A/N: Sorry for the long wait everyone my computer caught a virus so I had to use someone else's (and my school's) to finish this one up, since Mass Effect 3 is around the corner it'll probably be a while until I get the next one out so enjoy!

Sam growled quietly as she stood before Ivea's door, in full combat gear, "standing guard" as she had been doing for the last few hours without any breaks. All because the Captain was pissy about what happened when Ivea talked back to him.

Sam couldn't help but chuckle to herself as she thought back on it. He's a good guy. She thought to herself with a small laugh. She peeked into the mess hall and saw the guys who were playing cards before were now just lounging at the table while shooting the shit with each other.

She let out a quiet sigh as she bit back her want to walk over and sit with them. But before she could complain anymore about her situation the ship shuddered violently beneath her. As she braced herself against the nearby wall the com in her helmet beeped. That was the signal that she was to report to the cargo bay with the other marines.

She was about to leave but stopped and looked to Ivea's door. I suppose I should at least let him know I'm leaving.

She knocked a couple of times on the door but got no response. What the hell? Sam opened the door and peeked in only to see the room was empty. Her gut suddenly dropped as her heart sped. Where is he? I was standing guard the whole time!

She looked around then noticed the bathroom door was closed. "Ivea?" She called as she knocked on the door.

"Sam? I'm…arm I'm in here." His voice sounded…different than the usual causing Sam to frown.

"Ivea are you alright?" She asked as she pressed her ear against the door.

"Oh yes I'm fine don't worry!" She shook her head as she stood back upright.

"Well I'm headed out we arrived at the colony. Just stay in here until I get back." She heard him give a quiet "Alright." before she was off.

. . . .

Ivea stood before the mirror in the bathroom simply staring into it. Staring into his own eyes which he had not seen for as long as he could remember.

He slowly lifted an ungloved hand up and touched the rough skin on his face. He tried to imitate the expression Sam had explained earlier, "smirking".

His attempt only a gained a quiet sigh of defeat as he slowly realized that he simply couldn't do it. Just as a Turian, Quarians don't have nearly as many expressions as Humans. Facial expressions anyway.

He looked down at his visor which sat at the edge of the sink, staring emptily up back at him. The grim reminder of the inevitable. He slid his gloves back on and sealed them before looking back down to the visor.

With a final sigh he slowly wrapped his three fingers around it and looked back at his face a final time before sealing the final section of his suit. Back to being a faceless suit in the eyes of these Humans. Ivea groaned to himself as he unlocked the bathroom.

He had cleaned the bathroom repeatedly until it had been clean enough to at least take off his mask and gloves for a little bit and fix his suit with more than just the little patchwork that'd been done. Thankfully he'd locked the bathroom door just in case if not…

Ivea shook his head as he walked out into the main room. No need to think of such a thing, he was here now perfectly fine. As he looked around the room he sighed once more and took a seat on the edge of the bed.

It had occurred to him once more with a glance around the room that there was nothing to do in here. Also seeing as how he was a "special guest" here he wasn't allowed to leave. I just had to open my mouth. Ivea thought to himself as he thought back on the incident.

Just the thought of it made him cringe. He actually talked back to a superior officer! Sure he wasn't a member of the Alliance but still! So now he was here. And here he would remain for quite some time.

. . . .

Sam stood at attention along the other's who were also in full combat gear within the cargo hold as the Captain stood before them, his back straight as any could be, his eyes looking into each and every soldiers' eyes.

"We are currently approaching our destination Marines!" He announced with a loud and commanding voice. His eyes continued looking up and down the row of assembled Marines before him while his head never moved.

"When we arrive there this door behind me will open!" He paused and pointed at the giant blast door behind him which was their ticket out.

"When this door is opened you are to step outside in parade formation! We will then proceed into the center of the colony to inform the Turians why we're here and inform them we hare here to stay! Questions?" He asked and gave a final look over the line of Marines.

As per usual not a one asked a single question but simply stood at attention, waiting.

"Good! At ease!" He yelled and waited for the Marines to shift into parade rest before going around them and into the elevator up to the bridge.

Sam took a deep breath and slowly released it as she stared straight ahead. Suddenly her omni-tool came to life around her left arm and beeped twice loudly causing everyone in the cargo bay to jump.

She shut her eyes tight, waiting for the Captain's head to blow up. But nothing happened. She peeked back and saw, thankfully, he was already gone.

"You almost fucked us!" The Marine beside her hissed. She ignored him and brought her omni-tool up before her.

1 new message. She tapped it and read through then sighed to herself. It was from Ivea asking what he was supposed to do while he waited. She typed a simple, "I don't know, figure something out." Then she deactivated her omni-tool.

A couple more minutes before it turned on and beeped loudly again and once more causing everyone to jump.

"Damn it Johnson!" The same Marine beside her hissed. Once again she opened up the message except…it was blank. God damn it Ivea. She sighed as she shook her head.

The ship jumped much more violently and continued to shudder which was a sure sign that they were entering the atmosphere. Sam lightly bit her lip and took another breath. She hated meeting new people, and with it being Turians who knows what'll happen.

. . . .

A smirk crept across Ivea's face as he reveled in his latest success. What Sam believed to be a simple blank message was so much more. It was the carrier of a virus that allowed Ivea to go into her suit's visor and see all that she saw while she had it on.

"Bingo." He whispered as he tapped a few buttons on his omni-tool and brought up her visor.

She was standing in the cargo bay with the doors just now opening.

Ivea laid back in a comfortable position and got ready for the show.

. . . .

Sam winced against the sun as it harshly washed them in it's light. Almost immediately the smell of springtime and grass filled her nostrils. Just like on Mindior. She shook the thought off and stood at attention as the Captain went through the middle of the Marines' line and stood up straight, waiting for the doors to fully open.

Must've gone to the bridge to ensure the Turians knew we were friendly.

The moment her eyes adjusted she saw the Turians staring at them, no not staring, glaring.

Or maybe not. She sighed to herself but maintained a stiff posture.

The Captain began walking down the ramp as the rest of the Marines followed in suite.

Sam could see that none of the Turians had any face paint. Strange, isn't this their colony? But she shook the thought off and stood behind the Captain who now stopped and looked around.

All the Turians towered over them but the Marines would never shy away from a fight from anyone or thing let alone a group of bare faced Turians.

"Who's in charge here?" The Captain asked as he continued looking around. Finally one Turian stepped forward. His skin was grey rather than the usual browns that other Turians are and he had creases in his face, typical with an elderly Turian. His eyes were now white but around the outer edge of the Iris was a faint gold which indicated that maybe with age their eyes even changed. These aliens are too much for me. Sam thought to herself with a small frown but then remembered when Ivea had freaked out at that and smiled slightly.

"We have no leader here human but I am the eldest so I suppose I could be the representative of this colony." The Turian said as he looked around at the Humans around him. "Might I ask why there's a Human frigate in our colony?" He asked with a slight growl in his voice as he looked to the ship behind the Marines then to the Captain.

"We've heard reports that this colony is about to be hit by pirates so we've come here to offer our assistance." The Captain replied, putting emphasis on 'offer'. Sam had a feeling the Marines being here wasn't exactly up for debate.

Apparently the Turian picked up on it as well due to the narrowing of his eyes as he stared at the Captain who stared right back. "Human, I get the feeling we don't exactly have a choice here." The Turian growled as the Captain smiled.

"I'm happy to hear you'll have us here. We'll have a patrol of four Marines around the colony at all times and two Marines will be stationed…" The Captain looked around at the small buildings within the colony and found a tower in the middle. "At that tower there. Johnson! O'Malley! You two'll be stationed there, now four volunteers for the first patrol." He ordered as he turned to face the Marines. Before anyone could answer the Turian stepped forward toward the Captain and put his hand on the Captain's shoulder.

"No! We won't allow you to desecrate our church!" The Turian protested which caused the Captain to turn with a sigh.

"Listen Turian, it's either you cooperate or we report to our superiors that this colony was 'unfortunately hit before we could arrive'." The Turian's frown only deepened as he slowly brought his hand back at his side and glared daggers at the Captain. "Fine." The Turian spat. The Captain nodded and turned back to the Marines.

"Where are those volunteers!" He yelled at them.

. . . .

Ivea closed the view screen as the Marines scrambled about. Bosh'tet thinks he owns the galaxy. He growled to himself as he shook his head, thinking back on what the Captain said to the Turian.

He rubbed his visor with a quiet sigh. His fever was getting the better of him, he was never this irritable.

Ivea looked at his hand which laid against his visor. He couldn't even feel his own hand against his face or breath the unfiltered air. He thought back to the bathroom, the feeling of his own rough skin against his fingers. He already missed feeling anything in general without the damned suit.

He could now understand just why many Quarians died just so they could smell the fresh air or feel the wind on their face. Tempting, but then again death isn't. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the filters in his helmet in perfect synch with his lungs activated and drew in the outside air while filtering it before filling his helmet with fresh air. Way too fresh air.

Ivea activated his omni-tool once more and took his temperature. Still high. With that one thought his suit automatically administered a dose of antibiotics which almost immediately swam through his brain making him feel light headed. He laid his head back and closed his eyes once more. Best to just get some sleep, if this fever doesn't pass soon I will not be a happy Quarian.

. . . .

Sam sat on her two foot high stool with her back to Joe O'Malley, the Marine who was assigned to watch duty with her. Night had fallen and a cool wind swept across the hills that surrounded the colony. She looked through the scope of her sniper rifle and scanned the colony, she saw the other four Marines who were patrolling the outside of the colony. Before she knew it she was looking at the ship. Part of her wished she could be back there, having an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) which would undoubtedly taste horrible but it was better than sitting up here in the cold of the night.

Just as she thought that the hatch to her right opened up revealing another Marine. "I'm here to relieve your, I'd suggest just heading straight to the ship these Turians don't really like us." He explained as he got up and scooted past Sam and sat where she had a moment ago. Couldn't imagine why, we only invaded their privacy, threatened to destroy them, then invaded their church. Sam frowned to herself as she climbed down the ladder that had led to the tower. The Marine was right though so she hurried straight back to the ship.

. . . .

The moment Sam got onboard she immediately devoured her MRE and walked to Ivea's room. She knocked on the door but heard no answer so she went on in.

Inside he was sleeping peacefully with his right arm over his visor to block out the light that shined from the desk. Sam chuckled to herself and turned it off as she sat in the chair that was at the desk. Might as well get some shut eye before my shift. She thought to herself as she put her feet up and leaned back. After she set her alarm on her omni-tool she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.