(*Disclaimer: The alternative approach with Ryder's romance option; Sky*)

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Scott leaned back into his chair and raised both of his arms up, bending at the elbows, and rested the back of his head into his laced fingers.

The doorway softly hissed open permitting the dark silver figure to emerge into the Pathfinder's Quarters.

Ryder spun his chair to face into the direction of Sky walking into the private room and stopped in short distance from the human Pathfinder.

"Hey, Sky! What's up? Ha, get it? What's up... normally the sky.." Scott trailed off and felt the heat of embarrassment rising into his cheeks.

Sky crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his helmet to the side.

"Your irresistible charm is wearing off." Sky's softly echoing voice murmured in mockery tone.

Scott lowered his arms and rose up from his seat to approach the tall slender humanoid. Ryder's lips curled up in a broad grin as he responded coolly, "Hey, give me a break! There's been a lot going on in my life, including the mysterious masked man whose face I still have yet to see." The human Pathfinder gave no hesitance in his motions to wrap his arms around Sky's torso, pulling the man in silver armor into an embrace. "Thanks for saving Drack... and the lecture from Lexi... but I mostly appreciate what you have done. You're my knight in shining armor... in literal sense."

Sky returned the embrace by looping his arms around Ryder's waist. Sky whispered closely beside Scott's ear, "You are welcome, Scott."

Pathfinder Ryder slowly drew back in order to face up to the reflective faceplate.

"So, when can I have a peek? I need to know if there's an actual person under that helmet or if I've been kissing with a Nano-machine."

Sky very lightly laughed and responded, "My body consists of blood and flesh... and some prosthetics."

"Prosthetics? Such as..."

Sky slowly shook his head and supplied gently, "This is not the reason for my presence here, Scott. I have come to inform you that Sam has received an urgent message from Specialist Rynn Gee. There is information in regards to one of the Initiative's lost Arks; the Quarian Ark labeled Keelah Si'yah. Specialist Rynn Gee has required your immediate assistance."

Scott broke away from his embrace with the tall man and murmured in disappointment, "Well, that's a mood killer... and here I thought I was on the verge of discovery! Alright, have Sam set course for Meridian. I'll be on the bridge soon."

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The Tempest gracefully nose-dived through the visible opening within the Dyson-sphere that encompassed around the planet known as Meridian. The starboard window briefly flooded with brilliant blue light provided from the planet's glowing skies.

"Making the gravitational adjustments." Kallo excitedly announced.

The frigate ship adverted its trajectory to glide through the cloud cover and began its descent toward the lush world's green and blue surface. The Salarian continued to happily proclaim, "We are on course for the capital, Port Meridian. Docking Station Control has acknowledged our arrival and has the landing platform at the ready."

The human Pathfinder and Jaal stood behind the female Jardaan as Lamees dus Conta walked across the platform toward the starboard's control console.

Lamees widened her golden eyes into a look of awed-amazement.

"This is Meridian.. I'm finally able to see it for the first time since its creation. How beautiful." Lamees whirled around and suddenly reached one of her hands out to grip Jaal's wrist, pulling the male Angara closer. The female Jardaan joyfully exclaimed, "Jaal! Jaal! I'm so excited! Will you show me around?! I want to see everything!"

The corners of Jaal's purple-colored lips curled into an adoring smile. He expressed a gentle laugh and gratefully nodded, "I'd be honored... just don't be surprised by all of the humans walking around."

Mal's deepened voice injected coldly, "Meridian was registered to be the property of the Angaran race."

"Mal," Lamees quietly snapped, "Don't be rude! Meridian can be shared to all races of the galaxy... except the Tehet. The Tehet are NOT welcome."

Jaal stifled a chuckle from escaping and politely added, "You have a very expressive personality, Lamees, and one that is admirable."

Lamees broadened her orange-red lips into a wide grin. She quipped cheerfully, "I like your personality, too, Jaal Ama Darav."

Kallo cleared his throat before making further announcement, "Boarding procedures are underway. We are now touching down into station-"

The female Jardaan suddenly dashed passed Scott Ryder, strongly pulling the male Angaran with her, and zipped toward the bridge's door.

"Let's go, Jaal!"

The human Pathfinder smirked to himself in his turn to follow gaze after the surprised male Angara.

"There goes the two love-bugs." Scott muttered softly.

Suvi giggled and remarked, "Lamees is so adorable! She would certainly make a great pair with Jaal."

"I think I'll go throw up now... Can you direct me to Gil's room? I want to make sure I leave a nice puke pile on his floor." The Salarian pilot faked a choking cough.

"Oh, Kallo. I thought that you and Gil had made up long ago. What's going on now?" Suvi made a worried look toward the Salarian.

"Nothing, Suvi. I was making a joke at Gil's expense. I don't like him but I don't hate him. It's that kind of agreement we have."

Scott slowly stepped back and murmured, "I think I'll go do my Pathfinding thing. Have fun, you two."

"We'll be right behind ya, Ryder!" Kallo called over his shoulder.

Ryder directed toward the closed door that silently hissed open upon his approach. Sara Ryder had come across the transparent walking platform and met up with her sibling in the middle.

"Hey, Scott! Oh, you're heading the other direction." The human woman spun around and started her return across the platform with Scott following behind.

Scott nodded, "Yeah, kinda. I thought you would have pranced off to the port by now."

"Ha, funny. I actually wanted to ask you something." Sara stopped in front of the Research Station and slowly whirled around to face her twin.

"Yeah? What's up, Sara?"

The corners of Sara's rose-colored lips curled into a sly smirk in her response, "So, it's becoming a thing between you and Sky. And don't try to play dumb, I'm your twin. My older sibling senses go off when something's up."

Scott cocked his eyebrow into a half-narrowed look, slowly shaking his head and offered his smug demeanor, "Yes, it's a thing between me and Sky... or at least I'd like to believe so. I really don't know what he looks like." He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed softly, "Either he's being extremely stubborn or he's really bashful. At this point, it's hard to tell."

Sara planted her hands onto her hips and gawked, "What?! Come on! It's only fair that you know what he looks like! He knows how ugly your mug is..."

Scott smirked deviously, "I haven't heard any complaints... well, except yours, of course, but you complain all the time."

Sara back-lashed in her retort, "You're such an ass, Scott. Maybe it's no wonder that he doesn't want to show his face... he has resistance to your irresistible charm... or you're just too dumb for your own good."

The echoing voice of Sky respectfully interrupted from behind Sara's location, "I am the cause of this distress?"

Sara gaped into a shocked look and swiftly spun around toward the tall figure of Sky approaching from the cargo bay's main entrance door.

"Sky! Uh, hi! This is the thing that me and Scott do.. sibling-squabble-battle." The human woman roughly gulped and made an embarrassed look.

Sky nodded his helmet and offered assurance, "You are doing what any older sibling does to protect the young and make them stronger for the day when they are forced to fend for themselves."

Scott raised a curious look and softly implied, "You make it sound like it's a good thing, Sky."

The silver reflective helmet adverted its shine toward the Pathfinder's direction. Sky cordially replied, "It is good. You would not be the man that you are here today if it were not for Sara."

Sara gaped again and slowly stated, "Sky.. you're.. good. Damn good." She whipped her head's direction toward her younger sibling, "Scott, you lucky jerk."

Scott deviously smirked. He asked in earnest curiosity, "Oh, is that so? I get that a lot."

Sara pointed an accusing finger toward her younger brother and very lowly sneered, "You better NOT fuck this up!" She whipped around to face into Sky's direction, putting on a warming smile, and spoke in a light-hearted tone, "Scott is very, very, lucky to have someone like you, Sky. My brother pulls off the sarcastic ass routine pretty well but deep down he's.. um..." Sara slowly trailed off.

Sky's footsteps exhibited a graceful stride in his approach toward Sara Ryder. The dark silver surface of the faceplate began to mold into molten form slowly drawing back around the area of Sky's mouth and revealed his silver lips taking into the shape of a pleasant smile.

"The undesirable qualities are more often outshined by the goodness in one's own heart." Sky's euphonious voice responded without a resonating echo. He raised his helmet to glance upon the human man with an unseen gaze. "I am eager to explore this world. Shall we, Scott?"

Scott Ryder bashfully stuttered, "Uh.. um.. s-sure.." He felt the warmth of his cheeks becoming visibly hot.