Emma, The Stick in Your Eye, Sowilo System

"So...what are we going to do, anyway?" Blake asked as he spun his chair around in a circle.

"We're going to scan these planets like we were told," Emma crossed her legs as she pulled her shirt down, straightening the wrinkles. It was made of a soft cotton and colored a periwinkle blue. It was her favorite color. It reminded her of her mother's eyes.

"I know that," Blake said, spinning again. "This is the last one. I mean after this."

"We take the information to Dr. T'soni," Emma smirked.

"Emma!"

"I wanna eat ice cream!" Lilly giggled. She was laughing more and more. Life was coming back to the little girl. In fact, her hair had grown out enough that it was starting to cover the scars on her head.

"You always want to eat ice cream," Jac chuckled as he glanced up from his scanning boards.

Lilly jumped up and down for a moment, waving her arms in the air, a wide grin on her face. "That's 'cause ice cream is awesome!"

"Why don't we find Commander Shepard?" Kikka walked into the bridge, wiping grease from her hands. The asari girl had taken to the engine room like she was born to it. In fact she didn't need much help from Legion anymore. "Core is discharged, by the way. We can go whenever you feel like it."

"Great," Emma nodded. "Jac?"

"Scans will be done in about five," Jac waved a hand as he made some adjustments. "Unless you meant the Shepard thing. I'm wanna do that too."

"Yeah! Shepard!" Lilly jumped again.

"Legion?" Emma turned her chair to look back at the geth. "What do you think?"

"Locating Shepard-Commander is our primary purpose," Legion looked down at the girl, the small flaps around his eye moving subtly.

"Shepard it is then," Emma chuckled. "But then we need to find real work. Like hauling cargo or something. We spent a lot of money getting the ship fixed up and we can't fly around forever, we'll run out of fuel and cash eventually."

"Scan's done," Jac sighed, leaning back and looking to Ema. "We're kids though, Em. Who would hire five kids?"

Emma's smile died on her lips as she frowned. "Six, Jac."

"Em…" Jac eyes turned painfilled for a moment before he seemed to shrug it away. "Em, I don't think Tanya is going to wake up. The quarian doctor said she didn't know."

"Well, what does she know," Emma snapped, turning away. "Tanya will be okay. She'll wake up."

"Em…"

"Shut it," Emma stood and clasped her hands behind her back. "Blake, let's get going."

"Okay!" Blake spun his chair back to his boards, eager to avoid the tension that had taken the bridge. "Hey...Legion? I put it in like this..then, this...then….this. Right?"

"You would be correct Pilot-Blake," Legion moved to stand behind the boy, looking over his shoulder. "However, it is advisable that we clear the gravity well of the third planet before making the jump. Otherwise the ship will burst apart."

"Eww," Blake paled slightly as he took his hand away from a particular control. "Good to...good to know…."

"Well then," Kikka cleared her as she spun on her heel. "I'm going back to engineering. And if it helps, maybe we can do more work for Dr. T'soni. Or we can do some salvage ops. We can even pick up some other stranded kids, fill out the crew or something. Maybe we can be somebody else's family?"

The bridge was silent as the door closed behind the asari.

Liara, Her Office, Illium

"Your two o'clock wishes to reschedule, Dr. T'soni," Julip read off her data pad. "They are claiming that their daughter is ill."

"Hmm," Liara paused and glanced up. "What do you think?"

"Probably legit," Julip shrugged. "He has a daughter and she is in the school on Jorvander quadrant. I've been hearing about a flu epidemic popping up in that area."

"Very well," Liara grinned. "Reschedule, but make it three weeks out. We want to punish him a little. Oh, and send his daughter some flowers."

"Very well," Julip nodded, entering data. "Oh, I received word from Sekat at Baria Frontiers. He reports to have gotten the data from the kids you sent out."

"Still upset about that, I see," Liara sighed. Julip was a bright girl. In fact, she as the best assistant that she ever had. She was even picking up the little trainings that Liara was weaving into her duties. One day, that quarian was going to be an amazing operative.

"Of course I am," Julip grunted, dropping the pad onto Liara's desk. "They are just kids! They've been used enough!"

"That's why I am having them do it," Liara smiled painfully for a moment. Another small cut on her heart. She hated herself for grooming the girl to be an agent in the quarian fleet for her. And she hated herself even more for using the children as she was. "They are wary of handouts."

"So you give them a job looking for the most dangerous person in the galaxy?" Julip shook her head, her anger beginning to show through her voice.

"No, Shepard is the most dangerous person in the galaxy. The Shadow Broker is down the list a bit," Liara laughed lightly. "I gave the kids a sector to scan that should be odds of him actually….."

"They found something," Julip interrupted. Her tone had shifted from indignant anger to resignation. "I...wanted to hear you say the words. I wanted you to have not sent them there on purpose."

"They found him?!" Liara lurched to her feet in shock. "You were hiding it from me?"

"No, of course not," Julip flinched back. Only then did Liara realize her fields had popped. "The kids sent the data to Sekat. He says there was something, but he wanted to tell you face to face. And he wants the disk."

Liara took a deep breath and slowly pulled her fields in. "I'm...sorry, Julip," she said with a small cough. "Tell...tell Sekat that he'll have his disk when I have the data I need in my hand. Now. If you will excuse me, I have some things to work on."

"Of course," Julip bowed slightly as she picked up her pad and left Liara alone in the office.

"You bastard," Liara smiled hatefully at her reflection in her terminal. "I have you!"

John, Upper Wards, Citadel

"She's scheduled to rotate out next week," Tali said lightly as the pair walked through the shopping district. "So she wants to have dinner before we leave. She also wants us to bring Grunt."

"Goddess," John sighed, glancing at his mate. "She's really throwing down on Grunt as a grandchild."

"Yeah, it's kinda cute," Tali giggled. "She said something about getting him an extra large stocking for...Christmas? Did I say that right?"

"You did," John nodded with a laugh. "It's a human religious holiday. It's become more secular over the centuries. Now it's mostly an excuse to get together, give each other gifts and eat too much."

"So many of your holidays involve eating," Tali giggled again. It was a sound John would never grow tired of.

Laughing along, John shook his head. "It's true. But the asari have a three day holiday that involves eating small meals every two hours in complete silence."

"You're kidding!" Tali hands clapped over her indicator light as she laughed fully, leaning her head into John's arm.

"Nope! Swear to the Goddess!" John held up a hand as he wrapped his other around Tali's shoulders.

"She stole my credit chit!"

Tali snapped away from John, her laughter disappearing as her head looked around, searching for the accusatory person.

John saw it first. A volus stood, his little arms waving around as he half yelled at a human C-Sec officer. A quarian stood in front of them, and seemed to be the brunt of the volus's ire.

"I did not!" the quarian shot back, her arms crossed over her chest as she stood stiffly. "You ran into me, you-"

"Hey now, how about you calm down miss," the C-Sec officer sighed as he typed something out on his pad.

"Me?" the quarian looked away, her body language clearly read anger. Well...clearly for John. He had been around quarians long enough to have a good feel for them.

"I demand you arrest her!" the Volus shook his fist again.

"Sir, I've scanned her already, and gave her a very thorough pat down," John didn't miss the dirty note in the man's voice as he spoke, nor did he miss the quarian's small shudder. "She doesn't seem to have you credit chit."

"Then...Well, then she probably hid it! Yes!" the volus stomped angrily. "I bet she passed it to that one!"

It actually took John a moment to realize the volus was pointing at him. Or, more accurately, at Tali.

"You have got to be kidding," Tali muttered under her breath as she stiffened.

"Seriously?" the other quarian spun to look at John and Tali. "Just because we are both quarians, we must be together?"

"I know how you work!" the volus spat. "Lazy layabouts, taking advantage of innocent people, taking their jobs! Thieves! All of you!"

"Wait," Tali held up a hand as they approached the other group. "Are we lazy, or thieves or stealing all the jobs? I'm pretty sure we can't be doing all of that at once."

"I…" the volus paused, breathing heavily as he looked from the quarian, to Tali then the C-Sec officer. "What are you doing! Arrest them! Get me my credit chit!"

The officer shrugged and looked to Tali with a disturbing sneer. "Well, if nothing else, maybe I should give you a good once over. So how about-"

It was a blur. John didn't really know what happened. He saw the C-Sec officer reach for Tali. He heard that...tone. The undisguised filth. He felt his blood surge, it pounded in his head. The next thing he knew, his hands was around the officer's neck. He easily lifted the man, slamming him against the wall with enough force to blow the air out of him.

"John!" Tali's voice cut through the fog in his head, bringing the world back to him. "John! Let the man go, John."

Blinking, John released his grip, letting the man drop. He crumpled in on himselfs as he landed, clutching his throat as he gasped ragged breaths.

"John," are you alright?" Tali pulled at his arm, turning him to her. "Look at me. Take a breath. I'm okay. He didn't touch me."

"I...right," John nodded taking a deep shuddering breath of his own. "What...what happened?"

"You defended me," Tali said quietly. "Your instinct took you. We call it derrohm. It's alright. I'm okay."

"Yeah," John looked at his hand. It was shaking slightly in the after effects of his rage. "I think I'm okay…"

"You put your hands up!" a hoarse voice pulled their attention around. The C-Sec officer was standing slowly, his pistol drawn. "You assaulted an officer!"

"Put the gun down," John's eyes narrowed as he looked at the man. He could feel the anger in him again. The bastard was pointing his gun at them. At Tali. This time, he was going to break the son of a bitch over his knee….

"How about you turn around and put your hands on your head?" the officer let out a slightly off smirk. "You like these suit rats so much, I'm going to put you in a nice cell together, huh? Or you can resist…."

"Hey, Shepard," Grunt stepped around the corner. He was carrying what looked like a large stuffed version of Battlemaster Gorge under one arm. "Grandma was...what are you doing?"

"You go about your damn business, krogan!" the officer shouted, his gun still pointed wobbly at John.

"Hnh," Grunt shrugged and casually slapped the man on the back of the head. John watched as the man's eyes rolled back and dropped, bonelessly to the ground. The krogan turned to see the volus standing to one side, blinking. "Oh, you're the one I bumped into earlier. The guy at the porn shop has your credit chit. He also said your copy of 'Elcor and You' is in."

"I...uh...well...she could have stolen it…." The volus swallowed as he backed up. With a quick turn he waddled away, muttering something under his breath.

"Thanks, Grunt," Tali chuckled. "You probably saved us some paperwork." Turning to John she giggled again. "You should probably call C-Sec though. This is going to take some talking."

"Yeah," John sighed as he shook his head. "I'll get on it. How about you take your Fleet Sister to get a meal. Maybe take the rug rat with you."

"I'll do that," Tali laughed again as she turned to the quarian. "Come on Grunt, let's have a chat with our new friend."

"I like more friends," Grunt grinned as he walked with Tali. He held up the stuffed Gorge with a proud smile. "Did you see what Grandma got me?"

Tali, Yorks Noodle House, Upper Wards

"You're Tali'Zorah!" the new quarian said at last. She had been fairly quiet as they walked away from where John stood over that fucked up officer. In fact, she had barely responded to her questions with anything more than single word answers until they sat at the restaurant.

Caught off guard, Tali look from the girl to Grunt and back. "Uh...yes?"

"I knew it!" the quarian leaned in over the table, amazement in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey," Grunt frowned as he placed a hand on the girl's helmet and pushed her gently, but firmly, back inot her seat. "Take a breath. Who are you, anyway?"

"Ah! I'm so sorry!" the girl's hands went to cover her indicator light as her eyes went wide behind her visor. "My name is Lia'Vael nar Ulnay! I came here thinking there would be work. I mean...after the geth attack I figured there would be more salvage opportunities. You know, maybe some EVA work."

"But nobody will hire a quarian," Tali nodded with a sigh.

"Yeah," Lia half shrugged. "I was going to try someplace else, but the ship I tried to book passage on took my money and left me. I've been surviving at the turian mission in the Lower Wards."

"Were you looking for work up here?" Tali asked, her head tilting to one side slightly.

"Nah," Lia laughed lightly, waving a hand. "I like to look through the used ship registries. It's fun to pretend I am shopping for a ship to take back to the Fleet."

"Umm…." a female turian wearing a white wedge hat stopped by the table, slowly looking at the small group. "Do...you have an order?"

"Gimme two of the fish-dog bowls," Grunt grinned widely. "They're my favorite!"

The turian laughed at Grunt's enthusiasm and nodded. "They are pretty popular! How spicy would you like it?"

"Uh…" Grunt frowned slightly and turned to Tali. "I dunno….what do you think?"

"How would I know, Grunt?" Tali chuckled before turning to the waitress. "Make his medium. I'll take a….beef? What's a beef?"

"Oh, that's a stock animal from earth!" the waitress smiled warmly. She was getting a nice tip! "It's a levo animal, but we have dextro flavored versions as well!"

"I'll take that. Spicy as you can get, please," Tali nodded, and turned to Lia. "What do you want?"

"Oh! No! I can't afford anything!" Lia sat back waving her hands in front of herself.

"She'll have what I'm having," Tali sighed. She remembered what it was like, being trapped on the Citadel, alone with nothing. "Probably not spicy though."

"Alrighty, it'll take a few extra minutes to run it through the decontamination unit, is that okay?" the waitress asked, a small look of apology on her face.

"It's fine, thank you," Tali nodded with a smile. She liked this girl! Still smiling, Tali turned to Lia. "Now, are you alright? I noticed how that officer was. Did he do anything?"

"Ugh," Lia gave a slight shudder as she went limp in her chair. "Not really. He was just super creepy. He….felt me up a...bit more than was called for, maybe."

"Should I go find him?" Grunt asked as he set Battlemaster Gorge up in a seat next to him. He was even in the process of tying a napkin around the stuffed toy's neck.

"No, Grunt, John's taking care of it," Tali laughed. "Assuming he doesn't beat the guy to death."

"He's my Battlemaster!" Grunt grinned proudly.

"Who...was that Commander Shepard?" Lia asked, her voice going taunt.

"Yes, that's my John" Tali couldn't keep the note of pride from her own voice. You're getting as bad as Grunt! She thought to herself.

"Wow…." Lia just looked at Tali with admiration. "I saw the vid of him ripping the Admirals apart at the trial! There are rumors that you two are….um…"

"We are?" Tali raised an eyebrow.

"You know…." Lia squirmed under Tali's gaze. "Together…."

"They are mates," Grunt snorted at last. "If that's what you mean. They share quarters and everything."

Lia's eyes went even wider, if that was possible.

"Thanks, Grunt," Tali sighed, shaking her head. "A bit crude, but yes, we are Bonded."

"So it's true! We can Bond with humans!" Lia looked at Tali with star struck eyes. To be honest, it was getting irritating. How did John deal with this so often and not punch people out?"

"Well, probably not," Tali shrugged, slightly uncomfortable. "John and I are probably a unique case. Things came together. We've been through a lot."

"Here are your orders!" the waitress dropped off the food for the group. "Enjoy!"

"Looks good, at least," Tali pounced on the opportunity to talk about something other than herself. She juggled the hot food canister, a bigger version of the usual food tubes she ate from. The canisters generally were used for whole, fresh foods like this soup. Taking a quick sample of the broth she nodded slightly. "Not bad. A little bland."

"AAAAAGGGHHH!" Grunt cried out as he wiped furiously at his tongue. He snatched a pitcher of water from the next table over, dumping it in his mouth. "It burns! Why?!"

"Well….I guess now we know Grunt's weakness," Tali chuckled ruefully.

Quarian Lexicon

Derrohm: Quarians have risen above their baser instincts, but at times when intense anger or fear, what a human would refer to as 'fight' instinct kicks in. Under the influence of derrom, quarians can possibly hurt themselves, or others around them. The quarian's mate is usually required to calm them down. Or they get locked in a room until the rage passes

AN: Two for one today!