Ilos
"There is no data available."
Incomprehensible. Kedar regarded Vigil impatiently, wondering if there was yet another way to wrangle an answer from it. No matter how he phrased it, even using theorems, he still drew a blank in his endeavor to ferret out a scrap of data on the numerous enterprises the protheans had worked on. Ilos was their main research centre! Twelve survivors would have limitations, true, but not before the catastrophic event that struck Ilos. Such visions he had of the multitudes of scientists and technicians. A planet full of great minds working towards a common goal; weapons to use against the Reapers, enhancements for their troops. The wealth of knowledge he could plumb and yet, this VI claimed there was none to be had!
He paced agitatedly back and forth as Vigil looked on impassively. At the moment, he was alone. That would change soon in the next five minutes. With the resurrection of the Ilos VI and access to the archives, the Citadel Council had seen fit to send a a coalition of researchers and archaeologists to conduct further studies. They were accompanied by a large proportion of garrison guards, workers and warships to safe guard the place.
For the past two months, the bunker had been reinforced. More prefab dwellings were set up at various emergency egress to accommodate the influx of personnel. More would come when the foundations for a permanent facility was laid. However, more researchers meant competition for the archives since not all of them worked in the same scientific disciplines. As such, they had arranged a schedule among themselves. He had spent most of his allotted time trying to find a breakthrough. This was his twentieth attempt in so many weeks.
Failure was not what he anticipated. He suspected that it had nothing to do with his questions or that the data was lost. It was there, he was sure of it. He just could not get to it. The only explanation he could come up with was that it had been cut off. Vigil was no A.I. He doubted its original instructions had been to deny information. No, the door was slammed shut by someone else.
Throughout the entire journey down into the Prothean Archives, the way they bypassed the ancient security grids, the unusual deference the Prothean VIs had accorded to this person, there was only one who could have done it. Shepard. There were no other possibilities except her. How and by whatever means she had eased past the obstacles, he had fervently sought enlightenment but the human had brushed it off as preparation from the surviving prothean, Javik. Close friends they were not but surely he had earned himself a place in her regard?
Experiments on the scrambler was continuing. Progress was too slow. Given a choice, he would have opted to test the original scrambler program on Sur'Kesh the moment Vigil handed over the schematics but he knew his views held no sway with the philosophical attitudes of his peers and the Council. Benevolence was wasted on unappreciative subjects who would not have hesitated to use it to kill were the device theirs. His major anxiety, however, was the device. There was no assurance they could duplicate it. Despite their present technological ability, the protheans were still several steps ahead. If they failed in the endeavor, they were back to their original predicament.
A sound brought him around. His time was up. He nodded amicably to his colleagues; humans, turians, volus and a hanar, as he walked briskly past them. A few of them turned as if intending to engage him in conversation but he continued on to the lift. There was little point in exchanges when he had nothing to offer. On the lift, he watched them as they gathered at the terminals at the floor platform, their enthusiasm to learn more about prothean evolution and culture glaringly bright. There had been no complaints from them about unattainable data. It rankled. What was cultural history to advance technologies? Would history help any of them stamp out the TI or future menace? History could wait, the TI would not.
He had to clarify with Shepard that she had indeed, placed the lock out. If she did, he would have to present his arguments to her. Of which, he was confident she would see they were valid. She had however, not returned his emails. He could understand that she was busy. It was hardly surprising that she would be sought after to solve the myriad of problems plaguing the authorities but he hoped she would answer his queries as soon as possible.
He paced in the lift. There was another possibility he had to consider too. He could be mistaken in thinking she had a hand in the lock out. What if it wasn't she? If so, the problem lay with Vigil. Perhaps the VI had a clause not to reveal any prothean military project. Perhaps it was a form of protection for the younger races. If so, how was he to circumvent the program?
All through his journey back to main base, he poked and turned the problem round and round. So preoccupied was he that he did not notice the tension at the lab. Back at his workstation, he checked his console for messages. He blinked at an email and dumped it, upset. It was not the time to consider reproduction negotiations! Foolishness when females and hatcheries were by no means, secured. Contention might have been thinned but his lineage did not present advantageous leverage to be shortlisted either. A fact he had no wish to languish in.
"Have you heard?"
He didn't turn at the abrupt intrusion of his colleague's voice. "Busy, I am."
"There was a massive assault on Thessia. On the two cities. Hundreds of casualties!"
"What?" He turned, startled.
"Straighten those horns, the archives aren't everything. It's there in the news bulletin." As abruptly as he had appeared, his colleague vanished.
Eyes crinkled with apprehension, he brought up the xtranet and saw at once what his colleague meant. Hard to miss when the articles were blazoned in red and highlighted. His anxiety increased tenfold as he read. Having lived on Thessia for the past two years, he had an idea of just how bad it must have been. The asari would have called in every allied troops, including the geth, to push back this assault. The largest by far, if the reports were true. Judging from the vids, they were. The scale was unprecedented! Why? Why?
Switching off his console, he had to forcibly restrained himself from pacing. Military intelligence on the TI had been abysmal. All they had were estimates of such and such without hard data. Even with the lack, Allied powers had been able to deal with the persistent aggression from the TI who had so far, engaged in small numbers, hit and run clashes and sabotages. This recent assault brought to the fore the fears he had been harbouring. One he was sure was shared by many. The reason behind this recent incursion was of no matter. That the TI were able and beginning to amass in such numbers, with such weaponry and materials, was a crucial issue.
What was to prevent a similar occurrence on Sur'Kesh? While his planet was not over taken by the Reapers, many of their thrall agents had infiltrated under the guise of refugees during the war. Their numbers were small but their incursion were insidious. Several hatcheries were attacked and precious broods were lost. The next generation of salarians would not be born were this to continue.
No, it would not come about. He stood up and made for the canteen. At this time, Module would be with the humans. It had chosen to schedule its own "rest" period to coincide with those of the humans, usually at meal times. Its purpose was to fraternize of course. Whether it was out of true curiosity or latent intrigue, Kedar could only guess but he hadn't placed much trust in it. He had restricted his association with it to the bare minimum. Geth were an unknown developing intelligence to be wary of. Given their immortality and technological strengths, all the more to keep them at arm's length. Even so, they had their uses and he had such a purpose right then.
As he expected, Module was with a group of humans at the canteen table, forming one end of the group. How best to get it away? He dithered for a moment before he realized he was attracting undue attention. Thereupon, he approached with his usual briskness and was able to whisk the geth prime away with the plea that he needed to discuss a problem concerning the project. Not in itself an outright lie. They returned to his workstation. The geth prime folded itself beside him as he sat down. A small act of courtesy that he could appreciate.
Though there was no one nearby, he pitched his voice low. "Heard, attack on Thessia?"
"News spreads."
"Incomplete, current project, other ways to deal with TI."
The flaps around the optic perceptor lifted. "You have ideas."
"Truly." Kedar nodded quickly. "Urgent. Threat is paramount, all. Should they band, larger forces, larger losses. Project may fail, original programming, not work. Other ways, find."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Possibilities, much technological information held within archives. May help TI threat remove. Vigil incooperative," he paused, waiting for the geth to comment.
Module said nothing. Kedar wished there was some way to look into the thought processes of a geth. The platforms geth inhabited gave absolutely no clue to what they think or how they may react. In that, they were just as dispassionate as the elcor who tried to make up for it by stating exactly what they meant when they speak. He had the impression the geth prime did not give him that same level of consideration as it would the humans. But that was of course, his imagination.
He continued. "Information withheld, suspect lock down by Shepard. Searching archives..."
"It is not possible," Module interrupted flatly.
Kedar stared at it in astonishment. "But I've not-," he protested. To be rejected outright without further debate?
"Have you not considered the rationale behind the restrictions? Whether Vigil is obeying a directive from Shepard or no, you intend to circumvent a prudent restriction by asking me to infiltrate the mainframe," Module stated baldly, flaps rising while Kedar looked anxiously at the other researchers in the room. "Irregardless of the mores behind your objectives, you are in conflict with the Council's vested interest in compromise and cooperation."
"Vested interest, understand I do." Kedar fought to keep his voice down, pricked by the censure. "Interest is TI removal. Theirs, mine, all. In conflict, not I."
"Then apply through proper channels. The intention and idea is not without merit but a lone illegal attempt is fraught with many pitfalls and may not achieve the desired end."
"Talking much, to humans," Kedar snapped, feeling out of his depth and not liking the tone. He was on a legitimate mission of far reaching benefits for every one, not just himself.
"They offer much, as do others," Module said as it unfolded itself and walked away, leaving Kedar to fume and wonder what he ought best to do.
Local Cluster
Earth, Citadel
There was no getting away from it. Whichever way she walked or turned, screens and terminals were blaring the news. Colloquies at every corner seethed with tension and fear. The latter was strong from those who had yet to claim the majority of their homeworld. The humans were guarded and less worried. In that, they owe the fact that they could speak with confidence of their future to one man who had the foresight and will to enforce the purge of the TI on Earth very early.
Sitting there in the departure lounge, eyes closed, Liara could taste the tang of stress and alarm. They echoed within her. Long had she withheld the fear that her people would lose their home. Now, that fear perched at the edge, ready to spring into reality should this trip failed to bring resolution. A voice broke into her reverie.
"Do not swim too long in the dark currents, Little Wing. It does the little one no good."
Opening her eyes, Liara reached to take the hand Aethyta proffered. Hiding her dismay that Aethyta could read her, she strengthened her mental barrier. Hand in hand, they strolled slowly, heads bent close to each other. A pair of asari commandos lagged watchfully behind.
"The currents are clarion calls of the growing tempest that could sweep us all away," Liara said. "How can I not feel it?" She sighed as they passed another group of asari, deep in agitated conversation
"Nor I," Aethyta admitted, "but I learned to build breakwaters. You should too. Whether Thessia will survive as a whole or broken, we will know in the coming days."
"I wish I could do something more," Liara said helplessly, wishing she could halt the cold that seemed to permeate her entire body. They came to a stop at the entrance to the landing slip where Aethyta's ride, a passenger liner, was docked.
Aethyta gently lifted her chin with her fingers and looked into eyes swimming with worry. "You already have. Keep in mind, child. Were you to carry every single stone along the path all at once, you would get nothing done." She hugged her tightly. "Keep yourself safe."
"You too, dad."
Liara tried to keep the tremble out of her voice, planting a soft kiss on Aethyta's cheek. She managed a smile when Aethyta wagged an admonishing finger as she reminded her once more to take care of herself. She watched as the matriarch vanished through the hatch with her commandos. Deep in thought, she made her way to the viewing gallery and leaned against the railing of the viewing deck, squinting against the glare of lights from the crowd of vessels around the docks.
There was no reason why the Assembly shouldn't rewrite their policies, given the current state of affairs on Thessia. Yet there was every reason to think they would remain obdurate. Insane as that was. None of their decisions on the TI had proven prudent nor beneficial, only calamitous. If only the stubborn stalwarts would admit it. At times like this, she wished the Shadow Broker network had remained intact. Would she have found out about the Aiahcra to influence the Assembly away from their disastrous course?
She stared at the ships for a long time as she pondered. No, she decided finally. It was a secret buried so deep it was unlikely any of her agents would unearth it. She could however, called in favors among the Assembly members in her role as the Shadow Broker, manipulate the vote. Prevent the imminent fallout. Maybe.
Really, Liara, that is too naive. The consequences of calling in those favours can cut you at a later date.
A warning klaxon pealed out, long and loud as the docking clamps holding the passenger liner retracted. She watched as the ship glided out. It was one of several commercial vessels that ply the route that connected the main allied homeworlds to the nearest colonies. Sur'Kesh was one of them. From there, Aethyta would retrieve the old matriarch and return to Thessia in her private vessel, the Tilvar. With this latest assault on Kelice and Sharzis, waiting for the convocation was no longer feasible so Aethyta had chosen to leave as soon as possible. Barely hours after the news broke on the heavy assault on Thessia in fact.
I hope they listen to you, dad.
When the ship could no longer be seen, she checked the chronos of her omni-tool and debated whether she should hurry to the asari embassy. By the time she arrived, the meeting between Shepard and Aria T'Loak would be underway. Drawing attention to herself, especially from one such as the pirate queen was not something she looked forward to. She typed a message and sent it to her bondmate. With time on her hands, she would attend to the cluster of emails building up in her mailbox. Goddess forbid that any of them contain unwelcome news that another crisis was waiting to explode elsewhere.
I'm not surprise she's not coming.
Closing down her omni-tool, Shepard leaned against the wall of the lift. Tucked in the corner, ignored, she observed the others sharing space with her. The usual mixed bag. Their conversation was politely subdued and bounced around appointments, movie vids, jobs, dinner and so on. Mundane, ordinary. Deliberately so. Fit for the ears of the little people who had no other concerns except their next lot of simple pleasures. There were more of them than usual on the Citadel. A baby boom had blossomed as the galactic community sought once more to assume a normal semblance of life with most having more confidence in the tight security measures on the space station than those on their homeworlds. The asari particularly.
Not that I blame them. In their place, I'd probably rather be elsewhere than Thessia.
A smile twitched her lips when a blue cherub little face, crest barely nubs on her head, blinked sleepily at her over her mother's shoulder. She wondered what shade hers and Liara's would turn out in. Maybe the same as Liara, with a tinge of purple? Indigo? Iris? With cobalt blue eyes? Green? Sherry? Come to think of it, neither she nor Liara had decided on names yet though they had contemplated a list they had made. She had a feeling that would be the last detail they would attend to, given the waves of tumult they had to deal with. The space around her fluxed as the lift emptied and filled at every level, bringing in new passengers. A pair of volus had to wheeze and wave frantically for space to get in. A group of maintenance workers, three office workers gabbled a little too loudly about console and mechanical glitches.
Getting off at the embassy floor, she made her way to the asari embassy. Along the way, she noted the new elcor, volus, hanar, krogan, geth and quarian annexes. There would have been a Raloi office too when the Council had officially welcomed them to the galactic community years ago but since they had chosen not to be involved in the Reaper War and destroyed all their satellites and observation equipment around their homeworld, no one had bothered to inform them the war was over. Leave them in their playground was the general consensus.
As for the vorcha, there was no offices for them. Too primitive and too aggressive to get along with any one, no attempt had been made to solicit their interest in a official representive. Most people would be surprised to learn there was a vorcha representative, ancillary to the asari. The small clan of vorcha had been raised with a more gentle outlook than their peers on Heshtok. Last and not least, was the Rachni representative who had chosen to share an office with the asari than to publicly assume one. Most of the galactic community were unaware of their revival or of their assistance in the war except for those they worked with.
Jamming her hands in the pockets of her hoodie, she made a sort of slouching entrance into the asari embassy. The staff was looking hassled. Not surprising with the waiting lines. Rather than draw attention to herself, she attached herself to one of the queues. When she reached the counter, the receptionist realised who she was after peering into the hood. The look on her face made Shepard want to giggle out loud. The receptionist leaped up immediately and hastened to show her to Tevos's office.
Tevos was as usual at her desk. To her surprise, the pirate queen was not lounging in any of the seats when she walked in. She was standing at the windows, looking out.
"Shepard, it's good to see you." Tevos stood up, gesturing to one of the seats before her desk. "I'm glad you came."
Did the councilor think she would refuse to attend? Odd. "I try not to miss my appointments."
Shepard relaxed into one of the chairs, interlaced her fingers on her lap and waited receptively. Who was going to get the ball rolling?
Tevos made to reply but Aria beat her to it. "Much is at stake. A advantageous opportunity," she said without turning from her vantage point at the window.
"Please, enlighten me," Shepard said. She exchanged a glance with Tevos who sat back down with a gesture that said she would play no part in the dialogue. Unless she was needed. But on whose side. Given Tevos's record, Shepard was certain she would try to maintain parity.
Turning around, Aria sauntered to the chair next to Shepard and dropped into it gracefully. Dressed as usual in a close fitting suit and short jacket, she looked impeccable and confident. "It's mutually benefiting."
"That's a matter of debate," Shepard said dryly. "Why persist with Omega?"
"Why not?" Crossing her legs, Aria leaned back in her chair. "Would you prefer a garden or a untame tract of weeds?"
"That much of an altruism, I find hard to believe," Shepard said evenly.
"Everyone has a place. If they can't find one, they make one. For those outside the boundary of law and order, the charter is one of plunder and profit. Left to their own devices and avarice, their playground grow too small too quickly." Aria's eyes narrowed a fraction. "Omega is the poultice to draw them in, their energies directed to more controlled and effective applications, their spoor clear to track."
"The station and the populace have been under Cerberus's manipulation for the past five years, the situation has to be adversely against any kind of rehabilitation," Shepard pointed out.
Aria's eyes glittered frostily. "The same can be said of the Allied homeworlds. Of Thessia," she said. "No one has relinquished hopes of retaking their homes. Is it any different for those who regard Omega their haven?"
Shepard regarded her curiously for she saw a spark of regret in Aria's eyes. What did she regret? "So you chose to manifest their pleas."
"Can anyone deny they had given equal blood and flesh in the war? Do they not deserve to claim their place?" Aria leaned forward. "Think of Omega as an investment," she said persuasively. "If the station is secure, some measure of stability will spread to adjoining sectors."
That was true. Shepard mentally conceded Aria's arguments were reasonable. Not that she was going to say so aloud. "How exactly did Cerberus manage to get hold of the space station?"
That would certainly rub Aria on a sore spot. Other than saying she had been outsmarted by TIM and vowing vengeance, she had been reticent about the details five years ago. She might be stepping on the pirate queen's toes but if she wanted her pound of flesh, Shepard wanted to know exactly what went on back then.
Lips thinned, Aria regarded her for a moment.
"What is that human saying. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" she snorted disdainfully. "I allowed Cerberus to use Omega as a supply depot for their research bases beyond the Omega 4 Relay. One of their many experiments was deliberately released. They began to infest the station. Cerberus sent a taskforce to "help" with the infestation. I went off station with the Cerberus commander to destroy the source. In my absence, Cerberus agents took control of the station. I escaped from the research bases to rally my forces."
Was it so simple? Shepard suspected Aria were lured away and captured. If the pirate queen wasn't about to admit it, she wasn't going to pursue that point but she was sure TIM intended to chill out a formidable opponent. He would be foolish not to. How Aria got away was a story she would like to hear one day, if she could catch the pirate queen at a accommodating moment.
"And?" she prodded when Aria fell silent.
"I chose to end the conflict when Cerberus threatened to reduce the station to rubble with their fleet."
How that must have rankled.
"Exactly what is this infestation?" Shepard asked curiously. She was more interested in that. She had a feeling it was something no one in the Alliance had encountered before.
"They are called Adjutants. A life form created with Reaper technology. They have but a single goal. To produce more of themselves. A bite, a scratch-," a nasty smile twisted her lips as Aria spread out her strong but slim fingers. "The infected victim begins to transform immediately into the life form within hours. The mature form takes longer to kill but the altered victim is more vulnerable. The best way to kill either of them is to shoot their heads."
"Given what you have told me, what's to stop Cerberus from unleashing this mutant on the Omega populace?" Shepard asked gravely. Resolutely, she pushed away images of the horrors the captive residents would have faced had TIM indeed unleashed his warped pets.
"None." Aria shrugged and settled back into her chair, regarding her watchfully. For a moment, they stared at each other.
"What do you want?" Shepard asked finally.
"Need I repeat myself?" said Aria. "The retaking of Omega would see a number of casualties none would find acceptable. The consequences of such a venture negates any support from those who do not see the significance of Omega. That is why I ask for you. You may be one but behind you, I see many."
Shepard was sure Aria wouldn't have come this far without a plan. "How do you intend to retake Omega?"
Aria looked to Tevos who had been silent all the while. Reaching for the workconsole on her desk, Tevos activated a holo projector. An image of Omega materialised.
"After the demise of their esteemed leader-," a cold pleased smile flashed across Aria's face, "Cerberus continued their supply runs to and from the Omega 4 Relay. Traffic from other systems-," her brow lifted at Shepard as she deliberately let slipped that titbit, "was also observed to dock with the station regularly. The supply run ceased two years ago. No ships docked at the station since then. I sent in a infiltration team after establishing my own platform to launch a comprehensive investigation. They had hardly cycled past the airlock before they were completely wiped out."
Shepard watched keenly as the vid split into two, one showed a feed from one of the mercenaries who was standing at the airlock of his ship. "Where did you send them?"
"The Warrens. Located at the bottom." Aria pointed to the location. "If there were any survivors, the slums offered the best defenses."
Shepard continued to watch as the hatch of the airlock slide aside. The mercenary followed his comrades through the hatch. The airlock was dim and empty. The group cycled through. Just as the mercenary's helmet visual adjusted to the dim interiors, barely seen shadows flashed out. Cries erupted. The vid jiggled, spun crazily before blanking out but not before splatters of liquid completely covered the helmet.
"What the hell jumped on them?" Shepard muttered, more to herself than asking Aria.
"That is for you to find out." Aria pulled out a datastick from the pocket of her jacket and tossed it to Shepard who fielded it quickly before it could land on the floor. "Vid feed from all of them, including records of Cerberus movements your Admiral Hackett was asking for."
"I have not said I would do it."
"Sooner or later, Omega becomes everyone's problem," Aria said harshly. "I am offering a few solutions before the issue becomes an embarrassment for you."
A pox on Cerberus! Biting back a sigh, Shepard regarded the datastick in her hand. "What is your solution to cleansing the station after Cerberus is removed?"
"Return Omega to its origins."
"Origins?" Shepard frowned. She did not think Aria was suggesting destruction. "Didn't it start out as a Prothean mining station?"
Aria nodded. "The Protheans were not able to break through the crust and abandoned it. It wasn't until a collision broke the asteroid in half, exposing the trove of eezo, that asari corporations turned it into a profitable mining facility. When all the eezo were gone, it was abandoned and later used by outlaws as a haven. The central infrastructure is solid. Additional expansion was undertaken through the centuries. Layers and layers were added. Giving form to the facade you see now. I will see those layers stripped away-," she pointed to another location. "Each layer is interlocked and can be disengaged at Omega Control. Once separated, the emergency power of each layer will eventually be depleted."
The enormity of what she was suggesting took Shepard's breath away. Removing each layer meant snuffing out the lives of those who lived in those structures. Aria was essentially telling her to kill the entire population of Omega. But then, entire populations of what? A glance at Tevos revealed that she was just as stunned. Plainly, she was not privy to the pirate queen's plans.
"Drastic," Shepard said, "and certainly not acceptable. There could be survivors."
Aria stood up and strolled to the window. "For six years, Cerberus had free rein of the station. What do you suppose was happening during that time? Need I mention Sanctuary? The Adjutants? The "reformed" Cerberus troops? I suggest you look beyond the ethics and consider the ramifications should Cerberus unleash millions of their thralls upon us."
"But you have no idea if they have such numbers," Shepard countered, "or if they had converted that many."
"Didn't I say solutions?" Aria threw a withering look over her shoulder. "I am proposing the most dire line of resolution foremost, the least anyone wants to hear."
"What then are the others?" Tevos queried.
"It is enough that are others." Turning around, Aria leaned against the window behind her, crossing her arms. "Whichever way presents its course, the annihilation of Cerberus remains paramount." She eyed Shepard keenly and smiled slightly when she nodded.
"I will have an answer for you in the next few days." Shepard stood up. "T'Loak, Councilor," she said politely before leaving the room.
For a while, neither asari said anything. Tevos studied the vids minutely but could not make out what the shadows were. It was too dark. She looked over at Aria who was once more looking out of the window. A mannerism she was well familiar with. Shutting off the holo projector, she got up and walked to the window.
"Is Omega really such a good place to stand?" Tevos asked softly as she gazed out the window herself. Skycars flew to and fro, polished gloss glinting in the artificial sunlight. Soft blues and greens carpeted beyond and below.
"Is Thessia any better?" Aria said darkly. "If Aethyta fails, there must be alternatives. Most will come here. Some will choose elsewhere. The intrepid will strike out on their own. A place to stand for a while is better than none."
"Your alternative may not come to fruition," Tevos said, shifting subtly away. She was disturbed to find even after centuries, the impact of Aria's aura had not lost its allure. Going near her was a mistake.
"You're usually not that pessimistic, Heliv," Aria chided. "Success or failure, a new slate is laid."
Stilling the flash of memory at that pet name, Tevos turned away, intending to return to her desk. "What would you write upon it?"
When Aria didn't answer, she glanced over and was startled to find her regarding her with a light in her dark eyes that was all too familiar. She shook her head. "It's been too long, Aria. Not the wisest course..," she broke off when Aria took her hand and the bond that they had denied themselves for centuries flashed into being as if they had never been apart.
"No. Not the wisest," Aria agreed, a smile in her eyes. "Too much pain, too many regrets." She caressed her face. "Do you know how often I think of you?" she chuckled sadly when Tevos shook her head. She tried to throw up barriers against the mind she yearned to merge with again and felt them faltered when she felt Aria's gentle mental touch. "Moments to share and there is no one wherever I look."
"Like how you share Liselle?" Tevos could not keep the trace of bitterness out.
"You say that now." Aria shook her head. She was reluctant to raise again the arguments that had separated them and set them on different paths. "Our time may be drawing to a close, Heliv. Would you not share the present of what we have with me?"
"I..." Refusal rose to the fore but Tevos remembered how lonely she had been; political aspirations made poor companions. "It-." she found she could not articulate the reasons why their relationship would not work in the face of Aria's plea.
"Leave it." Aria drew Tevos closer. "The humans have a saying...seize the moment."
It seemed like yesterday and yet not. She realised why. The touch of Aria's lips was more gentle than she remembered, different. Everything was a startling contrast to the desires of those years when they were much younger. Touch, scent and mind. Even as her inner consciousness reminded her of the disastrous political repercussions of an affair, she ignored them. That silent dormant heart of hers flared to life and she felt the wave of an equal answer. Seize the moment? Yes, she certainly would.