Not even the landing on Noveria had been without issue. The moment they docked, an over-anxious soldier demanded Shepard lay down arms before being allowed entrance. As Kaidan, along with Shepard and Liara, stared down the pistol glare of security officer Matsuo, Joker's words rang in his ears. "Fun bunch - think I'll take my next leave here."

Thankfully, a bitter war of egos between Shepard and Matsuo was cut short by the intervention of Secretary Parasini and the ground team was finally allowed access to the station. Of course, leaving that station proved to be another matter entirely. They were told that the object of their investigation happened to be on Peak 15, well beyond the restrictions of the station. To gain access, they would need to seek the administrator's approval. Red tape upon red tape.

The entire facility had the combined feel of a shopping mall and a maximum security prison. That atmosphere, along with the contemptuous glare of dozens of well-to-do's, stepped on every last nerve Kaidan had. In an odd way, he felt he was back on Jump Zero. Ahead of him, Shepard's arm shot out, pointing out the direction of a hanar-owned shop. "Alenko, why don't you and... Dr. T'soni see if they don't have that STA drive we were looking for earlier. I have a feeling the administrator won't respond well to an armed entourage bursting into his office."

Kaidan nodded as Liara turned to him, her eyes questioning. As he explained the ... incident... with the console earlier, he caught a sight of Shepard over the top of the eager asari's head. The commander appeared to be attempting direct ocular to cerebral communication with him in grave intensity. In the time it took him to shift his weight uncomfortably, she was gone.

"This is an important device, then?"

Liara's question drew Kaidan back in. He wasn't sure when he'd stopped speaking or what he'd been saying when he was for that matter. "Not really-" The lieutenant paused, having to reevaluate his thoughts. He'd been about to verbally question Shepard's motives. It did seem like a do-nothing mission now that it was pointed out to him, however he was certain she had other reasons. For lack of knowing what they were, he went with the first idea that popped into his mouth. "We should also see about some more advanced armor for you."

Had he been staring at her? So far everything here was more political nightmare than battlefield, but he assured himself that tides could easily change. Considering what they might face, he winced. Neglected armor aside, why had Shepard brought her? No one should have to face their own-

"Lieutenant?" The asari worried. "Is something wrong. Is my armor that poor?"

"Just thinking about your... ah..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Benezia. There isn't armor made yet that will shield you from emotional battles."

She actually turned a few shades of darker blue. He'd thought that asari blushing was just a myth. "You are kind for considering my feelings, Kaidan, and also correct. This will not be easy, but it is necessary. If there is a chance I can- Oh, but I've never been able to convince her of anything before." Her eyes turned down in direct correlation with the drop in her feeling of self-worth.

Before contemplating the repercussions, Kaidan tipped her head back up with a palm under her chin. There was just something in that gesture he couldn't bear... on anyone. "You'll do fine, Liara."

She didn't quite smile, but she nodded and followed him as he moved out of the corridor toward the hanar shop. Something about her attitude prickled along the back of his neck, but his self-rationale assigned the feeling to the eerie double-tone of the shop owner's voice. "This one offers greetings. You work for the spectre that visits port Hanshan."

The next time he found a mirror, Kaidan was going to check for that forehead tattoo of name, rank, and business that seemed to tip off everyone he was about to speak to. He supposed though, that the sidearm didn't help create a feel of anonymity. He had begun to look around after offering his greetings, but found the luminescent being's attention still on him.

"This one has a burden that you might ease. This one has procured an item that is not permitted on the station for a client. Your Shepard could assist me with bringing this item through customs. This one would humbly request that you speak to her on this one's behalf."

The lieutenant remained stuck on the term "your Shepard" for a moment before his mind kicked into the present with all the speed of moving a vid from pause to fast-forward. "You want me to convince her to smuggle for you?" He couldn't hide the disbelief hanging in his voice or avoid phrasing the question so directly.

The hanar looked uncomfortable, as much as Kaidan could tell from its gelatinous form. "This one" hovered backwards and seemed to scan the area. "That is not inaccurate. This one could produce your drive and a good deal of credit for this favor."

Kaidan rolled his tongue in his mouth as he considered the proposal. "You... probably won't answer this, but what is the item?"

"Hamsters."

The lieutenant blinked, unable to stop the conjuration of his own furry, childhood pet, Bubba. Bubba had been quite the construction worker with toy blocks. It wasn't until later that Kaidan had found out he was unintentionally helping the rodent move them. "Hamsters?"

"Live animals of any kind are not permitted on this station, but this one's partner has often complained about the absence of the pitter patter of tiny feet."

Kaidan would have loved to correct "this one" on the human meaning of that term, but reconsidered as he found he did not know enough about hanar culture to determine if to them that term did in fact mean hamsters. "I'll... ah... speak to the commander."

"This one would be most pleased."


Three standard hours, two tiny hamsters, and one very displeased commander later, a glowing - well, more than usual - hanar left to present the gift to a parter off-station, leaving the shop and a mountain of credits in Kaidan and Liara's hands. Shepard had gone off to continue a conversation with Parasini after the administrator had unwisely failed to grant Shepard her request.

The lieutenant was standing against a tall display, admiring two top of the line STA drives when a very blue Liara fell out of the armor-fitting room to his right. She stood upright and bounced about, attempting to slide the left leg of the suit in some direction on her right one. Whether she was trying to get it off or on, he couldn't yet tell.

As she continued to stumble about and Kaidan continued to turn red, he realized two things. She was in fact attempting to remove the armor and she was so intent upon it that she had not yet realized she was on semi-public display. Several minutes into the armor removal dance, the baseline of frustrated grunts became obscene curses to a goddess he was unfamiliar with. As he his hand half-raised to cover his eyes respectfully, the lieutenant found he couldn't completely look away. The half-revealed complexities of asari anatomy turned the display into a very strange version of the grav-car accident effect.

"Enjoying the view?"

The negligent hand moved the rest of the way over his eyes as Shepard arrived in the doorway, but it was far too late.

With a squeak, Liara dove back into the dressing area to return later in a slightly different style of armor. In the mean time, Shepard's glare at Kaidan had turned unnervingly half-amused. "I didn't realize that interested you, Kaidan."

"No ma'am. I was just... the drives... then the cursing...goddess... I couldn't... grav-car accident." The more he stumbled over his words, the more amused Shepard seemed to become. It was as though she was discerning something pleasing from his discomfort - or just enjoying her ability to make him writhe intensely.

"Relax, Lieutenant. You're dismissed. Run back to the Normandy and send Vakarian down. There's a turian with a pass here I think he might help me relate to. Oh, and Kaidan?"

He was in agony. What could she want? What would he have to do to live this down? What was she going to do with Garrus? "Ma'am?"

"I really think you should take some shore leave as soon as we're able. Ondalium perhaps."

An image of the commander and himself slow dancing in a tropical restaurant imprinted itself on his field of vision. "I could look forward to some shore leave, Commander." He immediately winced. She had been verbally sending him on shore leave away from her not with her. He was not precisely in her good graces at the moment and even if he were there were two other little matters in the way, one named Jaqarand.

"Glad to hear it, Lieutenant." Her face softened to a wistful smile as she looked up at him. He began to have hope that maybe, just maybe, she had received the same image.

Softly, he felt his own smile return.


Author's Note: For those wondering, Ondalium is a beautiful place Zing-baby invented and the armor removal dance is borrowed from Fortunesque with permission. In both cases, the imagery was too wonderful to pass up so I thank both of these writers for bearing with me. I truly recommend reading Armor by Fortunesque and Ondalium by Zing-baby for more on each of those.