Notes:
Amantia - lover (Thessian)
Finding a New Normal
Alliance Dorms, Earth, Sol
After dinner, Sammi and Riana walked hand-in-hand as they returned to the Alliance crew quarters; the distance was not great, so the mutual decision to walk there came easy for both. They had run into Sarah Campbell while selecting their meals, so sat with the corporal as she told them her tales of derring-do after Shepard left with Admiral Anderson and her ground team; she grew silent and teary-eyed when Riana told her of finding Anderson dead on the Citadel.
Traynor's attempts to cheer her up met with little success… the Admiral's death was a tragedy on many levels, not the least of which was his death at the hands of the indoctrinated Illusive Man. After seeming indestructible during the guerrilla campaign against the Reapers on Earth... to have eluded serious injury or death so many times... only to fall to a demented Cerberus agent on the Citadel when on the edge of victory, was the height of irony.
Sarah had recovered a bit of her cheery attitude by the time Riana and Traynor stood to leave. "This war cost the galaxy some of its best people, Sarah." Traynor placed her hands on the Marine's shoulders and gave a little squeeze. "But we'll get through the aftermath, together."
A wan smile and a nod of Campbell's head was all she got in reply. Everyone dealt with the death of comrades in their own way, and Traynor decided it was probably best to not push the corporal. She thought about Sarah's reaction as she and Riana walked back and entered the building, taking the elevator (a working elevator… Gods be praised!) to the fourth floor.
She motioned for Riana to use the door code that she had sent to her omnitool and the door slid aside as soon as the lock turned green; Riana, closely followed by Traynor, entered the common area and moved towards Sammi's bedroom. Once inside and much to Riana's surprise, Traynor quickly stripped out of her uniform, which she carefully folded and placed on a shelf in the closet. Before Riana could utter a word, the undershirt, socks, bra and panties quickly followed, though these were placed in a hamper to be laundered. Riana tried to not stare at the nude Human in front of her as Sammi reached into the closet, grabbed and put on a knee length robe.
"I'm going to take a shower… get cleaned up. It's been a long day." Starting for the door, she added, "Make yourself at home, Riana. I won't be long." With that, Traynor was out the door – after a few minutes, the commando could hear the sound of water running through pipes and spraying a wall in what was obviously the shared bathroom.
Deciding a shower sounded like a good idea, she dug around in her pack and pulled out her scented body wash (of which 'vanilla' was only one of the many fragrances it contained), a wash cloth, towel and a short robe. After removing her boots and socks, she eased her leathers, overshirt first, followed by the pants, off her body. Taking a bit of care, she then removed her under-armor, which she carefully folded and set on her leathers.
Moving in front of the mirror, she studied the reflection looking back at her, turning this way and that as she inspected her image. Scarring from previous encounters with Cerberus centurions and Reaper spawn had been kept to a minimum, thanks in large part to Dr Chakwas aboard the Normandy. She stroked her previously injured hip and thigh with her hands, tracing what little remained of the scars one last time before looking at the newest addition... a jagged line on her second crest ridge, compliments of the final escape from the Citadel. She remembered the extreme, but brief, pain when her head struck the deck and sighed resolutely. It kept Nara alive to be rescued, so was worth every bit of pain I endured. Pulling on and tying her short robe closed, she picked up her bath accessories and started for the door.
Riana had the misfortune of encountering an extremely enamored Kenneth Donnelly in the common area as she left the bathroom after her shower; the Asari was becoming irritated after multiple unsuccessful attempts to extricate herself from conversation with him when she was finally rescued by Gabriella Daniels, who sternly explained to Kenneth that the reasons for Riana being in the apartment were her own and really none of his business. Gabby then apologized profusely to Riana for what she referred to as Ken's inquisitiveness, noting as she did that Donnelly nearly worshiped the female body in all its many shapes and colors. That Riana was technically mono-gendered mattered not one bit to the man.
Sammi was sitting at the desk entering data on a terminal when Riana reentered the room; she raised her head in acknowledgement as the Vanguard placed her bath accessories next to her gear bag. The specialist finished her entry and closed the interface as Riana relaxed into the small chair in the corner. Rising from her desk chair, Sammi walked up to the Asari, placed her hands on the armrests and leaned down to kiss the top of her head; just before touching her lips to Riana's top crests, she noticed the jagged scar running along the top of one of her main crests.
"Oh my God… Riana? That wasn't there before!" Gently running fingertips along the crest, she asked, "Is this from the mission on the Citadel? Does it still hurt?"
Tipping her head back to look into her lovers soft brown eyes, she stretched upward to take the kiss meant for her crest. "I fell rather hard as a result of a nearby explosion while carrying the commander to safety. I twisted my body around to shield her from further harm; a concussion and fractured arm was a small enough price to pay for her protection. They are both pretty much healed now, but that crest is still a bit sensitive to touch." Riana sighed as she admitted, "I don't remember anything between hitting my head and regaining consciousness in the hospital."
Traynor brought her hands around to embrace the Asari's muscular shoulders and upper back while using her fingertips to explore through the fabric of Riana's robe; a sharp intake of breath from the object of her desire told Sammi the valley she had found between the ridges at the base of her neck was one of many Asari erogenous zones. She continued to gently stroke the area, causing Riana to squirm in her chair as she exclaimed, "By the Goddess, Sammi! Let's move to the bed where we can stretch out."
The specialist grabbed a blue hand as she moved back to allow Riana to stand… with a quick kiss on the cheek, Sammi untied her own robe then quickly undid Riana's. She backed slowly across the room and perched on the edge of the bed, watching breathlessly as the Asari removed her robe; when Riana turned to lay the robe across a chair, Sammi couldn't resist placing her hands on a pair of tightly muscled buttocks. "You're beautiful, Riana. So... sculpted, and your skin feels amazing… like an exotic soft leather."
Riana was enjoying the feel of Sammi's warm hands on her bare butt, but turned and pulled Sammi to her feet before slowly pushing her robe gently off her shoulders to drop behind her. As it cleared her fingertips, Riana pulled it to the side and tossed it onto the same chair where hers lay. As Riana looked over her olive skin from head to toe, Sammi colored slightly… this was the first time she'd stood nude this close to Riana, and she was unsure of what to do under such scrutiny.
As if reading her mind, Riana smiled softly and gave her a gentle push, saying, "Lie on the bed, Sammi. We have all night to explore each other." With Traynor still seemingly unable to move, Riana slipped around her and crawled far enough onto the bed that she could stretch out. Raising her arms towards the specialist, she waited patiently until Sammi followed her and slid into Riana's welcoming embrace; the Asari placed a gentle kiss on Sammi's lips while slipping a hand up between their bodies to cup and gently kneed a breast, causing an involuntary shudder as a spike of desire warmed her core.
Samantha had been preparing for the occasion beforehand, but truly experiencing the full-body contact with her living, breathing, and very nude Asari was an entirely different matter than any vid research she could have possibly accomplished; nothing she had seen nor done previously had equipped her for the actual affair. No. Affair isn't the right word... That's what I had after those parties at University. This? This is completely different!
As thoughts raced through her head in an attempt to define exactly what 'this' was, she trembled under Riana's touch, prompting the Asari to quietly question her, "Are you chilled, Sammi? Do we need to slip under the covers?"
She laughed nervously. "No, Riana... I'm definitely not cold." She leaned down closer and whispered softly, "Quite the opposite, actually," before pressing her lips to Riana's. She pulled away and gasped in surprise as strong blue hands found their way down and squeezed her butt, pulling their hips tightly together. Her stomach flipped and she felt a sudden need to have pressure against certain parts of her anatomy. "Oh my God!" She blushed profusely as she stammered, "Riana... I... I need you... your thigh!"
She didn't need to say any more; Riana responded immediately and raised a leg so Sammi could straddle it, closing her eyes as she shoved against a muscular thigh to stop the sudden throb that threatened to take away all reason. As Sammi arched her back and started moving to get yet more pressure, Riana's hands shifted to her hips and, with a powerful grip, forced Traynor to back off a bit. "Slow down, Sammi... please. I want to go slowly... savor every moment."
She slowly rolled them over onto their sides and entwined their legs to give Samantha the necessary leverage to stay connected, sensing the Human's desire was burning and that she needed to maintain the pressure to keep from coming undone. Slipping off to the side was exactly what Traynor needed, as it also exposed Riana's back and provided ample opportunity for distraction; the Human's top-most hand quickly took to searching and finally sent an answering shudder through Riana's body as her fingertips found their way into the folds and crevices of her lower back.
"Gently, Sammi... The space is very sensitive; a light touch is all you need... and much more satisfying than a heavy hand." Riana hummed softly in approval as the pressure instantly eased to a tantalizing caress. "Oh, Goddess, yes. Perfect!" Traynor smiled in contentment as the Asari's eyes closed and her voice dropped to a soft, breathy whisper.
Blue hands once more returned to kneed Traynor's breasts, and Sammi gasped again when one of the hands was replaced by a moist mouth and a tongue flipped quickly across a hardening point. Sammi arched and thrust her breast forward in her pleasure, Riana answering by squeezing more firmly and taking as much of the second breast as she could into her mouth as she continued to work her tongue.
A stabbing throb ripped though Traynor's clit in response and her hips inadvertently thrust forward in desire. Riana released the tit with a wet pop and quickly raised her head to capture Samantha's lips in a passionate kiss. When they both broke to breathe, Riana whispered, "Apparently, slow is not the plan for tonight. We are both too eager. Perhaps we need to take the edge off?"
At first, an embarrassed Samantha didn't understand exactly what the Asari meant until she felt a hand stroke her sex and part her hair, a single slender finger sliding across an eager clit. It sent a jolt straight to her core and she felt a jet of wet dampen Riana's fingers.
"It is as I thought." Riana's voice was silky smooth as she repositioned her hand, a slick fingertip dancing at Sammi's entrance. Her voice dropped to a sultry whisper as she stared into brown eyes, wide with a mix of trepidation and desire. "Do you want me, Sammi?" She paused only briefly before following with, "You seem... hesitant. I want you to be sure."
Traynor's breath quickened in response before she managed to squeak out, "Oh, God, yes. I just... I don't know what I'm doing, Riana. I thought I was prepared, but..."
She was silenced as Riana's mouth captured hers and blue fingers took their first dip into unknown waters. Sammi moaned in both relief and pleasure as Riana filled her; her human hands remained relatively motionless other than to clasp tightly to the Asari's sides, forgetting all about the folds and valleys they had been investigating only moments before. She briefly froze when she felt pressure at the back of her mind; once she realized what it was, she timidly opened herself and Riana moved in, attentive to Traynor's insecurities and speaking comfortingly, soul to soul.
{You are prepared, Amantia, more than you know; simply let me guide you.} Traynor was abruptly swept away by a tide of passion, where the spoken word paled in comparison to how she was suddenly able to feel the Asari's base emotions. For the first time, she truly understood the differences between the knowledge and mating melds Riana had tried so hard to describe.
"My God, Riana! I had no idea..." Her words faltered as her body reacted, extremely pleasantly, to the Asari's continued ministrations, riding high on the combined sensations bombarding her psyche to the brink of rapture. Able to sense Traynor's every reaction, Riana zeroed in on the most exquisite sensations, driving her lover to a quick peak on the physical side as well. When the emotional and corporeal sides collided in ecstasy, Traynor could resist no more and, incapable of uttering even a single word of warning, she surged in joyful release... only to repeat the event quickly when she felt Riana share in her bliss and follow her over the edge.
Traynor felt as if her heart was about to burst from the overwhelming sensations when they finally collapsed, almost motionless, back to the bed. She was soaked with sweat from the physical exertion and her arms fell limply to the bed as she caught her breath, her mind still reeling from the experience of a lifetime. When she could finally speak again, her voice was hoarse as she asked, "Is it always like that?"
Riana rolled up on her side and propped herself up on an elbow, smiling down at Sammi in her seemingly spent state. "When two are truly in love? Yes. It can always be like that."
Traynor took a deep breath and blew it out to calm her racing heart before sitting up and shoving a surprised Riana over on her back and mounting her hips. Sammi grinned down at her lover before planting a soft kiss on the enticing blue lips beneath her. "It might kill me... I'm not sure my heart can take it... but if that's the case, I'll die a happy woman!"
As Riana prepared to mount a confused protest, Traynor kissed her again as one hand wrapped around the back of the Asari's neck, pressing expertly into the divot right at the base. Her tongue gained quick entrance to the Asari's mouth as Riana gasped in surprise, but she didn't stop there. Her other hand once more slid into the folds in Riana's lower back and the Asari arched willingly in response, mumbling through the meld. {Goddess, Sammi! You are a fast learner!}
Giving up the kiss in exchange for being able to breathe, Traynor smirked and answered aloud, "Apparently, a mind-to-mind transfer is much more efficient than any amount of research or even your verbal explanations could ever be, Ri." Sammi bent closer, taking a blue nipple in her mouth as Riana purred in pleasure. She cupped Riana's other breast and massaged it gently as she released the first with one last flick of her tongue. "Join with me fully again, Ri. I plan on this being a very educational night... for both of us."
Riana squirmed with anticipation as Samantha slid down her body, her tongue trailing across blue abdominals taut with exuberant expectations, the final destination being plainly evident in the Human's mind. {And I look forward to a demanding evening as well, Samantha Traynor. Very, very demanding.}
Royal London Hospital, Earth, Sol
The next morning found Sharon Culver at Shepard's doorway once more, with Matriarch Aethyta sitting at the small table in the anteroom. "Aethyta! What are you still doing here?"
The matriarch smiled, "Just watching over my girls. Riana had some of her own personal business to attend to, so Liara sent her to the Normandy. She should be back this afternoon... if you're looking for her. Far as I know, the Normandy will be doing a full system reboot, followed by a full-up scan and sanitization protocol, so no one will be remaining on board."
"No. I'm actually glad both you and Liara are here. I need to speak with Shepard and I think it best if she's not alone." Aethyta's brow raised in question and she stood from her chair as Sharon continued, "We retrieved Admiral Anderson's body from the Citadel."
"Shit." Aethyta glanced at the inner door in contemplation, finally looking back to Sharon. "Listen, Culver. You have no idea how right you are when you say she shouldn't be alone for that news." The matriarch went on to explain what had happened on the Citadel.
"God damn it," Sharon huffed in disgust. "Shepard will suck it up and take blame for it all, and it'll tear her up on the inside, having to face Kahlee Sanders with that news."
"We can't let that happen. If you won't tell Sanders, I will." Aethyta stood firm with her feet and shoulders squared, ready for a fight.
"No. Hell no. I know Sanders... Been friends with the Shepards, Dave and Kay for years." Sharon shook her head. "I'll be the one to explain it, and even though I know her heart will be broken by David's death, she won't be vindictive about it. She'll put the blame squarely where it belongs, on the Reapers and the Illusive Man."
"And on fucking Maya Brooks." Aethyta's gravelly voice carried threats well and her words sent a shiver down Sharon's spine. "That woman better not ever cross my path or I'll use my biotics to rip her intestines out... and feed 'em to her one centimeter at a time until she chokes on her own shit."
"Remind me to never get on your bad side, Aethyta." Culver shook her head in dismay at what she had to do. "So. They awake yet?"
"I honestly don't know. I figured to give them their privacy and that Liara would eventually come to the door when they got hungry." Curling her lips in distaste, she moved to the door. "But I suppose you don't have the time to just sit and wait, so business must go on."
A light rap was immediately answered, so they opened the door and peeked in. The two inside were most definitely awake, with Liara giving Shepard the last of a sponge bath. Samantha's eyes lit up when she saw who was at the door. "Sharon! Get in here! It's about time you got a proper introduction!"
Sharon walked over toward the bed and nodded politely to Liara, not bothering to extend a hand in greeting, since both of the Asari's hands were otherwise occupied with the accoutrements required for Shepard's bath. "Proper introduction, Hell. It doesn't get any more proper for a soldier than dropping out of a Tomkah with someone's Locust SMG pointed at my nose." Sharon smiled at the Asari as she continued, "Good to see you again, Liara."
"Likewise, Sharon. I was very pleased to discover you would be staying in London for awhile yet." She stroked the side of her hand gently down Shepard's arm. "It should give the two of you a chance to really talk... and perhaps plan that long vacation I keep hearing about."
Sharon's brow came up in surprise and she looked at Shepard, knowing the answer before she ever asked the question. "You told her?" As Liara turned to deposit the cloth and towel she held in her hands onto the bedside tray, Shepard's head shook a quick 'no,' hoping Liara didn't see. "Of course you didn't. You wouldn't." Sharon's eyes narrowed as she looked back at Liara. "You're a tricky one, T'Soni. Nice try, but I know Shepard won't tell you until it's time."
As her hand drifted over to gently stroke across Shepard's bare shoulders, Liara let out a soft laugh. "With the war over, I'd like to think that will be coming up sooner rather than later. We'll see."
"Speaking of the war being over..." Culver's smile faded as the purpose of her visit came back to mind. "Listen, Shep. I imagine it's all still pretty raw, but I need to tell you something." Liara could tell Sharon was not bringing good news, so quickly helped Shepard slip a comfortable, loose-fitting cotton shirt over her head; Culver waited patiently and watched in silence until the duo was finished and Liara was standing almost motionless at Shepard's side.
She began as Liara slid her hand into Shepard's and their fingers intertwined. "I sent a team to the Citadel to get a status update. There are nearly two million survivors and they are being moved slowly from the station... Life support has failed and we have only a week to get everyone off."
Shepard nodded. "Should be easy enough to do with the entire fleet here; not like the passengers need to be comfortable... it's not exactly a long trip." She absorbed the somber expression on Sharon's face and continued, "But that's not what you're really here to tell me, is it?"
"No, it's not." Sharon sighed softly. "We talked to Riana to find out exactly where you were on the station and... we retrieved Admiral Anderson's remains."
Liara's hand tightened on Shepard's in support. {I am here for you, Shepard. Always.}
Nodding slowly, Shepard took a moment to lock down her emotions and find her voice. "I... assume there's going to be a ceremony?"
"Yes. It will be sometime after the Citadel evacuation is completed, and it will be for everyone we lost, not just David." Sharon shook her head as she continued, "I'm sorry, Shep. He was a Hell of a man; he'll be missed."
Tears slipped down Sam's face and she started, "Yeah, I..." but couldn't finish the sentence as her throat closed up. She swallowed and took a deep breath, feeling Liara's support flow into her, both in body and spirit. "I need to talk to Kahlee. Tell her how he died."
Both Aethyta and Culver were about to protest, but Shepard's steely-eyed glare and a hand abruptly held up in a stopping motion gave them pause, long enough for the commander to continue her thought. "No, Sharon. It's alright... and I have to. I fully understand I'm not at fault... that I couldn't do a damned thing about it... but it was my hand that pulled the trigger. I need to explain it to Kay... before she hears it from someone else." Her gaze shifted to Liara. "And I need to be out of this bed and walking to do it. I don't care if it's with a cane, but I am going to be on my feet for this, not in some damned hover-chair."
Sharon frowned, but nodded in agreement. "Alright. Just as long as you admit... and tell her the full story... that you were under the Illusive Man's control. I won't have you taking the blame for Anderson's death, Shep. You carry enough guilt without adding your Uncle Dave to the pile."
Surprisingly, a small smile appeared on Shepard's face and she squeezed Liara's hand. "Believe it or not, Sharon, that's actually something that's changed since way back when." She cast her eyes upward to the Asari standing at her side, her eyes full of adoration and respect as unspoken words flowed between them. "Someone showed me the error of my ways and I've learned to let some things go."
Sharon was tempted to disbelieve Shepard's words until she saw the love in Liara's eyes shining down upon the commander. The commander's focus turned back to Culver as she continued, "Liara has assisted me in countless ways... but I think helping me learn how to deal with loss has been the most important. It's truly what's allowed our love and our trust in one another to grow, unfettered from the weight of guilt dragging either of us down; especially with all the shit we've seen together in such a relatively short period of time. I don't even write names in my journal anymore; haven't for a while now."
The respect Culver held for Dr T'Soni jumped to a whole new level, assuming what Shepard had said was true; she had no reason to dispute it, so pressed on. "Alright. I'll take you at your word and I'll arrange for Kahlee to come see you." She paused while a frown crept onto her face. "I've also got a request from Council..."
"Absolutely not!" Culver didn't get any further before Aethyta jumped up, shouting in protest. "They've got no business demanding to see her simply because they managed to get their sorry asses back to the Sol system. I'm sure they want a full report, but they can get it from Admiral Hackett and Ambassador Osoba as soon as Shepard manages to get one together. She's on full military medical leave at this point and, from what I heard, they were specifically excluded from bothering her."
Shepard started to grin as Sharon chuckled and shook her head; Culver looked at Aethyta and smiled as she tried again. "I really do like you, Aethyta; I know no matter what happens, you'll have Shepard's back, but if I could please continue?"
Aethyta growled but gave a curt nod, still looking like she'd rip the colonel's head off if she dared insist that Samantha see the councilors. Sharon smiled and looked back to Shepard and Liara as she started again. "I have a request from Councilor Tevos... and Huntress Tenir... for permission to make a personal visit to see you, if and when you are ready."
Shepard's eyebrows went up and she glanced at Liara, who nodded in agreement after an obvious moment of silent communication. Her eyes came back down and she smiled at Aethyta before giving Sharon her answer. "If it is just Tevos and Nizia, then yes. They have afforded me unwavering support since I provided them the proof of Sovereign and the Reapers... and we've actually become friends; I would enjoy seeing them."
Liara chimed in, an apprehensive look on her face. "My only concern with such a visit is a perception of favoritism. No one will see this as a private meeting of friends with Raesia Tevos... they will see it as giving an exclusive audience to the Asari Councilor."
Aethyta scoffed and waved a hand dismissively. "You really want to see her, Shepard?"
"Yes, but Liara's right. I see one, I'll have to see them all... and there's no way I'm ready to do that yet." Samantha sighed unhappily. "I want the Council to at least have my written report first, so I don't have to tell them everything... simply answering questions about all the parts the rest of them don't believe will be bad enough."
Liara chuckled and gave her a gentle swat on the shoulder, while Aethyta let out a loud guffaw and sputtered, "Never mind that shit. You want to see Rae and Nizia, I'll take care of the details and make it happen... and no one will be the wiser." Aethyta stood and looked at Culver. "Come on; time to leave the lovebirds alone for a bit so they can eat breakfast... and you and me? We're gonna go have a chat."
Once Aethyta and Culver stepped out, Liara fetched breakfast and returned to the room so she and Samantha could eat together. They were just finishing up when Hannah and Karin arrived, as promised, bearing gifts; Hannah barely even said hello on her way past the bed, opening the shades and the window, letting in light and a gentle easterly breeze, bringing in the scent of the ocean along with it... along with the distant noise of vehicles and construction, a welcome sound of recovery. She turned back toward the bed with a smile. "It's a beautiful summer day and the sun is actually shining brightly enough to burn through the haze! Joyous Alban Hefin to us all!"
"Gods! Has it really only been two weeks since we won?" Shepard actually groaned in dismay at the date. "It seems much longer than that!"
Karin had stopped at Liara's side of the bed to give the Asari a soft kiss on her cheek. "While that may be so, it does not negate that the Gods have seen to give you blessings, Samantha. We have all survived the war and come through it... together." She reached across and tousled Sam's hair and explained to Liara, "Alban Hefin is our celebration of the Summer Solstice... very similar to your Janiris, I do believe, though we celebrate it at the height of summer rather than at the spring equinox."
"And speaking of which..." Hannah had moved to the small corner table and was busy opening a bag she had carried in. She spoke while removing items from the small pack. "Seeing as we can't get you to the coast, I have brought the coast to you." She quickly set a platter on the table and, pulling out another bag from within the first, poured a healthy dose of sand and a few small shells onto the dish. She then pulled out a shallow, wide bowl and a flask, pouring water into the bowl before nestling it securely into the sand. She continued, "And I was very surprised to find these at all, but there are a few wide open fields north of here that the Reapers didn't spend any time on... Not enough population there to bother with, I suppose."
As she pulled out a very small bouquet of yellow flowers, Samantha's eyes lit with joy. "How did you possibly have time to find St John's Wort?"
"You have no idea the extent to which your mother will go when she truly sets her mind to something, do you, dear?" Karin laughed. "She wanted to give you an honest Alban Hefin blessing and under the circumstances, I can understand why."
Liara looked at Shepard quizzically. "You have explained the solstice to me, but what is the significance of all these items, Shepard?"
"I explained about places of transition... where multiple realms intersect? The shore is one such place, with the realms of earth... beach sand in this case, air... which is why Mom opened the window, and sea... my bet is the flask was full of sea water, so she brought all three elements to us." Sam smiled and took Liara's hand, gently caressing her palm as she finished. "As for the yellow, star-shaped flowers... Those are the link to Janiris that Karin referenced, Li. St John's Wort is sometimes called the 'blessed plant' and brings peace and prosperity to the house, health to the animals and a bountiful harvest." Shepard grinned. "Sound familiar?"
"Goddess, yes! You are correct; it sounds remarkably similar to our Janiris blessing given by the house matriarch at the start of the annual festivities!" Liara's eyes had opened wide with wonder and Sam could tell her scientific mind was running fast as she continued to mumble under her breath, "But how is it possible that two completely separate species develop an almost identical blessing when their evolutionary time scale is separated by... literally... millennia!"
As the Asari's eyes narrowed in thought and her brow creased with concentration, Shepard laughed and cupped Liara's chin, pulling her face around to place a quick kiss on pouting blue lips. "Later, Liara. For now, just enjoy the blessings of the day."
Liara blushed and spouted an apology. "Goddess. There I go again! I'm sorry." She laughed and looked around at her still relatively new family, smiling. "I cannot keep myself from being amazed at the simplest of similarities. I do not know if it is appropriate, or if there is already some established tradition that such a thing would violate but, seeing as we missed Janiris this year, I would be honored to provide our traditional blessing to Janiri..." Liara glanced around at the small group as she queried, "If that would be acceptable?"
With nods of acceptance all around, Liara stood from her place on the bed and closed her eyes. She slowly opened her arms out before her; with elbows bent, hands at roughly chest height, and her palms facing upward in supplication, she recalled the archaic Thessian words her mother used to speak every year. Liara began, "Oh wise and benevolent Janiri, I most humbly petition that you may grace our house with your divine blessings; that you convey enlightenment to those who reside within, provide us with bountiful harvests that will keep us and ours all well and fed, and that you deliver each of the beautiful seasons so that we may enjoy all the bounty and splendor that..." She faltered for a moment, as the blessing normally named Thessia at this point; Liara recovered quickly, making a simple substitution. "... all the worlds of our galaxy are capable of offering over the coming year."
As she finished, a gravelly voice sounded from behind Liara. "By the Goddess, Little Wing. Nezzie would be so damned proud of you." As Liara spun around in happy surprise, Aethyta walked into the room and engulfed her in a huge hug, exceedingly rare tears forming in the matriarch's eyes. "That was perfect. You sound almost exactly like your mother... I haven't heard that dialect in over a century." Aethyta stepped back from the embrace and glanced around the room. "I hope I'm not intruding."
Hannah beamed at the matriarch and walked quickly to her side, pulling the unsuspecting Asari into a group hug. "Absolutely not, Aethyta. You're as much a part of this family as any other in this room. You are welcome to join us, anytime."
"I should have warned you, Dad," Liara laughed as the trio broke apart. "I very much enjoy it, but for having such a strong military tradition, the family is a rather... huggy... bunch."
"Bah. Nothing I can't get used to. Besides..." Aethyta smirked as her gaze wandered over everyone in the assembled group. "No one here is bad looking as Humans go; I'm happy to be seen in an intimate position with any one of you!"
Though Hannah's face picked up a bit of color at what she hoped was meant as a joke, she still laughed along with everyone else except for poor Liara, who quickly hid her blushing face in embarrassment. "Oh, Goddess! Must you always be so crass?"
They all stayed and chatted for a long while, until Karin shooed them all out when Shepard began to look tired. While Aethyta and Hannah decided to grab lunch together, Karin declined, stating she had a bit of work to do in preparation for an afternoon appointment... with Samantha's physical therapist. Her eyes shifted to the subject of the discussion, catching the commander in a yawn. "Which is why you, my dear, need to settle in and get some rest. You're going to need every gram of energy you can muster this afternoon."