Notes:

Galea – Species of fighting fish common off Armali shores (Thessian)

Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

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

All For One

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 19 Dec 2190

Matriarch Tristana Thaptos stepped quietly into the boat house, stopping short, with her breath catching in her throat as she caught her first glimpse of her beloved captain… Naitha M'Lori. The captain was humming as she worked on one of the boat's ropes… no, Tris thought… one of the lines. She smiled shyly at the quiet correction she believed she would have received had she said those words aloud.

She was trembling with a mix of love and trepidation as she spoke into the quiet. "Nai-Nai?"

The captain's shoulders stiffened immediately, and she stopped humming as the unexpected sound shattered her solitude. Naitha released the line on which she was working and turned slowly toward the source of the nickname she had not heard in decades… perhaps more than a century? It had been so long she had quit counting. "Goddess! Tris? What in the blazes are you doing here?"

"I came to the Estate for the holiday party… but am here, in this boathouse, for only one reason." She walked slowly across the floor, stopping well short of the Asari who had lived so prominently in her life until that one fateful day, seemingly so long ago. "You."

Naitha's eyes glistened, but she dared not think of what that could possibly mean. She attempted to swallow the lump in her throat that threatened to choke her but was only partly successful. Her heart ached at the possibilities that had been destroyed by a House T'Soni edict… one they had only reluctantly agreed to, for the sake of their daughter; the daughter who was no longer with them. It was a painful memory, no matter the time difference between the decision, Ryati's death on some distant world, and now.

That neither Liara nor Mozia had known made the situation so much worse; she hadn't even been recalled for the funeral of her own daughter– hadn't been granted the opportunity to bid her goodbye… to see her child that one last time before her body was consigned to the deep. She was convinced the massive void left in her heart would never heal, despite the passage of so much time.

She attempted the swallow again, being more successful the second time around, and managed a hoarse reply. "I should have realized you would be invited to the party. I regret to admit… it is one of the reasons why I normally avoid such things. Well, that and winter Galea fishing season is in full swing."

Tris' heart clenched at the thought of Naitha purposely not attending celebrations, simply to avoid her. She couldn't stand not knowing the reason, so blurted out the questions before giving any serious thought to the consequences. "Do you not want to see me, Naitha? Do you wish I had not come… or that you had stayed away?"

"I did not say that…" Naitha closed her eyes in an attempt to ignore the accusations inherent in those questions. She huffed quietly and reopened them, meeting the injured gaze of her former lover. "Nor did I intend to hurt you with my words. It's just that it has been… a really long time, Tris, and I was not prepared to see you."

"I take my appearance, then, is not a pleasant surprise."

Naitha actually felt a slight stab of anger and she took the final step to close the distance between them as she growled, "Stop putting words in my mouth that I have not voiced, Tristana, or they may become truth. Did you come here purposely looking for a fight? To justify the painful decision we made so long ago? If not… then why, exactly, are you here, other than to cause both of us this pain? Please, do tell."

Seeing the pain in Naitha's eyes stabbed her in the heart and Tris' lower lip began to tremble. "No… I…" She dropped her head, placing her face in her hands, mumbling. "I have made a mess of what I had hoped to be a happy reunion."

"Hey!" Naitha's forehead pinched, and she stepped up, wrapping Tris in her arms and falling silent, words never having been one of her stronger traits to begin with, much less with the Asari whom she had loved so dearly, standing here… crying in her arms. Every one of Tristana's tears was a tiny shard of ice that pierced her heart to its core.

After a few long moments in her comforting embrace, Tristana's tears lessened enough that Naitha dared ask, "Happy reunion?" She cocked her head, continuing, "I seriously wish you would explain what you mean by that particular choice of words to me."

Tris wasn't sure she could speak yet, so remained silent, but held onto her lover as if she was drowning at sea. When she finally managed, her words were halting at first, gradually smoothing into sentences. "I… heard from Liara that… that you were here… and something… something just snapped inside of me. I… I suddenly felt this need to come to you… to speak to you… about… us."

She drew a shuddering breath and pushed back in order to meet Naitha's eyes. "I gave Maga permission to speak to Lady Liara of our relationship, while I came down here, to see you. She will give Liara the background, but it will be up to us to tell her anything else… everything else… and finish the story."

"Humph," Naitha grunted. "You make it sound so simple… but do we even know what the rest of the story is?"

"I hope so… but the idea of you not attending functions, simply because I may be invited?" Tris shook her head and looked down at the dock-board flooring beneath her feet. "That hurts and makes me question my daring to hope."

"What hurts is seeing you… and not knowing where we stand." Considering what Tris had just said, Naitha smiled softly. "But I get the distinct impression you want to see if we can still be what we had hoped to be to one another. We were together for ages… a quarter of our lives."

Tris smiled back at her, adding, "Two hundred and twenty-three years, to be exact."

"But who's counting?" Naitha chuckled softly. "And then we were forced apart, never seeing one another for almost half of that, so you're wondering if it is even possible to make it work again… to somehow rediscover what we once had."

"Yes." Tristana's lips held a questioning smile, but her brow was pinched in concern over what the answer may be.

"If it eases your heart… or your mind, for that matter… I will tell you I have never taken another lover." Naitha's smile turned into an expression of pained truth. "Not a single one, Tris. You were the mother of our daughter… and while Ryati may be gone, my love for you has never died." She shrugged and shook her head. "I had to push it to the back of my mind, to keep from going crazy, but no one could ever take your place in my life… so, if you are asking if I am willing to give us another try, my answer is an unequivocal yes."

New tears immediately sprang to Tristana's eyes. This time they were tears of joy that ran down her face as she once more fell into Naitha's arms. "By the Goddess, Nai-Nai! I was so scared to ask… sure you had moved on and found comfort in someone else's arms!"

"Never so long as you still breathed air, Tristana Thaptos. Not in a thousand years." Naitha turned her head to place a gentle kiss on Tris' temple before shifting even more to kiss the tears from her lover's cheek. As she shifted to move to the other cheek, Tris' lips intercepted hers and eager hands clutched at her back, pulling her closer and sending a jolt through her entire body, causing her to groan.

Encouraged, Tris deepened the kiss, which was accepted willingly. When they paused to take a breath, Naitha whispered softly. "You know, this craft has a forward sleeping berth big enough for two, Tris. The Goddess knows how much I have missed you. The whole boat house is heated, including the wet dock. It won't take but a minute to get sheets down from the storage locker…" She paused, her heart trembling in her chest, making it almost impossible to breath. "Can you send a note to Maga? Spend the night with me?"

Tris didn't even bother to answer, simply pushing back and opening her omnitool. Within moments, she closed the screen and met Naitha's hopeful, ocean-blue eyes. "It is done."

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 20 Dec 2190

Liara woke slowly, enjoying a long, leisurely stretch before rolling over to look at her bondmate. It was a rare occurrence, but for this particular morning, she was not surprised that Samantha was still asleep at her side. The conversation with Sha'ira and Rae had lasted late into the night as it was, but then Liara had sought out Mozia and Aethyta, Samantha at her side, to inform them of what had transpired. Aethyta was what could only be described as livid, where Mozia, while shocked, provided a much more reasoned response, as was expected.

"It is as it will be, Liara." Mozia's face somehow reflected the epitome of tranquility as she spoke, even following what Liara considered such shocking news. "You have given her your vow, so we will do our best to uphold that promise. You do realize the position in which you may have placed House T'Soni, should the Conclave decide to act against Sha'ira?"

Liara had drawn a deep breath and nodded, answering resolutely. "I do, Matriarch. But I owe her too much to abandon her… and Raesia… in their time of need." She spared a brief glance at Shepard before she continued. "Rae and Sha'ira have, quite literally, been at my side more than once, giving me support and comfort when I needed it most. Rae supported Samantha in her endeavors to drive the galaxy to victory, even when we had to drag some, kicking and screaming, along with us. Sha'ira? Well… she provided me hope and support when I needed it most. I was distraught, almost to the point of giving up, when she came to me and told me of her visions of Samantha's return."

"Fuck, yes!" Aethyta gave her head a sharp nod. "Rae drove me crazy at times with what I thought to be rather inane requests… but, in the end, I figured out what she was doing. The entire time, she had been working behind the scenes to garner support for the war effort, while keeping your detractors at arm's length… and you out of their reach by leaving you on the Normandy." The matriarch actually growled, adding, "I'm all in on supporting her and Sha'ira in this, even if it goes so far as to have House T'Soni labeled renegade. No matter the cost, sometimes you simply have to take a stand and support what's right, and not give a shit if it's popular or not."

Mozia had actually smiled and let out a little chuckle. "Don't you think that a bit dramatic, Thyta? Even for you." Shaking her head, a trace of the smile lingering, she looked at Liara. "It will never be so drastic as all that, but the House could lose standing if we are at odds with the Consorts; they hold much sway… for many reasons. When it comes to the information game, the Broker is powerful… but the Consorts? They hold personal secrets, whispered only in bedrooms and private sessions, that could possibly be used to influence even your most staunch supporters." She sighed softly, the smile fading. "It is a risk, but I do believe it is a worthy one."

"So, you support me in my decision?" Liara cocked a brow marking, somewhat surprised.

"I do." Mozia spoke earnestly. "It is not a decision I would have made, perhaps… but I wasn't about the throw myself into battle against the Reapers, either. You are made of sterner stuff than I, Liara. Of that I have no doubt… and, given the circumstances, I believe it to be the correct decision… perhaps not for the House, per se, but for you… and I will stand by it and take the necessary actions and precautions to fulfill your wishes, Lady Liara."

"Thank you." Liara reached out and took Mozia's hands. "I truly do appreciate your counsel. Should things start to become too difficult, please talk to me and we can adjust our strategy as required. I will bow to your judgment, should it become necessary. I will not become the leader that is too stubborn, only to see House T'Soni fall."

"Like father, like daughter." Laughing softly, Mozia smiled and explained what she meant by the comment. "Now I believe it is you who is being a bit overly dramatic. I would not be a very good Regent, if I let things get that bad before I came to you with recommendations for a course correction."

At that, Liara had also smiled in response. "And I trust you to do just that… I simply wanted to reinforce that I will listen to you if and when the time comes. And should I be too stubborn to listen to your advice, I want you to be able to remind me of this very conversation."

Mozia had actually smirked. Until that very moment, Liara hadn't realized such an expression was in her repertoire. "Giving me the ammunition I need to fight the battle against you and win?"

"Exactly." Liara gave her a knowing look. "I do realize just how stubborn I can be… and the wellbeing of our House is not something I am allowed risk."

"Ha!" grunted Aethyta. "If she won't tell you, I sure as hell will. I can guarantee you that!"

Liara chuckled and reached toward her father, who clasped the extended hand and gave it a light squeeze as Liara continued, "I'm sure you will… and forgive me if I fail to thank you for it, because I doubt you will do so very gently. It's just not in your nature when someone is being stubborn… or stupid."

Aethyta released her hand and laughed. "I would never consider you stupid. Inexperienced, maybe… but we all need to learn through practice, over time… which I am sure you will not only do but will do extremely well. You always do, once you put your mind to something."

"Thanks, Dad, for the vote of confidence." Liara sighed softly, with just a hint of relief. "Even so, I feel like I have a lot more to learn about running House T'Soni."

"That you do, Little Wing." Aethyta gave her a nod. "But that's why you have Mozia here… to make sure you properly learn the skills you need."

The memories were still fresh but, for now, Liara was perfectly content to simply enjoy the view of Samantha in repose. Her siame was currently a vision of tranquility while she slept, a state that very much pleased Liara. She remembered all the nightmares Shepard had experienced during the war… caused by the Beacon's imported data of the destruction the Reapers had rained upon the Prothean Empire. Her current condition was a welcome contrast to those days, one which Liara wanted to do everything within her power to maintain.

Liara drew a deep breath as she thought about Sha'ira's issue, and the offer she had made to the retiring Consort… or at least the Consort who hoped to retire, all depending on how much grief the Conclave opted to inflict upon her. She very purposely put those thoughts aside and reached out to mentally touch Shepard's mind. Accompanying that touch with a physical one, Liara let her fingers trail down Samantha's neck and across her chest, slowly teasing the woman awake.

Samantha let out a quiet sigh, feeling a shiver pass through her body from the light, playful touch. Clearing her sleep-clogged throat, she whispered, "What are you up to, Ionúin Álainn?"

A sparkle in her eye, Liara answered with an equally quiet whisper. "Just being greedy and wanting you awake with me, that's all."

Sam chuckled huskily. "That's all, huh? You sure there's not more to it than that?"

"There really wasn't," Liara answered, continuing to speak in hushed tones. "I know you are still tired; I can feel it… and I think we may need all the energy we can muster to make it through the day. We have a lot of company to attend to… perhaps tonight may end a bit earlier than last and we can get some personal time for ourselves?"

"Promise?"

Liara smiled coyly. "I cannot promise that, as who knows what the day shall bring… but I can promise that I will do my best to make the day… and the night… go as we would like them to. Is that an acceptable alternative?"

Shepard leaned in and kissed the blue lips that hovered much too close to ignore, causing a sudden pang of want to echo through them both.

"Goddess." Liara closed her eyes and groaned as the sensation ripped through her. "That is extremely unfair… and an enormous tease, Samantha Shepard."

"A promise of later… sealed with a kiss." Their eyes met, the love and devotion they felt for one another flowing unfettered through the link. "Shower?"

"Yes… I think I need one, now… thanks to you."

"Hey, don't be blaming me for that… you started it! Besides, I do believe, just perhaps, I can help you wash up… and take the edge off at the same time." Shepard grinned. "Well… maybe not at the same time. Edge first, then get clean."

"Goddess yes." Liara rolled away and quickly climbed out of bed. "I will not even consider turning that offer down!"

Brunch was not the most relaxing affair for the small group of six waiting, somehow both hesitant and impatient, for the arrival of the S'Vatyne Resort contingent. When they finally did arrive, only Liara and Shepard, along with Livos Tanni, met them at the shuttle. Much to their amusement, Zan practically ran off the shuttle into Livos' waiting arms. Matriarch Marisha followed at a much more dignified pace, a beaming smile and gentle shake of the head accompanying her words, "Oh, the enthusiasm of young love," as she descended the ramp.

Once on the ground, she opened her arms to encompass both of her hostesses in a loving hug. "It is good to see both of your smiling faces. You are always a balm to the soul."

Liara grinned widely, hugging back with one arm, the three of them huddled into a sort of triangle. "And it is good to have you here! Livos has been mostly insufferable with your delayed arrival."

"Ah, yes… I imagine so." Marisha's smile broadened even more as she continued, "But she won't have to wait much longer, with the resolution of Zan's family matter now an item successfully tucked away in the annals of history." She gave a little wink and continued, "Unbeknownst to her, I have already begun the search for my next nature guide. I am hoping for a couple months of overlap, before she escapes the resort entirely."

"We will certainly keep the resort needs in mind as we schedule things… and, I can only imagine, Zan will be the one dragging her feet, trying to make sure she causes you no inconvenience with her decision." Liara's smile softened as she watched the two continue their reunion. The welcome hug had quickly transformed into a kiss, followed by excited chatter, trying to both catch up and talk about the activities over the next ten days or so. "She thinks the world of you, you know."

"I do… which is why I was so prepared to offer her the option of adoption into House S'Vatyne." The Matriarch flashed a wide grin. "Not a single person objected… not even my birth daughters, Sash or Eva, when I asked them and the primary staff." She let out the tiniest bit of laughter, adding, "Duke was so bold as to semi-scold me, with a comment akin to 'it's about damned time, Matriarch. We've all seen you treat her as your own for years. What, by the spirits, took you so damned long? This entire crisis could have been completely averted had you acted on your belief in Zan long ago!"

Shepard chuckled. "Gods, I can actually hear him saying that, with a bit of Turian military grouch in his tone. What did you say to him?"

"Oh, I simply laughed and promptly told him I was glad I hadn't, because it resulted in quite a few crime lords going down… not 'just' Clarinda V'Zanto. It helped prompt a necessary post-Reaper War clean up, that was very much needed and, as far as I was concerned, well past due."

"It was at that," replied Liara. "Necessary, I mean. Regarding it being past due, I think people were just getting around to finding normal again. They were tired of war, and the last thing anyone wanted in their back yard was another war, no matter who the perpetrators. They have seen enough violence and are ready for peace, not more fighting."

"In that regard, I'm glad the Council and the Spectres all bought in." Shepard cast them both a knowing look. "Getting the planning and practice done so quickly, then rolling right into the operation with a minimal time lag was perfect. Get in, get it done, get out. Nice and clean, with very little in the way of repercussions."

Shepard suddenly drew a deep breath and dropped the volume of her voice. "Speaking of repercussions, we have a rather anxious ex-Consort inside, who is very eager to get your take on the ending of the proceedings at the Resort. Particularly if there were any consequences directed at you, for letting them depart unobstructed."

Liara held up a hand. "However, that is not a query for information. We simply need to get you moving inside, before Sha'ira explodes with worry. She is very concerned about anything the Consort Conclave may say or do that could impact your business."

"Ah." Marisha pursed her lips. "Well, she need not worry. I will tell the story, but prefer to do it only once, so as to not contaminate the festive atmosphere any longer than necessary. Just know that it will not be an issue of concern, for any of the parties involved." She met Liara's eyes and added, "So, we need to find someplace private to have the discussion with her…" She caught the look on Liara's face, and added, "But there is more to this, isn't there? How many, exactly, do I need to speak with?"

Liara blushed lightly and glanced away for a second. Meeting the Matriarch's eyes, she explained, "Well… when I heard what they had done to Sha'ira, I offered… House T'Soni offered her extended sanctuary, should the need or desire arise, depending on the severity of the Conclave edict that comes as a result of the proceedings."

Marisha's eyes opened a bit wider at the proclamation. "You would dare such a thing, against an organization such as the Consort Conclave?"

The expression on the face of the young leader said it all, but Liara's words cemented her dedication to the cause. "Shepard and I, along with any number of friends, faced down Sovereign. We took the battle with the Collectors to their homeworld in the Galactic Core, and then, defeated Harbinger and his horde of Reapers to save the entire damned galaxy. Trust me when I say the Consort Conclave would be out of their depth, should they decide to test our resolve on any issue involving people whom I consider to be part of the T'Soni-Shepard family."

Mouth hanging open, Marisha stared at the young Asari for a few seconds before clapping her jaw shut. Then, she started to chuckle. "By the Goddess, Liara. It is no wonder you defeated the Reapers. The fire in your eyes when you said that… let me just say I am very, very glad that House S'Vatyne and the Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort are on your side in this!"

"And everyone thinks I'm the savior of the galaxy." Shepard laughed along with Marisha, lightly shaking her head as she added, "They have no idea. It took a team for all those victories… and if push comes to shove, I can guarantee that team will come back together to take on any and all challengers, be it pirates, some unknown enemy like the Reapers… or the Conclave. Our cause was never to save the galaxy; the reason we worked so damned hard was to save the people we care about, and we're not going to let anyone hurt the people we did it for. Our most sincere… and strongest… motivation to win every one of those battles was to secure a future for all of the people we love."

"I have absolutely zero trouble believing that." Marisha smiled and gave a small nod. "So, let us proceed quickly, before Sha'ira comes in search of us, shall we?"

They promptly made their way into the house and, with Marisha fully understanding the urgency, made it clear she thought it best to head directly to the private den upstairs, saying, "Zan and Liv can take care of the bags while we tend immediately to the business at hand." In less than five minutes, Sha'ira and Raesia made their appearance.

Sha'ira dipped her head in welcome. "Thank you, Matriarch, for being willing to see me so soon after your arrival."

"Nonsense." Marisha moved to her and gave her a long hug as she whispered in her ear. "I know how important this is to you… and I want to make sure you are agreeable to all those present here remaining for the news? Which, I will say, is generally good."

Sha'ira returned the embrace and let out a soft sigh of relief at the matriarch's words; even so, what was most comforting was her relaxed posture, which told Sha'ira much more than anything the matriarch could possibly say. Pulling back, she responded aloud. "Everyone here is… family, I suppose is the only word that truly fits. They all have a vested interest in what you have to say so, please, feel free to speak before them."

"Then let us get comfortable so I may tell my story." Looking to Shepard, she smiled. "I know Tris and company arrived before me. Do you, perhaps, have any new Thaptos whites?"

"We do, actually." Shepard glanced around the group. "Shall I just open a bottle and pour everyone the same? All of what Tris brought are young, new wines and won't hold well…"

Raesia glanced at Sha'ira and answered for them both. "That will be perfect, Samantha."

"Excellent." Shepard moved toward the cabinet and pulled a bottle from the chiller, continuing, "Don't wait on me… I can listen and pour at the same time."

"Then I will begin." Marisha nodded and settled into her chair. "First off, when Grand Matriarch Lumina demanded to see me immediately, I knew something had to be amiss. In all the times the Consorts have used our resort, we have never received a single complaint. Our service to the Consorts has always been extraordinary. It was… still is… my belief that such an organization, one that provides such a service to people-in-need, deserves to have the tables turned. They need a time when their members can be the beneficiaries instead of the givers… as a display of gratitude for all the times they provide such to their own clients. S'Vatyne has always felt honored to be chosen to provide that service."

She smiled up at Shepard, taking the glass of wine offered and pausing in her dialogue to take a sip. "Oh… this is good! Not overly sweet… clean… crisp. A perfect white for maybe a side of fruit to add some acidity?"

"Is that a hint?" Liara smiled, opening her omnitool as she added, "Let me message Leyana, so she can prepare a tray and have it brought to us. Shall I include those little snack sandwiches?"

Raesia immediately answered for the group. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Liara. That way, no one needs to be distracted by hunger if this goes longer than anticipated."

"Excellent." Liara glanced at Marisha and nodded, indicating she could continue whenever she was ready, and quickly typed a quick message on her omnitool before returning her attention to Marisha.

The matriarch savored another sip of wine for a moment, then set her glass on the table between them and continued. "I never dreamed that when I went to her, it would be before the entire Conclave… nor that she would publicly demand I close the departures for the Resort until further notice." She shook her head and shrugged at the same time. "I was a bit confounded and asked if something had happened, if something had been stolen from one of the rooms… to which she retorted rather heatedly that it was none of my business… that I simply needed to follow her instructions and keep anyone from leaving the resort, at least until Consort Sha'ira and Councilor Tevos had been located and returned to the Conclave conference room."

Shepard whistled quietly. "Oh, boy. She actually said restricting departures… from your resort… was none of your business?"

"Yes, she did." Marisha gave her a glare, obviously not aimed at Shepard, but at the ire she felt toward Lumina in that moment. "To which I promptly informed her I would do no such thing. I am not a jailor and would never think to restrict the movement of any of the guests to or from my resort when they had a valid reservation. If anything, I would query them as to the cause of their early departure… in case there was something the resort staff had done to offend or displease them."

"How did she reply to such a statement?" asked Liara, in something of an awed voice.

"I do not know, as I turned and walked out before she recovered from her surprise. I had other things to do, before Sha'ira and Rae made good on their escape." Marisha shrugged. "Neither will I concern myself with her reaction, as I did not see her again before she departed – within an hour of the incident – along with roughly half of the Consorts."

Sha'ira nodded a couple of times as Marisha spoke, finally saying, "Which is when you sought us out, apologizing for such a thing occurring during our visit, and telling us we should make haste… and offering your personal shuttle for an immediate departure."

Rae added, "And promising the full story once you arrived here."

"Yes." Marisha's face took on a sly smile as she continued. "I believe they were split over how it was handled; those who remained through Sunday night to depart this morning came to me before they left. They apologized for the Grand Matriarch's behavior, to which I responded they need not bother, as it was not their doing and I would not accept their contrition for her act. I also informed them I would remove the charge for that extra night to anyone in attendance… including for those who remained. I told them to consider it a personal gift, for what they do for others… and for the message I believed they sent to the Grand Matriarch. I also informed them they would be welcome to return at any time, while those who followed Lumina out the door might find it… difficult… to acquire reservations in the future."

Sha'ira gasped. "That is a huge risk… and you could lose a significant sum of credits by taking such a stance! I would never ask you to do such for me!"

Marisha scoffed. "Please. When clients come to the resort, much like you and those you help, I take their visit as a personal responsibility. It is my job to ensure their visit is satisfactory in all aspects, be it to ensure their blissful relaxation… or personal protection. No one comes to harm, of any kind, while they are under my care. Not if I can prevent it."

"But the Conclave…"

Marisha shook her head and waved a hand, cutting Sha'ira off. "No. It does not matter who they are. The resort rules and standards apply to all of my guests – no exceptions. So, each of those who departed early, full of anger and frustration, will need to speak with me directly, should they ever desire to visit my establishment again. That, however, does not include a Conclave function, which I will simply never host again, so long as Lumina sits at the helm. Even then, whoever the new Grand Matriarch is, the ban may still continue, depending on who it is."

Her eyes shifted to Liara and Samantha, and she smiled. "Knowing now that you granted Sha'ira refuge under the current conditions? That has only increased my dedication to provide extraordinary service to House T'Soni."

"But what is next?" asked Liara. "The Conclave wields a lot of political power…"

"As do you, Liara T'Soni. You and Spectre Samantha Shepard saved the entire galaxy from obliteration. Even a fool like Lumina must be able to see the influence you wield. If you let it become known – discretely, of course – that you support Sha'ira in this matter, over the attempted violation of her client memories by the Conclave, she must let go of the issue, or risk not only her own reputation, but that of the entire Consort organization. It could force her into retirement. It is you who holds the power here; not her, nor the Conclave. You."

"So, what do we do now?" asked Raesia. "Our relationship isn't exactly a secret. Do we talk to the other Councilors? Tell them what happened to us?"

Marisha nodded. "Absolutely… but don't go out of your way. When they ask how your holiday went… tell them the truth. The entire truth." Her focus then shifted back to Sha'ira. "In the meantime, you are here. Enjoy your holiday, knowing you have extremely dedicated friends who love you and will stand with you in this. In no way are you alone in this… and, assuming the Grand Matriarch knows what is best for both her and the Consort organization as a whole, all of this will simply go away."