"Jarred. Tristan?" Liara entered the bridge, where Jarred, Tristan and Edison were talking. She held a datapad in her hand, and she looked worried. "There's something you should know."

Tristan's brows furrowed, and took the datapad from Liara. He looked at it, his eyes widening, and he looked at her. "Are you certain about this?"

She nodded, "I made calculations, even asked Nicholas to assist me in researching. It is inevitable."

"Why? What's going on?" Jarred asked as Tristan turned and headed to the Comm Room without as much as looking back at Jarred. He turned it on and typed, and soon the figure of his father, Kaidan appeared on screen.

Kaidan looked shocked at seeing his son, "Tristan. What's wrong?"

Tristan held up the datapad, "Liara just gave me some worrying news. Our Sun is about to have a major solar flare… enough to destroy Earth and all colonies near it. "

Jarred's eyes widened, and he held out his hand to Tristan for the datapad. The Commander gave it to him, and he read it. He felt his breath got knocked out of his throat, "It says here that it'll only last a few seconds, but it'll be enough to kill all those in the surrounding areas."

Kaidan's eyes furrowed with worry, "I'll need all the data that Liara gave you, and tell it to the Council. I will consult with the quarian engineers as well, maybe they can come up with something."

"What can we do?" Tristan asked.

"Head back here to the Citadel." Kaidan said, "You have not been given a new mission yet. But if what you're saying is true… and I am sure it is since Liara and Nicholas did all the calculations… then we need all the best minds on this. Tali's daughter included." He nodded to his son, "I have to go now. I'll see you when you get here. Alenko out."

Kaidan's figure faded, and Tristan and Jarred looked at each other. "If this thing is true, then all life around the system will die."

Tristan nodded, "Yes. We'd better head to the Citadel." He pressed on his earpiece, "Edison, get us as fast as you can to the Citadel."

"Yes, Commander. ETA: five minutes." Edison's voice crackled from the Comm.

"Officer Vancair" EDI's voice sounded from his ears, "Engineer Amira has relayed a message that Ms. Seishiro is ready. They are currently located at the Portside Observation."

He sighed, "Alright. I'll be right there."

Tristan nodded to him, and Jarred headed down to the Portside Observation, where Amira said she'd just finished clothing Meiou. He opened the door, and he saw Amira's back towards him, holding the tip of Meiou's hair in her hand.

"Hey, Jarred!" Amira said cheerfully, as she tied what looked like a red and white ribbon to the end of Meiou's hair, pinning it up to her scalp. "And… there! She's ready! You can stand up now, Meiou."

Amira stepped to the side, showing Meiou's back, as she sat on a chair. As she shyly stood up, Jarred saw the dip of her waist, the width of her hips, and the slenderness of her legs. As she turned, he felt his face flame.

Meiou wore a red, fitted light armor and boots, with golden accents over a black body suit. The shoulder pads were slightly thick, but it fitted as it went down her slender arms. However, it was the front of it that made it slightly uncomfortable for him. The neckline of the armor went down to her chest, leaving an opening that showed off the lightness of her skin on her chest. She was… ample enough to fill the armor, and Jarred felt like pulling on the cowl of his neck. A choker of gold made it even harder for him to focus, as it accented the lightness of the skin on her chest. Amira had braided Meiou's long hair, and it was pinned up to the top of her head, with stray locks framing her face. Her face flushed pink with embarrassment as she faced him.

"That was my old armor." A voice said behind him, and Justicar Samara came forward from behind him and looked over Meiou, pulling the armor at her arms and shoulders. "I can sense that you are a very powerful biotic… perhaps much powerful than I am. This armor shall serve as your reminder that you are a strong woman, worthy of being a friend of Councilor Samara." She smiled at Meiou, "I hope you'll wear it with pride."

Meiou smiled shyly, "I do not know if it fits me well, but…" she looked at the Councilor, her eyes shining with admiration, "I have… read all about you, Councilor Samara. You did many amazing things during your term as a Justicar. If that is your wish for me… if that is what you believe is what I can achieve, then… I shall wear it well."

"You wear it pretty well enough." Jarred blinked, realizing his though came out, and he blushed furiously as Meiou's face turned pink even more, and Samara's knowing smile came to him. He coughed, "We're on our way back to the Citadel. Admiral Alenko said that we're needed there. Councilor Samara, even though it is your first time as the Asari Councilor, a great test is about to come to you."

Samara's eyes furrowed, "What do you mean?"

Jarred sighed, "Dr. T'Soni… Liara… she found out that the Sun is about to give out a massive solar flare. Enough to reach Earth and dry up all living organisms on its surface, and all colonies surrounding it." He pointed to the upper deck, where the bridge is, "Tristan already notified the Council. Once we get there, we'll be able to decide what to do."

The three women's eyes widened at this, and Meiou clutched a hand to her heart. A panicked look came to her face, and he swallowed. He wished he could comfort her, but he's getting scared as well. His parents do live in Earth, after all.

"Jarred." Edison's voice sounded from the InterCom.

"Yeah. I'm here." Jarred said.

"We're nearing the Citadel. Tristan said you should bring Samara, Amira and Meiou to the Council." Jarred nodded to Amira, "You guys might want to get ready. We're almost there."

"Of course. I'll go there now." And Amira left, half-running back to the deck, and Samara followed her, "I'll go talk to Tristan and Liara, I need to know more about this."

Jarred and Meiou were left in the room, and Meiou turned her back to him, gazing at a giant window in the cabin, showing the vast expanse of the galaxy. He watched her as she took deep breaths, and he had to keep his eyes focused on her head… rather than to other parts of her… rear anatomy. He felt his face flame again, and he walked towards her. "What are you thinking about?"

"Earth." Meiou answered, "A long time ago, humans always worried about the Apocalypse… the end of the world. Maybe this is supposed to be the year for it."

He shook his head, "No. I think there must be something technological we can do to stop it." He smiled, "And, for the record, after what's happened during the past fifty two years, I think all the humans thought of The End during the time of the Reapers."

"Perhaps. You did not exist during that time, and I… was asleep." Meiou said.

"True. But from the vids my parents made me watch when I was younger, it really did felt like the world was ending. And not just the world, but the whole galaxy as well." He tapped the side of his head, "My father had a visor, he almost never took it off. It recorded all the stuff he and my mother had to endure during the Reaper Wars. Watching it… was like seeing everything myself." He shook his head, "It was… hard. But, they got through it." He turned to her and smiled, "Maybe we'll get through this, too."

Meiou smiled back, "Maybe." She looked back to the stars through the window, "I'm sure… everyone I ever knew on Earth would be dead. I may not have anyone on Earth anymore, but I still want to save it." She turned and looked at Jarred, her eyes determined, "I don't know what I can do, or how I can help… but, if you need me, I'll be here."

Her violet eyes held fear in them, but he could see she was doing her best to be brave. Even though her eyes were eerily-colored, they were warm and trusting. He raised a hand and wiped a tear on the corner of her eye that was threatening to spill. She was desperately trying hard to make up for the time she had been kept. He smiled gently at her, "I know you are…"

The door of the cabin opened, and Jarred turned to see Thanikah. Her face hardened at the sight of Jarred, his hand on Meiou's cheek, her hands almost reaching up to his shoulder. Meiou blushed, and lowered her eyes, turning her face away from Jarred's hand. She turned and quietly left the room, keeping her gaze averted from Thanikah. "I'll head over to Tristan now. Edison said he needed me with him to the Citadel."

Jarred watched her leave before stepping towards the drell. "You need something, Thanikah?"

The woman's cold glare turned to Jarred, and her voice was low when she spoke. "We're at the Citadel. Tristan just wanted to call the 'human' to the shuttle to go with him, along with Amira and Samara. They'll be heading straight to the Council."

Jarred scowled, "She has a name. Her name is Meiou Seishiro."

Thanikah scoffed as she walked away, "Whatever."

Jarred's scowl got darker as his hands fisted. But he took a deep breath. Thanikah had been a good friend to him, but she does become cruel and sarcastic sometimes. It was his patience that held them together for so long.

It did puzzle him that his patience with her thinned so easily when she called Meiou 'human'… and the voice she used… it was like she was placing the girl in a level lower than dirt. Like she was useless. He felt a growl rise up his throat, but he blinked. Since when had he ever been protective of a female human?

He was confusing himself.

He sighed and scratched his head, and started walking towards the shuttle bay.