Jacob raided a vending machine outside so Shepard was lucky to score a bag of chips for lunch. It hardly satisfied her appetite and she was growing increasingly restless. She had no new thoughts of leaving however, as she had stayed this long that going would just be a waste.

Jacob was clearly restless too and playing with his biotics, and had cleared a space at the front of the room. Shepard got up and joined him.

"Fancy a sparring session?" Jacob asked, smiling.

"Why not?" Shepard asked; she needed to work off some energy even though she knew Jacob was a more skilled biotic.

"Just omnitool for back up but no tricks." Jacob warned.

"Relax, I can play fair." Shepard smiled.

"This is not going to be good." Liara commented from her seat, next to Miranda.

Thane was still looking out of the window, uninterested.

Jacob fired a small biotic wave first which Shepard dodged easily and she slashed forward with her omni tool blade but Jacob parried it away easily with his own. They both jumped back and circled one another.

"They really are a couple of freaks." Miranda remarked and Liara laughed.

"And we've slept with both of them." Liara added.

"I never slept with Jacob..." Miranda denied. "Did Shepard tell you that?"

Shepard dived forwards once more and Jacob jumped but the move was a bluff and she fired a biotic warp with her left hand while her blade retracted and Jacob only just dulled it with a warp of his own.

"She thought you had- Jacob had told her you were close." Liara replied.

"That was just a rumour which Jacob did nothing to discourage." Miranda said, rolling her eyes. "So what's happening with you and Shepard?"

Shepard parried Jacob's blade away and they resumed their duel, for now biotics forgotten.

"Nothing really..." Liara replied, thoughtfully. "It's not the same as it was. There's not that chemistry."

"I think it's either there or it isn't. You can't force it - and I have tried." Miranda replied, watching Jacob.

"I think Shepard's moved on." Liara admitted.

"Has she said something?" Miranda asked.

"No, but I think part of the problem is how she feels about you." Liara said, although with no hint of jealousy.

Miranda studied the sparring two below thoughtfully.

"Why hasn't anything happened between you two?" Liara asked after a moment.

Miranda shrugged.

"She's hard to read..." Miranda admitted, "..and the mission...we know what to expect in the end."

Shepard leapt back with a yelp as a biotic warp from Jacob hit her left foot and left it throbbing.

"This is not going to end well." Miranda observed.

"Guys, maybe you should give it a break now?" Liara called but Shepard ignored her.

"Are you okay?" Jacob asked panting slightly and Shepard nodded theatrically as though his suggestion that he could have hurt her was ridiculous. "If you're hurt then we should take a break."

"I'm fine. If you need a break then just say so." Shepard challenged but Jacob merely smiled at the challenge.

"Come on, guys." Liara requested but they ignored her.

Shepard sent two heavy warps one after another at Jacob and he dodged left and right but Shepard slid forward before he could fire one back and he only just met her omnitool blade with his. They stared at each other for a moment, revelling in the challenge but Jacob had lost focus and Shepard knocked him back with a warp to the chest which went unspotted.

Shepard stepped forward and they duelled again but Jacob's blade just sliced through Shepard's skin and left a shallow but bleeding gash on her face. Shepard fired an angry warp again and Jacob jumped back.

"Okay guys, that's it." Liara called but Shepard saw the blood on her hand when she felt her cheek and a wave of fury washed over her.

She retracted her blade and charged at Jacob.

"Commander!" Thane shouted before getting in the middle of the two.

Liara pulled Shepard back.

"Look at my face!" Shepard shouted while being dragged away.

"You warped me after the break!" Jacob countered.

Liara led Shepard to a chair at one side of the room while Jacob went to the other with Miranda. Shepard watched intently as Miranda pulled up his shirt to examine the mark the warp had left.

"I can get Miranda to come take a look at you, if you like." Liara suggested.

"What?" Shepard asked, snapping out of her musings. "An inch and he would have had my eye."

Shepard didn't get to complain any more as Liara kissed her briefly. Shepard was completely taken aback and forgot the injury to her face and pride.

"What was that for?" Shepard asked.

"Just checking- chemistry test." Liara replied.