Mali worked up a sweat as she jogged across the fields to building four the next morning, Cadence running beside her.

"Wow, Ara was right, I do regret the double scoop." Cade gasped as they ran.

"Do you wanna stop?" Mali asked, glancing at her, silently laughing.

"No, I'm not a complete fatso." They barely made it in time. Officer Joggerston was there, as well as Liara, to Mali's surprise. She was furiously scrubbing away at a patch of hull on a mantis, while Dickens stood slightly apart, surveying the students who were working with satisfaction. Already a motley crew of unhappy dentition students were prying off paint from the various vehicles.

"Almost late." Joggerston tisked, handing Cadence a bucket of hot soapy water and Mali a brush and chisel. Mali looked at the chisel with surprise. "Some bits are quite hard to get off," Joggerston explained, "You'll do that one over there." He pointed to one of the larger commando tanks they had used the other day. This one was splattered with so much multi-colored spots that you could barely see the hull underneath; Mali and Cadence both groaned.

"It looks like someone let a clown at it." Cadence observed sarcastically.

"Or it was just bunk number five and our awesome skills." Mali answered. They both grinned at each other and started across.

"Hey Mali." Liara greeted her as she walked past.

"Liara…what are you doing here?" Mali said. The asari paused her scrubbing to talk.

"Well, I couldn't let you suffer a detention that you don't deserve alone, so I came to help."

"But I do, I yelled at you."

"—because I made you angry, and I daresay that I needed the wakeup call." Liara smiled. "Hey are you ok?" She took in Mali's slightly glazed expression. "How late did you stay up?" She asked with a smile.

"Hehe, I prefer not to answer." Mali replied. "Hey, did you hear—"

"About the reaper? Mali, it's not your fault." Liara said sympathetically. Mali wasn't so sure, it was after her, wasn't it? First it took her friends, now it was destroying planets, all for what? Liara patted her shoulder. "It'll all work out somehow; go clean up your tank." Mali nodded dumbly and started to head over, than stopped.

"Did you know James Vega?" She asked.

"James? How do you know of him?" Liara asked curiously.

"He was Cadence's brother." Mali answered.

"Ah yes, I should have seen the similar facial features. I did know him. He was a little crude of mouth and a little too violent for my taste, but he was a good soldier and a good human. Him and Shepard were pals." Mali turned back and walked back to the tank, dipping the brush into the bucket of water. Mali and Cadence weren't done till almost dinner time. Liara had stayed and helped as long as she could, but ultimately the call of her ungraded papers was too strong and she had left hours earlier. They had finished the tank around ten, and then Joggerston had set them at another one, and another, until their backs hurt and their arms were sore. The whole time he had been meandering around, smacking heads when he had seen slacking, and praising resilience.

When all the vehicles looked like they were brand new, he let the diluted students go with a cheery wave. "Remember this day next time you think about messing up in class students," He smiled, rather enjoying their weariness, "because this is the price you pay." The kids all sighed with relief when they exited the hanger, and all started for the mess hall with bended backs and sore muscles, waddling like old people because their legs felt like jelly.

"I don't know how I'm going to get through biotics tonight," Mali said, "I feel like a walking corpse. I haven't even found my mnemonic—Finch will kill me."

"You should at least change out of those dirty clothes so you can die with honor." Cadence replied wryly. They're uniforms had been soaked and were covered in bits of paint and soap bubbles. Mali chuckled.

"The bunk is so far though." Mali complained.

"Yea well get used to it. This is military school." Mali sighed, itching at her wet clothes. "Alright, but save me some of the barbeque chicken."

"You and barbeque sauce." Cade shook her head, amused. "Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"No." Mali laughed as she trotted away. Mali was panting only after the first half-mile, but she pushed on, working her tired legs. When she got to the base of the tree she touched the chimera and the disguised door slid open. She trotted across the gangway and through the house to her room, where she peeled off her uniform and took a quick shower. As Mali prepared to leave, her eyes landed on her bedside desk. She went over and opened her drawer, and looked down on her lucky credit chit. Smiling she pulled it out. "Liara might like to see this," Mali said to herself. She kept it in her hand as she left her room. She checked the kitchen clock as she went out the door and was alarmed to see that she wouldn't have enough time for dinner if she was going to make it to biotics in time. Mali cursed the size of the campus as she leaped out of the elevator and started running toward the square, her wet hair slapping her back as she ran.

"I have the worst luck in the world." Mali panted as she ran. "What kind of a place is this? They should provide transportation or something for between the bunks." Mali didn't even want to think about the bunks further away from the square than hers. Mali swept through the doors to building one and crossed the short lobby to the gym. She yanked open the door and sprinted inside. "I'm sorry I'm late Prof—Liara?" Mali bent over panting with her hands on her knees. "What are you doing here?" Liara was sitting in the middle of the floor, waiting. When Mali had come in she had stood up and was now smiling.

"I wanted to surprise you—I'm your new teacher for biotics."

"What? That's great! I was pretty sure I was running toward my own execution on the way here—I haven't found my mnemonic yet and Finch would have been furious."

"She expected you to have your mnemonic within a week?" Liara asked with surprise.

"Yea, she assigned it as homework after our first lesson and I just haven't found it yet." Liara looked startled.

"Wait, is this the homework that she made you run the ten miles over?"

"Uh-huh." Mali nodded, too out of breath to do much more. Mali watched as lightning flashed in her eyes; Mali did not want to be Professor Finch whenever Liara found her.

"I didn't figure out my mnemonic for three weeks when I was in training—and that was considered fast. Don't feel bad."

"Do you have any advice on how to get it faster?" Liara just smiled.

"Follow me." She led her outside and behind building one, where there was a small, dense patch of woods. The night air was crisp and the stars were just starting to come out, twinkling softly in the rosy tints of the sunset. Mali weaved her way in between the trunks, following Liara to the middle of it. Underneath the bows, Liara sat down and Mali followed her lead, sitting across from her. "There are other ways of triggering your biotics," Liara started, "mnemonics is the quickest and most efficient way, especially during battle, but there are other ways." Liara closed her eyes and look in deep breaths, like she was meditating. Mali grinned, thinking about all the trucks she was going to blow up once she could use her biotics. As is sensing her intentions, Liara opened her eyes.

"Biotics isn't all about fighting, Mail. Maybe for most species it is, because that is all they see, and that is all they want from it, but asari know better and I will teach you the right way. First, some history." Mali groaned.

"Liara—your class is all the history I can handle." Mali complained, and Liara's bottom lip twitched into an almost-smile, but she remained stern.

"Don't interrupt please, Mali, just listen. Asari had been living on Thessia already for seven thousand years before the first biotic was born to us—her name was Saheed. She discovered all we know about biotics, but there is so much more that she didn't discover, and that which we have never found out. This will be my first lesson: biotics is not just a tool for destruction, but it is first and foremost a connection between you and life's energy flow. That is where your biotic power originally came from, so use it with respect and no more than you have to. As a connection, biotics lets you sense life force, which is why I brought you out here. Many species do not even know this exists, because all they want to see is the nearest vehicle to blow up, and this is why asari were so hesitant to share their knowledge of biotics, afraid that aliens, in particularly humans, will abuse it. And many have," Liara looked pointedly at Mali, "Biotics isn't at all about destruction, but about life, and growth. So I have brought you outside for your first lesson: activating your biotics. Meditation is the way we will take until you have found your mnemonic. So close your eyes."

Mali crisscrossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees, breathing deeply with her eyes closed. "Calm your mind." Liara intoned, scooting closer. Mali felt a light touch on her chest. "Let the power flow from here, feel it, activate it, and then let it just flow throughout your body." Mali breathed in again. This is stupid, she thought. It has nothing to do with biotics. All she had ever seen was awesome biotic destruction on the telli-vids, no meditating. Mali peeked at Liara through her eyelids and saw that she was also meditating, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling with her breaths. Bored, Mali aimed her breaths so they were at the exact opposite time as Liara's. "Mali, focus." Liara instructed, without even opening her eyes.

"Sorry." Mali closed her eyes again and settled in for a long wait of doing nothing. After a tedious while Mali's mind started drifting as she sat there. It became lethargic and slow and smoothly calmed. There was only her breath, and the feeling of air moving in and out of her lungs. As Mali concentrated on that, she slowly started to feel a slight pressure in the middle of her chest. Mali explored the edges of it with her mind, but the outer layer was hard and unyielding. Mali pushed at it around its edges. It gave way a little, but not enough to let her through. Mali pushed harder, but it still would not give. So she did the only thing she could think of—she bashed herself against the wall with all her might. With a silent cry she tumbled through and was enveloped within crackling energy.

Mali felt something within her skin shift; and then she was filled with power. It flowed through her body obliterating everything else. For a moment her skin flared brightly and her eyes burned silver, but then she lost her concentration and the energy snapped back behind its doors. "Good job Mali!" Liara praised. Mali only smiled and then she slumped to the ground, exhausted. Liara scooted over to her. "Just take a little breather, the first time always tires you out."

"Yah, I figured." Mali said from where she lay on her back in the soft grass. "I almost just passed out." Liara chuckled.

"As we keep working on this it won't get so bad." Liara said. "Did you like the barbeque chicken at dinner? I thought you might enjoy that." Liara smiled.

Mali groaned. "What?"

"I never had dinner. I went back to the bunkhouse to change instead." Mali rolled over onto her stomach. Liara reclined back next to her in the field.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Too bad the kitchens are already closed, or I'd go get you something." Liara sighed. Mali perked up.

"They're closed?" Mali asked.

"That's what I just said." Liara answered. Mali sprang to her feet.

"Well come on then." Mali started striding out of the glade.

"Mali!" Liara sighed exasperated. "Where are we going?" Her long legs quickly caught up with Mali's shorter ones.

"To the empty kitchens!" Mali said. She wove her way behind building two in a low crouch. Liara followed her on her feet.

"Mali, please—," Mali yanked down on Liara's hand and she stumbled to her knees behind some bushes.

"Quiet!" Mali hissed from between her teeth. In front of them two fat cooks with stained aprons on came out of a back door, laughing at some joke between them. They disappeared behind a curve of the building a few seconds later. Mali dashed over and caught the almost shut door, stopping it from clicking shut. "Hurry!" Mali waved Liara over. Chuckling at the ridiculousness of it, Liara followed Mali into the building. The kitchen was dark, but it lit up as they entered it. One long stainless-steel counter ran three sides of square shaped room only broken by the occasional sink or stove and oven. Above the entire counter was a line of cabinets holding all sorts of cooking utensils and such. Shelves built beneath and into the counter housed large pots and pans and in the middle of the room was another tabletop in the shape of a large rectangle. In the far corner two huge doors with large latches for handles stood next to each other. One was a molted silver and the other an oaken brown. Their shoes clipped against tile as Mali led the way towards the doors.

"Mali, what are we doing?" Liara whispered, walking in a slight crouch, "I'm a professor for peat's sake! I shouldn't be helping students in covert operations against school rules!"

"It's after hours," Mali shrugged, "and I'd like to think that Dickens would be proud I'm using the skills I've been learning." Mali stopped in front of the oaken door. "This is the pantry, the silver one is the freezer." Mali could feel the coldness radiating off the door next to her.

"You mean you've done this before?" Liara asked, incredulous. Mali snorted, only Liara would be horrified at the thought of breaking rules.

"I thought you fought in the reaper wars," Mali mocked, "in the front lines."

"I did." Liara answered shrewdly.

"So why are you so scared about opening up a pantry door and liberating some food off its shelves? Jeeze, give me a break." Mali rolled her eyes. Liara squared her shoulders.

"Fine, but this is wrong Mali." Mali sighed exasperatedly. Suddenly Liara's biotics flared and she prepared to blast the doors open; Mali ran in front of her waving her arms.

"No, no, no! What are you doing? You want to shout, we're in here, stealing some food?! No! There are easier ways that don't leave gaping, unfixable holes." Liara looked a little sheepish.

"I guess all those years on the front lines has made me a kind of a straight forward girl." She commented, stressing the words, just to get across that she was in fact a battle hardened warrior not afraid of getting food.

"Whatever." Mali sniffed. She bend down in front of the padlock that kept the latch from moving. "Honestly," Mali commented, "why would they padlock a room that only has food in it?"

"Probably to keep it from being stolen by little blonde girls." Liara answered. Mali gave her an endeavoring look and then examined the lock. "Hm…this should be easy. Do you have a hairclip or—," Liara gave her a baleful eye and Mali remembered her crests. "Oh, ha, ha. Never mind, I might have one." Mali combed her fingers through her blond strands but to no avail. She was about to curse when Liara handed her a pair of paper clips from her pocket. "Paperclips?" Mali asked. "I didn't even know you guys used them around here, what with all your gizmo's and stuff."

"Funny thing, I picked them up off the ground today, just cleaning around my office."

"Well, they're a good a thing as ever." Mali took them and straightened them out, then inserted them into the key hole. After a lot of twisting and pushing and swearing she finally freed the inner components and the lock opened with a quiet snick. Mali stood up with a relieved grunt. "There." She said with satisfaction. Liara gave her an impressed look.

"Where'd you learn that?" She asked.

"You're probably planning on giving whoever taught me that detention, aren't you?" Mali asked with a smile, and Liara chuckled.

"Well you can't, he lives in New Chicago. That skill saved me'n'Yane's butts many a time."

"It was worth a try." She smiled. They entered into a dark room, and they stumbled around till Mali found the light switch. When the lights came on Liara gave an appreciative gasp, for there before her was a skyscraping tower of shelves stuffed with food. Cans, boxes, bags—you name it, and everything was there for the taking.

"You get some stuff," Mali said, "I'll go see if I can find some leftover chicken." Liara perused the shelves, feeling slightly guilty, snatching a few granola bars, some cookies, and a can of pineapple. On her way out she noticed a stack of disposable plates and utensils and she added those to her small pile. She emerged into the main room, but Mali was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging she set about finding a can opener. As she clamped the blades down on the can Mali merged, shivering and frost covered, from the freezer holding a bag and a small brown box. "It's like a mini Antarctica in there." She chattered as she sat down her packages next to Liara's. She tossed some chicken from the bag onto a plate and into a nearby microwave, then carried the small brown box excitedly over to the asari. "Guess what I found?" Mali crowed.

"What?"

"Vanilla ice cream!" Mali exclaimed in a song-song voice, opening the lid to reveal the tasty white substance underneath.

"Great, like I need that." Liara complained as she patted her non-existent beer belly. They set up table on top of the middle counter and soon Mali was digging into her haphazard dinner, Liara less so because she had already eaten. "This is a weird dinner." She commented, looking at all the mismatched items.

"In New Chicago, this would have been a feast!" Mali exclaimed enthusiastically, pineapple juice dribbling down her chin. Liara smiled at her.

"I forget sometimes how much of life you've missed; I mean, I'm an asari—an alien to your culture—and yet I've still probably experienced more of it than you ever have. Do you know what Thanksgiving is? Christmas? Easter?" Mali shook her head no at every one. "That is what I mean! It's terrible, and I feel bad because maybe—maybe I didn't search hard enough for you afterward, maybe I gave up too soon; and if I hadn't, and found you, you could have had all those things." Liara looked down at the table. Mali stopped chewing her chicken, and she put down her fork. "I just feel so guilty, of all our lost time." Liara whispered, "I could have raised you, and spared you so much of your pain." A hard lump formed in Mali's throat, hearing those words.

Part of her wanted to agree, to blame Liara for all the many years she had suffered, when she could have spent them with her but Mali knew it wasn't her fault. Fate—or something higher—had brought Liara into her life and the time she had spent with her hadn't been deserved—it had been a gift; and now they were together again, and Mali knew she didn't want to waste it playing the blame game. She placed her hand over Liara's; the asari looked up in surprise.

"I know what you wish—but that was never meant to happen. We are here now, together again—against all odds—and I don't want to waste the time we have been given." Mali fished the coin from where she had slipped it into her boot in the freezer. "Here, I want you to see something." She passed the coin to Liara.

"A coin?" Liara looked at her with confusion.

"Not a coin, it's the coin." Mali smiled at her. For a moment Mali thought she'd have to explain, but then a knowing expression popped into Liara's eyes.

"Mali…" She turned it over in her hands in awe.

"I kept it," Mali smiled, "to remind me of my one perfect day, and the alien who made it happen." Liara smiled down at it, tracing its edge with a blue finger. "It's lucky you know—it's got me through some real fixes that has—and it always lands on heads when I flip it." Liara looked up.

"Really?" her eyes crinkled as she smiled. "Show me." She tossed the coin back to the teenager, and Mali placed it on her thumb.

"You wanna bet?" Mali asked.

"Tails." Liara goaded. Mali shook her head in shame.

"Wow—after what I just told you? Well you're going to owe me some because it's…" She flipped it up, just like she used to do so many times when she was bored, but this time she knew something was different. Like she had been doused with gasoline and lit aflame, a surge of blue crackling energy coursed through her. "Whoa!" Mali stumbled back into her chair, her legs suddenly weak. The coin fell to the table with a dull clank.

"Mali!" Liara yelled excitedly, "your mnemonic!" Blue fire snapped around her—no, off her! Mali waved her arms in alarm.

"Get it off! Get it off!" Mali upended her chair as she flew to her feet, running around in a panic, the blue flames trailing behind her like a comet's tail.

"Relax Mali!" Liara shouted over her panic, "It won't burn you! Just stop moving!" Mali gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand still, though every nerve in her body told her to do otherwise. Liara carefully placed both her hands on Mali's right forearm.

"Hurry…" Mali growled through her teeth; Liara closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, and at the same moment it felt like Mali had just been doused with a bucket of water. Liara had literally sucked the power from her. For a moment, Mali's energy crackled across Liara's skin and then it dissipated. She opened her eyes and relaxed, letting go of Mali's arm. Mali bent over, panting.

"Wha—what did you do?"

"I simply absorbed your energy into my own. Boitics are like batteries—one current can flow to another—charging, or taking away."

"Thanks. I kinda freaked out there." Mali grimaced.

"It's only to be expected—seeing flames leap out of your skin for the first time can be a little disorienting."

"A little." Mali smiled ruefully. She checked a clock above the fridge. "Kee'la! Why am I always running late?!" Mali groaned. She started to quickly pick up the hasty dinner. "I have a bunk meeting tonight." Mali explained as she threw trash away. "How do you stop it? I mean, normally?" Mali asked as she chucked a plastic fork in the general direction of the waste bin.

"Well, the few fist times is really hard, but all you do is concentrate on the nodes inside your body, and then you just shift them back into place—cutting off the alignment of power. I really can't explain it better, it just takes practice."

"Ok." Mali tidied up the last few crumbs and picked up her lucky credit from the floor. After a half-second of hesitation, Mali gave Liara a hug. "This isn't weird, is it?" Mali asked. Liara chuckled.

"Giving hugs is what normal people do."

"Well, I guess that's why I'm so bad at it." Mali replied sarcastically. They walked back outside into the night, and Mali started trotting off into the darkness. "See yah!" She waved as she melded into the inky-blackness. Liara smiled and raised her hand goodbye.

"Listen up people!" Oliver slammed the flat of his hand down on the table with a satisfying slap. "We've got work to do!" Groans emanated all around the dinner table—Cadence slouched down into her chair; Oliver continued as if he hadn't heard. "We are number one right now! Number one, but everyone else is going to be trying to tear us down. I'm sorry to say that they won't have to work very hard!" He flicked his wrist and the notepad he had been holding and it slid to the middle of the table. "The end of the month test scores came in, and I am not happy. NOT HAPPY." There were a few mutters around the table, Mali saw Audin give Oliver a rude gesture under the table. "You were the ones who elected me leader, and so now I have to earn that title. From now on, every Saturday will be dedicated to team exercises that I will design, unless you have another class or a signed note from a teacher excusing you."

"What is this? Kindergarten?" Alex complained.

"Shut up Alex. I'm not joking people! We have got to start moving our butts if we want to stay in first! Ara—your precision with a gun was below standard. Charlie—your history and maths exams were pitiful. Audin—you too. I know all you guys do in that class is spit spit-wads at the back of the teacher's heads." Audin and Charlie grinned at each other from across the table. "Mali—your history grade sucks. Alex, ask permission from Sadna if you can have extra practice, because her notes say you haven't even picked up a gun yet because your nose is always stuck in a book! Cadence—well, uh, you're ok. Keep at it." Oliver looked at all of them, "if we want to be the best we have to work! Now we have another match coming up in about a week and a half—scheduled this time. We have until then to get our acts straight and our bodies tough."

"We're gonna show them we're the boss—but we have to become the boss first. I will be checking up on everyone's individual progress every few days or so to make sure everyone is working towards our goal." Oliver gave a pointed look at Charlie. "No getting out of it this time chum." Charlie grimaced. "Meeting adjourned."

"Jeeze." Mali commented to Ara when they were a safe distance away. She gave Mali an apologetic smile.

"Oli always gets like this near a match, he's just uptight that we're going to fall outta first. Now, ready for your first lesson?"

"What?" Mali looked at her confusedly.

"You're first reading lesson. If we only have a week to get your history grade up, we better start now!" Ara said cheerily, pushing past her into Mali's own bedroom. Mali stifled a yawn before following her in.