"What were you doing on Tuchanka?" Garrus asked casually

He and Grunt were clearing out the unused cargo bay to house Tali, and possibly Reegar. He wasn't sure about the whole situation, but one of them could take the starboard observatory... unless Samara showed up to help with the Shadow Broker. She had said she would always come for Shepard, but had yet to reply to the message sent out to her last known location.

"Killing things mostly, but I did visit the female camp regularly." Grunt chuckled.

"Really? I thought you and Jack were..." Garrus trailed off. The imagery was a bit much.

"She minds her business and I mind mine." Grunt answered with a shrug."Besides, mating with krogan females is to strengthen clan Urdnot. I've sired many sons." Grunt said proudly.

"That's great." Garrus congratulated him half heartily. "How did you end up on the Karelian with Jack?" He asked, desperate to change the subject. "The last we saw of her was on some deserted planet and the two of you weren't exactly on speaking terms."

"It was just a fight. She likes to fight. She also likes to mate!" Grunt chuckled. "I guess she just couldn't find another male to satisfy her after having tasted the might of a pure krogan."

Again the images that threatened to appear in Garrus' mind were a thing of nightmares. He shook his head as if the action would send the thoughts hurling out of his mind to spatter on some surface for cleaning and disposal.

"Uh, yeah... I think we're done here." Garrus said, feeling a little queazy, and left the cargo hold. They had only removed half the crates, but he would have to finish later. He could hear Grunt laughing as he entered the elevator to flee the conversation he wished he'd never started.

Tali'Zorah vas Neema and Shyra Shepard-Krios greeted each other with open arms. Kal'Reegar respectfully stood a few paces behind them.

"It's so good to see you, Commander." Tali said as they released each other.

Tali kept a firm grim on both of Shepard's hands. He was obviously excited about something. She was almost bouncing on her toes.

"I have something to tell you!" Tali said with giddy anticipation. "Or rather, we have something to tell you."

At that moment Kal'Reegar joined them, walking over to them with as much confidence as he could manage. He offered Shepard a quarter bow with one hand over his mid section, keeping the other at his side.

"I got married!" Tali announced.

Shepard's jaw dropped, at least in her head. She glanced over to Reegar and back to Tali. She wasn't really all that surprised when she thought about it. The way Reegar acted around Tali and his willingness to stand up for her at the hearing. It had been subtly obvious.

"Congratulations." She nodded to Reegar with a smile. "I'm so happy for you!" She gave Tali's hand a squeeze. "You two should be on honeymoon or something, not out here taking on the Shadow Broker!"

"With all do respect, Captain." Reegar said, placing a hand on Tali's shoulder. "We wouldn't be here if not for you and your team. It's the least we can do."

"Welcome aboard." Shepard grinned and nodded. "I hope the starboard observatory will be satisfactory."

Behind her Garrus stiffened slightly. The whole point of clearing the cargo bay was to get information out of Grunt. Info he didn't get because of a upset tummy. It wasn't his proudest moment.

Thane lay comfortably against the corner where the wall met the book case on the bed. He held a book in one hand while the other rested in the gentle grasp of his Arasiha on her chest as she read a data pad. He sighed contently in the moment, enjoying the rise and fall of her chest under his hand as she breathed. Her head rested in his lap against his firm stomach. He'd propped a pillow between her crown and the shelving. Her eyes looked up at him from her data pad. He could feel her gaze, it almost tickled. A grin played at his lips before he relented and looked down at her.

"Did you need something, Siha?"

"What are you reading?" She asked with a smile. She stared lovingly up into his eyes. The light from the desk lamp caught his irises, the edges shining with silver. She could see the green of them faintly in the darkness. It would probably be the last night for a while that they could just lay there without passing out from exhaustion. The mission would begin the next morning.

Thane smiled down at her. He slipped his hand away from hers to cup her face. How he loved to look at her like this, in peace, with a smile on her lips in the place of worry lines. The color of her eyes were a deep blue, almost violet in the shadows.

"Let's see if you can guess." He smiled. "He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

"Humm... are you trying to flatter me, or yourself?" She teased.

"If I were to flatter myself I would simply remind myself that my Arasiha is you." He with a grin.

"Ah! So you are trying to flatter me." She grinned.

"If I were to flatter you, I would tell you that your Mëhana is me." He teased, and paid for it with a playful blow to his ribs.

In a few quick seconds the book and data pad were safely on the shelf and her brief struggle was ended with her pinned rather efficiently beneath the powerful and talented drell assassin. His scent was strong in her nose, like thyme and curry. His body was tense, holding her down as she attempted in vein to overpower him. When she stopped struggling her spoke again, but in a deep purring tone. His eyes gazed down at her like liquid pools of polished onyx.

"If I were to flatter you, Siha, I would speak of your beauty, for it is like unto that of angels. I would tell you how exquisite it is drown in the ocean that lives in the color of your eyes. I would kiss your lips as if their touch is the very air I breath."

His hands released her to cup her face. His eyes memorizing every detail of her before his lips pressed to hers. Their eyes closed and their tongues met through parted lips. One hand left her face and retrieved the book from the shelf. His lips lifted from hers. Her eyes opened to find his.

"I'll give you a few more guesses." He whispered with a grin.

He settled the book next to her face to read to her. His soft breath ghosted over her face carrying the sent of his spice. Mingled with the old paper scent of the book, it was intoxicating. The purr of his voice vibrated through her as he quoted another line.

"He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature." He paused to turn the page. "Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior."

"Now I know you're trying to flatter me." She teased.

Thane hushed her with a kiss, intense as it was brief. His tongue teasing hers for a moment before reciting the next quote as he closed the book.

"Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who really apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and death."

Shyra looked up at him, confusion settled in her mind, but she kept if from her features. Was he still concerned with his eventual death? It seems he would never forget that mortality was inevitable. Preparing for it was something he'd done for a decade of his adult life. It was a part of him now. Her heart went out to him as her lips took his. When she pulled away there was a grin on his face.

"Distracting me will not win you the answer." He said.

"I give," She relented. "Is it.. I don't know, Socrates?" She pulled a familiar philosopher name out of the top of her head.

Thane was physically taken back that she had guess correctly. A smile lit up his face. She started to ask if she got it right when he cut her off with his mouth, vigorously kissing her. His tongue quickly found hers, over coming her surprise with relentless persistence. Her resistance surrendered to desire as their hands nimbly undressed the other.

"Who would have thought that Socrates could be so romantic?"

It was the last coherent thought before their passion took her mind to a place that consisted only of emotion, sound, sight, and touch.