Notes:

Amantia - lover (Thessian)

Dravec - large blue feline, similar to a cougar (Thessian)

Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

Korista - large, grazing mammal, similar to Earth deer (Thessian)

Medvuda - Large, bear-like predator (Thessian)

Nara - literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Sim're - "sister of my sister", a dear friend's loved one (Thessian/Source: CDN)

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator

Into the Wilds

The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves, Ialessa System – 18 Aug 2188

After the previous day's physical exertions, combined with both their late night and early morning sexual escapades, Samantha and Liara decided during brunch to simply relax at their resort complex for the day. Given the strength of the defenses surrounding each individual facility within the resort, their decision gave the commandos a bit of a breather as well. While those responsible for the couple's safety would never entirely relax their guard when beyond the reach of a timely response from their own commando back-up teams on Thessia, a day within the shielded compound allowed them to wander the rather spacious area somewhat at ease. Not having to stand an actual watch shift meant they could truly enjoy themselves and engage in their own friendly competitions, all within relatively close proximity to their primaries.

While Livos and team basically stayed at the house, lounging by the pool and in the meditation garden, Tra'ana and her team had made their way to the biotic target range and were enjoying taunting and teasing one another through the seemingly unlimited number of variations on the provided course. Having practiced constantly with Liara and Shepard, Riana set the bar fairly high on her first round of targets. Tra'ana, after watching her own scores quickly – and seemingly easily – get bested, exclaimed, "Goddess Sim're! It is no wonder you were chosen as Lady Liara's First. Your solo abilities were daunting to begin with… and it seems your time aboard the Normandy has honed them to a finer edge yet."

Riana chuckled good naturedly. "Skills which I am happy to pass on. The crew aboard the Normandy was varied, indeed, and each member brought a unique combination of abilities to our combat teams, the sharing of which was an obvious benefit."

"Ahh." Lusmeni was nodding her head slowly, as she was beginning to understand. "I see that same trait developing in Shepard's second Spectre team under Hailot Jatok's command. As they learn to utilize one another's strengths effectively, they are slowly but surely becoming a truly formidable squad. The differences in the total scores of each round we complete at the Arena are continuing to grow closer; I truly wonder how much longer we will maintain our dominance."

Tra'ana grinned as she asked, "Why do you think our leaders have us doing mixed team drills? They are making sure we observe and learn the skills of the others. Their end goal is to have our personnel divided into two teams only for the sake of administrative purposes… They need the ability to take any combination of six from the Knight Shade, know they have the precise combination of skills required for the job, and be confident we can work together seamlessly as a unit, no matter what the combination of personnel looks like."

"So… what?" Lusmeni frowned. "Does that mean their goal is to have us compete against the second team until we lose?"

"Of course not!" Sella reached over and punched Lusmeni lightly in the shoulder. "It means their goal is a challenge – for all of us to improve our skills, to the point where each match could result in either team's victory because we have all reached an even higher point of excellence by learning from one another."

"And now, I believe, we have rested long enough to begin our next round!" Tra'ana glanced at her teammates and continued, "And, seeing as Riana cleaned up on our last series, I say she has to go first, so the rest of us know what score we have to beat!"

"Argh! I'm never going to get this done!" For the umpteenth time, Shepard glanced over to the minimally dressed blue body stretched out on the lounger beside her, with nothing but a bikini – a surprisingly skimpy one at that, given the relatively conservative maiden who was wearing it – providing an irresistible temptation to Sam's eyes. "Not with you constantly distracting me."

Liara tipped her head in Shepard's direction and reached up rather casually, using one finger to slide her sunglasses down her nose, in order to peer accusingly over them at the woman beside her. "I am doing no such thing… and what, exactly, are you not getting done… and don't you dare tell me it has anything to do with work, Samantha Shepard, or you are about to find your lovely ass in a whole heap of trouble."

"I know I won't want to spend any time on it as our vacation draws to a close," the Spectre responded rather guiltily. "I'm preparing our activation message and full staffing rosters for the Knight Shade… so it's ready to send as soon as we arrive home."

Liara sat up straight and turned to face her bondmate, still looking over her glasses and down her nose at the Human as she asked in a biting tone, "So you do it now, instead? At the beginning of our honeymoon? How is that any different than preparing it at the end?" A blue hand suddenly shot out, palm up. "Give that to me."

"Give you what?" Shepard looked at her, momentarily confused, and Liara glanced pointedly at her left arm. As what her bondmate actually wanted her to part with fully registered in her mind, Sam's voice squeaked in disbelief. "My omnitool?"

"Yes, your omnitool." Liara did not relent, leaving her hand extended, fully expecting her amantia to comply. When the woman hesitated, she added, "Captain Shepard. Are you willfully disregarding a command from the Lady T'Soni?"

"Pulling rank now, T'Soni?" Shepard smirked in reply as she reluctantly powered the unit down and removed it from her wrist; trusting that Liara was not going to do anything extremely drastic, she meekly handed it to the Asari.

"Thank you." Liara promptly clipped it onto her own wrist, reactivated the device and started typing.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Sam's voice was tinged with just a hint of panic as she began to stand.

"Sit." Liara looked up for only a moment to make sure her captain complied with what was most certainly not a suggestion. As Shepard's butt dropped back down to her own lounger, Liara continued, "I'm taking what you have completed of your report, sending it to Hailot Jatok and Harley Creath, and asking them to complete the draft for our review…" Her eyes came back up and met Samantha's as she finished rather sternly, "… when we return home. Understood?"

Shepard blushed and, laughing softly, ran her left hand up over her head and through her hair before leaning forward, elbow on her knee and her chin resting in her cupped hand. Grinning at her Ionúin Álainn, she answered, "Yes, Ma'am. Understood."

"Good." Liara finished up and turned off the device before stashing it in her bag, purposely not returning it to its owner. Turning back to Shepard and flashing the woman a brilliant smile, she asked, "Now. With that settled, would you care to join me for a swim?"

That evening, Shepard teamed up with Iryna Velros to prepare a full-up, traditional Asari dinner. "Thank you for the assistance, Nara." Iryna glanced at her captain for only a brief moment before refocusing on her chopping. "The others always offer to help but, honestly? They can handle the basics, with instruction, but are horribly slow… they are obviously not chefs. Their goal when cooking is merely to create something edible, simply so they don't starve to death!"

Laughing, the Spectre glanced up from the broth she was stirring. "Surely they can follow a basic recipe if handed one… Can't they?"

Iryna rolled her eyes and cast Shepard a scathing look. "That is questionable. They don't even know the difference between chopping, dicing, or mincing!"

Shepard smirked as she answered, "I imagine, whether they wanted to or not, everyone who was aboard the Aletheia with you knows the difference now."

"Ha!" Iryna shook her head vehemently. "Perhaps so. Aresia and Falere learned how to cook, but they didn't have a great variety of ingredients to work with, so know little of spices. But, they have keen minds and have been developing that taste over time… So, while I did most of the seasoning on the days they were in charge of the meals aboard ship, they are much better now than they were." Iryna sighed. "I can't believe how well they managed on Lesuss. I don't know that I would have survived nearly as well."

Shepard stared into the broth, swirling the spoon slowly and let out a sigh. "I still hate what happened there. Both in general, knowing a small part of your population is so feared… so reviled… those in charge feel the need to sequester them away from everyone and everything." She pulled the spoon out and set it on a cradle before turning to Iryna. "And I hate that Rila was forced into such a sacrifice… because of those damned Banshees."

"Shepard!" Iryna stopped what she was doing and turned to face her captain. "Rila knew what she was doing. She could not change what she was about to become, so chose to die in a way that would contribute to our success. She took an honorable ending over what would have otherwise been an ignoble death." She reached over and squeezed the woman's forearm. "Remember – you gave her that choice; you enabled her to redeem herself in her passing."

With a melancholy sigh, the Spectre replied, "You're right, of course." Shepard shook herself and looked around. "So. Cooking. What's next?"

"If the broth is done…" Iryna asked with a gentle smile, "Can you braise the meat?"

"Absolutely." Shepard pulled out a deep, covered fry pan and set to her new task. "So… what about the rest of the crew and their culinary abilities?"

"Miranda was probably the best, because she approached it just like any other task; very efficient and with extreme precision… but the simple task of dicing an onion took her five minutes because every little cube was exactly the same size!"

"I can see that," Shepard answered with a huge grin on her face. "Miri is all about perfection. Judea hasn't beaten that out of her yet."

"Oh… and she never will!" It was Iryna's turn to smirk. "Judea will always have the mind of an engineer, even if she does bring her passion for flying along with it… But, for her, there is no joy in cooking; she looks upon it as nothing more than a chore… a necessity of living, when she would rather be doing other things."

"Alright… the beef is done." Shepard pulled the pan and set it on the trivet beside the range.

Iryna shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It is not beef, Nara, and you know it."

"Bah," Shepard huffed. "Beef. Space cow. Whatever." Smirking, she began to slice the meat into delicate strips. "Are your ke'ah wraps ready to steam?"

"Yes. And, while you finish up with that, I will shred the yefal and uloth… and then dish the vegetable mixture into a serving bowl."

"Sounds good." Shepard set to steaming the wraps to soften them, then quickly flipped each of them onto a griddle to brown each side before piling them on a platter. {Hey, Blue. Dinner in less than five. Want to call everyone to the table?}

Smiling sweetly, Liara sat up and closed the book she was reading on her omnitool. {Absolutely. The tantalizing aromas that are wafting about the house have made me positively ravenous, Sam. I am very much looking forward to dinner!}

Palaven Command, Trebia, Apien Crest – 19 Aug 2188

"Ashley. It's great to see you again." Garrus stood alone at the console, but the captain of the Normandy could both hear and see the flurry of activity behind him as his projected image came into focus in the secure QEC chamber.

"Same here, Agent Vakarian." The formality of Commander Williams' response was a subtle warning to Garrus that she was not alone; he gave a nearly imperceptible nod to let her know he understood her unspoken message as she queried, "What have you got for us?"

"I have an update concerning our vanishing dextro supplies; we've tagged an attack prowler, the Nalotir. The ship was designed and constructed by Cerberus late in the war." His mandibles quivered in aggravation as he drew a deep breath before continuing. "The intel reports we have say it was discovered adrift in the Hades Nexus and appropriated by the Quarians; they upgraded it, probably with equipment designed by Daro'Xen. It's extremely effective at intercept and disablement, allowing the damned Quarian pirates to board commercial vessels relatively unimpeded." Garrus looked down as he drew in another deep breath of air. The intensity in his eyes was obvious as he looked back up to focus on the screen in front of him. "This is a ship that would be dangerous if it was flying under a Batarian flag; being in the hands of rogue Quarians, with the intellect to use it to its full capability, makes it an extremely dangerous ship, Spectre."

"You said tagged…" Ashley said in a cautious voice. "Tagged, as in engaged in combat and damaged, or as in tagged electronically for surveillance and tracking?" Ashley had cocked her head slightly to the side and crossed her arms under her chest, silently hoping the Turians had blown the bastards into space dust, even while realizing Garrus wouldn't be so agitated if the Nalotir had actually been destroyed.

"Unfortunately for them, a frigate and a light cruiser arrived just as the Nalotir was making ready to depart," Garrus growled in response. "The damned thing is about the size of our frigates, maybe even a bit longer overall, and armed accordingly… but the really striking thing about that ship is its electronics gear. It apparently employed some sort of short-range scrambler, enabling it to sneak up on our freighter and steal her cargo and then, after blasting our ship with a single volley of disruptor torpedoes, it definitely demonstrated the same as it broke away from our cruiser and ran."

Concern and empathy in equal parts could be heard in Ashley's voice as she asked, "How many casualties, Garrus?"

Garrus' slightly flared mandibles indicated relief as he replied, "Minor injuries to a few of the people on our freighter and cruiser… none on the frigate; it never had a chance to even get into the fight before the Nalotir vanished into the void!" The flanging voice took on a tone of astonishment as he added, "The thing is, that ship has a cloaking device! We don't know if it was already part of the Nalotir's equipment, or something engineered and added in by Daro'Xen." He shook his head slightly in obvious imitation of a Human female with whom he had long been associated. "I'm hoping it was Cerberus engineering… if it was engineered by Xen, I'd wager a year's pay that every damned one of their capital ships will have a version installed before they make a move."

As expressionless as Turians seemed to be, Ashley's countenance mirrored the uneasiness she could see in Garrus' face. "Doesn't really matter whether it was engineered by Xen or Cerberus, Garrus. The Quarians are quite adept at reverse engineering and replicating any equipment they retrieve, no matter the source." She paused for several moments as she thought about all she'd just learned. "Besides which, if you'll think back, you may remember the Quarians already had stealth technology when we encountered them at Dholen."

The big Turian's eyes went wide as he recalled the Normandy's wartime trip to the Rim. "Right… right! Their envoy ship wasn't detected until it was relatively close to the Normandy." Looking down at what Ash assumed was a datapad, he studied it for several seconds before returning his gaze to the camera. "It didn't actually vanish, Commander… more like it simply faded from our view. If our own ships hadn't already had that vessel on sensors, we would have never been able to locate it. My report shows the hull was cold… no heat emissions at all."

Ashley thought briefly about the troubling implications of Garrus' report before continuing. "I presume you have records of the Quarians' encounter with your freighter, as well as their defensive actions while retreating; please send me everything you have regarding this raid, particularly the electronic records of the ship's escape. If possible, include an inventory of what was stolen… it may show how desperate their situation has become. Han'Gerrel may be forced to make a move out of fear that his people will slowly starve; if that happens, it may work to our advantage."

"Okay, Spectre Williams. I'll send you everything we have on the incident, including the departure records from the relay. We'll also go back through the previous thefts… see if we can tie them to the same ship." Garrus felt much better for having talked to the Human Spectre. Any doubts he may have harbored concerning the woman's readiness for the task of commanding a stealth frigate and being a Council Spectre had been put to rest by speaking with her today. Garrus was beginning to feel that Commander… and Spectre… Ashley Williams was exactly where the galaxy needed her to be.

The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves, Ialessa System – 21 Aug 2188

After a couple of days spent relaxing and playing at the complex, everyone was more than ready to be out and about again, even if for no other reason than to see and enjoy more of the resort and its available amenities. Selana had orchestrated a private, multi-day excursion at a secluded, quaint cabin in the woods. When they arrived at a relatively early hour in the morning, they were surprised by what had been described to them as a 'minimally appointed' residence. After the shuttle engaged its thrusters and departed, Liara looked at their escort in wonder. "Goddess, Selana! If this is what you call minimally appointed, I would love to see what you consider modest or grand when it comes to a little cabin in the woods!"

The group was making their way casually toward the cabin, the exterior of which could only be described as gorgeous. A large outer patio and deck overlooked a pristine, blue lake stretching out before them, where the sunrise caused the surface to glitter like diamonds as shore birds dived for fish and insects. "Thank you, Lady Liara." Their escort smiled softly and dipped her head in acknowledgement of the compliment. "Though I am sure all of you must understand how everything I say should be taken in relation to the standards of our clientele… and not your average person, be they Asari, Human, or whoever. Consorts are obviously accustomed to rather deluxe accommodations."

Selana had explained their particular cabin had been chosen for two purposes; first, it met their desire to be on a lake large enough to do some sailing and, second, it accorded enough lodging to accommodate the full T'Soni contingent and the required resort staff which, in this case, included Selana, along with two guides and a chef – the latter of which, upon Liara's request, would be staying with the T'Soni party for the remainder of their stay. Liara had joked about it the day prior when she asked for the addition of a chef to their excursion. "The first few days have been fine, but we truly only have two cooks among our party… Iryna Velros and Samantha… both of whom should be enjoying the time off, not worrying about meal planning!"

"We frequently have requests to provide not only a chef, but a housekeeper and launderer for extended stays, along with any number of… let me simply say, unique… aides-de-camp, depending on the race and predilections of the primaries." Selana had smiled and issued a genuine laugh as she continued, "Believe me, this is a wonderful reprieve from my normally rather demanding clientele. It is amazing what some expect a Consort to receive..." She suddenly grinned impishly. "… and while they don't always get what they expect, they always get what they need."

Shepard raised a brow and queried, "So, are we getting what we expect?"

Laughing, Selana dipped her head in obedient affirmation. "Absolutely, Spectre. There is nothing unusual or awkward about wanting to enjoy a beach, a bit of sailing, and guided hikes in the wonderful Záhrada Wilderness Area. And, with that said, let me introduce you to my staff."

She turned and resumed her walk toward the cabin, beckoning the two who awaited them on the front patio. A silver-eyed, purple-skinned Asari with rather distinct facial markings, looking almost like lightning bolts, stepped up and dipped her head. "This is the resort's lead guide, Carlina V'Zanto. She is native to Sanves and grew up in these woods; she has personally trained our entire guide staff, so there are no better companions in the galaxy to escort you safely through the Záhrada."

"Please, just call me Zan, and my job is to keep you out of harm's way out here. It does not matter if you are out animal watching or merely out for a hike – if you are on dry land, you will all be armed whenever outside the fenced perimeter of the cabin." She jerked a thumb at the rather tall Turian standing at her side. "This is TarrenisDukette, Duke for short – prior Cabal and the finest tracker on our team. If you desire one of your hikes to be more of a safari, he is more than up to the task and can show you a variety of the wildlife that fills these woods."

"We do have large carnivores that regularly prowl these woods…" After having spent so much time with Garrus Vakarian, the group instantly recognized the worried frown on the big Turian's face as Tarrenis took over and continued, "…and while we do not wish to kill anything which resides here, if stun weapons are not enough, we will most definitely do what is necessary to protect ourselves."

He reached over his own shoulder and fluidly pulled a rifle from its hardpoint on his back. "I'm sure you believe you recognize this, but I'll tell you anyway because it's very likely not what you think." He paused as his eyes traveled to look into those of every commando responsible for the safety of the recently bonded couple. "This is an early edition, level ten, Geth Armory Pulse Rifle. Very much unlike the absolutely ruined newer editions from the Elkoss Combine Arsenal, this original gun packs a punch. Elkoss modified it to be a standard assault rifle, where they almost tripled the shot capacity and fire rate but cut the accuracy to less than half of what it used to be."

Shepard shrugged her shoulders and added, "Elkoss made those changes so the average soldier could use it with little-to-no training, counting on a flood of gunfire instead of skill… but they ruined a great weapon in the process. How in Hell did you find one?"

"You know your weapons, Spectre. Good to see." Tarrenis flashed his version of a smile. "You went and made friends with the Geth… turned them into the SILC… so I simply asked one if they could start making these weapons again. The Consensus was more than happy to have the business and guaranteed they would only be sold to legitimate security firms." He waggled his mandibles in humor. "Which means extremely limited distribution – and only to firms willing to sign a guarantee of no secondary sales… Though I imagine you wouldn't have any trouble getting your hands on a few if you really wanted them."

He refocused on the remainder of the group before him and continued, "Those of you unfamiliar with the weapon… It has a variable power control, where anything below three will only succeed in angering a large predator, anything from four to seven should knock most off their feet, with the higher range actually stunning it; a setting from eight to ten will seriously injure or kill any of the large predators found in these woods." He glanced at his rifle and indicated the setting wheel. "I pretty much keep mine set at five at all times… but you must know exactly where this is and what direction to rotate it, in case of emergency." His eyes narrowed as he concluded, "Your very lives may depend on it."

"Livos Tanni, Captain of Lady Liara's private guard." Livos stepped forward as she spoke so Tarrenis could easily identify the speaker as she asked, "You are ex-Cabal, so you should know. What about the use of defensive biotics?"

"Ah, that's right. Sorry… I guess I should have explained that." Tarrenis docked his rifle and continued, "We're not talking about enemy combatants that possess logical thought processes here. These are wild animals which don't understand terms of surrender. You can't capture them by putting them in stasis and then talk them out of their attack. You stun them and use the time to retreat from their habitat; if they purposely track you down again, it's only for one purpose. At that point, it's kill or be killed. Simple as that, unless you want to risk the wellbeing of your primaries."

"Understood." Livos gave him a sharp nod, indicating her acceptance of his reasoning.

"So, if we go out with the sole purpose of a game drive, I prefer anyone who carries a weapon be equipped with this one… unless your weapon of choice has a stun setting." He glanced around the group and shrugged. "We go out to observe, not to hunt, so use of deadly force will be looked at very carefully and could result in a premature end to your vacation here. Is that also perfectly clear?"

"Yes, Duke." Liara nodded and continued, "We are fully aware that no hunting is allowed anywhere within the resort preserve... and that your rules are simply a precaution to keep everyone, including the animals here, safe and well." She glanced over at the third member of the staff, who had joined them from inside as the Turian had spoken, and added with a smile, "Not to provide us with something to cook over the camp fire for dinner."

"Ah!" exclaimed Selana. "Excellent timing! This is Master Chef Falyna… the best we have on staff within the focus of eezo-boosted, levo-protein based diets. Seeing as you all will be out and about most of the day, she has prepared lunches for you to pack with you, and we'll have your evening meal ready shortly after you walk back in the door… giving you enough time to get cleaned up and dressed for dinner. If you are satisfied with your meals over the next couple of days, she will return to your complex with you, as you requested, for the remainder of your stay with us." Glancing at the door, she added with a smile, "Shall we enter and see your accommodations?"

Having seen the outside during their approach and heard Selana's sensible explanation, they were less surprised at what they found within the cabin. The downstairs held a relatively small but well-equipped corner kitchen, placed within an expansive and nicely-appointed great room, while the upstairs contained standard bunkhouse-style lodging. A double row of twelve single bunks, each with a privacy surround curtain, lined each wall and formed an aisleway leading to a single master suite, which was located on the side opposite the stairway.

Selana and her staff took the first four beds near the top of the steps. Riana and Livos took the two beds closest to Liara and Shepard's private room, while the remaining commandos spread out amongst the remaining beds closest to the suite. As they selected their bunks, Selana quietly informed them, "Should any of you desire, the beds are not affixed to the floor and can be combined to form a larger bed… for one or more persons… as you wish."

Livos chuckled quietly and responded brashly, "Thank you for the option, Selana, though I doubt any will take advantage of it for other than cuddling. Even though accompanying Lady Liara and Shepard on their honeymoon, we are all on duty… especially here, outside of the domed complex."

Carlina V'Zanto shook her head and replied, "That is not necessary, Captain. We have regular patrols and watch points in the area and I will immediately receive notice if there is any unusual activity near the outer fence boundary. You cannot see it from here, but the fence is a double-layered perimeter system, with the second fence out another hundred meters from the first, creating a warning buffer. The inner gates are locked at dark and if anything manages to break through the outer boundary, a warning siren goes off ten seconds before the inner fence electrifies. I will also get a call to put the house on notice, waking any who haven't already bolted out of bed from the siren. I will receive coordinates for the point of penetration and movement updates for whatever came through."

"Please know that I intend no offense by the asking, but what is the reliability of the defenses?" Livos looked at Carlina with a Captain's expectation of a prompt answer, at which their lead guide smiled.

"No offense taken, Captain Tanni, as I would expect no less." She shrugged quickly and said, "We test monthly and in my twelve years on staff here, we've had only three outer breaches; zero inner."

"And those outer breaches?" Tanni wasn't quite yet satisfied.

Letting out a loud guffaw, V'Zanto answered, "Each contained and closed out within thirty minutes, Captain… but I can see you want details. One was a panicked male korista being chased by a dravec, another was a grumpy medvuda. She was hungry, coming out of hibernation… and following the smell of a cookout, but wanted nothing to do with the electrified fence. The most recent was a pack of varren chasing a female in heat. None of the three ended badly, except for the korista; he ended up dead after electrocuting himself when he ran headlong into the fence… and was then promptly dragged back to the dravec's den for dinner." The guide finished with a grin. "The female varren ended up bearing five pups that spring and we received the unique privilege of getting to watch them all grow over the course of last summer."

Responding to the guide's jovial mood, Livos finally gave in and smiled. "Thank you, Zan, I appreciate you being so forthcoming." She continued with a smirk, "And please, call me Livos; I'm on vacation."

"My pleasure, Livos." She winked at the captain and turned to the rest of the group. "Now that we all know the rules and where each of us is sleeping, drop your bags, pull out what you want for the day and head downstairs. I believe Falyna has a variety of foodstuffs for you to pick from for snacks and I'll give you the quick tour… emergency facilities, how to operate the fence, the gates, the radios… all that business, in the event something catastrophic happens to both Duke and me – you're a long way from your ship." She once again flashed an engaging smile. "After that, we'll talk over lunch and figure out what you want to do for the next few days!"

The waning hours of the evening found Captain Tanni and Carlina V'Zanto sitting alone by the outdoor fire pit, the balance of the T'Soni guests and staff having retreated to the loft sleeping quarters for the night. As Carlina poked the fire and added another log, Livos queried quietly, "So, do you often keep watch late into the night, when outside of the main resort compound?"

"No, I do not." Carlina smiled softly. "But that is because, most often, I am never away from the main resort." Her unusually pure silver eyes rose from the fire to meet Livos' gaze. "Due to the stature of your primaries, the resort director informed me, in no uncertain terms, that I would personally see to your safety during this little expedition and that my deputy would watch over the remaining clients in my absence."

"Sorry." Livos turned away to stare into the flickering light of the flames. "I hope we are not an inconvenience to you."

"No, you most definitely are not." A barely perceptible chuckle floated through the air, like a wisp of smoke, across the space between the two Asari. "Matter of fact, I am thankful for the break in routine… and very happy to have met you, Captain. My duties normally preclude me from interacting directly with the guests… unless something untoward has occurred. This is a rare privilege for me… one which I will not squander." Carlina hesitated before continuing, her voice even lower than their prior conversation. "I find myself… after our defenses and tactics discussions over lunch… very much intrigued by you, Captain. I hope I am not being too forward, making you uncomfortable, or infringing upon any relationship of which you are likely a party to."

Following a quick chuff of a laugh, Livos responded, "No. There is no one. My duties with House T'Soni have been longstanding; first, as a team leader in Armali while Matriarch Benezia still lived… and next, as Captain of Lady Liara's personal guard. Between the Matriarch's demanding schedule… and then the war, there has been no spare time for me to actually enjoy a personal life. My lifestyle would be extremely unfair to anyone who cared to partner with me."

Carlina's brow furrowed in consternation as she replied, "I believe that is one of the saddest statements I have ever heard, Captain. Everyone needs… someone who they can call, at the very least, a good friend… if not more. And, I do believe, you are making erroneous assumptions. I understand a busy schedule, but even the most stalwart warriors need downtime… to recharge themselves. Secondly, perhaps there is at least one out there who believes whatever time you have available would be better than nothing at all." The furrow in her brow smoothed and her lips curled into a smirk as she continued, "And, I for one, find that little in life comes easy… You have to be willing to work for what you want; the greater the effort, the greater the reward."

"Yes, I would agree." Livos nodded and she dropped her eyes back to the fire. "Especially after the past few years. I take nothing for granted anymore… particularly the simple fact that I still have a life to lead and did not perish in the war, as so many others did."

"So, I say again…" Carlina cleared her throat, attempting, but failing, to recapture the captain's gaze. "I am intrigued by you… in ways beyond simple curiosity, Livos Tanni. Your schedule would perhaps make a relationship between us a challenge… but the first obstacle I must surpass is you continuing to ignore my advances, as you did the first."

"I…" Livos paused and shook her head as she let out a quiet sigh. "I did not ignore it. I simply do not know how to respond… other than…" She stopped again, bringing her eyes back up to look once more into the piercing silver ones looking back, expectantly. "I am more than five hundred years of age and have never had a true mate… Zan." With the unexpected topic at hand, the guide's familiar name suddenly came hard to Livos' lips, even though she had been using it rather casually throughout the day. The commando captain swallowed and shrugged before her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I do not believe I know how to separate myself from my work; it is all consuming to me… always has been."

Carlina reached over and tentatively took Livos' hand; when the captain did not withdraw from her touch, she smiled softly and whispered, "And I am 499 and could say the same, except for a few flings during my maiden years… but they, most likely, do not qualify as true mates either." Giving the hand within hers a light squeeze, she added quietly, "Being completely honest with you, assuming the… intellectual attraction, if nothing else… is reciprocal, I would like for us to try, my dear Captain of the T'Soni Personal Guard. At least give us the opportunity to get to know each other while you are here… and we can go from there?"

A shadow crossed Livos' expression and she slowly pulled her hand back as she stood from her chair. Staring into the fire, she whispered, "I do not know if that is wise, Zan. Once this trip is over, it could be a very long time before we see one another again. I do not see how it could possibly work."

"You say you do not see how it could work, but you did not say no, either." The bold Asari rose quietly behind her and continued, her voice at a volume equal to Livos' whisper. "You intrigue me, Captain Tanni, and I think such a relationship would very much be worth the effort. I do not understand your reticence… other than, perhaps, friendly losses you may have suffered during the war?"

"My life is complicated." Livos stared at the flickering tongues of the fire at her feet. "I am like the flame… always moving. Being the Captain of Lady Liara's Personal Guard is not my only job. Lady Liara is also the XO of Captain Shepard's Spectre vessel, so I am, by default, the Team 1 Lead aboard the Knight Shade. Once this vacation… their honeymoon… is over, I do not know what my schedule will be. I cannot make commitments to anyone but Lady Liara."

"I see." Carlina's voice drew closer as she continued, "Does the idea of having someone special eagerly awaiting your homecomings, no matter how few and far between, bring you anxiety… or joy? Do you believe you would fear it… or would you be brave enough to try having a lover?"

As Carlina said 'lover' and wrapped her arms around the commando from behind, Livos drew a sharp breath before haltingly answering, "Goddess forgive me, but… yes."

Carlina's breath was warm against Livos' neck when she chuckled quietly and asked, "Yes, it frightens you, or yes, you feel it worth making an attempt?"

Livos closed her eyes to improve her focus, enjoying the sensation of the warm body pressed against her back… the arms wrapped possessively around her midriff… and laughed nervously as she answered again with only one word. "Yes."