The planet is eerily quiet.
Luminescent bodies of gas float aimlessly, the horizon is painted peaches, rusts and ambers.
"He seemed surprised by the mention of us being betrothed," Nihlus' voice breaks the silence.
With her eye to the scope she takes a deep breath and on a slow exhale squeezes the trigger, taking down her target, some type of robot she's never seen.
"First what the hell was that and he might have mentioned that I'll never be able to have children," she says thoughtfully.
"He hurt you." She'd expected a question, not a firm statement.
"Geth," he supplies as an after thought.
"I'm...Do I really seem like the mother type?" She asks from the rock she's splayed across that overlooks the colony.
She's met with several minutes of silence, so she lowers her eye to the scope, dispatching several more geth before moving to the next position.
His hand is light on her shoulder, surprising her.
"Most women don't see themselves as mothers until they become one. I'd be proud to sire children with you," his mandibles quirk.
His harmonics rumble, "Now pull your head out of your ass and let's find that beacon."
They head toward the outskirts of the colony.
She'd usually brief DeClan on the situation but given his barb earlier, she lets Nihlus handle the comm link.
She'd takes off toward the space port to recon while Nihlus relays the information to DeClan's team.
The sound of Jenkins going down hurts her heart.
The event is quickly forgotten over the sound of rapid weapons fire and the familiar hum of biotics, as she takes up a position that gives her a full view of the space port.
When Nihlus runs across the Turian, she raises her tactical cloak and creeps closer while speaking to Nihlus on their private channel, "I'm at your six, want an assist?"
He gives a terse shake of his head, "Not yet, let's see what's going on."
She watches through the scope as he leaves cover, lowering his weapon, his harmonics questioning, "Saren?"
He approaches the Turian, holstering his weapon.
"You know him?" She whispers, catching the slight nod of his head.
"Nihlus," the strange Turian answers but there is no warmth or greeting in his voice, simply an acknowledgement.
"This isn't your mission Saren. What are you doing here?" Nihlus asks of his old mentor, long time friend and ex lover.
She watches through her scope as the bare faced Saren touches Nihlus with old familiarity, as he answers, "The council thought you could use some help on this run."
He moves behind Nihlus, strange cybernetic eyes scanning the area, she is grateful for the improved tactical cloak as his gaze sweeps over her then moves on.
She flashes Nihlus once with her targeting laser, informing him of her position, now at his twelve, then moves so that the laser paints the skull of the Turian behind him.
"I wasn't expecting to find the Geth here. The situation is bad," Nihlus murmurs, his eyes on the horizon.
"Don't worry. I've got the situation under control," the Turian turns, his heavy pistol drawn and fired, dropping Nihlus.
She's pulled the trigger in time with the Turian and the round glances his shoulder, staggering him, his eyes going to where she'd once been.
He takes off toward the rail line, his robots in tow.
She quickly makes her way down to Nihlus, cradling him in her arms.
"I was too slow, I'm sorry," her fingers trace the markings that cover his face and this is how DeClan, Kaidan and the female marine: Williams, find her.