Here Be Dragons

by Elizabeth Carter

Book Three: Sovereign is dead, the citadel once ruins is beginning to rebuild, the Council is saved and now Shepard is faced with a new enemy, one held over from ancient days:The Collectors. She must race against time, Cerberus and the shadows of a war yet to come. This is part three of my Ashes world: a retelling of ME2. Many game elements are changed.

19. Two Hours Before O4R

Chapter 19: Two Hours Until O4R

The dead had to be seen to.

Urz deserved that much at least. Joker had told her how the hound had died trying to save Kelly. You could take the varren pit dog out of the pits but not the pits out of the hound. Back on Tuchanka Urz had been in the championships before his owner got himself exiled for striking a pregnant female krogan. She had suffered no great harm but to offer violence to a pregnant woman was crime enough to demand exile.

That krogan's rash action had left not only a kennel without an owner but the prime fighter without a handler. While the woman who had been accosted was given the man's kennel and holdings she had wanted nothing to do with Urz. Indeed until Shepard had come to Tuchanka none could truly get close to the white and blue stripped beast. That alone had puzzled the Specter for all she had done to get the beast's loyalty was to feed it pyjack meat. To the krogan the veran had re-imprinted upon the Spectre making Urz—hers.

Indeed Urz had accompanied the Spectre during Grunt's rites of passage and finding Mordin's missing former apprentice Maelon. He had remained at her side even after she left the krogan homeworld. Wrex thought it was the funnies thing ever. Urz was by far a superior pet for a fearsome warrior like Shepard. Much better than her fish or what the old warlord called a walking fluff-ball of a snack. Who keeps hamsters as a pet? Might as well keep a pyjack if you're going to keep snack food around and give it a name.

Urz had become loyal and ever faithful, always eager for battle, no space hamster could do that. Even still there was a cuddly side to the former pit-dog, something (Shepard would never admit aloud) he had in common with both Grunt and Jack. All teeth and anger and below that loyalty and below that the deep need to belong.

Those two were at her side now: Grunt and Jack. The latter had brought up a canvas tarp taken from storage. Once upon a time the tarp would have served as an awning to cover supply stations at a long term groundside base, now it served as a funeral shroud for a true warrior.

"He tore into the enemy and made it bleed to protect his krant. He died well." Grunt said approvingly watching as his Battlemaster-Mother was currently sewing the tarp closed. Like fallen sailors of old who were sewn in their hammocks to be buried at sea, Urz was now so sent to the stars.

Jack looked to Shepard and the down at the savage hound. She liked the fish-dog, felt a kinship to him. Hell Urz had made her want to get her own varren. Maybe one of these days she would, maybe one those that are born on Blue's planet… cuz it'd have biotic abilities and all. Cuz all animals on Thessia had biotics what with all the eezo there. That'd be a partner she knew she could trust, well other than Shepard.

Maybe she'd get a bitch—breed her and give one of the pups to The Queen of the Girl Scouts—cuz you know team-building things and shit. Of course by the time she got herself one of the dogs….this whole team-thing would be done and over with. Meh, she'd still get QOTGS's her new dog—provided they come back from this suicide run.

Jack reached out and touched Urz's cold scaly hide. "Just for you Urz, I'll hit those mother fucking collectors so hard candy pops out." she tried to imagine that stubby little tail wagging when ever they were about to attack some dip-shits stupid enough to go up against the QOTGS's flagship team. Yeah Jack included herself with Shepard's guys.

Shepard cocked her head in hearing Jack's vow and found her lips curling into a small smile of gratitude. After she had finished her task of stitching the sides of the canvas together, she stopped to pick up the dead weight of two hundred pounds of pure meat, Grunt stopped her.

"Let me Battlemaster."

Shepard nodded, this time her smile was offered to her 'son'. While she could have done the task herself, especially since her right arm was cyberneticly enhanced

He needed to help, just as Jack had needed to help hence finding and the tarp and offering it to Shepard. The three of them made their way to the shuttle bay. Here Grunt lay the body of Urz down on the deck-platting.

"You are worthy of being of the Battlemaster's krant. Now go to the stars. I will remember and tell your stories." Grunt offered the eulogy which actually misted Shepard's blue eyes. Jack pretended not to see just as she tried to convince herself that this damned shuttle bay needed to be scrubbed because it was dusty as hell

Silently Shepard walked over to the controls of the bay that would erect a forcefeild that was designed to protect the deck officer from the vacuum of space in order to launch a shuttle craft or in the case of high orbit drops of the maco or hammerhead.

It was only after the body of Urz was launched that Shepard turned to see the rest of the Ground Team as well as Joker standing attention at the Engineering Deck's observation window. This had come as a surprise, though maybe it shouldn't have they were a close knit team. It wasn't just a varren's funeral; it was the funeral over the newest member of the team who had died in battle to protect his crew.

Shepard gave them a very slight salute of thanks then left the Shuttle Bay, but not before offering her gratitude to her two misfits: her 'son' Urdnought Grunt and her almost but not quite protégée—teacher in training- Jack Naught.

Grunt turned to Jack his great maw turned into an expression that could only be described as confusion. "Your eyes are leaking."

"Fuck you turtle-boy they are not!" Despite her loud protest to the contrary jack rubbed her eyes and found that the back of her hand came away smudged with black mascara. it was a total embarrassment if the heavy mascara she wore started to streak her face—and over a fucking dog too. Well fuck QOTGS's turtle baby for making her tear up. Stupid shellback! … Not saying anything more the hot-tempered young woman all but stormed out of the shuttle bay.

After the loss of the entire fucking crew to the goddamn space-roaches, and Urz kicking it and the rest of the shit…Jack wanted a good stiff drink and she wanted to get laid. Fortunately she knew where to get both.

Ignoring the krogan tank-baby, Jack slipped past him and the Commander once the elevator rose one floor up. She didn't look behind her to see Grunt had gotten off as well.

Shepard took the lift back up to the CIC. Eerily quiet with out the hum of life in the background—the feel of other people. There was only the buzz of computers. Pausing for a moment Shepard looked towards Kelly's station—her empty station—still spattered with Urz's blood.

Ignoring the blood of a fallen soldier as she had on Eden Prime with Corporal Jenkins what seemed like a thousand years ago. You remember the dead, honor their sacrifice but never allow the death to overwhelm the mission. Right now her mission was to eliminate the collector threat and get her people back. That was her top priority. The blood on the floors and the CIC computer consoles could be washed away later.

*Please confirm destination Shepard. The Reaper IFF is online, but there is a chance that the Normandy may not survive the Omega Four relay despite all the upgrades. Once we are on route we are committed.* EDI announced vanilly.

"The collectors took my people. Time to go get them back!"

*You got it, Commander.* Joker's voice hailed over the comms. Plotting a course for the Omega four Relay. ETA about two hours. I'll let you know when we arrive. I'll inform the rest of the crew. Um Commander, I ah took the liberty to open your QEC link to Dr. T'Soni. It's ready when you are."

"Roger that. Thank you Joker."

Looking up from the yeoman's station Shepard saw that Miranda was heading in her direction from the Bridge. It appeared the former Cerberus loyalist needed some hands on activity as well. Her being on the bridge was superfluous as EDI especially now that she was unshackled could have easily assumed the duties of co-pilot. She had done so in the past on several occasions, this last occurrence not-without-standing.

"Joker's making the final preparations now. I'll admit it Shepard, I'm impressed. You got us here." She said leaning her wait on her left leg and resting hand upon her hip as she did so. "Are you ready?"

"We got the right team and the collector's own technology." the Specter's lips curled into a half smile—meant to bolster confidence. "We can do this."

"I hope you're right Commander. We'll know soon enough. I'll inform you of any changes." Miranda said. That particular duty of course belonged to Garrus as he was Shepard's XO. However both women knew he would be no doubt spending his last free moments before the shit hit the fan with his wife. Something to do with testing his reach with the quarrian's flexibility.

"See you on the other side." For the first time since they met Miranda Lawson—The Illusive man's Right Hand, snapped a crisp salute. Surprised by the gesture Shepard returned the mark of respect.

"Miranda…wait."

"Commander?" the dark haired woman turned. The sheen on her new black cat suit caught some of the CIC's overhead lighting—making the former loyalist look as if she had just walked out of a sci-fi sim-game. "If you want some privacy, I'll authorize a call from the war-room's QEC to your sister."

"Thank you, Commander." Miranda grinned slightly. Such a display of joviality was so rare a thing that a slim smile was likened to a megawatt light bulb "I appreciate the gesture but the Normandy hasn't a private link to her." That was true. The only reason Shepard was able to use the QEC with her bondmate, the Council, Anderson or even Hackett and that bastard TIMmy was that each of had their own entangled quantum particles allowing a direct line of communications that could not be hacked or pirated and redirected.

"Doesn't mean you can't use the ships broadband comms. It will be little slower using comm buoys, but hell I'll flex a little Spectre status and get you through on priority."

"Real time comms is very expensive, Commander." Miranda said, her hand automatically going for her collarbone.

Shepard grinned. "Either you don't want to talk to your mini-me or you're just making up excuses because you're too nervous to have a heart to heart with lil'Sis." Shepard tilted her head towards Miranda's unconscious twitch.

The younger woman snatched her hand away from her shoulder and deliberately held it behind her back in a near at ease pose. Though not quite. Frack The Illusive Man for formulating that impassive tell in her psyche.

How dare he violate her! Damn it, maybe she needed a good dose of hate-sex with Jack just to throw into in The Illusi… into TIMmy's face… Hell who was Miri trying to kid? She had started to have real feelings for the bald- ill-tempered-loose cannon-heavily tattooed beauty that was the Lone Survivor of Pragia.

"Or you can spend it with…I don't know… people you don't like." Shepard fixed the other woman with a knowing look. Miranda did her best not to roll her eyes. Well of course Shepard knew that she and Jack were…well…hate-fucking but pretended they weren't. In fact most of the Flagship Team pretended it wasn't going on. The one oddly enough not to actually know was Kasumi—but that was only because the master-thief had her head in almost always in her dead lover's gray-box when they were not on a mission.

That can't be healthy.

Shepard passed the other woman a smirk still toying at the corners of her lips. "See you in two."

"Liara?"

"Of course." The Spectre's smirk turned into a soft smile. "Could there ever be anyone else?"

"Your daughters?" Miranda offered which earned the woman a tender nod of her head.

Shepard chuckled gently and nodded: 'Your daughters.' My daughters. God! I'm a mom! I'm a MOM! Yeah my daughters—a sigh—I promised them I'd always come back—but if I don't-if I don', they have to know I love them.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

Miranda moved for the elevator, pausing only for a moment glancing at the armory door, passed that was the access corridor that leads to both the science lab and the war room. She took one step, then another and then another until finally she found herself standing before the conference table.

A moment. Miranda? Hey." Oriana smiled brightly seeing her sister's face. "This is unexpected."

A hand reached for a collarbone and fell. "Yes…I wasn't sure if you'd be home."

"What's wrong?" Oriana frowned. "Sis?"

"I'll be going through the Omega Four Relay very soon."

"Oh." the frown of concern deepened then turned into confidence. "This isn't goodbye, Miri. You're coming back. I know you are. You got this."

Miranda ever the pragmatist—the realist tried to smile at her sister's optimism. "Ori, this called a suicide mission for a reason, the likelihood of us returning is very low. Saying that, I have every faith in Shepard, she will see this mission through." the tension in her voice was palpable as if she were willing herself to believe the words. "We got the right team and the collector's own technology." Parroting the Commander's words helped her believe them. Truly believe them.

"Yeah, well the Specter is a very clever woman. Brave and smart. She trapped you, used me as bait and well I remember that whole interrogation thing." Oriana shrugged her shoulders. "Those were pretty intense few days."

"Yes they were." Miranda agreed. To her own amazement her hand did not stray to her collarbone. "I kept asking to see you and she always looked at her asari guards who were always wore helmets. Then she'd say 'Not today.' then one day…"

"…she looked to her guards and agreed to let you see me, knowing full well that I took the place as one of them. If anyone can get you back home it's her. Miri just come home." Oriana grinned softly, "Then you can introduce me to your girlfriend."

Miranda's eyes widened "Girlfriend?!" She shook her head frantically. "Don't be ridiculous! I don't have a girlfriend!"

"No? Pft….come on, are you telling me you and Jack aren't an item?"

"NO! We're not an item. Though she didn't use air-quotes they were most certainly implied. "Wait, how do you even know about her?"

"Really? We share the same genes, sis. I'm you, just younger. Okay not you—you..."

"I know what you meant…" Miranda cut her off.

"Then you know. Just how smart we are. You told me that you were with someone that made you feel for the first time in a long time—alive. So let's break it down. There's Shepard, but she's so deeply in love with her wife she'd never stray and that's before her babies were born.

"Then there's Kelly Chambers but you like fire in your romantic partners, because I like fire. So she's not an option. Then there's Kasumi Goto but she doesn't seem to be your type even if she's got fire. Then there is the Justicar but yeah you don't do aliens, and that girl Tali is out too—being not human. Though she's also married—so doubly out. You're not into blue veins so not Dr. Chakwas. You'd never fraternize with any of the lower ranked crew members so that leaves only one person. Jack. She's all fire. You said as much."

"I believe the term I used was that she was a lose cannon waiting to go off at the slightest provocation."

"So how many times have you provoked her?

"Oriana!"

The younger Lawson chuckled. "I'm just doing my job as the little sister. Didn't you know it's a requirement that all little sisters annoy their big sisters?" a tender smile. "Just like it's your job as a big sister to always look out for me. Just like you did when I was a baby and …well…we know what happened after."

There was a long moment of silence.

Miranda had fled her father's compound with her six month old sister in her arms in desperation to insure Oriana had a normal life. A safe life. In order to do so, she had made a deal with The Illusive Man: Miranda gave herself to Cerberus—over time she drank the preverbal Kool-Aid and became a loyalist. A born again Cerberus agent.

She was loyal when she was ordered to bait Alliance soldiers at Akuze, to lure out the thresher maws all just to create anti-toxin mods for Alliance hardsuits.

She was loyal when rise of the Reapers came with Sovereign and attacked the Citadel.

She was loyal when TIMmy came up with the Project Lazarus that replaced Project Caesar.

She was loyal when she joined Shepard to battle the collectors. She was loyal up until… until she saw the truth. She saw the real truth, past the paint, the masks and the lies so carefully woven by The Illusive Man.

She was loyal until Shepard

She was loyal until Project Overlord

She was loyal until Pragia and Subject Zero

Now she was loyal to Shepard.

Now she was loyal to herself, to her sister…to…no she couldn't think of the other.

A hand strayed to a collarbone and this time though aware there was no second thought or pause to stop it.

Jack.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

Two hours was plenty of time to make sure the krants' weapons and armor were all up to speck. No cracks in the casings of the hardsuits, all weapons cleaned and fully kitted out to the best efficacy to those who used them. Made sure each member of the krant had enough heat sinks to see them through to the end.

After he had finished, Grunt double checked the Battlemaster's gear. Then he checked a third time for - mother. (The greatest moniker any female krogan could carry beyond even the lofty title of Warlord…even if she wasn't a krogan…but well…mostly)

Shepard was a crack shot but not a sniper, her best weapon were her biotics. Grunt made sure the mods to her hardsuit best suited those skills. He polished and sharpened the asari blade and made sure the omni-blade never failed. He also restocked her supply of quick –energy boost to her canteen and ration packs. Then decided he'd better do the same for the other biotics within the krant.

What time remained Grunt reviewed footage of Shepard in battle against the collectors, husks and geth and compared it to scenarios of Shiagar, Wrex another warlords and battlemasters. Grunt was an excellent warrior—pure krogan and a krogan always optimized his abilities to support his krant and battlemaster. To do this he had to anticipate Shepard's needs and her actions in battle. The others like the salarian, the little quarrian and thief could all do those tech explosions that worked in tandem with those who had the power of dark energy. But those things took time to set up and that's what Grunt insured-time.

Maybe just one more check.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

Never run when you can walk. Never walk when you can stand. Never stand when you can sit. Never sit when you can lie down. Never lay down when you can sleep. An old merc took those words to heart. He had two hours. Zaeed checked his weapon wishing for the thousands time that he had ol' Jessie back just for one more mission. He'd give anything to have her back. He looked at the rifle on the desk ran his fingers along her scarred yet polished surface as one might a lover's thigh before hunkering down and get some shut eye. Fuck it. He was ready.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

If she had only two hours before emanate death in hopes to end the threat of the collectors—Kasumi Goto was going to spend it in the memory of her dearest beloved. Delving deep into Kaji's graybox ignoring all the codes that were interlaced in her man's memories, Kasumi sank into deepest-the tender, most passionate—most intimate moments of their years together. From the moment they first met, to their first night as lovers—all wanton and reckless passion to their last slow-tender and everlasting lovemaking as true couple married in all but in the eyes of the law. Screw the law. She and Kaji were never one for the law.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

"Nephew, you are the favorite child of my favorite sibling. I write this to you in the very likely event of my death. I followed Specter-Commander Shepard through the Omega Four Relay as you well know. You also know this will have been very likely a one way trip.

"I give you this warning. Pay heed. Do something proactive.

THE REAPERS ARE COMING. THEY ARE REAL! SHEPARD IS RIGHT!

"Get the rest of the family to a vault on Sur'kesh. I know they exist. You know they exist. Get them there. My name still means something with the Dalatrasses. Use that connection before it dries up. If I survive I will be proactive in a very critical task. One I can not disclose. Not now. I have a connection with an Information Broker –Dr. Liara T'Soni in Nos Austra. She will release the information I need you to follow up on and see to the end. Barring T'Soni see out The Queen of Omega. Just don't break Omega's one rule. You are the only one I trust to do so. And you must.

"War is coming favorite nephew. Make no mistake. We will need everything, everyone possible to even think of a win. You must make sure that happens. Even if every thing in your mind, body and soul tell you otherwise. Open the info-pack. Follow it. To the end. Make it happen. Just do it. We will need them. We will need everything! Ignore anyone, any office, any official, that says otherwise. Nephew, I am counting on you.

Hold the line. Captain Karrahe of the STG might be a bit of a cloacae but you can trust him."

Mordin hit the send tap on his computer, closed the link and closed his eyes and decided to harvest as much rest as he could.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

*Link established, Justicar Samara.* Joker announced ever respectively over the ship's comms. He never felt comfortable just addressing the matriarchal asari by her name. It would be like calling Admiral Hackett by Stevie. It just wasn't done. You simply didn't do it. Respect—absolute respect all the way.

"Thank you Flight Lieutenant Joker."

Yep not correcting that either. Besides it was sorta weird but sweet sorta thing—maybe? Not getting into it. Not with a matriarch—she was a Matriarch—even if she were a only Matron Justicar Sumara was a Justicar and that was a big and powerful and full of muchness. A muchness as a Council Spectre and you simply don't fuck with either group. Period.

Samara passed Miranda in the halls of the Crew deck as she was heading up, they nodded to one another—each understanding one another. The one thing that Samara respected about Miranda Lawson was that the young human shared nothing of the self. Let nothing show. As it should be.

Shepard was a little more open, but not by much. Shepard was raised a soldier—a Commander. Like an asari commander her door was always open for her troops and her officers.

Specters like justicars were expected to be fully antonymous, independent. It was something born soldiers always had difficultly in separating. Soldiers thought of the team—the unit—the platoon.

Elysium could have never, would never had stood without Shepard. The same was said about the Asteroid X57 over Terra Nova, Illium, and the Battle of the Citadel. Shepard was not an independent agent. Even if she had all ability to do so, she thought of her fellows in battle before the self as any asari commander did with a unit of Huntresses.

Now of course as all new Ardas do (to be honest Samantha Shepard still considerers herself as a mamma—a part of her human conditioning) they think of their children. But she was not the only parent to think of her daughters. It had been weeks since the death of Morinth…of Mirala for it was her eldest, her favored daughter she had sent to the Void, not the monster that Morinth had become.

Falere and Rila, her treasured little ones-not so little anymore. They hadn't been little in a very long time. Most of that time her treasures had been living a life of isolation in the Ardat-Yakshi Monastery on Lesuss. They were good loyal daughters of Thessia obeying the law. Mirala was the only one who defied the law, who ran, who killed.

When Samara took the Oath of Solitude her youngest Falere was only forty-two, Rila two years older. She had called them to say a farewell, to tell them she loved them, to inform her loyal daughters why she was hunting Mirala. Mirala's crimes were Samara's crimes. Falere was more understanding –more supportive and more broken hearted when Samara all but turned her back on her daughters to chase after Mirala.

Falere even went as far as to tell her mother to catch Mirala. Rila on the other hand was not so giving or understanding. Anger filled her middle child. That anger grew to cold resentment in the past four centuries—1775 had been the last time Samara had any real contact with her daughters. Oh she checked on their health and welfare but she never spoke to her children.

Falere's youthful face was the first that came into focus on the vid-com. There was no mistaking the expression of sheer astonishment that spread across the cerulean face. "Why are you calling after all this time?"

"Because Mirala is dead." It was Rila. "You finely found and killed her."

"I did what was necessary. I followed the Code, Rila."

"I assume you didn't call us to brag about murdering Mirala, Mother. It's must be something phenomenal for the Head Mistress and High Priestess to both agree to allow us to take a private call, and in the Head Mistress's own office. "

"I did not murder your sister, Rila. You know better than that. I did what I had to do. I became a Justicar because it was my responsibility. Every one of her victims had families that loved them; their loss and pain were my responsibility. As were all the deaths. I follow the Code.

"Mirala chose her path when she ran, when she murdered my bondmate—your Arda. When she murdered the youngling that was Mirala and became Morinth, there was nothing of your elder sister in the eyes, Rila."

Falere placed a gentling hand upon her sister's shoulder; there was a small shake of her head that caused the elder of the two to pull back her rage. In that touch—spoke volume, yet a sound was not uttered. It said. Leave it be, sister. Let it rest. It's done. Nothing we do or say will change anything. Mirala was gone the moment she ran.

"You are correct my daughters, I did not call for the soul reason to inform you of Mor…Mirala's end." Samara closed her eyes for a moment, settling her thoughts, the knowledge this may well be the very last time she will ever see her children. She did not want this moment to descend into regrets of things said or not said.

"I am proud of both of you." She said at last. "So very proud. You must remember that."

Whatever their mother was going to say this was not what was expected, even Rila's anger faded am moment for concern to wash in. Not a tidal wave, but enough for her sister to give her a glance.

"What is the matter mother? You are rarely one for sentimentality. You chose the life of the Justicar, a life of solitude and you sent us to live in a dank fortress of solitude. What is the reason for this call?"

There was a moment of silence. Then: "You are right, I did choose this time because of obligation. Now I do must deeper into danger's grip. I took the Oath of Supplication. I gave it to Commander Samantha Shepard – a Council Spectre. In two hours we go beyond the Omega Four Relay to put an end of the harvesting of entire human colonies by the collectors."

"Omega Four Relay!? Mother nobody goes threw that relay!" Rila gasped.

"WHY!" Falere shouted.

"I told you, entire human colonies have been taken. Commander Shepard has been sent to put an end to it. I am apart of an elite team the Spectre has assembled to carry out this mission."

Samara's daughters were silent for a moment. Then there was a great flood of questions. All of which the Justicar answered to the best of her ability. While she was answering their questions, the old warrior soaked in the sound of her children's voices. for it was very likely the last time she'd hear them.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

"Hummm..." Tali moaned softly, reveling in the careful touch of her husband's talented fingers along her spine. "I may just get jealous of all the calibrations you're doing on the main battery. All that attention you give Normandy."

"Hey, you know you're the only girl for me." Garrus reassured his wife, his thumbs kneading the knots out of her shoulders and her lower back.

"I better be." Tali tried to sound fierce but it came out as a sigh of contentment. "Shepard can have her Archangel, and Normandy gets her XO – Caliboy but I get my hubby."

Garrus snickered as he leaned down and kissed the space between Tali's shoulder blades. "Caliboy?"

"Calibration Boy." the quarrian turned from lying on her tummy to lie now on her back. A devilish grin spreading across lilac lips, her fingers began to trace the lines on the carapace of Garrus's outer thigh.

His mandibles flickered in mock annoyance, his throat made a sound of feigned disgust. It was becoming exceptionally difficult to maintain the facade as his wife's touches were drawing a very different reaction to his body. "Calibration Boy? Can't I have a different pet name?"

"Humm…" Tali tilted her head, causing her dark angel fine hair to ripple along cheeks. "No. Caliboy. It's going to stick."

He hung his head in defeat. "Just don't tell Shepard. She'll never let me live it down."

"Trust me, right now our brave Commander is the last thing on my mind, husband." A purple skinned hand trailed from outside of the thigh to a deeper more intimate juncture.

"So I see." Garrus's voice hitched, his mouth dropped open a little in a turrian style of a smile. "I've never known anyone like you," he said softly, leaning on the bed. "A touch, a kiss, and you have me as aroused as any youth with his first female. You do it every time."

She leaned up and pushed him so that he now was on his back. His hazel-blue eyes reflected the light of their bed chamber / clean room.

"Do I still make your heart beat faster?" he asked, his hand cupping one breast as his mouth closed on the other.

"Oh, yes," she whispered, reaching down to touch the side of his mandible. "As fast as yours does." One hand closed under his crest, clutching the back of his head as his teeth and tongue began to work their magic on her. Then his body was touching hers, her skin like velvet against his carapace. The sensations began to build inside her higher and higher till they broke, leaving her shuddering with pleasure as he released her and gave a deep purr of amusement.

"Stop teasing me," She moaned softly, reaching down for him, but her hand was batted away as he continued.

"No more," She trapped his hand with hers, "I want you now, Garrus."

Then he was there, within her, part of her. If this be their last moments together it was going to wrapped in love's deep embrace.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

"Shouldn't you be sober for what's coming?" Miranda said walking down into Jack's hidey-hole.

"Biotic. You know how we are. I'll burn this grease monkey grog off before QotGS calls to arms." Jack reached under her bed and grabbed another bottle and tossed it to the Cheerleader. "Not bad—for swill. Had better. Had worse."

"You know I only accept the best." Miranda paused looking at the old whiskey bottle with contempt but she opened it nonetheless and took a swig. She made a face of disgust and took another swig. At a third it went down soother. By this time her throat had grown numb to the burn.

"You make this?"

"Do I look like a fucking chemist or brewer to you?" Jack took a swig that emptied the bottle then looked at her. "Black or white that catsuit does you a lot of favorers, Cheerleader. Makes your tits nice and flavorsome. Then there's that ass. It's like you deliberately put it out there."

"Why do you think I wear this? It's a distraction."

"Yeah, well I know all about distraction." Jack cocked a smug smile. She looked down at the hand on her chest, her eyes trailed up to the arm that as attached to it, up to the shoulder along the neck to the face to see an expression not of lust that was typically burning in those gray eyes. There was something else burring in those eyes. Something Jack didn't want to admit she wanted to see. Something that she needed.

Instead of peeling off the catsuit seductively as Miranda had untended she pulled the slighter woman into her arms and held her tightly. She felt a shudder and knew at once the younger woman was weeping! To Miri's astonishment when she pulled away just a fraction in order to look at Jack, she saw deep mascara lines trailing down the ex-con's face.

Seduction turned to genuine love. Miri kissed the stained cheeks tenderly, warmly.

"Then you can introduce me to your girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?! Don't be ridiculous! I don't have a girlfriend!"

"No? Pft….come on, are you telling me you and Jack aren't an item."

"NO! We're not an item!"

Somewhere along the line hate sex became sex became release became…whatever this was…and this was turning very swiftly into…the L word.

Slowly Miri pushed Jack down on that tiny uncomfortable military cot, tender kisses were placed along Jacks' tattooed neck, up along the jaw to the full very pouty lips that Miri had always enjoyed suckling-biting-kissing.

Hands intertwined, fingers lacing together, their kisses deepened, becoming more, demanding more. It wasn't hurried frantic or hungry as all there other copulations had been. It was slow, ever giving. Miri's left hand cupped the back of Jack's skull feeling the velveteen fuzz of her buzz-cut. Miri smiled as she deepened the kiss.

No words were spoken. None were needed.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

She had become Siha and he had promised one day to tell Shepard what it meant. Siha had been the cause of the second waking of his soul. He had prayed to Kalahari of the inscrutable depths that he may find liberation from his sins before he returns to the sea.

This mission was going to do that, the salvation of thousands of humans to even the scales of the many deaths he had caused. Through Siha he had his son once more. And that he owed a soul dept one as dear as the one he owned his beloved Irikah.

Sunset-colored eyes defiant in the scope.

The words mouthed: "How dare you."

Her intervention defied logic.

White feathers flock the sky between me and the salarian target I was hire to kill by the families of his victims. A war criminal. I cared nothing for their loss or his crimes. I cared for nothing. I watched as she told my target to flee for he was going to be assassinated if he did not.

I awoke.

Emotions surged: Guilt. Shame. Regret. Lost for days. Wondering without purpose. I had to find this woman who would step between a stranger and a bullet. Shadowing her. learning her routines. Waiting until she was isolated. Tracking her as though she was pray. In finding her I found a life. A life outside my work. I began to imagine the impossible. I had a future outside the compact that bound me to delivering death.

The smooth surface of the bronze coin of Kalahari that belonged once to Irikah's father. It gave him peace of mind in rubbing in just as it did for his beloved's father. The taste of Irikah's tongue on his lips. The sunset eyes burning with the deep fires of want and desire.

Passion exulted.

ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME

One short elevator ride up to 'The Nest' Sam padded in, her hand rubbing the back of her neck-a knot was beginning to form all on top of the ones already formed along her shoulders and trailed down along her spine. Normally, Sam could handled the stress of the battlefield as any competent field commander, but having her entire crew, save one snatched away that was a whole new level of stress.

Looking across the room to the 'office' area Sam's blue eyes fell on the portrait of her beloved wife. This one had been taken at their wedding replacing the older one where Liara was still in her green and white lab-suit. Already the tension eased by just clapping eyes on the photo, what magic would hearing her beloved's voice, to hear her daughters' little sounds ease?

At the touch-screen guai-interface Sam activated her personal computer; of course it needed her DNA, palm print and passcode to open it. She could have used EDI to open a link to Liara but right now Sam felt she wanted a hands-on approach to a very private moment.

It was only a matter of seconds—three—Sam had counted them—before Liara answered the call.

"Samantha!" The smile on Liara's blue face was bright enough to have light even the dimmest of souls. In this very moment it was exactly what Sam had needed. "Oh how I've missed you." Liara paused as she took one look in her bondmate's deep blue eyes that gave away no outward sign of her emotions…but a wife knows. "What's wrong?"

Sam told her. Briefly. She didn't want to waste what time was left discussing her missing people or EDI now being unleashed.

"I just needed to see you, Angel Eyes. To hear you. God, I want to touch you!"

To reach that deeply into their bond to connect as they had once before to almost physically touch or feel as though they had, had been a tiring affair. It had left both participants feeling drained despite the elation and wonder their soulbond had allowed such a connection at such a magnificent distance. Despite the pure wonder and joy of the 'non-kiss kiss,' However deeply tempted to give into the desire of the expanded meld Sam was reluctant to do so close to landing boots to mud. She knew she would need every ounce of energy for the battle to come, if she were to come home to her wife and daughters.

"As do I Melethril, very much so." Liara's holographic hand rose as if she might actually feel the physical warmth and touch of her bondmate's hand that rose by instinct to meet the asari's palm. "Samantha, you've made promises to come back to me, to our daughters before but…"

"Yeah…I know…"

"I wasn't finished."

A sheepish half smile. "Sorry."

"I was saying you made the promise before, this time I need you to truly mean it, Samantha. Our daughters need their Ada…their Mamma and I need my Melethril, my bondmate." Liara's eyes began on their own volition to become misty.

"I'll do everything I can to keep that promise, Liara. Didn't I tell you that I wanted marriage, old age and a lot of little blue babies?"

A faint almost nod.

"I want that more than anything, Li. Life with our daughters maybe one or two others."

Liara smiled. "One or two others?"

Sam shrugged. "I'm a military brat, what can I say? I want a whole squad."

"A whole squad!"

"We're both only kids. Maybe a big family isn't such a bad thing."

Liara flashed a bright warm smile. "Of course I want my caramel-pink baby as a part of this new squad you want to assemble." a smirk, one of Liara's very rare playful smirks reserved for Samantha alone. "If I give you daughters, you give me a son."

Sam rubbed the back of her neck. They had had this discussion in the past a bit more seriously, this time it was more playful. "You do know with humans it doesn't actually work that way even with artificial insemination…unless you intend on a designer baby." Sam made a face that said she wasn't happy with the idea of bio-engineering a child. Such a thing made the life of Miranda and now recently Oriana Lawson's life hell. Miranda doubted her abilities because she hadn't earned them—they had been given to her—engineered into her, programmed.

"I can always hope my human baby will be a son." Liara's smile was warm—tender. They didn't speak of the fact due to the extensive damage Sam had suffered during the Battle of the Citadel her womb was no longer viable to carry a child. They had long ago decided that any human child their family was to have, Liara would need to act as a surrogate or barring that an artificial womb.

"Speaking of children, how are my daughters?" Sam looked over to the clock on her desk and realized it was very late. Nos Austra time it had to be near….Sam winced when she saw the diodes on the chrono read the time. "I know…I know you probably just put them down after their 0200 feeding but…I want to see them. Please."

"Of course, Melethril." Liara moved away from the screen to the living room proper, retrieved to two table-top bouncy chairs, set them on the desk to they faced the holoimager then went up the spiral stair case. She came back down with a tiny bundle in her arms, at first Sam didn't know which of their daughters her wife was carrying but as soon as she set eyes the babe into the bouncy chair she saw that it was Benezia.

The babe opened her eyes once, yawned a toothless yawn blinking several times before succumbing to sweet slumber once more. Upon seeing the miniature asari face, Sam's own brightened.

"Hey…Zia…Hey. Baby. It's Mamma…" Sam cooed waving at her sleeping daughter. Tiny blue eyes opened slightly at a new voice but familiar all the same. It was the voice that lulled her and her sister to sleep but the voice had no face. It was a voice that offered safety, warmth. A voice that stirred the heart of Naneth.

Liara smiled tenderly at the sight of her bondmate fawning over their child. She kissed her daughter before turning for the stairs once more to retrieve their second child. Hannah was not yet asleep though she was far from wide awake.

Bright eyes registered on the holograph and Hannah grinned slightly or at least that was how Sam chose to see it.

"Han, my sweet one." Sam gave a little wave "Mamma is right here."

The little spit bubble the girl made was an acknowledgement—a sorta wave back. This too was a choice to see it as such. It was after all a new parent's prerogative.

Seeing her daughters placed a deep longing in Sam's heart, to hold her children's slight weight in her arms, kiss their little cerulean brows. To take in their sweet new baby smells. She longed to hear their soft gurgles and mewls as she helped her wife feed them.

Equal too was the deep longing to take Liara into her arms, hold her close, to connect their minds in the Joining as their bodies entwined in making love.

Liara stood behind and over her daughters; her hands cupped chubby little cheeks, her thumbs stroking the tender newborn flesh. "They grow steadily each day, gaining a little weight each day to. They have veracious appetites." she sounded both pleased and proud and not a little tired.

"How are you doing, Angel Eyes?"

"If I am being honest they do tire me a bit." Liara sighed. "I have resigned to working at home. Fortunately Ada is here for me. She has taken the adjoining penthouse to mine. So she might be very close. She absolutely adores her newest granddaughters. She had been a true Goddess send. Of course she had twins sired by a hanar."

"I've forgotten you had half-hanar sisters."

"As do I most days. I have yet to meet them. One day we shall. Well one of them anyway, the eldest Vellamo joined the Andromeda Initiative. Ada has mixed feeling about it. On one hand she will never see her eldest daughter again. On the other hand my sister is free of what the Reapers coming will bring."

"Nāmaka has been placed as an Overseer in one of Thessia's Vaults so she will be safe during the coming war. As it so happens it's the same Vault Ada will take the girls.

Sam smiled. She knew her next words would be denied but she had to say them all the same. "I want you to go with them."

"No. That will not happen, Samantha."

"I know. I had to ask."

"I know. I know you will ask again and again."

A sheepish smile that proclaims she was guilty as charged. Liara couldn't fault her bondmate for the desire to keep her family safe. That same desire burned deeply in Liara's own heart.

If she could relieve Samantha of the arduous task of going through the Omega Four Relay and keep her safe at her side she would.

"How long do we have?"

"Little under two hours, now."

Liara nodded slowly. She stretched her holographic hand out lamenting she was denied the touch of her bondmate. There was something she could do.

"Samantha, let us try our gestalt link. I will take the burden of the Joining."

"Leaving you drained for our girls? Vulnerable?"

"Ada lives next door, remember. I will not be vulnerable. Samantha….please."

Sam nodded. How could she not. She longed for the 'not touch touch'.

Liara's holographic eyes grew black; she centered herself, her thoughts, her mind searching for that small part of Samantha that lived within her.

On the other side of the galaxy Samantha was doing the same. Since the gestalt there was always a portion of Liara that lived in her soul—in her mind. Always. That small spark, that small forever burring flame became an inferno. The stars exploded inwards, spiraling swirling transforming and reconfiguring from starburst to constellations to the inner most-deepest part of the soul.

'There you are.' Liara-Samantha cooed with the relief of a woman deprived of water far too long trekking in the wastelands.

Sam could feel it, like currents ebbing and flowing through their bodies and minds: a convergence of potentialities. Then felt a power like that of the gestalt surge through them. Their shared world exploded the heightened sensations different from anything they'd experienced before. For a brief moment so brief it could have been imagined but she felt the tingling soft presence of their daughters: Hannah and Benezia.

In the deep meld a whole lifetime could be relived. Every touch, every kiss, every meaningful gaze or innocent glance, deep stares was shared and relived. Every brush of fingertips, every just because I love you touch of a passing body from one room to another, every worshipful grip, every passionate touch of lovemaking was rekindled in that breath between starlight of the mind.

Just as every breath is exhaled—time in the Beyond is exhaled. The lovers came back to themselves. Their minds returned, separated and painfully alone. Both gasped for air as one does after colitis. Blackened eyes returned to blue, dilated eyes returned to normal. There was a pause before either was ready to even speak.

"Samantha, I am yours. Always."

"I belong to you, Liara Always."