Sara Ryder listened to the party taking place in the other parts of the Hyperion, her head pounding. She was still healing from being a coma for months, and then having her head used mercilessly to control rem-tech battered recovery time into oblivion. At least the Kett retreated for the time being so that she could rest up properly and get back into the field.

" Hope you don't mind-"

" Not at all," Sara mumbled hazily to Ann as she curled her arm over her face. " I can only imagine the hassle of traveling with an infant,"

Ann moved about the Hyperion's quarters that once belonged to Alec Ryder. Ellen played on her blanket with her stuffed animals near the computer terminal. Jaal gave her a stuffed Angara to play with and offered to tame an adhi for her. Ellen loved the idea, while Kandros threatened to remove Jaal's head if the Angara even attempted it. She finally sat down at the tableand watched her niece play, her own need to be constantly moving irritating her.

" How many other babies are in Andromeda?" Sara asked after awhile.

" Honestly I can't verify the numbers, but Eos has at least six pregnant women and then the Advent has two. Not sure about the Krogan, or the Salarians. Dr. Kennedy had a son that's close to Ellen's age, David Edward. Now that the second wave is out of stasis, the population should be exploding soon," Ann filled her in. " Vetra asked Kandros to be the father of her children, and there's been talk of communal living until the-"

Sara rolled over, her arm no longer obstructing her view. " Vetra Nyx asked Kandros to father a child with her?" Her voice rose in pitch.

" In the biological sense, yes. Dr. T'Perro said that there's a medical insemination technique-"

" But why Kandros?" She rubbed her eyes and sat up weakly. " There are other turian males,"

Ann nodded. " I'm not offended or worried, Sara. I'm actually a little proud that he would be picked. That said, I'm not about to give him up either," The woman picked her nails clean twice over. Her armor had been stowed away for the moment, and her weapons close by. All that said, she felt naked without it.

" And have you decided who would be the father to your child?" Sara plumped up the pillows around her to make herself more comfortable in a semi-seated position. Her long brown hair fell over her shoulders in rebellious waves, framing a pale face not permitted much sunlight in the recent weeks.

The door opened and Peebee stumbled in. " Don't let Jaal know I'm hiding in here. He wants to talk-"

" Pelessaria B'Sayle. Turn back around and return to the party. You're not using Jaal as an excuse to get out of acting like an adult and being treated like one," Ann escorted the asari out before she could rain questions on Sara about Prothean technology. Sara closed her eyes again and listened to the silence of the room once more. " I haven't decided who would be the father, and I'm still debating if having one now is actually wise with all the building we're going to be doing on Meridian and all the other planets. With full viability, life is changing drastically. Voeld is becoming less ice and more slush and underground rivers. Eos is more tropical, except instead of azure blue you have a soft red colored water. Then there's Kadara, a mountainous planet for the most part. Weather there is…interesting,"

Sara smiled. " Will there still be one-race per planet now that viability has returned?"

" No. Some planets are still uninhabitable. Habitat 7 is being terraformed the old fashioned way. Other planets are in the process of being terraformed as well, although several will not be habitable for lifetimes."

" Where do you want to live?"

" I don't have a choice, actually. I'm always back and forth to Kadara to manage the outcasts there. I have a small team on Kadara that aids me. Tiran said something about going over plots of land here, but it's going to be some time before building starts. There's talk of communal living for anyone who wants to attempt it-but I don't know,"

Sara nodded along, happy to listen to someone talk instead without being expected to contribute. " You could always live with Scott and Vetra. Two Turian-Human couples living together would know what to expect, and if your husband will biologically father a child for Vetra, then he can also be around to be a second father," Ann glanced up from Ellen and shrugged. " Have you thought of my brother as a biological donor?"

" Oh, no." Ann Kandros declared firmly. " I've actually ruled him out as a possibility. Having the Pathfinder keep tabs on me and the child would be too much for my sanity. I'm already dealing with an uncle that wants to be part of Ellen's life who doesn't even know I changed her name from Jessica to Ellen,"

Sara nodded, starting to drift off again. " You should take Ellen and mingle…"

" If you insist. I'll keep Peebee away," Ann promised, collecting her niece while leaving the toys and blanket. As soon as they stepped out of the room however and maneuvered through the people, Ellen started to fuss. Jaal danced exuberantly with Peebee near krogan scouts who joined the Pathfinder for part of his fight against the Archon's forces. Captain Dunn wasn't at the party, but Reyes was. Sloane returned to Kadara to resume control of the port.

The smooth talking charlatan greeted Ann with extra enthusiasm. " I didn't believe the news!"

" What news?" Ann snapped suspiciously as she grabbed herself a drink from one the people moving through the room refilling cups with a weak wine. Ellen grabbed at the bottle. " Don't tell me the Archon sat upright in his grave,"

The 'Great Evfra' de Tershaav's eyes lifted up from his globe like omni-tool at the mention of the Archon. To hear the name so casually spoken alarmed him. How could this human just speak the name with such disinterest?

Reyes Vidal rested his hand on Ann's arm. " You're so dramatic." He responded warmly toward her sarcasm. " No. You managed to form a trade alliance with Sloane Kelly-"

" I did?" Ann said dumbly. " Are you sure? Because I would know if I was part of the negotiation party for that,"

Moshae Sjefa moved closer, and so did Evfra. " You are Ann Kandros," She introduced herself unceremoniously. " Jaal has told me about your efforts with the humans on Eos,"

" You must be the beloved Moshae," Ann reciprocated. " This is Reyes Vidal…he's associated with the Collective on Kadara. He's been a tremendous help with recovering stranded colonists and such."

" And who is this?" Moshae nodded to Ellen who stared up at the female curiously.

Ann offered to let the elder female hold the baby. " Ellen Kandros, formerly Jessica Messing, my niece. Tiran Kandros and I adopted her as our own. We plan on having our own children so to speak. Turian and Human biology doesn't allow for cross species children, but we've been looking for donors so that we can have more little human children to make our lives even more chaotic,"

" Might I recommend myself?" Reyes offered boldly, with a half cocked grin.

" No, Reyes. Besides, like I told Sara, I'm not having someone who's in a position of authority be the father. I don't need two over protective men bearing down my neck," Ann cocked her head at Evfra. " Do you ever smile, Mr. de Tershaav?"

Evfra stopped fiddling with his angaran omni-tool. He glowered at Ann.

" Oh, it's alright if you don't-" The Moshae lifted Ellen into her arms, relieving Ann of the little human. " I am curious though. How do you feel about the Moshae about to be representative for the Nexus?"

" For once, your leaders are listening," He grumbled, his gaze lifted off the blue sphere.

Reyes frowned. " You are referring to Director Tann, yes? He was never meant to be in charge. When the Scourge killed so many, he ascended to the position," The uprising threatened so much, and Reyes wondered what it would've been like if Sloane Kelly and cohorts had been in charge.

" Worst choice ever. Morda would have been a better pick than him," Ann freely shared. " At least then we might have been able to better handle the Kett."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, remembering their losses.

" Your Director Tann has failed his people, whereas the Pathfinder has provided for his people," The begrudging admission caused Ann to consider Evfra with renewed interest. " You seem to be quite the ambassador yourself. What are your intentions for your people?"

Ann feigned shock, dramatically placing her hand over her heart. " You mean that Mr. Ama Darav hasn't informed you? Well, I'll have to have a word with him-" Her false mockery became apparent to the Moshae before it did Evfra. The Moshae found it amusing while Evfra's frown deepened. "-about his silence on the subject." Clearing her throat, she crossed her arms. " I operate with the authority the Initiative grants me. The Advent was Initiative approved-the trade treaty, not the actual formation of the Advent-and my work with Kadara has been to keep Kadara from exploding with even more violence. It's not unlike what I did in the Terminus systems,"

" You were born there?" Reyes queried, watching the conversation pass with extreme interest. He could use just about everything being said at the party so far, and if the Resistance was willing to talk, then he was willing to listen. He needed to borrow the baby to loosen some more tongues, if Ann would let him.

The woman shook her head. " No, but my parents moved there as part of the colonization effort. I helped keep the piracy in check, and then spent some time running medical supplies for Omega. Just because the station was a shit hole doesn't mean that people living there had to suffer because of it. Though that said, if politics weren't so-" She shook her hand in the air. "-then the political situation might not be so bad there,"

" Then you have waged war most your life," Evfra concluded darkly, almost impressed. " Were you not needed in the Milky Way?"

Once again, Ann waved her hand in the air. " There's a difference between needed and wanted. I walked the fine line too much. There's only so much hell a person can suffer before breaking. I got out before everything really went to hell. I'll tell you about it some other time. I'm sure the Moshae doesn't want to hear about it,"

The elder female just smiled. " Do not let me disturb you, I am content with this darling," Her voice thrilled with contentment as she smiled and tickled Ellen.

" You ran instead of fighting?"

" I wasn't the only one who could do good, Evfra. Besides, I fought the good fight since I was 18 years old. I'm nearly 32 years old now, and I know that it's time to hang up a battle like that and let the new generation take over,"

" Except you didn't end it,"

Reyes chuckled. " You do not know the Terminus Systems, my friend. There is no end to the lawlessness within them," He finished his drink. " Almost like Kadara,"

" And that is what disturbs me, Reyes. I had no part in whatever trade deal was worked out. No notice about it either. I'm not surprised by it, but it is something that will need looked into. I wonder if this is Tann's payback for that…"

" You do not have much respect for Director Tann?" The Moshae asked lightly, a reflection of seriousness in her tone.

Ann shrugged again as she started to drink. " It's not that I don't respect him. It's that he wants to bow his head and pretend events don't happen, that people don't exist. You can't do that – he's got a great head for numbers and probability. That aside, he's a useless bureaucrat who thinks that running the Initiative requires more emphasis on taking excessive precautions instead of actually thrusting himself forward to gain any real footing. Like Evfra here, his running of the Resistance is aggressive, the exact opposite of Tann, but more effective. It has its risks, but that's part of the job. Tann wants everything to be easy, but people aren't easy. They're difficult bastards who are greedy, whether they like to admit it or not,"

" Including yourself," Evfra pointed out needlessly.

Ann Kandros nodded. " I want a home. I want a family. I want to know that I can wake up to a beautiful world where I don't have to pick up a rifle and shoot something just so I can sleep in peace at night. So yes, I'm greedy for that. That's what drives me, and that's what drives you too, Evfra. You can deny it, but you know it's true," She accepted Ellen back into her arms as the Moshae mentioned contacting her in the future.

Reyes stood next to her as the angara walked away to speak with other guests, to include the Pathfinder as he made his rounds. " You have balls,"

" No, Reyes, I just tell the truth," Ann said to him softly. " Which also gets me into trouble. Aria found it amusing. Especially when I'd start cursing out a merc and then their face would screw up because they know they couldn't touch me. She used to send me to collect dues owed to her, just to screw with their heads,"

" I'll let you know who is the face for the deal," He promised her before winding through the many people to corner Scott Ryder before Scott disappeared again. Ann smiled at Ellen and starting 'giving her a tour' of the permitted area before taking the child outside to where most of the people congregated to enjoy the view and fresh air. Many Angara openly imbibed alcoholic beverages while playing a human game called Volleyball, compliments of Liam Kosta.

Music played over the speakers of the Hyperion, haunting and beautiful. The Twisted Fringe, as they called themselves, consisted of an asari and turian females with complementing voices. They started their entertainment band after the archon's defeat was broadcast. Two human musicians provided the pleasant musical backdrop for the vocals. While the music provided entertainment for those outside the Hyperion, it also reminded everyone of the struggles everyone needed to overcome. Cultures would need to be reformed, people would need to come together again in the spirit of peace and cooperation.

It helped that Meridian was amazing. From the moment the shuttle settled into the sphere, the view was astounding. Life flourished everywhere, with no need to cultivate or nourish existing life. The blue sky, clouds dotting it like fluffy pillows, welcomed everyone. Natural rock formations next to Remnant technology gave off the illusion that this dyson sphere was not artificially created. Rivers flowed in the distance, and wildlife flourished here. The usual sightings of wildlife around the cluster didn't seem to exist here. Instead a different variant of the wildlife occupied the sphere, smaller and less harmful. Doubtless there were still predators in the wild, they just weren't known to the races yet.

As part of the settlement efforts, the Hyperion would be the center of the first city, and each city would have a designated area for each race to prevent any notion of supremacy or racism. Those who didn't want to live in a designated racial area could live in the public residential area, which would be the center of all the residential areas. Kandros selected to live in the public area, and Ann supported his decision. Settling on Meridian dominated the communications channel and topic of choice for idle conversation. Many second wave colonists would settle on Meridian to study remnant technology while colonists of Prodomos, Promise, and Resilience would be staying on Eos. The outlaws of Kadara could choose their own futures. The Angara stipulated that Havarl and Aya were the only planets that Milky Way species would not call home. Elaaden turned less lawless, and unlike Eos, it attracted less loyalty. Colonists preferred to Kadara over Elaaden due to the heat. Nobody wanted to upset the Krogan while the Krogan stayed peaceful. With Voeld starting to warm up, people were moving off the planet and waiting for the planet to stabilize again.

As part of their participation in helping achieve the impossible, Tiran Kandros was granted the right to live on Meridian along with Tann, Addison, Kesh, and countless others. The Nexus was a popular choice for most people, as many still worried about the Kett and most of the Militia still resided on the Nexus. She thought about how nice it would be to wake up to the view of Meridian instead of the Nexus or a shuttle. It would be good for Ellen to be raised planetside as well.

" Not trying to sneak off, are you?" A familiar voice started Ann. She turned to find Director Tann, leaning against the hull of the Hyperion, gazing out at the festivities.

Jarun Tann looked…tired. " No. Just needed some fresh air. A lot of happy people. A lot of people who don't realize what happened to make this all happen. Who all was sacrificed and how much blood it took…How much everyone gave just to see a sunrise that didn't involve wondering if you're going to starve today or not…" Ann's voice trailed off as she looked to the salarian she blackmailed. " I owe you an apology. I don't agree with your methods, but you got us through it…along with Addison and Kesh and Tiran…"

" Apology accepted," Tann nodded. " We all do what we must to survive,"

They both gazed out over the groups of Angara really starting to get into the game. Ann settled Ellen in the middle of her lap and sighed happily. The good with the bad. Give and take. It wasn't always a boon. Sometimes it unleashed miracles.

" Sometimes you have just have to let go, sometimes it isn't worth the struggle, One more day, one more fight,"

" It'll be good to finally settle into a normal routine,"

" We'll have to form our own military. The archon was probably just the beginning," Ann covered a yawn. " Which means that everyone will need to put aside their gripes and work together. Shouldn't be hard to convince the Turians."

" It will be interesting to see if the Turians form their meritocracy again,"

" I actually think the meritocracy is preferable to what other cultures practiced. It instilled a sense of personal responsibility. That aside, I disagree with their idea of total war. The all or nothing approach destroys life. It isn't fair to those who are unable to have the help to survive. The Asari's love for arts and music will be appreciated here, but it'll be awhile before it's truly celebrated and flourishes. We humans know how to adapt when necessary. Salarians only have 40 years. How do you intend to spend your remaining years?"

" I plan to see the Initiative flourish," Tann answered, unfolding his arms and taking a seat next to Ann. The odd group sat like that for what could've been over an hour as they talked of how the future government would handle the kett, how the races would be governed, and if there would be civil wars in the future. Tann mentioned the trade deal with Sloane more than one, Ann calling him out on using her as a shield for his reputation. " Then we're even," Tann announced flatly, referencing the blackmail.

Ellen dozed off and then soiled herself. Ann took the opportunity to return to Alec Ryder's quarters as the Pathfinder and crew lifted off the surface to return to space. While the archon had been defeated and Meridian was going to be settled, there was still a lot that needed to be handled on the planets. Sara slept soundly in the bed, Ann pulling the blanket over her and then collecting the blanket and toys, stuffing them back into the pack she normally carried with her everywhere whenever she had Ellen with her.

" Harry," Ann greeted Dr. Carlyle as he entered the room to check on Sara Ryder. " I'm just heading out,"

The older man nodded as he knelt next to Sara and did a quick scan with his omni-tool. " I'm told that you were talking to Tann. Anything interesting?"

" Living vicariously through others again?" Ann teased. " No…just politics. Normally I'd avoid them, but there's something about the second wave colonists just having automatic rights to what we worked so hard to achieve. It feels wrong. Talking about the future helped ease that frustration, I suppose," She slung the pack over her shoulder and gently scooped up the infant.

Harry nodded. " I understand your frustration. It is shared by many on the Nexus as well. They're going to make sure that what we build is permanent,"

" I know, trust me, I know…" Ann answered him sadly. " It's just-no one knows what's in store for the future, and here we are clinging on hopes and dreams. It's all fragile right now. I thought we were at rock bottom before, but if this high is popped and we're…how low is rock bottom then?"

Dr. Carlyle nodded. He offered a smile and stroked Ellen's fine hair. " Give my favorite patient a hug and kiss when she wakes up," Ann left the room, taking the long stroll through the Hyperion to the makeshift living area for personnel that would be making Meridian home. She dropped down onto the cot and glanced around at the other cots that littered the corridor. Right now everything was makeshift, looking more like a refugee camp or Omega – just a little less dirt and grime.

As depressing the thought, it cheered her up. In a twisted way, this felt like home. If they could come back from this, then they could come back from anything.

Ann's work started the next day. She left Ellen in Addison's care since Addison would stay on the Hyperion and keep directing colonial affairs. With the now viable planets at full viability, mass reports flooded in detailing the improvement and the uptick in problems that presented themselves. Reporting to the first residential area, Ann joined forces with Initiative and Resistance forces to install the first homes on Meridian. It was slow, rewarding work that everyone put their full energy into.

The first communal block went up under a week with around the clock building. Designated colonists moved in immediately. The second and third block were completed by the end of the first month on Meridian. Each time a communal block finished, the designated colonists were situated into the homes. The Angara separately worked on their part of the city. It felt like a breath of fresh air as the races bonded together tighter than before, creating an entirely new persona special to Andromeda. With everything on track, colonists being woken up at faster than anticipated time tables, the mood lifted considerably in general.

The trade deal with the Advent and Sloane Kelly opened up doors for the Nexus, which now acted as a hub for all joint efforts not associated with Meridian. While the Resistance still refused to merge with Initiative forces, they cooperated on most requests for support and assistance. Talk of creating a joint Military started with Kandros and spread like wildfire. Previous exiles wanting a fresh start joined forces with the Collective to form a moving Militia that took orders from Kandros. Reyes operated his non-military Collective as he did before. Kandros and Evfra joined forces often enough that people looked up to them as the undisputed leaders.

Andromeda faced the dawn of a new era.