As always, Mass Effect and all it's characters are owned by Bioware – and lets face it since that is a big part of my life, it makes sense that Bioware owns All!
As always thanks to Shenzi and Sesh from the KAST for putting up with me. A Special thanks to Star, because with out her, the smut would just be awful!
Unique?
Kaidan is watching Shepard sitting at her desk, she looks like she is laying out something in front of her and then comparing it to something next to it. It looked like cards maybe. Not so strange except she has been doing this for hours and this is Shepard. Shepard it not one to sit calmly for hours unless she is in dress blues and will be court marshaled if she moves. Even then it's hard to keep her in her seat. They almost had to sit on her at Ashley's funeral. So what had her so intent that she was sitting there for three hours.
As he watched she collected all the cards she had been comparing, shuffling them up and started the ritual again. Okay now he just had to know what she was doing. I am at a good stopping point anyway and it is almost lunch time. Kaidan got up and walked the length of the cargo bay to get to her makeshift desk. So intent on what she was doing, she didn't even look up.
"Shepard, what are you doing?"
"Trying to win."
"Trying to win what?"
"Trying to win the game."
"What game are you trying to win, and I want a full answer this time. I really don't feel like a game of twenty questions."
"It's good to want things!" Shepard tells him with a smirk on her face never looking up from the cards.
Kadan grabs the cards out of her hands and is rewarded with a very angry looking Shepard.
"Now you have exactly one minute to give me back those cards intact or you will be sorry Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko."
"Tell me what you're doing."
"Forty five seconds."
"Shepard just tell me what game you're playing." He says smiling
"Thirty seconds." She is getting angrier.
"Come on Shepard."
"Fifteen seconds." She starts to walk towards him menacingly.
"Okay, okay here are the cards back." He holds them out to her and she grabs them and turns around and goes back to the desk.
"Thank you." She says to him.
"Thank you? Okay are you sick again?" Kaidan asks.
"No I don't think so." Shepard tells him still paying attention to the cards.
"Then why did you say 'thank you'?"
"Kaidan can't you see I am busy?"
"You're playing a game!" Kaidan tells her.
"Yes! Busy!"
"Shepard…" I hate when she gets in these kinds of moods "can you please tell me the name of the game."
"Certainly, you only had to ask." She has a wicked smile on her face and he knows she is being obstinate.
"Okay so can you tell me now?"
"I suppose. It's called Accordion."
"Accordion, and this is what kind of game." Kaidan asks hoping that she has finished playing games and will give him a straight answer.
"It's a card game that you play by yourself. It's a solitaire game."
"And who taught you the game."
"Dad, he collected decks of cards, I haven't had any since the destruction of the Normandy, I found these in a cargo box that was hidden behind a panel." Shepard tells him.
"What panel? Did you open a panel? Why were you opening a panel?" Kaidan asked her knowing her penchant for taking things apart but not putting them back together.
Shepard, still paying attention to the game said "the one outside the bathroom."
"Did you do anything inside that panel?"
"No, once I found the box with the cards I just left it open."
"Is that the only panel you opened?" Kaidan asked.
"No, first I opened the one in the bedroom, on the left by Garrus' bunk"
"Did you do anything else besides open it?" Kaidan asks.
She reaches down and brings up a small box with fuses, wires and a couple of screws and other items in it. She hands the box to Kaidan and goes back to her game.
Kaidan Groans. "Shepard, why did you do this?"
"The light was out on the wall, that panel was the closest to it."
"Didn't you think to tell me, Adams or Garrus, so we could fix it."
"Now where is the fun in that?" She asked him still playing her game.
"Shepard, we had told you time and again you can't just take things apart because you're bored."
She pointed to the box "Yes I can, it's putting them back together I have trouble with." She goes back to her cards.
"I mean we don't want you to take things apart." Kaidan says clearly frustrated.
"Again, its good to want things."
"Shepard, you have to stop taking things apart."
"My ship." Shepard uses the cards in her hand to gesture at her chest but doesn't take her eyes off the cards before her.
"Yes and you want it to keep flying right? You have a habit of taking things apart in such a way that it is almost impossible to put them back together easily. You have to stop taking things apart just for the fun of it. Tell you what; I will give you some things to take apart that won't cause damage to the ship."
"Yeah, I don't see the fun in that, there is no danger there."
"Okay well can you just agree not to do that again?" Kaidan asks her.
"I will think about it." She answers and he knows that is all the cooperation he is going to get.
"Okay now tell me about the game. Why does it interest you so much?"
"Cause it is really hard to win. I like it." She tells him.
"So how long will you play this game?"
"I like to play when ever I am not busy or bored. You just never knew because usually when you're in my cabin, I am busy, with you or with something or other. I have not won yet. I have gotten down to two piles once or twice though."
"Wait, you have never won the game and you still play it?"
"Yep, have to win it at least once."
"How long have you been playing this game?"
"Eighteen years."
"Eighteen years and you never gave up? Of course you never did, what am I thinking. So when you were driving us crazy because you were bored, all we had to do was give you a deck of cards?" Kaidan asked her.
"Well I like the treadmill too." She tells him as she puts down the last card and that pushes them all together and starts to shuffle them again.
"Well it's lunch time, let's go to lunch, we're late."
"That's your fault, you were asking too many questions."
"Leave the cards here." Kaidan tells her.
"I intend to, I don't want to get anything on them, they might stick together." She says getting up and walking towards the door.
Kaidan follows behind her with the box of debris from the panel she destroyed that he will now have to fix.
Shepard got out of the ship and walked down the walkway. Krump is another farm planet hot and sunny. It is recorded that two biotics live here. Shepard was glad she was wearing her armor with the cooling unit on it. At the bottom of the walkway she looks around. Wrex and Garrus come down the walkway behind her. She doesn't see anyone around. Liara comes down behind Wrex and Garrus.
"Well I guess we split up, see if we can find someone to talk to. Each of us take a compass point. If you see someone ask them where their biotics are." She tells them and she heads out to the north.
Randel is watching the ship that just landed. He notices the female that gets out and there is something familiar about her. She is obviously the leader as she issues orders to the others. She is heading in his general direction. Who is she, he is trying to place her. It could be important.
Jenkson is standing next to him. They have not been able to find the two biotics yet. The Collectors are offering a really good price for them, Their only rule; don't let anyone know that the Collectors are behind it.
Randel and Jenkson are part of a merc group that has done odd jobs for the collectors before. They pay well but they want unique people. Randel has no problem kidnapping people for them. That is what he is thinking about this woman, there is something unique about her. Then he sees the N7 on her armor and he knows. Commander Shepard, Hero of the Citadel and first human Spectre. Bet the collectors will pay a pretty credit for her. She is armed to the teeth, but she is alone. If they can circle around behind her and stay out of sight they might be able to get the drop on her.
Kaidan toggles the comm."Hey Shepard, what are you doing?"
"I am looking for some colonists, there doesn't seem to be any around here."
"What's your location from the ship?"
"I am about five clicks north of the ship, why."
"No reason, just wondering where you are. So who did you take with you?"
"No one, we each took a compass point." Shepard tells him.
"You think that is wise." Kaidan frowns.
"We haven't even found a colonist to talk to yet, Kaidan, I think it will be fine."
"I am not so sure, why don't you head back we will take the mako and drive around." Kaidan tells her.
"Kaidan you worry too muc…ahh…"
"Shepard… Shepard what's going on?" Kaidan only hears silence.
"Shepard… Joker get this ship in the air head due north, Shepard we're coming."
Kaidan runs and grabs his armor the ship is just lifting off as her runs back into the cockpit Still snapping his breastplate on.
"Ping her omni tool see if we can get a fix." Kaidan says.
"I tried there is interference, she is definitely in this direction, but I can't get the exact coordinates." Joker tells him.
"Garrus, Wrex , Liara I need you to head back to the north of the ships location, something has happened to Shepard, we are in the ship trying to find her." he says over the comm link and waits for each response.
Once all three have checked in he tells Joker " she said she was about five clicks from the ship to the north."
"We are coming up on that now. I also show a ship entering the atmosphere to the north of our location. Looks like it is heading for a very large clearing approximately five clicks from here."
"Head for there"
"Already moving." Joker assures him.
Kaidan sits down in the seat next to Joker and activates the scanner. The day is hot so the infrared is almost useless. He switches through different scan modes until he notices three blips on the screen heading due north.
"Joker, I want you to land right behind these bastards. I am going to get out and I want you to take down that ship, don't destroy it, just make it so it can't take off again." Kaidan tells him.
"Right, I'm on it Alenko."
"Tell Adams what is going on." Kaidan tells him.
"I got if covered man, just go."
Kaidan runs to the airlock and gets in. He feels the ship lower and he opens the airlock. As soon as the ship is low enough he jumps out.
"Joker, I'm away, go!" he says in his comm.
"Heading out." Joker tells him.
Kaidan runs in the direction he last saw the blips go and he sees ahead of him the two males carrying a burden. He sprints to catch up and he sees the burden is wearing Shepard's armor. It looks like she is in a stasis field. The ship is coming down in the sky getting closer to landing. Joker maneuvers the Salice so that he can get a clean shot but not have the ship land on top of Kaidan or the Commander. Kaidan readies a biotic throw and sees that the men both pull out pistols and aim them at Shepard's head. Without thinking twice using everything he has he sends two biotic throws at the same time and knocks both males in opposite directions away from Shepard who falls to the ground. Kaidan checks on the males one is unconscious, the other is dead from a broken neck. He then runs over to Shepard. She is caught in a stasis field.
Joker takes his shot and the other ship is damaged and should be forced to land. It doesn't land however, it tries to gain altitude. Then all of a sudden it explodes in a burst of flames as do the two men on the ground. Just poof and they are gone. The Stasis field disappears from around Shepard and Kaidan gathers her in his arms in relief.
"What took you so long?" Shepard asks.
"Couldn't find the keys." He tells her remembering an old vid she showed him once.
Then the pain hits him. He lets her go and grabs his head.
"Kaidan what's wrong?"
"Migraine, overtaxed." He can't stifle the grown the pain is so bad. He starts to vomit.
He feels Shepard behind him and supporting him. "Joker get the ship back here and have Chakwas ready with Kaidan's Migraine meds. Tell her he says he overtaxed his biotics."
"On our way Commander." Joker tells her.
"Commander." Garrus' voice still a bit distant.
"Over here!"
Kaidan is still retching but nothing is coming out anymore. Finally the retching subsides and she just keeps holding him as he keeps a hold of his head trying to will the pain away. He hears the ship engage landing thrusters.
"What happened?' Wrex's voice.
"He took out two mercs with two throws at the same time, he overtaxed his biotics. He has a migraine. We need to get him to the ship." Shepard tells him.
"Here Wrex you get his feet, I'll get his head" Garrus' voice.
Kaidan feels himself being lifted and he feels each step that is taken because they sends white hot pain shooting through his head. He can hear voices but now they are making no sense. He feels the stick of a needle and then surrenders to oblivion.
"What happen to that Ship Joker?" Shepard asks.
Joker is sitting at the table across from Shepard and Wrex. Liara is sitting next to Joker.
"I don't know commander. Alenko told me to disable it and I did, at least that is the shot I took. There was some reading, a burst of some kind and the next thing I knew, it blew up."
"Yeah the two guys that attacked me too. That is what is strange about it, that they exploded too."
"Not so strange." Garrus says walking into the galley/conference room.
"What did you find?" Shepard asks him.
"Looks like self destruct on both bodies, and there is nothing left." Garrus tells her.
"Damn it, they had one of those things. They hit me from behind though, I didn't see it."
"Did they say anything that we could use?" Wrex asks her.
"Not really, no. One of them did the most talking. He said that someone wanted to add me to their collection. That I was unique, and they could make a pretty credit off of me. They called the ship to come and get me, Then they made comments that they would go get the boitics once they had me tucked safely on the ship." Shepard shivers.
"Well he is sleeping, somewhat peacefully." Dr. Chakwas says as she enters the room. "I ran some tests and he doesn't seem like he damaged his amp or anything. I don't think he will be able to recreate the double throw anytime soon though. You must have been in real danger for him to attempt that."
"They were both going to shoot me in the head." Shepard says.
"Oh Shepard, no." Liara said with fear in her eyes.
"Yes, I do think that would be enough for him to react and attempt to do a double throw, which he obviously did." Dr. Chakwas tells her.
"You're sure he is okay?" Shepard asks.
"Yes I will keep him under for a while and allow his body to heal. You will have him back in a day or two, Commander." Dr. Chakwas said.
"Garrus, the guns, they both had guns to my head when Kiadan threw them. Did you find the guns?" Shepard asks.
"No, I did see two little burn spots so it looks like they self destructed too." Garrus tells her
"Shit, I want something for us to study. Well whoever is funding these guys they are really careful that no one ever finds out about them. They destroy everything including the ship if there is ever any chance they will get caught. No wonder no one knows about them." Shepard says.
"Yeah they do seem to have all the bases covered. It really would have been nice to have that stasis shooter though. Well maybe next time." Garrus says.
"Shepard, you said they wanted to add you to a collection?" Liara asks.
"Yes, well that's what one of them said anyway." Shepard replies.
"Well I can understand the biotics as human biotics are still rare, but why you? You're not a biotic." Liara says.
"Let me go over the conversation again. Let's see... he says they will want me for their collection... Savior of the Citadel, sole survivor, first Spectre, she is unique. That is why, the fool thought I was unique, he should only know that I just have an odd streak."
"An odd streak? You became a Spectre and Savior of the Citadel because of an 'odd' streak?" Joker asks her.
"Pretty much, yeah. At least I think so. Don't like to lose, have a bad temper with a wicked sense of humor and a bit childish at times." She looks around at the stunned faces. "What you think I didn't know what I was like. It's fun, I like fun."
"Like taking apart things for no reason" Garrus says.
"I have a reason, I like taking things apart and I am really good at it." Shepard says.
"Yeah, but you're not really good at putting them back together." Garrus points out.
"I know that, I am working on it." Shepard tells him.
"You're working on it, where are you working on it? Are you working on it now? What did you take apart?" Garrus sputters at her.
"Now you sound like Kaidan. I gave him what I took apart this morning. He said he would fix it, and no, he was not happy with me. Satisfied?" Shepard tells him.
"For now." Garrus says.
"Joker, did you get an ID on that vessel that blew up?" Shepard asks.
"No, sorry Shepard they had a block on the ID and once it blew up it was too late to crack it." Joker answers.
"Damn. Well at least we found out it isn't only biotics they are after but 'unique' things. Maybe they were wrong. Maybe the people they were working for wouldn't have paid credits for me." Shepard says.
"I think they would have Shepard." Liara tells her. "From a scientific stand point you accomplishments coupled with your ability to survive the beacon and decode the Prothean data makes you an extremely rare individual."
"Liara your bias." Shepard tells her.
"Than so are the rest of us Shepard. "Dr. Chakwas says. "Because I agree with her and I am sure everyone here does, and you know Kaidan does."
"I keep telling you, I am not unique, annoying maybe, but not unique."
"You keep telling yourself that Shepard. I wouldn't be here if you weren't unique." Wrex says.
"Okay, well thanks guys but this isn't getting us anywhere. Joker, you and Garrus go see if you can find the trail from that ship. Let's see if it leads us to anything useful. If not then we will go on to the next colony."
"Sounds like a plan, lets go Garrus." Joker gets up and grabs his crutches.
"Liara, can you check databases and see if there is anything about unique collections involving living beings. I think that it's as good a place as any to see if there is a pattern." Shepard asks.
"Certainly Shepard, I can do that for you." Liara says.
"Wrex can you update Adams on what is going on for me, I want to check on Kaidan?" Shepard tells him.
"Sure, no problem Shepard." Wrex answers.
"Okay, great, let's see if we can get anywhere else from here." She stands and follows the doctor out.
Kaidan opens the panel and groans. My god she took everything out. I am going to have to rebuild every connection from scratch. I have got to start giving her tech lessons if she is going to keep doing this. At least on the Normandy she didn't play with the ship, just the electronics that weren't connected to it. That's how we lost the coffee pot. He lets out a sigh.
"What's wrong, are you feeling okay?" Shepard asks with alarm in her voice.
Kaidan jumps "Shepard, I didn't hear you come in."
"I was already here, sitting right on your bunk."
"I didn't see you."
"You were kind of intent on the box in your hand at the time."
"Yeah, well I was scoping out the damage." Kaidan tells her.
"But you're feeling okay? I heard you sigh."
"I am fine, but now I have to rebuild this panel from scratch. Do you start out thinking of ways to make more work for me?"
"No." she looks hurt. "I don't try to make more work for you, it just ends up that way sometimes."
"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's okay, I have armor right."
Okay, what mood am I dealing with now? "Yeah, but you're not wearing it now. Shepard are you okay?"
"That was really stupid what you did, two throws at once, you could have seriously hurt yourself." She snaps at him.
"I was only thinking of your safety."
"Yeah, well you have guns, use them!" She told him.
"Shepard you know I am not as proficient in guns as I am with my biotics."
"You have to practice! I don't want to lose you. You need to practice Kaidan!" There was a desperate edge to her voice.
"Hey, come here" he takes her into his arms. "I am okay. I had a headache that's all. I am fine now. It's not like I haven't had over load migraines before."
"It was not just a headache. You haven't vomited for a long time Kaidan, not since we first met. That was really a bad one."
"Yes it was, but it's over now. Look if it makes you happy I will practice more with my weapons okay." Kaidan asks her.
"Okay and you have to become expert in at least one."
"Shepard, when am I supposed to have the time for this?"
"Well you're just going to have to make the time, because you have to do it!" Shepard starts to sound desperate again.
He gives her a squeeze "Okay, look I will make a deal with you. If I didn't have to fix the stuff you insist on taking apart, I would have more time. So you stop taking things apart, on this ship at least, while there is only a few of us that can put them back together, and I will practice with my guns."
"And become expert in at least one?"
"And become expert in at least one."
Kaidan watched as Shepard concentrated, and he knew she was trying figure out a way to get him to practice and still take things apart.
"Come on Shepard, this is a good deal, you give me more time by behaving, and I will award you with better aim."
"Okay, you're right it is a good deal. I will not take anything else apart from the ship while we are still on the Salice, and you will become expert in at least one weapon that is not biotic."
"Deal" he lets her go. "Now let me get back to work, this is going to take me all day."
"Okay, I have to finish my report anyway." she tells him.
"Wait, you didn't finish your report yet? That is not like you."
"Yeah, well I was really worried, my boyfriend was ill."
He pulls her to him and gives her a kiss then turns her towards the door with a smack on her butt.
"He is fine now, so stop slacking."
"You know I will have to get you for that Kaidan." Shepard says rubbing her bottom with a grin on her face walking towards the door.
"As always Shepard, I look forward to it."
Kaidan sealed the panel. Finally, that took all morning and half the afternoon. Well if she will stop taking things apart it will be totally worth becoming a marksman of some kind. He packs up the spare parts and tools and picks up the empty box at his feet.
"Alenko?" Adam's voice comes over the comm.
"Yes, Adams"
"There is a short in the docking clamps. I am having a problem with the FTL drive core overheat again. I need you to fix the docking clamps. The panel is in the cargo bay, by the cargo bay door, by the mako. It's numberd Alpha Bravo seven one three Delta."
"Alright, I am on my way." Kaidan grabs his things and heads to the cargo bay.
Having finished her reports Shepard sat at her makeshift desk watching Kaidan walk back and forth as he worked on a technical panel located slightly behind the mako. She was perfectly aware her behavior was juvenile and could result in serious trouble for both of them. It had been a while since they had been able to be together and Kaidan was in the perfect location for a little mischief and maybe some revenge. As long as he doesn't have his hands free I can keep him back there... She stood up and walked slowly towards him, pondering how best to get him into an awkward position. If he could read her mind, she knew he would say, she was felling very naughty.
Kaidan was in the act of removing some very delicate parts in a service panel when he heard footsteps approaching. He ignored the sound hoping that whoever was behind him would take the hint and go away. He cursed softly as he concentrated on the task in front of him. Whoever had designed the docking clamps had run the wires through the back of the heavy duty control panel that controlled the cargo door. There were at least four large transistors in the front of the panel covering the offending wires. The footsteps stopped nearby and he glanced over to see who it was before removing the first transistor and laying it gently onto the floor. His visitor was Shepard and he could tell from the look on her face she was up to no good.
He stood up to face her. "Commander."
She grinned, "my, my… why so formal, Kaidan?"
"I have no time for one of your schemes right now. I have to fix a short and if I drop one of these transistors, we won't be able to open the cargo door and get the mako out anytime soon."
"So dropping one of those would be bad?"
"Yes, so now go away"
"Okay," she said turning away.
He went back to work, reaching to grab the second transistor. As he did so he realized that given its position, the one next to it would have to be removed at the same time. Sighing with annoyance he gave both transistors a slight tug. They came free with a pop and as he turned to place them on the ground he realized that Shepard was still standing behind him.
She pounced, pushing him behind the mako. He struggled to maintain his grip on the transistors, juggling the delicate pieces of equipment as the began to slip from his grasp. "Shepard, what the…"
Leaning forward, she kissed him, taking advantage of his slight gasp of surprise by sliding her tongue between his teeth. He fell against the side of the mako frantically clutching the transistors. The solid side of the vehicle provided a modicum of support that allowed him to regain both his balance and a better grip on the transistors freeing him to begin exploring Shepard's mouth in return. She didn't stop with a kiss however and before he quite realized what she was doing her hands had made their way under his shirt, sliding across his abdomen and just under the belt of his pants. His breath quickened at her touch. It felt good. More than that if felt great.
A noise from the opposite side of the hold reminded him that they weren't alone. She's good. Oh yeah, she's very good, but I'd hate to end both our careers this way. Bringing up a knee, he pushed at her sharply, making her fall back as he moved to create additional distance between them before putting the transistors down.
"What the hell are you doing, Shepard?"
She smiled sweetly at him. "Well if you don't know, maybe I'm not doing it right?"
He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pressure building in his lower body, keeping his voice low. "It's not exactly like we're alone down here. It's too dangerous and you know it!"
"True." She grinned and lifted and eyebrow at him. "Still, it's the danger that makes it so... sweet." She stepped forward, her hands stretched towards him.
This time he was ready for her, meeting her open mouth with his own. She pressed against him as he pulled her shirt up in order to better explore her body. The next few minutes were spent in mutual exploration. She had just begun to slide her hands into the waistband of his pants when the clang of a locker door falling shut made it once again very clear they were not alone. The sound shocked him and he stood still for a moment, trying to take a deep breath and tell her to stop but all that came out was a hiss. He bit down hard on his lip to keep from making noise as he grabbed at her hands. She snatched them away and came at him again, this time attempting to open his pants. He managed to stop her by the simple expedient of clutching her wrists. As he looked down at her, feeling slightly dazed and very aware of his increasing need to finish what they had started, the noises from across the hold became louder and more frequent, warning him of imminent danger. Part of him wanted to ignore the warning; to rip off her clothes and finish what she had started, here in the back of the mako if necessary while the other part of him— the part that always insisted on having a way out, reminded him that getting caught would not only be immediately embarrassing, it would most likely be the end of both their careers. Still, she's right; the danger does make it better. She pulled her wrists out of his grasp and stepped back.
She studied him for a moment than came towards him again, this time slowly drawing up her shirt. "What do you say, do I stay or do I go?"
She was beautiful, desirable and she took his breath away. He hesitated, struggling to respond intelligently but the only sound he could get out of his mouth was a groan. She laughed, stepping back to tuck in her shirt before leaning forward to whisper in his ear, "I told you, the danger makes it sweeter. I think you'll look back on this moment and realize that you enjoyed it. That you wanted more."
He stared at her mutely, trying to catch his breath and watching as she deliberately licked her lips, looking extremely pleased with herself. "We'll finish this Some other time, Kaidan"
He found his voice at last. "Some other time, Shepard?"
"Yes, its not like there is any privacy on this ship, as you so thoughtfully reminded me. Thank you for that, Kaidan. I think I will go take a nice... long... hot... shower."
Kaidan closes his eyes trying to keep his composure and praying to whatever god or goddess who was out there and can give him strength to deal with this woman when she is in this kind of a mood. He feels her breath on his face and he hears her whisper "too bad you won't be able to join me this time." He opens his eyes and she is right there with a satisfied look on her face. She licks her lips slowly again. He takes another deep breath.
"I'll s-see you at dinner." he says is voice breaking.
Still with the pleased smile on her face she turns and leaves.
A/N:
The object of the game is to get all the cards in the deck into one stack. It works best on a large table.
Begin with the complete deck in your hand. Deal out one card at a time left to right. Each card is considered a pile. Any pile can be picked up and moved onto the pile to its left, or the pile third to its left, provided the top cards of both the piles match in either suit or rank. Then you can check to see if this gives you another move in one of the piles that are already on the board. You must move entire piles, never partial piles. When you move a pile in the middle of the row, leaving an empty space, just shift all the other piles to the left to fill it. The goal is to finish the game with all the cards in one pile.
There are no rules about when you must deal, or when you must move piles. When dealing, lay out as many new cards as you feel like working with. Then move them about until you're out of moves, or until you think you'd profit from dealing a few more new cards. If you like, you may lay out all 52 cards at once, then study the layout until you find the best possible solution.
Ariana plays the one card at a time version, checking if the card she is dealing gives her any moves. On the small table when she gets to the end she just puts the next card underneath and starts right to left row and continues in a snake like fashion left to right, right to left, left to right (hopefully you won't need more rows than that but it makes it possible to play in a smaller area).
This card game is very hard to win, but then that is where the fun lies.