June 17th

05:47

2227

Illium

Last night Liara had the strangest dream that Shepard had snuck into her apartment. This morning she woke up, and found Shepard in her Apartment. The Hero of the Citadel was slumped over her the bathroom sink with sick dribbling down her chin.

"Shepard? Shepard!"

Liara rushed into the Bathroom. But Shepard just waved her off.

"I'm fine Liara. Just thought I'd drop by. Sorry about the sink. I'll pay to have it cleaned"

"I don't care about the sink. I care about you. Shepard, is everything all right?"

"Of course Liara. I feel just dandy. Might pass out though. Ryncol has some bite to it"

"How much have you been drinking? How long have you been drinking Shepard?"

"You really want to ask that question? We might end up standing here all day"

Liara sighed and tried to help Shepard up.

"Come on Shepard, we need to talk"

"Aren't we talking right now?"

"No, we need to talk. Just be quiet and let me help you. You weigh a ton"

"Hey, most of this was put in by Cerberus. I didn't ask for bones capable of withstanding a 4 story fall"

" With your antics I'm sure the illusive man classified them as a necessity"

Some how the pair managed to maneuver into the next room. With considerable difficulty Liara managed to let her friend down on the nearest, and only, bed in her apartment.

"Please be gentle"

"That doesn't sound like something the Commander Shepard I know would say"

"Yeah, well, maybe the Commander Shepard you know hasn't been home for a while"

"Is this about-"

"No, yes, just let me lay down"

"Look at me Shepard, look at me"

Liara got down on her knees to brush Shepard's hair back. The Commanders eyes were half closed. She kept on trying to look away from Liara.

"Do you realize how much it hurts to see you like this. This isn't just about you any more. This is about Garrus. This is about us. All of us. We need you Shepard. I know you're hurting. Whats wrong? Please, you can tell me"

"No"

"Shepard, I'm trying. Please talk to me"

"I can't"

"You can. Don't you realize who you are? I'll help, we'll all help, here"

Liara reached out and pressed her head against Shepard's.

"Embrace Eternity"

"What the fu-"

A thousand images raced through Shepards mind. Some of them were hers and some of them weren't. This wasn't Shepards first time melding. But something definitely felt different. Liara was trying to lead her to something. The sea of memories she'd been lost in was steadily thinning.

Shepards spoke out within her mind, 'Liara, did you just Rape me?'

'No, why would you, I would never-'

'I'm fucking wasted Liara. You can't just drop me on a bed then start getting your groove on with me. I have standards'

'Shepard I was going to go through your memories, find out what was wrong, and then we'd work things out together. This could have been a really important moment for us'

'What ever. Just wake me up so we can watch Blasto 64 together'

'Okay, but do you think we could keep this between us'

'Of course. I Promise not to tell a soul'

' I can sense when you're lying to me Shepard'

'Fuck'

'Just don't tell Garrus'

'I promise I-'

'Shepard'

'Fine, okay I promise, just wake me up. This whole two minds one body thing is freaking me out'

'Oh really, because I can see what you did with Sha'ira"

'GET OUT OF MY HEAD!'

May 8th

01:45

3927

Mariner Castle

Rei was a long ways away from earth and long ways away from her trusted sacred fire. Within the safety of her inner sanctum there was nothing to do. She could meditate here because she could meditate just about any where. With her mind open and her eyes closed she could pass the time. There was nothing to do here. Nothing to do at all.

"Hello Rei"

She opened one eye

"Hello Ami"

Rei closed her left eye and then opened both eyes. Now Haruka was here too.

"Hello Haruka"

Half a dozen Uranian operatives uncloaked.

"I see"

Rei sighed and got up.

"So what can I do for you"

Mercury tried to explain, "Well we've been talking and an intergalactic war may or may not break out. Usagi wanted us to bring you up to speed. You and Mina will be in charge of investigating a species known as the Krogan. Michuru and Haruka have been assigned to another species known as the Salarians. Jupiter will handle the Elcor and I will handle humanity. Finally we've decided Hotaru will take care of the Turians"

"Divide and conquer"

"Exactly"

"Usagi was okay with this?"

"Its merely a contingency plan. Surely negotiations won't fail. I'll make sure of that"

The Operatives recloaked, Ami opened up a portal, and Haruka departed with her soldiers. Rei was already settling into the silence. Only Ami was left.

"I'm afraid we won't coming home for quite some time"

"Were you telling the truth earlier?"

"I was, when Negotiations start they won't fail. But this Contingency plan may just be the best one we have"

"When are you planning on telling every one else"

"When I have to Rei. I'd invite Mina over tonight if I were you. In a few months we might be too busy for good byes"

"Didn't you say Mina and I were serving together?"

"Good bye Rei, I'll . . . see you when I see you"

Ami opened up a portal and stepped into it. She was about to go through when she heard Rei mutter something under her breath.

"Not if I see you first"

The Blue haired princess smiled grimly at that.

"Good bye, Rei."

"Goodbye Ami"

There was a blinding flash of light and then the blue haired princess was gone. Rei was trapped in silence. Maybe she'd invite Mina over after all. She wanted their last night in Sol together to be a good one.

September 10th

17:36

2227

Omega Nebula, Omega

Haruka Tenoh and Michuru Tenoh held hands as they walked down yet another dirty street. The Taller blonde was decked out in a leather Jacket while her blue-green haired partner was wearing something more elegant. Most of the street wretches they came across gave the pair their distance. For some one to get this deep into Omega wearing something like that they had to be important. Here, important also meant deadly.

"You know". began Neptune, " I think I heard some mercenaries talking about a club a few streets back. It sounds quite interesting"

Haruka smirked, "Well ordinarily I'd never go somewhere as obscene as a club. But if my princess would like to visit one then how could I, an honorable gentlemen, ever refuse"

The Pair walked a little faster now. They were headed to the afterlife.

In the midst of all sorts of colorful characters Haruka and Michuru smiled as they made their way through the crowd. Michuru snaked her way between the impatient denizens while Haruka took a more forceful approach. It didn't take long for the Bouncer spot the pair.

"Excuse me, would you mind letting us in", politely inquired Michuru.

"Sorry pretty lady, but your kind aren't welcome here"

"What exactly is my kind?"

The Krogan Scoffed.

"I can see your partners hands. They're as calloused as a Vorcha's. You on the other hand don't have so much as a scratch on you. Explain that to me."

"You didn't answer my question"

"Nor do I have to Cerberus Scu-"

Several sets of very sharp teeth went flying. When the Krogan started to recover Haruka decided to give them a taste of her left jab. This time her opponent was ready. They grabbed hold of her and gave her a bone splitting head butt. Haruka recovered first. She lifted the 200 kilogram beast of a Krogan into the air by his neck.

"You're awful observant for a bouncer. I'd say that must make you a veteran of some war or another. Now, soldier, what are your instincts telling you now?"

The Krogan Roared. Haruka's Nails dug into its throat. Orange fluid ran down both her arms as she held them aloft higher into the air.

"I've fought better worriers then you with my heart torn out, you aren't proving anything to me."

Haruka let go of the Krogan. They landed on their feet, just in time to catch Haruka's left hook. A fountain of alien blood erupted from what was left of the bouncers face. Before their body could hit the floor Haruka sent them reeling back with a centerline kick. The blood kept on pouring and Haruka refused to stop. She followed the Bouncer into the club and sent them flying back further with kick after kick. When they started to regain their balance she invaded their stance with a kick to the Quad.

"Still standing, not bad"

The Krogan wasn't just standing. They were shaking violently with rage. When they charged Haruka wasn't able to dodge without endangering Michuru. So she braced herself for impact. Sights, memories, it all came flooding back to her when the Krogan hit. Hearing her father talk to the other woman on the phone, leaning in tight for her turns on the race track, trying to run away from the monsters in the rain, meeting her savior and learning the truth, losing everything over and over, raising Hotaru with Michuru and Setsuna, and the close embraces spread between those other memories. That was Haruka's life.

Her body rag dolled. Haruka went flying into her lovers arms with such force that she nearly knocked Michuru (and the Elcor behind her) down.

Neither Haruka nor the Bouncer had any idea what was going on by this point. They'd both lost too much blood.

"If", stated Michuru, "my partner and I were half as dangerous as you think we are then haven't you just taken yourself out of the equation. I don't have a scratch on me. If I killed you then who would stop us from walking right in"

The horribly mauled Krogan let out a throaty chuckle.

"You have me there pretty lady. It wouldn't matter any way because Aria's mercenaries would still kill you. This is about honor. I can't just let enemies of my boss walk in unopposed"

"And what about friends? Maybe we just wanted to come in to have a good time or maybe we wanted to talk about business. We are dangerous, are we Aria's type of dangerous?"

At that the Bouncer unveiled a big toothless grin.

"Yes, yes you are. Please come in. Just try not to cause too much trouble."

Michuru helped Haruka entered the club arm in arm. Michuru didn't seem to mind the flecks of blood on her dress or her partners heavy breathing. She seemed perfectly content just to be with the woman she loved.

"Haruka, i'm sorry you won't be able to have much fun tonight"

"Why should you be sorry? The way I look at it I'm the luckiest person in this club. I can see three times more dancers than any one else and put together they still aren't as lovely as the woman standing next to me"

"Bold words"

"Being with you makes bold words easy. I hope that tonight I can follow them up with bold deeds"

"Bold deeds as in?"

"I'll start with the bar, then, maybe I'll take a certain fine lady onto the dance floor"

"Sounds like a plan. While you're recovering this fine lady has some one she'd like to meet"

"Oh really, and who would this some one be. A friend? A contact?"

"A stranger, I think her name is Aria"

"I bet that'll be fun. Just make sure to save the last dance for me"

Michuru gave Haruka a little smile and then they separated. Each of them had their role to play tonight. Only time would tell how this would all end. Maybe with a bang, maybe with a whimper, but either way Michuru had feeling this would make for quite the report to Crystal Tokyo.

As the music thumped in her chest the Aqua marine haired soldier couldn't help but wonder one thing. What in the galaxy was Ami playing at?

Codex: Light Operatives

Long ago the Inner Senshi lived with their Queen inside of the crystal palace. There they spent their time with the royal family and protected them directly. That time is gone. Now they utilize a variety of soldiers as "leverage" in order to achieve their goals. They do not, they cannot, know true rest. For this galaxy is full of terror.

Uranian Operative

Favored by Mercury

There's the best, and then there's the Uranian Operative. She's been schooled in magic, strategy, and everything related to the sword. Ever faced a Uranian Operative in single combat before? Few mortals have.

Venesian Shadow

Favored by Mars

When horrors go bump in the night, the Venesian shadow comes in to make sure everything's all right. They are volunteers from the planet of love and they never give up. No mission is too big or too small for these interdimensional Daemon hunters. They take fan mail too!

S IV Shock Trooper

Favored by Jupiter

They are not elite. Most of them sign up at 16. They come from high gravity worlds, abject poverty, troubled homes, and much much worse. S IV Shock troopers lack Night Flesh or any kind of serious protection.