Mali was hurt that Liara just couldn't talk to her about what was bothering her. She shrugged her backpack higher on her shoulder. Mali pushed through the crowd until she reached the doors. A guard stood in front of them. "State your name and age." The guard said curtly.

"Somali Avon, age fifteen." She answered back, just as emotionless. The guard checked something on his omni-tool and then stepped aside, letting her pass. Before she went in Mali looked behind her, but Liara was gone from her table. However as she turned back, She caught Commander Shepard looking curiously at her over the heads of his admirers. Mali ignored his look and pushed through the doors to the other side. There were four doors leading to four medium rooms. Three were full, with a red light indicating above the door. The fourth down the line was empty, having a green light shining out from it. She assumed that was hers and walked over to it.

"Let me take your bag before you go in there." Clint held out his hand. Mali shrugged and gave it to him, before stepping in. the room a padded floor and walls, they were a gray color. As she came in a man with a clipboard that had been sitting in a chair came up to her. Mali noticed a camera in the corner.

"Hello," the man reached out with his hand, "I'm Professor Williams, and I will be your procter today."

"Somali Avon." Mali shook his hand absentmindedly. "What am I supposed to do?" She asked.

"Well, I'm going to test three or four different things and then after that you will be directed to your next step. Here, put this on." He handed her a dark blue and gray suit. "Put it on over your clothes."

"Ok." Mali said. She zipped into it. It fit tight; there was even some gloves and a tight hood that she had to pull over her hair. "what is this for?' she asked,

"It's so the holos can find you."

"Holos?" Mali asked.

"Holograms. It's what you will test with."

"Oh." Mali said without much conviction.

"It says here," Williams looked down at his clipboard, "that you are good at hand to hand combat." He look up at Mali for confirmation, she just shrugged. "Well then, we will start with that then." He walked over to a small panel sticking out of the ground, but before he could do anything Mali spoke.

"Do you happen to be related to Ashely Williams?" She asked, curious about the similar last name. The man looked stunned for a moment, and then a warm smile broke out onto his face.

"Why yes! I'm married to her." he said. Mali looked at him in shock. She mentally compared him with his wife in her head. Ashely was tall, athletic and tough while this guy look unimpressive. He was tall, but he had gangly arms and legs and wore glasses. He wasn't bad-looking, but Mali had trouble seeing what Ashely had seen in him. Williams took in her analysis and broke into a grin. "Surprised?" he asked.

"Uh...a little bit." Mali said. "I just would never think—"

"That a smart, sexy, badass marine would go for a lame guy like me?" He finished for her. Mali was a little embarrassed that she had thought this. She just smiled a little, turning pink.

"Well," he shrugged, "humans are complicated beings." Mali nodded, but then a thought came to her. "I was at your house. Why didn't I see you?" She asked. His face fell a little bit.

"We...erm…are going through a little bit of a rough patch right now." He said. "I've been steeping in my office for a while now."

"Oh." Mali said, embarrassed again.

"Well, back to business again." He looked back at her, "My first name's John by the way." Mali smiled.

"Nice to meet you." John worked on the panel for a few seconds, and then he directed her to stand in the middle of the room.

"Now, when I press this button a foe will metalize and attack you. As you fight I will increase the level by adding more and more enemies, to test the limits that you can take. Get ready." Mali nodded and bounces on her toes, shaking her hands. Nervous flutters filled her stomach. A small beep sounded and right in front of her a burly man appeared and dove at her. Mali dove out of the way a millisecond before he would have talked her to the ground. She rolled and sprang back to her feet, all nervousness gone from her. She jumped the man who lay stunned on the ground and smacked her elbow into his nose. The man rolled on the ground in pain and then disappeared. Two more metalized and attacked. Mali forgot all about Liara, all about her problems. There was only this room, only these men. She focused and fought on, until she couldn't anymore.

By the end of the test a group of about ten men had surrounded her and were taking turns taking jabs at her. Many had started to connect. She took out four of them in quick succession, but the sheer number of men surrounding her was starting to overwhelm her. Just as they were closing in, they disappeared. For a moment Mali was confused, but then she remembered that they weren't real. She stood there, panting, with her hands on her knees, bent over. "Wow!" she finally panted, "that was amazing—it was like they were real!" She looked up. By the panel, John was standing, his mouth hanging open in awe. "What?" Mali asked.

"THAT WAS INCREDABLE!" He shouted. Mali wiped some sweat from her forehead, a little self-conscious.

"Well, I've had lots of practice." Mali answered smiling a bit.

"Even Ashely doesn't get that far!" He said, speaking about his wife. Mali didn't have an answer for that one. After a moment of her just standing there he shook out of it and smiled. "The report said you were good, but what I saw was great." He smiled warmly at her. Mali didn't know what to think. She had never gotten so many complements at one time. "Alright, let's move on." He pulled her over to the panel. Mali scratched at the tight hood, it was getting kind of hot in there.

"Your job is to match the pictures as fast as you can." In front of them a giant screen was projected onto a wall, on it were a lot of blank squares. "When you find a match on the screen just tap the two matching cards on the panel and they will disappear. Try to empty the screen before the timer runs out. Ready?" He poised his clipboard. Mali nodded. "Go!" The screen filled with black and white pictures. At first Mali felt overwhelmed with the display in front of her, but soon she was making matches. A minute later John spoke.

"Stop!" Mali placed her hands by her sides. The screen was about half empty.

"Wow, exemplary!" John commented as he wrote something down. Mali just smiled, she decided she liked John Williams.

"What next?"

"We will test your aptitude with a gun." He motioned a spot on the floor. "Stand here please." Mali complied. John went back to the panel and pressed a button. A pistol much like the one she had used appeared. Mali grabbed it. "When I say go, start shooting; people will be shooting back. Your goal is to get to the other end of the room without getting harmed. Mali nodded. "Ok. Ready, Set…GO!" Suddenly the air was thick with bullets. Instinctively Mali dropped and rolled behind some cover that materialized as well.

She peeked over. The room was filled with sandbag walls and a few metal ones. Behind them about six men with all sorts of guns shot at her. A small glowing circle on the floor across the room caught her attention, without a doubt that was where she was supposed to go. She started shooting. Within the next minute or so four men were down, two were left; one on her right and one on her left. Knowing that the clock was ticking Mali did something desperate. She ran out of cover and started running toward her attackers. As the man on her left popped his head above his sandbag Mali shot and he collapsed, dead. With only one left, Mali dove to the ground as the man on the right started firing. Bullets sprayed around her as she quickly crawled to cover. It was only luck that she hadn't gotten shot. She glanced around the side and saw that the man was silently advancing on her spot, out in the open. "Big mistake." Mali whispered. Just as he let loose another round Mali dove from her cover, popping up to the left of his position. She sprang up, aimed and shot. The man's head let out a spray of blood and he fell to the ground. Mali smiled and turn to run to the glowing circle a few yards away, but as she turned she heard a loud pop.

She turned to see John crumpling to the ground, shot. A masked man stood over him, aiming a pistol at Mali. She raised her gun but the holographic bullet went right through him. He smiled. "You are coming with me." He said. The man walked over to her, pointing the gun at her at all times; near the panel John groaned painfully. At least he is alive, Mali thought. The man got behind her and pressed the gun hard into her back. "We are going to walk through that hall calmly, you will not make a sound, or I will put a bullet to your head. Now get going." His voice was deadly quiet as he shoved her hard in the direction of the door.

"Wait!" Mali said, "Let me help him!" She motioned to John. Her capturer looked at his omni-tool.

"Two minutes." The man answered. Mali quickly pulled off her hood and bent down next to John, her hands shaking. He was partially sitting up against a wall, white as a sheet and clutching his chest; his eyes were squeezed shut in pain. Around him dark stains had soaked through the padding of the walls and floor.

"John." Mali whispered, scared. His eyes fluttered open and Mali sighed in relief that he was still responsive. He made an attempt at a smile.

"I've always wondered what it was like to be shot…now I know…" He whispered. Mali smiled as he attempted to lighten the mood.

"Here." Mali pulled his shirt off and started tearing it into one long strip.

"Don't worry about me," He said, eyeing the gun in the man's hand, "worry about yourself." He had fear in his eyes. Mali had only known him for a half an hour or so but she knew that he had quickly become one of her friends, and she knew the feeling was mutual. She started wrapping the strip of shirt tightly against the bullet wound which was welling with blood. John grimaced as pressure was put on his wound. Mali tied the knots tightly against him, and then looked back up into his eyes. They didn't have to talk; everything they would have said was reflected in their eyes. I'm scared Mali's said; I'm dying, John's said. He gripped her forearm as Mali's eyes brimmed with tears and squeezed comfortingly.

"Time to go!" The man gruffly pulled Mali to her feet.

"No!" Mali struggled against him to get back to John, but the man only jammed his gun into her temple to remind her who had the power. Mali stood rigidly, staring down at her friend.

"Go Mali. Don't be stupid and get yourself shot." Was all he said before the other man pushed her out the door. Outside, Mali saw Clint slumped against a wall, her backpack a few feet away. He was unconscious and had blood trailing from his mouth but other that he looked unharmed. She gasped but they didn't stop, her capture pushed her by.

"Who are you?" Mali asked, "Where are you taking me?" The man did not answer but only pressed the gun harder into her spine. They approached the double doors.

"Remember, not a word." He growled in her ear. She heard a rustle and she saw a cloth pushed down into his pocket and realized he had taken his mask off. He pushed them through, the gun still connected to her lower back. He walked close behind her and quickly; both walked tense and rigid. Mali looked around the room; it was almost exactly as she had left it. People, a fair number less than before, were still milling around talking to one another, ignorant of her kidnapping. Fear twisted her stomach, she had to do something soon or she was a goner. Her eyes darted around for something, anything, which would help her. Suddenly Mali saw a flash of blue and she almost collapsed with relief. Liara. She was walking through the crowd only a few yards away, walking in her graceful strides. If anyone could save Mali, it was her.

But how to get her attention without getting shot? Mali thought. A few moments more and it would be too late, she had to act quickly. Mali did the only thing she could think of, she pretended to slip. She tripped over her own shoe and fell forward, purposely knocking over some people in front of her, causing a small domino collapse. "Hey!" People shouted as they joined into the tangle of arms and legs. Others yelled "Watch it." Since the man behind her had a firm grip on her arm she didn't fall completely to the ground, and so was able to get up quickly. Mali was now slightly looking over her shoulder as the man dragged her around the pile of flailing people, walking faster. Mali stared at the back of Liara's head, willing it to turn her way; and miraculously it did, her attention attracted by the commotion.

"I'm so sorry guys, I didn't mean to trip!" Mali shouted, trying to attract Liara with her voice; and it worked. Liara's eyes quickly found Mali's face among the small knot of people. Mali only had a second before she would be forced to turn straight. Mali summoned all the courage she possessed and screamed.

"Liara, help!" Just as she shouted, something happened that might have saved her brain from getting a bullet in it. As soon as she had taken a breath, a millisecond before she screamed, alarms started blaring all around the hall.

"Emergency! Emergency! There is a gunman in the main hall and he has a hostage! I repeat, there is a gunman in the main hall and he has a hostage!" People around Mali started screaming and running for the doors, bodies pressed against her, forcing her to her knees. The man was pushed away from her, Mali didn't know where he went; she didn't know where Liara was either. Mali was kicked around, bouncing off one pair of legs to another, as she was swept along in the tidal wave of panic. Mali tried to force her way up, but she couldn't get her feet under her. Suddenly a knee bashed into her forehead. Pain exploded inside her head and Mali fell to the ground, she saw stars. She lay there, her body getting stepped on and kicked; she couldn't make her limbs work. Mali started to panic as she couldn't get up, tears started streaming out of her eyes from the pain in her head.

Suddenly, out of the sea of limbs and bodies a familiar pair of legs ran out of nowhere. "Mali!" Liara bent down, and like a lifeguard reaching for a drowning child she pulled her up off the floor. She dragged her out of the main stream of people and propped her up against a wall. Mali was shaking badly and had blood running out of one nostril. A hard lump was forming on her forehead. Liara touched Mali's face, turning it this way and that, looking for further injury. The whole time she was talking. Mali just laid there, dazed, and just glad to be out of danger for the moment. "Mali are you ok? What's going on? What happened?" Mali didn't answer, her head hurt too much. "Baby, what's wrong? Tell me" Liara asked again, she had her hands cupped around Mali's cheeks and was staring worriedly into her eyes; hovering like a mother hen.

One word made its way through to Mali's groggy brain. Baby? What? Had Liara just called her baby? At the same time Mali realized this it seemed so did Liara, for she quickly took her hands away from Mali's face and looked embarrassed, but she was still determined. "Mali, what is going on?" Struggling into a sitting position, Mali groaned. She wiped the blood from her nose and struggled out of her daze.

"I got hit in the head." Mali struggled out. It felt like her tongue had suddenly turned into cotton. Liara's clear laughed filled their little space and Mali smiled at it.

"I can see that. You look like a unicorn." Liara answered back, relieved that Mali was ok. "You might have a concussion so just stay still." Mali leaned her head back against the wall. "So what's up?" Liara asked after a bit. Mali almost smiled, the way Liara had said that almost casually while around them people were screaming for their lives just made it comical. Am I going loopy? Mali thought. She snickered, it was about time after all she had been through. "Mali?" Liara's voice brought her back.

"Sorry, I'm just a little bit overwhelmed." Mali opened her eyes and looked at Liara. "I called you because I was the hostage. I was being held at gunpoint."

"What?" Liara was surprised, "How could he get in here?"

"I don't know, I was just doing my tests and then—," Mali suddenly gasped, "John!" Liara looked alarmed.
"Do you mean John Williams?" She asked. Mali started struggling to her feet.

"Yah! We got to get to him! He was shot when the guy came in to get me! He's dying!"

"Ok. But you will tell me everything later?" Liara asked, her hand on Mali's shoulder.

"Yes, of course." Mali forced her legs to work and used the wall to brace herself up, Liara grabbed her arm to steady her. Suddenly, past Liara's back, Mali saw a man step out of the crowd and raise a gun, aimed at Liara, who was turned toward Mali, helping her. It was her captor, the one who had shot John. "Watch out!" Mali screamed. She jumped forward and pushed Liara out of the way just as the captor fired his pistol. There was a sound like an angry bee zipping toward her and then pain shot through her leg as the bullet tore into her thigh, spraying blood. Mali doubled over and gasped as she clutched her thigh. The man, clearly shocked, stumbled back and disappeared into the crowd.

"Mali!" Liara jumped up from where Mali had pushed her and helped her to a nearby table. "You shouldn't have done that! You could have been killed!" Liara tutted as she busied herself by dressing the wound. Mali leaned back and tried not to groan as a bandage was wrapped around her bleeding thigh. Around her guards like the ones that followed her around started to stream in through doors, looking throughout the room for any sign of a shooter. There was still mass panic as many had seen and heard Mali get shot. People ran everywhere, screaming; the sirens still blared loudly.

"I couldn't just let you get shot." Mali answered back. Liara looked up at her briefly, pulling the bandage tight so Mali cringed.

"Better me than you." Liara said. She stood up after tying it off. "I must go and try to help them find this killer. You stay here." She looked at her pointedly. "Do not move. I will be back and I will expect you to be here." Mali nodded; Liara went to leave but Mali stopped her.

"What about John?" She asked.

"I'll take care of it. You just stay." Mali nodded again and she let Liara go. Mali leaned back closed her eyes for a moment. What was going on with Liara? Suddenly she was acting, well, motherly toward Mali; she was a lot more caring then their few days together should make her, they were barely even friends. Mali knew Liara was hiding something, but she didn't know what. She opened her eyes and watched the pandemonium; it was gradually starting to calm down. Someone had turned off the alarm and soldiers where calming people down. Mali saw Commander Shepard run by a few times, his partner trailing behind. Suddenly a voice hailed her from across the room.

"Mali! Look at you, you've been shot! I told you not to!" Mali whipped her head behind her to see John being carried out on a stretcher. Mali gave him a huge smile as he was set down near her. "I told you not to get shot for me." He said. Mali laughed.

"Don't flatter yourself, it wasn't for you." John smiled back. He looked a little worse for wear but all in all he looked ok.

"They shot me with some yellow liquid and I feel right as rain." He explained.

"I wish I could get some." Mali said, but the paramedics who had brought John in had already left to find someone else who needed help. She looked down at her bandage. Liara had done a good job tying it up, but the bandage was slowly turning red. Mali would need another soon. Suddenly a scream filled the air.

"John!" Both John and Mali looked up to see Ashley hurrying across the room, crying like a damsel in distress. Without even looking at Mali she fell to her knees and covered John's face with kisses as she sobbed. "They told me you'd been shot! I thought you were dead! Oh John! Don't scare me like that!" She hugged him fiercely around the middle, getting a grunt of pain in return.

"Ash, don't hug me there. I'm shot." Ashley pulled away and settled for holding his hand. Mali had a huge smile spread across her face—she couldn't help herself. Ashley looked up and saw Mali sitting beside him, grinning like a fool. Her eyes traveled down Mali until she saw the bandage wrapped around her thigh, her eyebrows shot up.

"You too? I shouldn't be surprised." Ashley asked.

"For the second time in like a week," Mali answered, "I'm sure I've made some sort of record." All three laughed.

"What happened?" Ashley asked. Mali answered.

"Well, John here was just testing me, and then this man came in with a gun and shot John in the shoulder. I thought he was dead at first." At this Ashley grimaced and John gave her hand a little comforting squeeze. "Then he made me leave with him, but I refused until I could help John. So I bandaged him up and then we left the room. He threatened to kill me if I did anything." Mali continued.

"After they left I crawled my way to the panel in the testing room and pressed the panic button." John interjected.

"So it was you who turned on the alarm!" Mali cried in surprise.

"Well Yah, I couldn't let him get away." John answered.

"Well you saved my life by doing that." Mali said, "Because right as you pressed it I saw Liara and screamed for help. If it hadn't been for all the confusion and screaming I might have gotten a bullet in my head." Ashley smiled down at John. "Liara found me in the rush of people and dragged me out to over here, where I have been since."

"So then how did you get shot?" Ashley asked.

"Saving me." Liara said. She was back, and she had brought a doctor with her. "Like a fool I forgot to watch my back, and he almost put a bullet in me, but Mali pushed me out of the way and took it herself." Both John and Ashley stared open-mouthed at Mali, who felt a blush coming on.

"She makes it sound more heroic than it was." Mali said, embarrassed. The doctor knelt down and started unwrapping Mali's bandage. Liara sat down on the floor, leaning against the bench that Mali was sitting on. "Did you find him?" Mali asked Liara.

"No. He was already long gone by the time I started looking. Security says he came in disguised as a delivery man. The real question is what he wanted with you." Liara said. Mali shrugged, she was at a loss for answers. "That is the third time you have been attacked since being here." Liara said. "What is going on?" The doctor, who was an asari, looked up.

"I'm going to have to get the bullet out before your blood scabs over it." She said. Out of her bag she pulled out some instruments. Mali's face went pail.

"Here? Right now?" She asked.

"It's not so bad." John said; but Mali saw him cringe.

"Maybe next time you will think before jumping in front of a bullet." Liara said. Mali didn't answer, her eyes were glued to the doctor. Mali gripped the table and clamped her mouth shut as the doctor carefully opened up Mali's wound. Mali's body became as rigid as a board as pain shot through her; it felt like a hundred knives were scraping her insides at the same time. Mali closed her eyes; she couldn't help but let a small groan pass through her lips as the doctor dug deeper, looking for the bullet. Mali felt warm blood trickle down her leg, she suppressed a shudder. A warm hand enclosed hers and Mali opened her eyes to see that it was Liara's.

"Almost there." The doctor said in a kind voice. Mali gripped onto it as the doctor made one more vicious stab into her leg. Mali groaned and let out a sob, her back arched with the pain of it, chords stood out from her neck from the effort to keep her screams inside. Finally the doctor withdrew and a small bullet plunked to the floor.

"Not so bad?" Mali shot an accusing look at John, who shrugged. The doctor had Mali take off the training suite she was still wearing and then she cleaned and bandaged it up. Then she stood. "Thank you." Mali said politely. The doctor smiled.

"You're a tough little kid. You'll be ok." She said and walked away. Mali collapsed upon the bench, exhausted.

"There is one good thing that came out of all this." John said.

"What?" Mali asked irritably.

"At least you're done with your tests." He said. All of them laughed.

I

A few hours later Mali found herself in the same council room that she had gone to in her hospital gown. Like before, all the council members where there along with the school's teachers. Commander Shepard and Corwin leaned against one wall in the back, as Mali was asked again what had happened.

"What I told you before is what happened!" Mali said, frustrated, "The story hasn't changed in the last two minutes!" Mrs. Finch gave her a disapproving stare.

"Watch your tongue." Dickens reprimanded. Mali sighed.

"What we need to be doing is looking for whoever is trying to get me." Mali said.

"Is there any reason you can think of that explains why you are being chased?" An unfamiliar councilman asked.

"No." Mali answered. "These things only started happening a few weeks ago when—," Mali cut short.

"When what?" Asked Dickens. Mali chose to ignore him; she was not going to talk about Yane.

"This has happened three times now, twice a reaper has been involved." From where Shepard was leaning he perked up.

"So it's been confirmed?" He asked.

"Yes, it was the same one that attacked Corwin's base." Corwin's hand tightened into a fist when he heard this. Mali saw that Commander Shepard was becoming angry.

"And why wasn't I told?" He faced Dickens. The admiral shrugged.

"It is not my place to challenge the council's decisions. If they choose to keep something from you, it is their choice." The Commander turned on Mali.

"You. Where did you see it?" His eyes burned with fire. Mali shrank a little in her chair, she wasn't easily intimidated but this man possessed something that scared her.

"It attacked me on my way here, it tried to take my ship." Mali averted her gaze. "It took my friends." She added quietly.

"That is only once, what was the second time?" Shepard asked; Liara answered this time.

"It was seen in orbit the night that Mali and I were attacked at my house, two days ago. We were guessing that the men trying to capture her were from it." Shepard turned back to Mali.

"Describe it for me."

"It had six tentacles, and was big and dark. It had two red eyes." Mali said. Commander Shepard plunked down into an empty seat and rubbed his head.

"So, they have returned," was all he said.

"What do we do?" Finch asked, a waver in her voice. Other people around the table were also starting to show signs of panic. Dickens raised his hands for calm.

"For now, we continue with what we were doing—running the program. There isn't much we can do. The council is doing all they can right now, we will just all have to be patient. We know a lot more about them than last time, and it is only one reaper, we are more prepared. Meeting adjourned." Mali got up to leave with the rest but Dickens stopped her a moment. "Wait a moment, Mali." He said. Commander Shepard and Liara also stayed. When everyone had cleared the room Dickens turned to her. "We have come to a decision concerning your biotic powers." He said.

In all that had been happening Mali had almost forgotten about them, but what he said brought it all back to her. "Don't I have a say?" Mali asked. "It is my body." She said.

"Unfortunately you don't. The ICT is your legal guardian Mali, since your DNA test didn't find your parents. As a ward of the program, and we have rights over you. You will have them activated the day after tomorrow at noon."

"What about my training?" Mali asked.

"It can wait" Dickens smiled. "Your test scores were exemplary. You are far above that of any of the rest of the students in the program. Whoever taught you was a master." He gave her a pointed look. "And besides, you have to wait for that to heal." He nodded pointedly at her leg. He stood up. "Well, I have other pressing matters to attend too. Once you get back to the campus you'll be shown to a room where you can sleep; you've earned it." He smiled. "Good day, and congratulations on your scores." He walked out of the room, leaving the three of them alone. Commander Shepard stood and walked around the table, sitting down next to Mali, the fire seemingly had gone out of his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I haven't officially met you yet. I'm Commander Shepard." He held out his hand. Mali didn't take it, she had been pulled into far too many dangerous situations by that gesture and wasn't keen on taking it from a stranger, no matter if he was the hero of the galaxy. After she didn't take it Shepard awkwardly took his hand back; Liara quietly snickered from across the table. " I'm sorry about my rudeness, but I have quite a history with those monsters and the thought that after all my hard work and sacrifice…well," he clenched a fist, "it just gets to me."

"So I saw." Mali answered bluntly. There was an awkward pause as Mali didn't offer more.

"I've heard a lot about you, Somali." Shepard offered after a few moments.

"About me being a murderer?" Mali said abruptly. Commander Shepard squirmed uncomfortably under the question.

"Yes, but also of the other things you have done as well. For example, taking a bullet for Liara over there." He looked at her, Mali crossed her arms defiantly. "I have seen many cold-hearted killers in my day, and none of them would have done that." he said kindly. Mali wasn't used to this kind of thing, people being nice to her all the time, it just wasn't normal.

"How do you know that I didn't just do that so that you would trust me?" Mali accused. Shepard looked a bit started at the question.

"You are one prickly kid." He said.

"Well you'd get a little prickly if you'd lived where I did." Mali answered. Surprising her, Shepard let out a laugh.

"I like your sense of humor" he smiled. "As for your question, I don't. All I can do is trust you. Besides there is something in your eyes that tells me you aren't."

"And what is that?" Mali wanted to know.

"I don't know, I would have to think on that." He stood up. "Well, it was nice meeting you, although I felt like it was more of an interrogation than a greeting." He said. Surprisingly Mali smiled at his joke. "Well, I'm sure I'll see you around." He turned away. "Goodbye Mali, Goodbye Liara." Commander Shepard left. Mali got up as well, preparing to leave, when suddenly Liara spoke to her.

"Wait…please." Liara sounded guarded, just like she had this morning. Mali tried to read what was going on behind her mask but it was too clouded; she sat back down to listen. The room was as tense as the breakfast table had been, Mali squirmed in her seat waiting for Liara. Liara didn't know what to say; she didn't know how to tell Mali that her past had again resurfaced into the present. Liara was just getting to know Mali and she didn't want that to end. So, she said decided to push the truth away for a little while longer.

"I never properly thanked you for saving me." Liara tried to put a smile into her words.

"There's no problem." Mali answered. "Think of it as payment for watching me all weekend." Mali joked and Liara smiled.

"Regardless, thank you."

"You're welcome." They were both silent, just soaking in the peacefulness. "You know, I never thought I'd be here." Mali said.

"What?" Liara looked up from where her head had drooped a little.

"I mean, I never thought I'd be here—on a different planet, millions of light years from my own, talking to an alien." Mali smiled, "No offense," Liara smiled and nodded, "but a month ago I had barely been to the upper levels of my city. I never imagined I'd ever be anywhere else then where I was."

"Are you a little home-sick?" Liara asked. Mali screwed up her face.

"Of that place?! No way. Here is so much better, but," Mali hesitated, "before now it was all I had never known, so there really wasn't anything to compare it too," Mali gestured helplessly, "Do you get what I'm saying?"

"A little…" Liara answered.

"Well what I mean is that I didn't know how good life could be. Back there, I thought it was pretty good if I had a roof over my head that didn't leak and a warm meal in front of me, but here it's so amazing!" Mali expanded. "Here everything is so clean! The air, the streets, the houses. You get three square meals a day, and it's sunny. And then there are trees and bushes everywhere you look! You know that my first time touching a tree was right before I came here?" Mali asked, incredulous. "And then here they're everywhere! It's so…well…different than what I'm used to."

"Wow," Liara shook her head, "I can't believe it."

"Well, it's true." Mali laughed. "I even started crying when I saw it." Mali stood up, a little stiff, and leaned against the crutch the doctor had given her a few hours before. "I should go." Liara also stood.

"Do you need a ride there?" She asked.

"Nah," Mali said, limping around her chair, "I can walk." Liara raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"In your condition?" she asked.

"Don't get all responsible for me." Mali joked. "Not all orphans are helpless." Liara smiled yet again at Mali's sarcasm.

"That may be true, but with a reaper always trying to abduct you I'd rather be safe than sorry." She explained. "And don't get any ideas about responsibleness. The first chance I get I'm going to dump your butt on someone else's doorstep; I had quite a peaceful life before you showed up." Liara joked.

"Become lazy and senile in your old age?" Mali joked back. "I thought you said that you were on the crew of Commander Shepard—he was always on the front line." Mali laughed, "No, wait, let me amend that—he was the front line."

"Just so you know, I AM a young woman. It is not my fault asari are long lived. Now let's get the show on the road." They headed for the door, Mali letting Liara lead, but then something occurred to her.

"How old are you?" Mali asked.

"One-hundred and nineteen. See? I am quite young." Mali doubled over laughing, her face turning red.

"What?" Liara asked.

"Young?" Mali squeaked out between breaths, "Young?"