I'm going to suggest a compromise: A simple shore party, say…six people at most?" he asked, looking to Aria for confirmation.

The Asari stood with her arms folded, glowering at the image of the Normandy. Her gaze flicked to Garrus, "Three. Any more and I'll gun them down myself. I'm only inviting them to get the council off my ass."

Garrus rolled his eyes, "You heard the lady, Joker. No more than three."

"If you say so. What are you needing? We weren't exactly prepped for rescue operations or specialist investigations. We were only out on routine patrol."

"Well, Aria?" prompted Garrus.

She thought on it before replying, "Just whoever you have that's got skill at analysis and extraction of data. We have a very…unconventional object that may have information stored in it."

There was silence for a moment on the other end of the link. "I think we have just the pair," replied Joker, "we'll dispatch a shuttle ASAP. Have the welcome mat ready, Normandy out."

Aria's knuckles could be heard cracking as she clenched her fists at her sides, trying to relieve the tension that had suddenly built up within her.

"Where is Shinji, if you don't mind my asking?" Asked Garrus as he followed Aria back outside.

"Back at Afterlife. I thought I was going to be talking to the council, and I knew there was a chance they might ask him a question directly. I didn't want him there in case he accidentally said something that could make this situation any more fucked up than it already is."

"Say something? Like what?"

She looked icily at him, "Anything. You simply said 'didn't know' and it caused this. Fuck knows what would've happened if they gleaned any information out of him that they didn't find…palatable."

"What sort of thing could he say?" Garrus stopped to regard her, "Do you know more about this than you're letting on, Aria?"

"I always know more than I'm letting on…"

-Ω-

Tisala tensed slightly as the door to the suite opened, relaxing immediately as Aria strode in.

The first thing Aria noticed was the dozens of pads strewn about her desk as Shinji focused intently on the one in his hand. So far he hadn't even registered her presence.

"What's been happening?" asked Aria, frowning curiously at Shinji.

Tisala shook her head, "I don't know, Aria. He's just been pulling out more and more data and pouring over it. He hasn't said a word since he started. I didn't want to disturb him."

Aria narrowed her eyes and crossed over to the desk. She looked at the mess of haphazardly laid out displays. Many contained what appeared to be complex graphical representations of genetic information, and some seemed to be historical texts.

"Shinji?" asked Aria carefully, "What are you-"

"-Was your species genetically engineered?" he suddenly asked, not looking up and grabbing a different pad, glancing between them.

"What did you say?" asked Aria, suddenly looking guarded.

He looked up at her inquisitively, "I asked if your species was engineered in some way by an outside force."

Aria's tone was quiet when she replied, "How do you know about that? The Asari government still hasn't made the Prothean-"

Shinji just carried on talking as if he hadn't heard her, "-because I can't for the life of me figure out this gaping hole in your race's evolutionary development. When you look at the traits your race has developed and compare them alongside Thessia's environmental conditions, even taking into account every major catastrophe and climate shift in the past hundred thousand years," he paused again to glance at another pad, "I mean, nothing else explains it. I mean, come on: the ability to mate with any race or gender; sharing physical traits that enamour you to nearly every spacefaring culture in the galaxy, not to mention this boggling technological leap your race took several thousand years ago. Unless your people cracked their own genetic code when they were still learning to use sticks as tools then it doesn't make sense. I mean, just look at the lack of recessive genome-"

"Shinji!" shouted Aria, cutting him off by slamming a hand down onto the desk, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Shinji shook his head, smiling apologetically, "I'm sorry, Aria. I started reading about your race, and I just started getting confused about how your species evolved the way it did. It just didn't make sense."

"No, what I mean is, how do you know all…this?" she asked, extending a hand at the pages of jargon around him. As far as Aria knew, Shinji hadn't even fully completed his own education before joining with the EVA.

Shinji cocked his head, "What are you talking about? I have a first class doctorate in evolutionary biology…and…several…" he trailed off, confusion suddenly creeping into his eyes. The pad in his hand slipped free from his fingers. He followed its descent as it clattered onto the desk by the others.

He suddenly looked at the mess of information around him with fear in his eyes, "What the hell was I doing?"

Aria took a concerned step forwards, "What's happening, Shinji? I saw your memory, remember. It may have only been flashes, but I didn't see…this in there. When did you learn it?"

He shook his head, eyes wide, "I don't know. I never went to college. I've never even opened a book on this stuff in my life. I mean my mother used to be a…" he halted mid-sentence, going suddenly quiet, a suspicion occurring, "my mother…"

To Aria's confusion, an annoyed glare seemed to wash over Shinji's face, "What is it?"

"Oh, she…didn't," he paused, closing his eyes as if to confirm something, "she did…" he finished, his voice dry.

"Damn it, mom!" he suddenly snapped.

"What?" demanded Aria, leaning forward, "For fuck's sake, tell me!"

"Well? Don't you see what she did?" snapped Shinji, looking back at her, "I never finished school, so she took the liberty to finish my education by copy and pasting her own right into my head!"

The human paused again to groan as he let multiple facts that he had no associated memory of learning come to him, "Oh great: One doctorate, three PHD's and a masters in biomechanics…and apparently I now speak German, Spanish, Hebrew and…Welsh too, for some bizarre reason…" he glanced off to the side, "wow, mom was a nerd…"

"Will you be all right?" asked Aria, intrigued at the development but really needing to get back on track.

Shinji nodded, "Yeah, just a little startled is all. I'll need a while to sift through what's up here, but I'll be fine. Why, what's happened?"

"It's time to go back to the EVA and see what we can make of it."

Shinji stood up and quickly gathered the pads, sorting them into a neat pile, "you've found someone to help?"

Aria tilted her head, "More like help came to us. Assuming they can help at all, but it's the fact we're making the gesture that counts, even if nothing comes of it." Her brow furrowed slightly, "What were you looking into before you went off on all of…this," muttered Aria, picking up the pad that had been sitting on the corner of the desk, the one all the others seemed to branch out from."

"Ah! T-that is…" Shinji stammered, but Aria was already reading the opening texts.

A wry smirk pulled at her mouth as she cleared the pad and set it back down.

Shinji rolled his eyes and hoped his cheeks weren't too red "Can we please just go to Unit-01 now?"

Aria inclined her head, and beckoned them to depart with her, "So what was he learning about?" asked Tisala, falling into step alongside them.

"The Asari birds and the bees," replied Aria, Shinji grumbling dejectedly between them.

"Well why didn't he just ask?"

"I have no idea…"

"So, what have you all been up to then?" asked Garrus, who had been waiting in the elevator for them to return.

Shinji boarded the carriage and leaned back against the wall by the Turian, "Well Aria's about to lead us to some people who can help with the EVA, and I'm giving strong consideration toward shooting myself again. How've you been, Garrus?"

"Oh, same as always..."

"You know," said Shinji, "it turns out you were right about one thing."

"And what's that?" asked Garrus.

"I really did need a diagram to figure it out."

"Told you…"

-Ω-

To be continued…

[A/N] It's funny how things take shape as you go, and I am so genuinely having fun writing this. And I hope you're getting as much enjoyment out of reading it. Final thoughts, opinions, ideas? Use the box below. I'm also sorry if chapters are kind of elongating, that tends to happen as the tale starts to flesh out, so I hope you'll forgive me that. Regardless, I hope you stick with me and wait for the next instalment. Shouldn't be too long I hope.

See you in Chapter 10: Cycles