Cora was in the canteen eating her breakfast when Ryder walks in, she smiles at her before turning her back to grab some coffee. "You're in a good mood," she comments when she hears Ryder humming to herself.

Sara turns around, leaning against the counter to sip the warm liquid. "I'm just happy today," she replies. It was true, she woke up with no headache or backache. SAM even saw a massive drop in her stress levels. It seemed the day prior with Reyes did really help her.

Cora raises a brow at her, but drops the subject and finishes her sloppy porridge. The food was still bland as hell in Andromeda, but Drack did his best. "Why did you want the crew to have two days of shore leave? Surely we should concentrate on fixing Kadara's vault."

Ryder pauses with her cup to her lips. "I just needed a break, Cora. Don't worry, we will get straight on it tomorrow," she replies. Cora stands up, glaring at her before slightly raising her voice.

"We can't afford shore leave. Tann would not approve." Ryder quickly felt the stress return, she was pissed off at that point. Cora had an issue with constantly questioning her decisions, being shitty about Alec giving the Pathfinder role to Ryder and not her, which was what was intended to happen.

"I don't give a flying fuck what Tann thinks. If I want us to have shore leave, we are having it. Remember who's in charge, Cora," Ryder all but snarls at her. Both women stand in a lock on glare with each other.

Cora sighs, throwing her plate in the sink and stalking off. Ryder hated her sometimes, she's always had a stick up her ass about not having the Pathfinder job. "SAM, tell the crew they can have tomorrow morning as shore leave as well. We will sort the vault in the afternoon."

Her AI partner takes a moment to respond. "Are you sure, Ryder?" Sara smirks, bobbing her head.

"Sure, I like to piss off Cora just a little bit more." SAM takes a moment to reply as he lets the whole crew know.

"Done, Pathfinder," he says. Ryder smirks, leaving the ship to see Sloan, she needed to see what the woman might have to say about getting a colony on Kadara. She was hoping to find the Charlatan, thinking whoever it was might help them. But not even SAM knew where to start in finding them. All terminals they came across were wiped so clean, no traces could be found on addresses or omni-tool .

Ryder had stopped a few times along the way to Outcast HQ, helping some of the local residents and offering to find the different things they'd lost in the Badlands. She had a long list of stuff to do tomorrow.

Kaetus, Sloans main man, was standing outside her door. He quickly stops her from taking one step closer. "What do you want, Pathfinder?" his thick voice rumbles.

"I need to see you, boss. I promise to be on my best behaviour," she says with a wink. Kaetus's mandibles are held tight to his cheeks, not impressed with her words.

"Don't make me regret this," he mumbles as he leads her inside.

"Don't worry, I won't embarrass you again, big guy," she says, patting his shoulder. Kaetus pushed her further from him, making sure Sloan sees. The woman was sitting on her throne, leaning against the headrest as she typed at the arms terminal. "The Pathfinder wishes to see you," he says as he moves away to let Ryder come closer.

"What do you want this time? Come to steal more prisoners from me?" Ryder chuckles, leaning on her hip.

"Come on, your majesty. You don't know that was me," she replies. Sloan quivers her lip at her. "But, no. I need to know what I can do to get an outpost on Kadara?"

Sloan laughs, shaking her head. "Why would I allow that?"

"Because tomorrow I'll be fixing this planet's vault making it actually habitable. Why shouldn't I just let consume this planet and destroy it with all of you on it?" Ryder confidently asks, crossing her arms over her chest. Sloan looks at Kaetus, looking far from impressed.

"First you will activate the vault. I know this planet can't sustain without it." She pauses to smirk at Ryder. "You do that and some... other favours for me and I might consider it."

"Fuck you, Sloan," Ryder says with a pointed finger. "I'm not you damn lapdog," she shouts.

"We are done here, Pathfinder. Do as I say and you might get your outpost. I know your Initiative can't survive without the resources from Kadara." Ryder was stuck, it was true. Kadara had most of the food they needed to sustain the number of people being woken up from cryo. She rolls her eyes, waves her hand in a mocking curtsy and leaves. Kaetus follows her out.

"Why do you want to piss her off so much?" he asks in agitation. Ryder stops by the exit, half turning to look at him.

"It brings me joy to annoy her. She's a bitch." Kaetus growls at her.

"Watch your tongue," she warns. Ryder smirks at him.

"Or what big guy?" she asks before leaving. She was pumped, knowing she needed to be on her best behaviour and doing the exact opposite brought her pure joy. She brings her omni-tool up.

To: Reyes Vidal.

From: Sara Ryder.

Subject: Rules.

Reyes,

I'm still in Kadara Port. You at Tartarus?

I know we have some... things to discuss.

Ryder.

She was about to walk towards the shops to look around when not even a minute later her omni-tool alerts her to a message.

To: Sara Ryder.

From: Reyes Vidal.

Subject: RE Rules.

Ryder,

Well, I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. Worried I scared you off.

Come to Tartarus. I have something to show you. I'll be good, I promise.

Reyes.

Ryder couldn't lie she got excited seeing this email. She quickly heads to Tartarus, marching at top speed to go see him. This was the type of excitement she missed from her old life. She walks in and is quickly greeted by two male humans who were just leaving.

She tries to move out of their way, but they both are intoxicated. They only get in her way, one places his arm around her shoulders. "Well, aren't you a pretty little thing," he breathes in her ear. Ryder shuddered, she instantly felt sick.

"SAM..." she mutters. Hoping he could do something, just anything. Her AI doesn't respond, what was she thinking? He's in her body, she was on her own with this one. "Guys, don't bother," she mutters, pushing his arm away.

"Bitch, did we say you could leave?" the taller of the two asks. His jet black hair draped over his face, hiding most of his features. "What's a girl like you doing down here?"

Ryder smirks, she could easily kick both their asses. But she's already caused enough trouble with Sloan, she didn't want any more reasons for Tann to question if she really should be on Kadara. "You don't want this fight, boys," she mumbles.

One of them pushes her back, she braces herself against the table. Ryder was ready to fight her way out, it was self-defence after all. But her mouth drops as the guy closest to her gets his face punched in. He was knocked out cold. Reyes stood there, his face carrying an armour of pure thunder.

He turned to the other man, he'd quickly looked at his friend then at Reyes, realizing he didn't stand a chance. "Hey, man. We were only playing," he says, holding his hands up.

Reyes slowly grabs the man by his throat, squeezing lightly. "You ever... I mean ever touch her again. Or even come in here again. I will put a fucking bullet in you and his head, am I clear?" he asks in a deep accent. Ryder just stands there, too shocked to even move a muscle. Reyes was... scary. Really scary.

"Sur... sure man. Whatever you want," he says. Reyes lets him go, pulling Ryder with him into his room. She last sees the guy picking his unconscious friend up and dragging him out of the bar. Onlookers quickly forgot and carried on with their previous affairs.

Reyes shuts and locks the door, throwing Ryder against the wall as he slams their lips together. Ryder instantly moves her hands to his neck, which he growls and forces her to hold them above their head. Ryder moans in his mouth, he bites her sore lips before finally pulling away, looking her over before letting her hands go.

"Are you okay?" he asks with worry. She nods, licking her bottom bitten lip. He leads her over to his couch, sitting her down close to him.

"How did you know?" she asks. Reyes smiles at her, shaking his arm that his omni-tool was on.

"SAM," he says. "He told me to come to your aid ASAP." Ryder smiles, SAM did help her then.

"Thanks, buddy," she whispers.

"You're welcome, Sara. I am glad you're okay," he replies via her omni-tool. Ryder scratches the back of her head, she was so tired of Kadara. But she had too many responsibilities just to leave.

"I heard you went to see Sloan?" Reyes questions. Ryder gives him side-eyes. "I have many people watching the port," he adds.

"Or watching me?" Reyes chuckles, shaking his head.

"I don't need to do that, Ryder. Everyone sees you coming and sometimes SAM will let me know your status." Ryder almost chokes on her breath.

"SAM?" she shouts in agitation.

"I only wish to keep you safe, Sara. Reyes and you are... friends with benefits as your reference and I thought it was best he was kept updated on your health and status around Kadara. I apologize if that was incorrect." Ryder covers her face. She really hated how blunt SAM could be sometimes, he understood what friends with benefits were, but not the main concept of it. Sara wished Alec had given him more lessons in that department, but he was as hard as a damn rock when it came to stuff like that. Too closed off to even speak or think about it.

"It's... okay. Just next time check with me first, I don't mind him knowing I'm still alive. But location-wise, I'd like to be told." Reyes raises a brow at her.

"Why, Ryder. Don't you trust me enough to know?" Ryder pats his shoulder.

"I trust you, but you don't need to know everything," she answers. Reyes only shakes his head but drops the subject. "You said you had something to show me?"

"Ah, yes." Reyes gets up to grab a datapad. Passing it to Ryder, she reads it.

"Rules?" she asks, seeing the top line.

"I want rules in place for us both," he answers. Ryder reads it. There weren't many just basic stuff for what they both are expected to do. No boyfriends or girlfriends, no other sexual partners. No flirting.

"Why do I need to see this? You know I wouldn't do this," she asks with some annoyance. Did he really think so little of her?

Reyes nods towards it, using his finger to scroll down. There were more rules, stuff for the bedroom. "I need to know you're in this, Ryder. I don't want to force you into anything you're not comfortable with." She read through it, the rules were not too much. Most were for Ryder, she was expected to do as Reyes says in reason. Ask for permission if he tells her beforehand. She could back out at any time and he'd not ask any questions. She had to use any materials he deems necessary.

She rolls his hands, which he tuts at. "What?" she asks looking up.

"That, rolling the eyes," he says pointing at her face. "You will be punished for doing that."

"You're fucking joking right?" she asks. Reyes only nods.

"Unless this is too much?" Ryder quickly shakes her head. She was actually intrigued. Never before doing stuff like this were their rules. Yes, she was expected to do as the dom says, but never to this extent.

"I can handle this. How will this work during times I am away from Kadara?" Reyes sits back, drinking his whiskey.

"You will have a punishment waiting for you, depending on how bad you are will depend on what punishment I deem necessary for you to learn," he whispers. Ryder shivers.

"I'm terrible at following rules," she says. She really was, she ignored nearly all of Tann's and Addison's. "Guess, I'll need a lot of lessons taught."

Reyes growls, pulling Ryder's chin to catch her lips. "Don't test me, Ryder." Sara just wanted to do that even more. She pulls her head back, he only gets angrier. "Do you agree to these terms?" he asks before doing anything else.

"What do I get out of this?" she asks. Reyes smirks at her, pulling back slightly.

"Me, you will get my full attention when you are here. Whatever you want is yours. You also get the release you have desperately been needing since leaving the Milkyway." Ryder knew Reyes was getting more out of this than her.

"Alright, Reyes," she says. Reyes smirks, pulling her hair for their lips to crash again.

"Get your pants off," he orders. Ryder does as she's asked. She feels thrilled, it's something partly new and exciting. What could possibly go wrong?

A/N: Well, we finally have lift off. It's quite fun to write this, a new side of Reyes I feel like he had once. His attitude at least says he does.