Notes:

Amantia - lover (Thessian)

Anam Cara - Soul Mate (Gaelic)

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Grá mo chroí - love of my heart (Gaelic)

Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

Maglev – Magnetic Levitation transportation

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

The Conspirators

The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort Offices, Sanves, Ialessa System – 25 Aug 2188

"Given the lengths to which Rahula and Galalina were willing to go to protect their secrets… and their positions… I do not believe either pity or mercy is deserved." Marisha took another sip of her tea before continuing, "Some form of action has been warranted for a long time and, at this point, I fully expected the opposition to use the elections, rallying the voters to depose those whom had broken trust. As for the part played by the Serrice Guard… to conduct such a violent attack against a peaceful call to action? That is totally inexcusable!"

"I have a feeling that since no adverse action was taken right away, the ministers were all beginning to believe there would be no repercussions regarding the illegal concealment of the Prothean technology." Shepard's eyes were hard as she spoke, reflecting her simmering anger at what the Defense Ministers' lack of action had almost cost them – the loss of everything and everyone had the Reapers not been defeated. "The demonstration must have really hit a nerve for the matriarchs to react so… thoughtlessly."

"On the contrary," the matriarch answered quickly. "That is what worries me most; the matriarchs should have expected the rally, for that is how Asari traditionally handle such matters. It should have come as no great surprise to them. As such, the violent answer to the gathering must have been planned. The intent and forethought that must have been present only exacerbates their crimes and demonstrates just how tenuous the Defense Ministers believe their positions to be in the wake of the war, even after all this time."

Liara, still recovering from the shock of Marisha's original announcement, asked, "And what of the Governance Forum? I can see them supporting action against those in Serrice… but the entire Ministry?"

"I know many will see that as a reach, but once you truly understand the operations within the differing forums, I do not think you will find such a thing so surprising. Each forum has its own little slice of power… and most are loath to share it." Marisha sighed sadly. "Cyla requested the charges be brought against Rahula… not just for the incident, but for treason as well… for the withholding of Prothean technology. I suppose, in her anger, she decided that if the Justicars were going to be investigating, they may as well take care of everything all at once. After that, the idea of a full inquiry apparently gathered momentum and the other governesses gradually began to add their ministers' names to the list."

"But all of them?" Shepard shook her head in denial. "With the state of communications at the time, I cannot believe each of them not only had knowledge of our query, but also still possessed the means with which to answer it."

"It is not only that." Liara shook her head in disgust. "It may sound cynical, but I have to wonder how many were angry because of the concealment itself… or, on the other hand, because they weren't deemed important enough to have the information shared with them to begin with." She glanced at Shepard. "I remember how angry I was, as a lead Prothean expert, to discover that information had been withheld from me; they could simply be looking for retribution."

"Perhaps you are more savvy in the political realm than I give you credit for, Liara." Marisha smiled at the young Asari as she continued, "The Justicars believe the same… and not everyone who was there willingly added names to the list... but, in order to avoid the appearance of playing favorites, the Justicar stated that her Order will examine the circumstances surrounding all of them … but will formally charge only the guilty once their investigation is complete."

Shepard picked up on the nuance and interjected, "And I get the feeling the governesses had better be squeaky clean… or they are going to get caught by their own net." She frowned and continued, "I find it difficult to accept that none of them knew of the beacon."

"I agree." Liara glanced at her Siame and added, "There are very detailed records on when communications were lost to each of the planets… and to each of the districts on Thessia. Also, each buoy keeps operational logs, back-ups of which are transmitted on a daily basis to the main storage facilities in each of the eight primary districts."

"Yes." Marisha nodded in agreement. "And now, with the Justicars looking, it will be nearly impossible to hide any of that information… assuming such actions were not already taken and the incriminating records destroyed."

"Oh… rest assured, Matriarch." Liara cast her a knowing smile. "Back-ups exist in many places beyond where one might think, assuming one knows where to find them… and I will absolutely ensure they get located by the Order."

"Ah, yes, that reminds me." Marisha leaned forward and poured herself another glass of tea before directing her gaze at Liara. "Zan gave me the most surprising little bit of news… that you were an Information Broker on Illium." The matriarch's smile faded. "In my profession, trust is sacred. People's secrets are their own, to be jealously guarded by those who are deemed trustworthy enough to have them shared. Normally, we do not look kindly upon those who profit from dealing in such confidences, but it is my understanding that Justicar Samara granted you clemency for your acts. She must have had a compelling reason to do so… and her decision was backed by the Grand Matriarch of the Order, so that is good enough for me."

Liara's own smile vanished like a puff of smoke. "I do not believe you know the full truth of what happened during that time… so, to demonstrate the respect and trust I hope to develop between us, I shall tell you something which you will likely deem an incredulous story… fiction worthy of a sensationalized vid, but I assure you it is not." Her hand crept over and tightly gripped that of her Anam Cara as she continued, "Most believe Shepard became involved in a deep undercover operation… that she worked for Cerberus for three years after Sovereign's destruction at the Citadel. In truth, she was lost when the Normandy SR-1 was destroyed by a then unknown enemy over Alchera." Her voice hitched slightly as her mind instantly returned to the large shuttle bay of the SSV Madrid; seeing this, Sam sent love and support through the link. Liara glanced at her Amantia, swallowed the lump in her throat and continued, "The Alliance abandoned her out of fear… fear of whatever it was that could have discovered and destroyed a stealth ship like the Normandy."

She continued with her story, purposely leaving out a number of salient details regarding her involvement in her Siame's recovery, knowing it would raise questions she was unwilling to answer. "It was Cerberus who contracted for the search and arranged for her rescue… and somehow nurtured her horribly mutilated body back to health over a two-year period – a time during which she had to be kept in a medically induced coma." A single tear trickled down Liara's cheek, causing Shepard to gently squeeze her hand again, both comforting her and giving her the determination to continue. "At the time, I knew of none of this. My heart was shattered, my spirit broken… and I felt lost… and desperate. In my misery, I joined the ranks of the information brokers… simply in an attempt to locate Shepard's remains and bring closure to my agony."

Liara's eyes began to glisten from the salty water brought forth by the excruciating memories that swept through her mind. "Yet, something inside me kept insisting that Samantha would not abandon me so, until I found proof… until I located her body… I simply refused to believe she was truly gone. Sha'ira is my witness; those two years were the most horrible ones of my life." A tearful smile replaced the grimace and she gazed lovingly at the woman beside her as she finished her explanation. "The depths of my despair were transformed into extreme happiness when a dear friend managed to get word to me that Samantha was very much alive."

"Still, I was wary; I was told of her employment by Cerberus and I did not understand how she could work for such an organization… unless she felt that she owed them for saving her life. As I later discovered, Shepard had approached the Council and the Alliance once she awakened… and they had the utter audacity… and disrespect, to threaten her with arrest if she entered Citadel space. At that point, she made a decision; working with the assets and support of Cerberus had to be better for the cause than sitting in a prison cell, even if it would likely end with her branded as a traitor. The Collectors simply posed too great a threat for us to turn our backs."

Liara's eyes, staring at a point off in the distance, shifted suddenly to refocus sharply on the matriarch, only to see the expected look of bewilderment on Marisha's face. A cool hand gently squeezed her own as Liara concluded in a soft voice edged in steel. "Once we were reunited and she told me the whole story, we discussed it and decided it would be best for both of us to stay in the field… her with Cerberus and me using my new position and influence as a broker to garner information for the war effort. It seemed the wisest choice, no matter how disconcerting on the personal level… for both of us."

"By the Goddess!" Marisha finally found her voice. "You are correct… had I not lived through the terror of the war, there is no way I would find even a kernel of reality in such a tale. Yet, given who you are… who you have become… I find I must accept it as truth, no matter how outrageous it sounds."

"You would not be the first to deny us, Matriarch." Shepard scoffed, "The Alliance Defense Committee never did accept my story as true… not even when the Reapers landed on Earth and killed them all. Very similar to the story of the Asari… too little and, for the Committee, definitely too late. A lot of people died because our leadership didn't want to believe… or were afraid to do so."

"This may sound like a horrible thing to say, Shepard… but, at least, your Committee did not survive to continuously perpetuate their denials. They were eliminated so your battle for victory could truly begin." Marisha sighed quietly. "It was months yet before our matriarchs began to get nervous enough to let something slip… which was fortunately overheard and reported… and then finally passed to you via Raesia Tevos." The matriarch suddenly shook herself and put a smile back on her face, continuing, "But enough talk of the horrid past when you are here to speak of the bright futures we now have, thanks to you!"

"Yes! Livos and Zan!" Liara's expression immediately brightened. "In all the years I have known Livos, I have never seen her like this… which tells me this relationship is something very special to her, so I would like to do everything I can to encourage it; I owe her that much, at the very least! I assume Zan has your full confidence and there is nothing I should worry about?"

"Outside of her family? No." Marisha growled, "But the Illium V'Zanto family is the lowest of the low, which I am sure you know better than I."

"Yes… but I also know Zan's version of her past is the truth, so am completely unconcerned." Liara shrugged dismissively, but her blue eyes were cold as ice. "The V'Zanto family will be taken care of, immediately and with great prejudice, should they decide to take any untoward action. I promise you that."

Marisha started to speak, then stopped, her eyes wandering toward Shepard. "I suppose having a Spectre in the family should be enough to dissuade a normal criminal from doing anything blatant, but I would still advise caution. If Clarinda V'Zanto hears of this, I have no ideas regarding the harm she would choose to deliver…" The matriarch paused as a worried frown slipped across her lips. "Not all damages are possible to recover from. I do not know the true boundary for her evil deeds and would hate to see a successful attack of a nature that is… irreversible."

"Such as an assassination?" Her mouth twitching in irritation, Shepard looked at Liara and stated, "Perhaps, as a Spectre, I need to start my peacetime term by establishing a watch network, monitoring the major criminal families within the Traverse and Terminus systems. Wouldn't want them expanding their activities into vulnerable, post-war Council space now, would we?"

"Where the Council would do nothing, leaving each world to take care of themselves as they hide behind their rule to not interfere with the operations of each race's sovereign government." Liara paused and Shepard took the opportunity to jump in. "Which is what they are supposed to do… normally. The Council Charter dictates they pass judgement on violations of Council law, settle disputes between sovereign states, and help maintain general law and order – the last of which leaves them unconditional authority for the use of force when necessary, through the Council Fleet… and the Spectres."

"Yes… and somehow, no matter how hard we try, we always end up speaking of galactic politics instead of Zan and Livos!" Liara chuckled and glanced at Marisha. "Which, if we can get back on topic, is a relationship I assume you have no objection to?"

Joining in the laughter, Marisha nodded. "Yes, your assumption is correct." Her smile dwindled as she continued, "I met Zan at probably one of the lowest points in her life; she was shielded… yet vulnerable. Her mother had crushed her heart into something I feared was irreparable… and then, without warning, she comes to me, gushing about Captain Tanni and, even though she is not my daughter, asking me to meet with you regarding a linking of our houses!"

Liara dipped her head and responded quietly, "Perhaps it is not my place to say this… but she confessed to us that you are more a mother to her than Clarinda... that you have been more kind than anyone in her entire family ever was."

Shepard added, "She is as devoted to you as any consort's disciple could be, Matriarch. You have earned her complete trust… and her love; it speaks greatly of the type of person you are."

Marisha actually blushed. "I am very much aware of how dedicated she is to her job… and that she serves me well and faithfully… but I had no idea it extended to such a personal level. That is… humbling."

"Seeing as neither you nor Liara see any reason to block such a relationship," Shepard smiled softly and continued, "I guess the only real question is how we arrange our schedules to give them a decent chance at making it work?"

"I will say this." A wide smile graced Marisha's face as she spoke. "Any time you find yourselves in the area, you are welcome to stop in… and stay, if you need time, or simply some privacy, away from Thessia." Their omnitools lit up as the matriarch typed and continued, "We always keep a couple of the remote sites open for… emergencies. Simply give me at least a few hours advance notice, preferably just prior to you making your final relay jump to the Parnitha Relay, if at all possible. I'll have your reservations and entry corridor ready and waiting for your arrival."

"That is most gracious of you." Liara closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the idea settled into her mind. Someplace to hide away from the galaxy, even if for only a night or two at a time? There are definite benefits to such an arrangement. "And, of course, should you ever find yourself traveling to Thessia, you are welcome to stay at either of our houses… any time you need or desire. We can easily provide transportation… and a security detail as well, should one be required." She glanced at Shepard, who was nodding in agreement.

"As for scheduling our future encounters, now that I think about it, I suppose we should wait until I resume my Spectre duties… and we reacquaint ourselves with the status of the galaxy and the demands of the Council." A lopsided grin slipped onto her face. "I'm sure they have all kinds of things they are expecting us to do upon our return to real life."

The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves, Ialessa System – 25 Aug 2188

After their meeting with Matriarch Marisha, they had returned to their primary vacation complex to stretch out by the pool and fill everyone in on what had transpired… on both the status of Livos and Zan and the disturbing news they had received regarding the events in Serrice. The general reaction from the commandos was one of disturbed anger – that fellow commandos, particularly those with a reputation like the one held by the Serrice Guard, could perpetrate such an illegal… and violent act against their fellow citizens.

They all sat and ate together, having a long discussion about the war and how it had obviously changed everyone, turning many into pure survivalists, at any cost, and how it could possibly take a very long time for things to return to what most considered normal. Riana had shaken her head in disbelief. "I am unsure exactly what normal is anymore." She had then unexpectedly grinned at Livos and totally changed the course of the evening's conversation as she said, "Especially if Liv is actually going to have a true amantia! What is that all about?"

The evening slipped away quickly after that, the mood much lighter than they had anticipated after sharing the news about Serrice. It was now late, and Shepard sat in quiet contemplation as the commandos slowly wandered off to their rooms. Liara was pacing slowly back and forth in front of the fireplace in the den as she typed on her omnitool and, while the Spectre didn't know for sure, she had a good idea what the Asari was doing. Samantha rose slowly from her chair and intercepted her Ionúin Álainn as she walked. "Liara. I distinctly recall you taking my omnitool from me when you caught me working."

Startled by Shepard's unexpected appearance, the Asari stopped abruptly and looked up guiltily with a sigh. "You are correct. I did." She huffed in reluctance and moved to shut her omnitool off, but Shepard reached over and gently intercepted the blue hand with her own.

"Don't, Liara." The woman smirked as confusion swept through the link. "We're quite the pair, aren't we? It's our honeymoon and we cannot find it within ourselves to simply not work. We're just too damned dedicated… but it's more than what we do; it's who we are. Neither one of us will be content until this matter is resolved, so why don't we take a vow right now to relax for the rest of the night. Tomorrow? We'll start our morning with a trip out to the Aletheia. You get on the Broker terminal and call Miranda and I'll get on the comm terminal and talk to Tevos and we'll figure out our next steps.

"Even if that means returning early to Thessia?" Liara's brow wrinkled in consternation.

"Oh, I very much believe that is exactly what's going to happen, Blue." Shepard huffed with a small laugh and continued, "I'm actually amazed we survived ten days without working…" She grinned. "Well… mostly, anyway. I have to admit that I broke first."

"Yes… but my break will result in the end of our honeymoon, won't it?" Liara's shoulders slumped in defeat as she sadly looked down at the floor.

Laughing aloud, Shepard wrapped the distraught Asari in her arms and hugged her tight. Kissing her gently on the cheek, she whispered in her ear, "No, Grá mo chroí. While the acts of the Serrice Guard, the Defense Ministers and the Governesses may result in us returning to Thessia a bit earlier than planned, that does not necessarily mean our honeymoon is over. We can work part time from home and simply provide… interim guidance… to those eagerly awaiting our return to service. Tevos hasn't called us, so it can't be that bad, can it?"

Aletheia, The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves – 26 Aug 2188

First thing in the morning, the honeymooners took the Maglev out to the Aletheia and placed the necessary calls, with Liara calling Miranda and Judea first. After being filled in on the greater-than-expected capabilities of the rogue Quarian fleet, Shepard decided that they very much needed to contact the Council, and promptly made the next call. Tevos' worried face appeared almost immediately on the screen and, before even bothering to say hello, blurted out, "Shepard! What has happened?"

Completely caught off guard by the abrupt greeting... or question as was truly the case… Shepard blinked a couple of times before answering, "You tell me, Councilor. Have the people of the galaxy gone insane since Liara and I left for our honeymoon? We're hearing rather distressing news from Serrice… and have absolutely no idea how desperate Xen and Gerrel are becoming out in the Rim, so figured that we should check in."

"By the Goddess, Shepard! Do not ever do this to me again. You are supposed to be on your honeymoon!" She glanced away for a moment; after obviously referring to some form of calendar, she returned her gaze to her caller. "For another five days, at the least!"

The Spectre grinned and replied calmly, "And you can pass on to Sha'ira that we've been having a wonderful time here." She chuckled lightly and shrugged as she stated, "But, you should know by now that it's nearly impossible for either Liara or me to just sit around when we know there's something that needs doing." Her expression turned somber as she went on, "We've purposely been avoiding the news since we got here, but we finally had the opportunity to meet Matriarch Marisha yesterday, in person, and she passed on the information regarding recent events."

"I will have to speak with Sha'ira about that. I thought we had made it perfectly clear you were not to be disturbed with business of that sort while you were there… because I do know you and feared exactly this." Tevos appeared rather chagrined at the development. "You and Liara deserve this time, Shepard; do us all a favor and enjoy the last few days of your honeymoon. Please?"

Shepard shook her head. "Sorry, Councilor, but it's impossible to unlearn or ignore what we've heard."

"No, it is not… but give it a couple more days, at least." Tevos' face was an expressionless mask, keeping herself in check and exhibiting a level of control normally reserved for sensitive negotiations, not a conversation with one whom she considered a dear friend. "I'll have Spectre Williams forward copies of her latest reports to you. Take the time to read them, get up to speed on everything that is happening." A small smile finally came to her lips as she said, "You trained her well, Captain. Ashley is quite capable and has the collection effort well in hand; you need not rush in to save the day. Not this time."

"We'll do that, Councilor." Liara stepped up to Shepard's side. "Assuming, of course, Ashley actually sends them to us and doesn't withhold on principle, in an attempt to save us from ourselves. We can read the reports wherever we are… we need not be sitting on Thessia or the CGC to do so; in that, you are most definitely correct."

"And," Shepard added with a grin, "this place is most definitely beautiful. We've been having a grand time, that's for certain. Even so, please get in touch with Ashley as soon as you can. It's the not knowing what's going on that's the hardest for us to stand. Once we get caught up, we'll let you know what we decide regarding our return date."

"Fine." Sighing in resignation, Tevos continued, "I suppose that is the most favorable response I can expect from you two. I certainly cannot fault you, as it is that very same determination and commitment that won the war… for all of us. We will talk again soon, I am sure."

"Probably sooner than you would wish, Councilor." Shepard offered up a quick wave before reaching forward and terminating the connection.

Normandy SR2, Phoenix Massing, At Large – 26 Aug 2188

Petty Officer First Class Sheldon Dubow was standing alongside the combat status display in the Normandy's war room, monitoring routine comms traffic between the Neema and the Moreh, while attempting to intercept any messages being sent to or from the Nalotir; the light frigate, being used by the Quarians to raid shipments of dextro food supplies bound for Turian colonies, had flown straight to the orbit of Trigestis after entering the Chomos System.

Even though he was recording everything for further analysis later, he was concentrating intently on the messages, so was more than a bit surprised when the QEC in the adjacent compartment trilled to indicate a priority message. With only a couple of steps, Dubow took a quick look at the sender's ident code, immediately identifying the unexpected caller as someone from the Council. Quickly palming the virtual ACCEPT control on the haptic interface attached to the rail outside the projection platform, he answered the call: "Spectre vessel Normandy SR2."

"Councilor Raesia Tevos, calling for Spectre Ashley Williams." The surprise in Dubow's expression must have been apparent to Dalis Shegos, the councilor's aide. "I apologize for having to place this call, Mr…?"

Sheldon's eyes widened ever so slightly before he schooled his expression and replied, "Dubow… Petty Officer First Class Sheldon Dubow… and no apology needed… or expected. It's just… with us running silent, we didn't anticipate…" He paused, purposely placing four fingers against his lips to stop himself from rambling. "I will find Spectre Williams for you immediately, Ms Shegos. Please stand by…" Dubow muted the mic and stepped away from the video pickup before touching the comm link in his ear and saying, "Spectre Williams… You have a priority call in the QEC, Ma'am."

Ashley must have been close, as she appeared in the war room within seconds of Dubow's page. All business, Ashley crisply asked, "What have you got, Mr Dubow?"

Sheldon motioned towards the QEC chamber as he said, "Councilor Tevos needs to speak with you, Ma'am."

The raven-haired Spectre nodded as she moved to stand in front of the device; leaning on the safety rail, she unmuted the mic and waited for a moment. The projection pad was empty of a caller for only a few seconds before an elegantly attired Councilor Tevos stepped into view. Ashley smiled as she asked, "Councilor? What may I do for you, Ma'am?"

The councilor returned the smile as she responded, "We never have the luxury of just calling one another to say hello, or inquire about each other's health or about what has been going on in our lives, do we Spectre Williams?" Tevos shook her head slightly before continuing. "As you probably have your hands full monitoring the situation with the dissident Quarians, I would not expect you to also be monitoring the latest news concerning Thessia… specifically the violent reaction of the Serrice Guard to a peaceful protest in that city."

Ashley was instantly in full-soldier mode as she lowered her brows and replied with an edge to her voice, "My God, Councilor… what has happened?"

Tevos' smile dimmed slightly as she answered, "The short story? Matriarch Galalina Niaso, the newly appointed Minister of Justice in Serrice, apparently ordered the Serrice Guard to end a demonstration… by whatever means deemed necessary. Unfortunately, their actions resulted in fifteen injured civilians – some seriously so – and three deaths. Of the Serrice Guard, three of their number were also hospitalized."

Ashley's expression was somber, as was her tone. "I am so very sorry, Councilor. In all my dealings with the galaxies other races, I always believed the Asari to be the most non-violent of them all… at least among themselves. To have a peaceful demonstration, no matter the subject matter, be violently broken up this way makes me think of Human history from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries."

Tevos looked down for several moments before raising sad eyes back to Ashley's image. "Unfortunately, the Asari can be every bit as violent as the Turians…" she paused, allowing herself a small, self-deprecating chuckle as she finished with, "… or even the Krogan. Simply look to the criminal elements of the Eclipse and Jona Sederis if you doubt my words." Before Ashley could reply, the councilor hurriedly continued. "The Justicars are investigating this incident and will be looking into other things concerning the defense ministers… every one of them. I will send all the information to which I am privy to your ship, Spectre, addressed to you and Spectre Shepard… but I did not contact you just to tell you that."

"Shepard?" Williams' look of astonishment was quickly replaced with one of curiosity… particularly when she noted that Tevos was beginning to grin. "If you're contacting her on their honeymoon, then I can't wait to hear the real reason you're speaking with me, Councilor. As you said, you never call to simply inquire about my health."

After a brief pause to carefully choose her words, she said, "Ashley… Unfortunately, Spectre Shepard and Lady T'Soni are the ones who called me regarding the incident in Serrice. I did not contact them to pass on the information; they heard it from the matriarch who owns and operates the resort…, including the fact that the Justicars are investigating. When they called, they also expressed an increasing frustration about not knowing what was going on regarding the Quarians."

The councilor's grin began to return; she honestly enjoyed speaking with all the Humans associated with Shepard, particularly this one. "They are contemplating ending their vacation… their honeymoon… early, in order to return to work, which is something I am very much against them doing. I promptly informed Shepard she had trained you well, so there was no need for her to rush back to work, and it was only grudgingly that Liara agreed to remain on Sanves while they reviewed the available mission data and she performed her own analysis… But, she also suspects you might withhold those reports just to keep them from reentering the fray early."

Tevos' grin threatened to swallow her entire face as she finished, "As such, I need you to do me a huge personal favor, Ashley. I am… directing you… to forward a copy of all the information you've been able to gather on our Quarian friends to Shepard and Lady T'Soni aboard the Aletheia, which I hope remains docked at the Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort for the remainder of the month. Please, do not disappoint me, Spectre. You need to follow through and actually send them everything… and I do mean everything. You must promise me that you will not disappoint Doctor T'Soni by withholding even a single report. You must be thorough… exceedingly… thorough."

Ashley grinned and tilted her head slightly. "Councilor, you actually hope I'll overwhelm them with reports on everything they've missed in the past ten days! They'll have to take their time getting up to speed before they can jump back in… and I am pretty confident that would take much longer than the four days they have remaining."

Tevos smiled in return. "I can see you understand me completely, Spectre Williams, but don't be so certain you… or I… can slow that pair down, even if it is for their own good."

Williams chuckled as she replied, "Oh, I'm sure neither of them can be slowed down, Councilor. Won't keep me from trying, though. If nothing else, I should be able to convince them there's nothing to do… at least not at the moment. If there's nothing further?"

Tevos continued to smile as she said, "I believe we have covered everything, Ms Williams. It has been a pleasure to speak with you."

Ashley grinned as she answered, "In that case, I'll talk to you again, soon." With that, she terminated the connection, then looked around at Sheldon Dubow.

"You heard everything we discussed, Petty Officer. Compile all the data we've collected about our friends out there, along with what we have concerning the Nalotir and get it sent to the Aletheia. Also, as soon as the data-packet from Tevos arrives, take a quick look though the info and get me a summary of what the Hell happened in Serrice." The Commander nodded at Dubow as she added, "You've been doing this sort of thing long enough to know the differences between what's important and what's trivial, Mr Dubow. Should be a piece of cake."

Dubow nodded as he replied, "Not to be second-guessing you Ma'am, or the councilor, but do you think sending them all this info will keep them out of play for long? I mean, honestly? You know how they are, better than most." The man shook his head as he concluded, "I'd almost bet they're back at the estate and on board the Knight Shade in less than three days."

Ashley's mouth dropped for a moment; gathering her wits, she declared, "I'll take that bet, Petty Officer! Twenty creds says they stay at the resort for the entire time."

To his credit, Dubow didn't hesitate as he grinned in reply. "Done!"

A/N: A BIG thank you out to Old Gamer, who made this chapter happen this week. No way I would have had it ready to publish without a huge 11th hour assist!