Notes:

Alban Arthan - Druid festival of the Winter Solstice (Gaelic)

Amantia - lover (Thessian)

AOR - Area of Responsibility

B'duero - a native Thessian tree similar in appearance to the silver birch

Breá Ber'ah - Combined form meaning beautiful and strange lover; Breá being a close lover, somewhere between Amantia and Siame (Thessian)

Edessan - Major Turian colony, located in outer regions of Turian space, among oldest and most populated worlds, holds significant strategic & sentimental value (source: CDN)

Kaffe - equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same name, the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Korbal - roughly, "victory or death" (Krogan)

Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Uloth - Asari equivalent to cheese (Source: CDN)

Respite from Rebellion

Farnborough Field, Earth, Sol – 22 Dec 2188

Lieutenant Colonel Andreas Falk, legs crossed at the ankles, leaned against the starboard side armor locker and console facing the Normandy's elevator on deck five. As the doors parted to reveal several more crew intent on leaving for a holiday vacation, one person in particular – a raven-haired, brown-eyed beauty in a casual dress uniform – showed her teeth in a huge grin as she strode up to stand in front of him; dropping her overnight bag to the deck, she stuck out her hands in welcome. Falk pushed away from the console to close the gap between them and overlapped their arms, clasping both her forearms just below her elbow.

In a soft voice that still conveyed the intensity of her feelings for the man, she said, "Dammit, Dré!… It's so good to see you! It's really been too long!"

"That it has." Andreas nodded as he gently squeezed her arms. "Hard to believe you're standing right in front of me again… and, if memory serves, last time we were together was on this very ship… Wasn't it St Paddy's day? Has that much time slipped past us?"

Ashley nodded her head slightly; Falk finally released his grip as she continued, "Certainly much longer than I would like." Now free, she picked up her overnight bag and slung it over her shoulder. Reaching out and taking Falk's hand, she continued, "Come on – let's head over to your place. Have you seen Sarah yet?"

"Here, allow me." Andreas chuckled as he relieved her of the other large bag still slung over her left shoulder. "And yes, I have seen Sarah. Looks like a younger version of you." He was afraid to say more, lest he inadvertently give something away. "My quarters are quite close, actually. My bosses felt my job here necessitated accommodations closer to the field. The housing is supposed to be soundproofed, but I swear I can still hear every arrival and departure."

Ashley walked beside Andreas as the pair moved through the hanger bay and down the ramp. "Will you have any time to yourself during the holidays?"

"I will… and it begins today. So, I'm planning to take you… and Sarah, if she wants to accompany us… to someplace nice for dinner." He paused as he opened the aircar's canopy and placed her bags in the back. Once inside, with the tinted canopy down and sealed, he reached over to envelope her in an awkward hug. After placing a quick kiss – more of a promise than anything – on a pair of lush lips, he continued with his original thought. "You know, I never really got a chance to see you in that blue dress I bought you during our visit to Discovery. Seems to me it would be perfect for dinner tonight." The instant peel of joyous laughter he received as he brought the speeder's core online and began the short trip to his apartment made him feel all tingly inside, as if his heart might burst from happiness.

A warm hand landed on top of his thigh at the hip, there to lightly squeeze the muscles beneath her fingers as she replied, "Then it's your lucky day, Lieutenant Colonel Sir! It just so happens I brought that dress with me, along with the lovely blue pumps you insisted on buying." Knowing the effect her closeness was having on him, she used her hand to massage the top of the thigh she didn't wish to let go of as she continued in a husky voice, "Since that time on Horizon, I even managed to acquire a long, all-weather overcoat that should help me survive this wonderfully welcoming weather."

It's a good thing we are so close to my flat, or I'd park this damned speeder and ravage you, came the thought as he glanced at her face. "One of the benefits of living on an island," he responded. "Lots of liquid weather in the winter." How can so much beauty have been bestowed on one person? Falk slowed the speeder, made a turn into a small parking area, then set the craft down in front of a rather non-descript building. "Here we are… be it ever so humble…"

Andreas activated the canopy lift motor and opened the side door, climbed out and quickly grabbed Ashley's travel packs from the back; Ash had exited and moved quickly to stand out of the drizzle under the protective cover of the inset doorway. Upon remotely closing the speeder's doors and canopy, Andreas crowded in beside her to wave his omnitool through the haptic door lock, which obligingly cross-faded from red to green, allowing the door to slide into its recess.

Ash rushed inside, no doubt expecting to greet Sarah; Andreas disappointed her by saying, "Sorry, Ash… she's not here… she said she wanted to do a bit of shopping before you arrived, so I loaned her a speeder. I have no doubt she'll return before long."

Falk felt bad that Ashley looked so disappointed; saying, "Why don't you unpack and put your things away in the bedroom, Ms Williams… I'll send Sarah a note… let her know we're here."

A tentative smile lighting her eyes, she replied, "Sounds like a good idea, Dré. There isn't much to unpack, but it will be nice to have it done so we can simply enjoy each other's company."

Grabbing one of her two travel packs, Andreas led her into the master suite, saying, "It's a bit sparse, but a perfect fit for a bachelor… not that I wish to remain so forever," he finished with a slight laugh. Leaving Ashley to get unpacked, he activated his omnitool and sent a message to Sarah; the nearly instant response made him smile… he was about to spring the ultimate surprise on the woman he loved with all his heart, and she didn't have a clue it was coming.

The instant Ashley had tucked the last pair of socks into a drawer, she closed it with a deliberate thump; turning to find Falk standing in the doorway watching her, she took four long steps across the small room and wrapped him in her arms; pressing her body tightly against him, she hungrily applied her lips to his in a passionate, tongue-thrusting kiss she had obviously been saving just for him. After thoroughly devouring his mouth, she broke away just far enough to whisper between shuddering breaths of air, "I love you, Dré. Thinking about joining you here for the holidays is probably the only thing that kept me sane during our time apart." A quick smooch, then, "You must understand you have absolutely ruined me… I will never again be content to sleep alone… ever." She reapplied her lips, as if to underscore her declaration.

Earlier, inside the speeder, Andreas had merely wanted to ravish her; now, it was all he could do to keep from roughly ripping her clothes off, followed by his own, before depositing her exquisite form in his bed… there to spend the afternoon and evening sharing… and satisfying… their physical needs for each other. In a voice thick with emotion, he sighed, "Ashley, I never dared to dream I would find someone like you… ever."

He tightened his arms about her for a moment before sliding his hands down her sides to rest on her gorgeous bum. "I really loathe having to be the sensible one here, but we need to go back out. Sarah messaged to say her speeder experienced a slight mechanical problem." At the raised eyebrow accompanying the instantly worried expression on Ashley's face, he quickly added, "She's safe and secure on the Alliance base… but would really appreciate a ride, as walking in this… foggy, cold-assed rain, to use her words… isn't something that appeals to her."

Ashley sighed and placed her forehead against Falk's chest as a small breathless whisper escaped her lips. "There always seems to be something, doesn't there?" Looking back up, she allowed a tiny smile to tease the corners of her mouth upwards. "Come on then. Let's go rescue my sister so we can enjoy the afternoon before we go out for dinner. We'll circle back around to where we are right now… you can count on it."

Alliance Headquarters, London, Earth – 22 Dec 2188

In only a matter of minutes, Andreas turned the speeder into the guarded entrance to Systems Alliance Base London and glided to a halt beside the small guard shelter. With the canopy raised part way, he greeted the young man that stepped out of the building. "Corporal O'Downey… how are you this afternoon?"

"Commander Falk. What can the Alliance do for our British comrades today?" Ryan O'Downey had known Andreas for a number of months, as his position of Logistics Director for Farnborough Field required him to frequently visit the Alliance Base.

Andreas smiled in reply. "Ryan, I need to stop in at the transitory housing facility." Indicating Ashley with an offhand wave, he explained, "Seems my friend's sister had speeder trouble while short-cutting through the area. We're going to give her a lift back to our own AOR." Unseen by Ashley, Falk winked at the corporal, whom he had told of his surprise just the day before.

O'Downey grinned as he made a couple of entries on a hand-held tablet. Waving his hand, he said, "You're good to go, Commander. I'll probably be off duty when you leave, so I'll wish you good night now."

Falk lowered the canopy as the corporal reentered the shelter, hoping that Ashley hadn't picked up on O'Downey's comment about being off duty, as it implied the pair wouldn't be departing the base for several hours. Andreas slowly worked his way through the narrow access roads after turning off the main avenue; in a short amount of time, he brought the X3M to a stop in front of long, low building. Parking his speeder beside another one already sitting there, he said, "There's Sarah's speeder, Ash. She told me the nice people staying in this apartment were going to take her inside so she wouldn't catch her death of cold while she waited for us to arrive."

Without comment, Ashley opened her side door as the canopy unlatched and tilted up; Falk climbed out and walked around to assist her up and out of the low-slung vehicle. As they mounted the three stairs up to the wide porch, the door slid aside to reveal the exuberant smile of Sarah Williams. "Hey, Sis! I wasn't expecting you to come with Dré!" She enthusiastically threw herself into a suddenly tearful Ashley's embrace.

Stepping back from Sarah to hold her at arm's length, Ashley raised an eyebrow and cocked her head as she asked, "Dré?" With a withering glance directed at Andreas, she said, "Really?

Sarah was far from intimidated by her big sister's seeming rebuke. "Come on in, Sis… I want you to meet the people staying here… they've been really nice to me today." Turning herself partially from Ashley's grasp, Sarah grabbed a hand and repeated as she pulled. "Come on!"

Reluctantly allowing herself to be pulled along, Ashley looked askance at Andreas, who smiled innocently, shrugged his shoulders and followed in trail. Sarah came to an abrupt halt in the middle of a large, comfortably furnished living room. "Wait here, Sis… everyone's in the kitchen fixing lunch."

Ashley turned to face Andreas as Sarah disappeared through a doorway. "She's been calling you Dré? Doesn't that seem just a bit… cheeky, to you?"

Andreas placed his hands on Ashley's upper arms and drew her closer. "Sarah is a lovely young woman, Ashley… and she's your sister. I know I told you I liked the idea of you referring to me by a special name – to be used only by you – but I don't see the harm in allowing Sarah the same liberty… after all, she is family."

Before she could respond, a noise behind her drew Falk's eyes past Ashley's head. He surprised her by pulling her in to his body and hugging her tightly. Whispering, "I love you, Ashley Williams! Merry Christmas, my darling!" With that, he released her, pushed back slightly and slowly turned her around to face into the living room as he softly repeated, "Merry Christmas."

Ashley gasped in surprise, her eyes instantly filling to overflowing. There, standing in front of her… No!… it can't be! "Mom?" In a small, tight voice, she squeaked, "Mom?" It took a heartbeat for her to notice the others. "Lynn? Abby?" Throat finally constricted to the point she could say no more, she placed a hand across her mouth and began weeping for joy as she reached out with her other arm to gather up her mother, followed by her two other sisters, in a crushing embrace.

Andreas had tears in his own eyes upon seeing the happiness being expressed by the four people – five, including Ashley – all hugging and crying and talking right in front of him. That he had been able to arrange this reunion without Ashley getting wind of it beforehand made his chest ache with happiness. The Williams family – Ashley's father's 'girly horde' – was together once more.

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 22 Dec 2188

That evening after dinner, Hannah returned to her room and brought down a small hover-lift with a large box sitting upon it. Dropping it slowly to the den floor, she looked to Samantha. "I know it's too early for Christmas presents, but you need the items within this box now, not four days from now."

"Sounds mysteriously like Christmas decorations, Mom… or stuff for Alban Arthan?" Samantha smiled as she moved toward the box and helped to undo the clasps on the lid.

The celebrative group gathered around as Hannah opened the case to reveal its revered contents. She couldn't help but smile at the surprise on Samantha's face. "I picked these up just yesterday, so all the greens are fresh; they should easily last until New Years' Day."

"Wow! Thanks, Mom!" Samantha was more than pleased with the four pine-bough wreaths, numerous pine cones and the multitude of mistletoe sprigs that came along with the most important item, lying in the bottom of the shipping crate – a short chunk of partially burned Yule log. After lifting it reverently from the crate, Samantha ran her hand over the remaining bits of relatively smooth white bark still clinging to the birch log, the progress of her fingers occasionally interrupted as they passed over a couple of rough, blackened knots. "I never anticipated having a traditional log for this year's Alban Arthan. This is awesome!"

"It's part of ours from last year." Hannah's smile turned melancholy for a moment. "My only regret was that you were on that damnable Victory Tour and not able to join us at the cabin. But, when it burned in half, I got the idea to save part of it for you."

The instant Liara saw the contents of the container, she had slipped away quietly and returned quickly with a very similar log, holding it up next to the piece of birch. Having been distracted by her mom's mention of the tour, Shepard stared in surprise at the two logs sitting side-by-side. "How did you know, much less manage, to acquire a birch Yule log, Dr T'Soni?" Glancing suspiciously at her Anam Cara, she continued, "Did you ask Mom?"

"No, I did not," Liara laughed quietly. "You described it to me last year… and it isn't birch; it's b'duero – a tree native to Thessia. They truly do look similar, do they not?"

"Yeah, they do." The tone of Shepard's voice picked up, suddenly smiling and turning to give Liara a peck on the cheek. "And it will pull a bit of Thessia into our traditions!"

Her mom stepped up and quickly gave her a two-handed squeeze on both shoulders as she looked into her daughter's eyes. "As much as it may pain the both of us, Sam, you're an adult now, all grown up; you have a home and family of your own. You need to start your own traditions and, it seems to me, replacing the Terran birch Yule log with one from a similar tree – a tree native to Thessia – is certainly a great start."

"I suppose so… but I suddenly feel a bit strange; it just hit me… this could be the last birch log I'll ever burn." Shepard looked away as she suppressed the tears that suddenly wanted to slide down her cheeks.

"Don't be silly." Hannah converted her shoulder hold into a comforting hug. "You need to do this… and the b'duero is so similar to birch, I believe I would be hard-pressed to know the difference, if Liara had not told us. It's perfect!"

Shepard turned and took Liara's hand, drawing her bondmate close and making her blush with her next comment. "Just like her."

"Only in your eyes, Siame," Liara scoffed. "Besides. Who's to say we may not spend a few holidays on Earth? We certainly can't expect the Terran side of our family to always make the trek here; it's only fair we go there on occasion."

"Gosh, you're right!" Shepard blushed slightly, looking a bit embarrassed. "I hadn't really thought about it."

"I don't understand why not," Karin laughed, adding sarcastically, "It's not like you've had anything else to worry about over, say, the past five years!"

"So, what do we do now?" Liara cut in, curious about the tradition and pushing them all back to the topic at hand.

"Well," Samantha started, before looking at her mother and shrugging. "Normally we start a fire, then lay the old log on top, and then add the new one to it before the old one completely burns away… so, I suppose we do the same here."

Hannah quickly chimed in to add more detail to the explanation. "Traditionally, you would have a huge fireplace and burn a massive log slowly for twelve days… from Alban Arthan, through Christmas, and into the new year. But modern homes with standard fireplaces generally make that rather impractical so, instead, we start a fire with the old log, keep the fire going continuously through the same time, and put our new Yule log… the one you want to keep… on at the end. We let it burn for a while and then put it out, saving the remainder for the following holiday. This way, the light is still passed on from one year to the next." With a grin, she added, "It just takes a few logs added in between to complete the cycle."

"And, once the fire is extinguished, we collect the ashes and spread them in the fields, bringing the warmth and light of the fire, symbolizing the sun, to our gardens to help them grow." Shepard shrugged apologetically, almost looking embarrassed. "I know, with modern agriculture technologies, it's all very quaint and archaic, but…"

Liara reached over and placed two fingers softly across Shepard's lips. "It is symbolic of hope… which never goes out of style, Siame. Remember that I am an archaeologist and, as such, hold a sincere interest in old cultures… yours in particular. I find it beautiful." She looked to Hannah. "Last year, during the tour, all we had was a candle… and while Samantha gave us a basic understanding of the holiday, we had neither a Yule log nor a way to burn one even if we did, so she did not go into the specifics of the full celebration." Looking back to Samantha, she smirked. "So, I ask again… What's next?"

Smiling once more, Shepard let out a little chuckle. "I guess we bring everyone together, explain this all again, and throw Mom's old log on the fire!"

Once the word got out, all those at the Estate who weren't on duty made their way to the den. The fire they had initially started was burning well by the time Hannah and Samantha finished their second round of explaining the details of the holiday, so Shepard immediately leaned in and placed the remains of the old yule log on the fire. The dry wood was aflame in no time and Hannah quickly joined Samantha at the hearth. Tradition dictated that, as the elder Shepard, Hannah would speak. She remained silent instead and looked to Samantha as their hostess, giving her a nod of encouragement. Samantha nodded back and smiled as she turned to face her extended family. "And thus, the light is passed from this year to the next. With the dawn, we shall welcome back the gaining sun."

South Pole, Edessan, Outer Region: Turian Space – 22 Dec 2188

Aralakh Second Platoon B-Squad was just about to enter the practice arena when sounds of explosions resounded through the open front door. The Krogan on watch, Onik Nakenk, had nearly ripped it off its hinges as he roared, "Forget the simulator, Pyjaks! We've got the real thing inbound! The Quarians are here!"

Squad Commander Drau Relut spun around and growled with a grin, "Watch who you're calling a Pyjak, Nakenk… but I will overlook the insult, because that's a welcome interruption! Better a real fight than a damned predictable simulator, any day!" He reached down and flipped the actuator on his Graal spike thrower with an eager, rumbling chuckle. "Let's go kill some traitors!"

The squad immediately ran to the door of the portable training facility, moving surprisingly quietly as they emerged into a small sheltered courtyard. Moving quickly, they crossed the short space and entered through the back door of the warehouse. As they reached the front entrance, Relut snarled, "Remember… wait for my signal. Any of you ruin this attack and risk our victory, you won't have to worry about the Quarian Marines… I'll kill you myself!"

The Krogan squad was disciplined – they were some of the best warriors Tuchanka had to offer – and remained amazingly quiet for a group so eager to kill the enemy. Onik peered through a small gap in the door as the Quarian vessel… Onik felt certain it was the Huli… circled once, destroying all three of the comm relays. He growled quietly, "Long range comms just went down… Too bad for them they are staying true to their pattern… They won't be able to call anyone for help when they finally realize this is a trap."

Only a few moments later, Onik continued, "The ship is setting down… nose in… ramp dropping facing the door!"

Drau Relut slipped his Graal into its holster and reached over his shoulder as he said, "New plan. When I yell, shove the doors open and run at them from the right side, leaving me a clear line of sight down the left. I want them all looking at you and not at me… at least for a few seconds… just until it's too late."

Ruklan Jenk, the squad's engineer, glanced over. "Too late for what?"

Relut growled, "You'll know soon enough!" just as Onik called out that the open ramp allowed him to see troops and a hover-lift inside. Without hesitation, Relut shouted, "Go, go, go!"

The seven squad members crashed out through the doors, moved towards their right and charged the ship, much to the Quarians' surprise. As predicted, the rebels' focus immediately shifted to the hoard of Krogan running towards them; Relut heard someone within the Huli shouting out, "Trap! Abort! Abort!"

It was far too late. Before the ramp even stopped descending, much less had a chance to reverse direction to begin closing, Commander Relut placed an M-920 launcher against his shoulder pad and pulled the trigger. As the graphite rods were consumed by the anti-matter reactions, the resultant mass effect field silently zoomed toward its intended target, accompanied by the roar of his battle cry, "Korbal!"

The energized matter whipped through the doorway, taking all six of the Quarian Marines with it as the extremely powerful mass effect field swept the cargo hold clear of obstructions – no matter their original form, organic or otherwise. It set off multiple small explosions before colliding with the aft bulkhead, which was crumpled and warped beyond recognition. The resultant final explosion ripped the entire panel from its attachment points within the ship's hull and violently shoved the center section backward into the drive core containment area. The ship's computer, sensing the imminent collapse of the containment field from the huge explosion, immediately sent the core into auto-shutdown, leaving the Huli completely powerless and all the crew and soldiers trapped on Edessan.

The reload and recharge speeds being much too slow, Commander Relut tossed the now empty M-920 Cain to the ground and once more pulled out his Graal, as he too charged into the fray. The ship's reserve Marines had already grabbed weapons and were beginning to emerge from the wreckage of their ship as their captain yelled out, "All hands! Fight or die! Krogan will neither expect nor grant mercy!"

Even the Huli's engineer grabbed a rifle and prepared to leave the ship. Much to his annoyance, the captain stopped him before he could leave. "Did you set the self-destruct?"

"Can't; it needs power that's unavailable… because it relies on a core overload." The engineer shook his arm free from the captain's grip. "The emergency shutdown keeps that from happening, and we don't have either the time or the ability to complete the necessary repairs."

"Then we set charges!"

"What charges?" The engineer activated his rifle and pushed away, growling, "What do you think all those explosions were, as that field ripped through our ship? We're lucky to still have thermal clips! That charged field destroyed most of them as it passed through! The Huli was purposely built light… as a fast scout… with minimal shielding between compartments! With only a dozen of us? We were fucked the minute that Krogan pulled the trigger!"

The captain stared at the engineer's back as he turned away to join the hopeless battle. He winced when the engineer was almost immediately cut down like fragile, dry straw. Drawing his pistol, he contemplated his very short future only briefly before placing the weapon's muzzle against the underside of his helmet. Pulling the trigger was his last conscious act; the weapon fired a high-velocity round through his chin, splattering the contents of his skull and headgear throughout the husk of what remained of his ship.

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 23 Dec 2188

Samantha Traynor had awakened as she did every morning while staying at the estate on Thessia; unlike the more rigid, military style schedule on the heavy corvette Knight Shade, her mornings at the estate were a bit more relaxed, and thankfully, observed local sunrise.

Thinking back to the previous evening, she suddenly remembered that Riana planned to take her sightseeing – possibly even to Serrice. With a quick glance at her chrono – 0735 – she tossed the covers aside, threw her legs over the edge of her comfortable bed and stood up. She paused to stretch her arms towards the ceiling while standing on her tiptoes, then moved to the bathroom to relieve her bladder and wash up before pulling on underwear and dressing in casual clothing.

After brushing her hair and tying the excess length into a ponytail – it having been quite some time since she'd had it trimmed – she straightened the bedding, then left for the dining room; as it was still early, she was hoping to catch Riana before the Asari finished her own breakfast.

Upon entering the dining room, she quickly spotted Riana sitting with Sella Temi and Allia Vasia. She filled a plate with some fruit and Uloth, set it and a large mug of Kaffe on a tray and moved to sit next to her amantia. After a quiet 'good morning' directed at the commandos, she turned to Riana with her shy smile and said, "Good morning, Luv. I trust you slept well."

Riana grinned at her Breá Ber'ah; she applied a quick kiss on Sammi's cheek before saying with a smirk, "I slept wonderfully… just as I always do when I'm in your embrace." She sipped a bit of Kaffe from her own mug before adding, "Soon as you're done eating, we're going travel to Lesuss so we can visit with my sister Aresia at the monastery."

"Oh my gosh! Just you and me?"

"Lady Liara decided to accompany us after I asked her permission to make the trip… said she wanted to visit with the Headmistress, Matriarch Tela T'Sori. I imagine Spectre Shepard will be coming as well."

Sammi kept her expression neutral but couldn't quite keep the disappointment that she wouldn't be traveling alone with Riana from coloring her response. "So how many people will be coming with us?"

"We'll be traveling in VIP-1, so Liara's personal guard, plus pilot Lusmeni Thoni." Taking note of Sammi's disappointed tone, she quickly added, "It'll be a one-day trip, my love – out and back. Tomorrow, I'm going to take you to Serrice – I want you to meet my university biotics instructor, Huntress Elzia Trani. It was her recommendation that brought me to House T'Soni as a commando candidate in 2135. I thought it would be nice for us to have lunch together."

Traynor was intrigued, but also surprised, to be included in a visit with someone so obviously important to Riana's education and current position within the T'Soni household. "Are you sure, Riana? Sounds like a rather personal visit… I wouldn't wish to intrude…"

Riana reached over to gently grasp one of Traynor's hands as she said, "You are my amantia, Sammi. It is not possible for you to intrude, as you say. Huntress Trani is the reason I joined the T'Soni family…" Soft brown eyes bored into Sammi's as she concluded, "… and now, you have become a T'Soni family member, simply because you chose to resign from the Alliance Navy to follow me here."

The nearly overwhelming feelings of gratitude and love Sammi felt for this beautiful Asari had her eyes becoming glassy with extra moisture. She grinned at Riana in silent agreement before clearing her throat in order to speak without squeaking. "Okay, then. Will there be an opportunity to do a bit of shopping while we're in Serrice? I need to find a gift for you."

"A gift?" Riana asked incredulously. "Why ever would you need to give me anything more than your love, Sammi? We share each other's thoughts every night before we sleep. You give me so much… every day we're together." Nodding at Sella and Allia as the pair picked up their trays and left, Riana gave the hand she was holding a gentle squeeze. "I realize the Human tradition of gift-giving during this time of year is deeply ingrained, and I will gladly accept whatever gift you choose to give me, but you need to realize that I truly don't expect you to go out of your way to find something special for me."

Sammi smiled as Riana spoke, knowing in her heart that she had already found the perfect gift for her beautiful blue lover. Just have to keep a minute portion of my mind sequestered from Riana's innocent explorations during our melds – at least until Christmas Day.

As for Riana, she also needed to keep a portion of her mind blocked, as she intended to find something special for Sammi's Christmas present; she believed the perfect gift was waiting for her at a particular store in Serrice.

"Shepard!" The Krogan stood tall as he stared into the communications center video pick-up.

"Grunt! Good to see you!" Shepard smiled as Liara slipped up beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Hello, Grunt." Liara's face held a happy smile, but she was concerned; Grunt looked much too serious for this to be a social call. "Nothing has changed, I hope. Are you still coming for our New Year's celebration?"

"Wouldn't miss is, Liara. Especially since I need to be there anyway, for our departure on the second. This is going to be a good fight; I certainly don't want to miss my ride to the Rim!"

"If nothing has changed, what can we do for you?" Shepard's mouth shifted to a lopsided smirk as she chuckled at the young Krogan's youthful enthusiasm.

"I said I wouldn't miss the party; never said nothing changed." Grunt laughed at the expression on Shepard's face, easing Liara's concern in an instant. He then quickly added, "Merry Christmas, Battlemaster… I have a ship for you, though it's a bit beat up." Pausing to key something into the terminal, he continued, "Sending you some video for you to look at later. We didn't totally destroy it, even though my squad commander decided to ram a Cain down its throat."

Shepard's eyes narrowed as she shook her head in confusion. "Grunt. What in the Gods' name are you talking about?"

"Sorry. Thought you would have heard by now but apparently not, so let me back up a bit." Grunt's face was consumed by a toothy grin. "The Quarians decided to show up on Edessan, Shepard." Both the Spectre's and Liara's expressions lit up with understanding and they leaned toward the viewscreen as their level of interest jumped considerably, encouraging the commander of Aralakh to continue. "The ship was… I suppose still is… the Huli; one of those stealth scouts you told us about. Came in dead nuts on the profile you described to us, Liara. Made a sweep of all the comm towers, just like you said they would, before landing and attempting to spit out a squad of Marines with a hover lift. They didn't even get out the door before the Cain ripped all of them to shreds and pretty much gutted the inside of the hold… shoved the aft bulkhead into the core containment area, causing the computer to initiate an emergency core shutdown. We're working now to get a remote power supply wired up so we can reboot the systems and see what we can pull from its memory banks."

"Ouch," winced Shepard with a grimace crossing her face, knowing the power behind the M-920 Cain; they had used such a weapon multiple times against the Reapers. "Do you need some help? I can dispatch an engineer or send a systems tech to you." Shepard glanced meaningfully at Liara before adding, "You know we have some good ones."

Chuckling, Grunt responded, "No worries there, Battlemaster. I have a solid engineer on Second Platoon B-Squad – Ruklan Jenk. He's no Miranda Lawson, but he's damned good at what he does." His voice dropped and he snarled, "I'll pass on every bit of information we get, Shepard… and I guarantee the Quarians will think twice before they try this again, knowing now that we're out there waiting for them."

"I think you're right about that, Grunt." Shepard paused and crossed her arms, pursing her lips in thought. "But be ready… they're desperate. They may think twice, but they'll still come… bringing more firepower with them the next time. Good luck with the data extraction. We need all the information we can get."

"That we do," Liara nodded in agreement. "But for now, we have to say goodbye. We're scheduled to depart for the Monastery on Lesuss and everyone is waiting on us."

"Then go." Grunt flashed a toothy grin and let out his funny little snicker before adding, "Say hello to Riana and her sister for me… and the rest of the crew, of course. I look forward to working with them all again. See you soon."