Data Log Entry: 21831016

The last couple of weeks have been hell. Everything from running drills to chasing after two bit mining operations and false emergency beacons. How many more off world warehouses am I going to have to attack? It's become so bad, that they have all started to look the same to me now. The ship, not to mention me, needs some major R and R so I have requested shore leave on the Citadel as soon as possible. Actually, I'm not really waiting for a reply as I had Joker plot a course to reach the Serpent Nebula at 0630 tomorrow morning. I guess being a Spectre has a couple of benefits. Besides, I could use some upgrades in my armor as well as some new weapons for my ground team.

I'll be taking Tali with me the day we land to knock that out of the way. Plus I really enjoy her company. I'm not used to actually going on shore leave with the rest of the ship since I am usually conducting manual systems upgrades or catching up on paper work. Plus I have no doubt the Alliance will have me chasing my tail on a couple of "important" missions on the Citadel that C-Sec for some reason can't handle. I guess I should look forward to the trip. After all, the Professor owes me a dinner. I'm curious what her favorite food is. All I've seen her eat is ship food which is barely a half of step up from prison food. I've heard stories about what she had to eat on her isolated dig sites which, if you ask me, sounds like prison food; lol. Guess we'll see if time permits.

Commander Shepard, Human Spectre Out

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Data Log Entry: 21831017

0715 hours

As suspected the Normandy has been granted access to birth at the Citadel. The crew is all a hum as most didn't even know we traveled here in the night. I'd better go. I have a lot to do before we dock.

Shepard Out

0141 hours

Today was an officially productive day. As promised I took Tali out with me to purchase some weapon and armor upgrades. I also decided to take Liara and I am so glad I took both of them with me. The guy at the kiosk tried to rip me off but thanks to Tali's technical knowledge and Liara's asari wisdom he was caught red handed. He was trying to pawn off some out of date, off world tech that according to Liara wasn't worth a Batarian's boot. You should have seen his face when she said she had dug up technology that was better than what he was selling us.

At first he wasn't backing down but then Liara did that cute little thing with her hands where she summons just a little of her biotics and it flickers in her fingertips. I also believed it helped a great deal when Tali's hand slowly slid down to her utility belt and stopped right above her tech mines. Hell, I didn't have to do anything. I just stood there and looked pretty. I thought he was going to piss himself. It was awesome. I loved it. I had almost wished he hadn't retracted his offer. I love watching those girls whip some tail.

Anyway, off subject. After the three of us grabbed something to eat for lunch we ran into a reporter named Emily Wong. Did I say we ran into her? I mean she practically ran me over. It almost felt like another fan fancy like Conrad Verner. Oh brother, I don't even wanna talk about that guy. I just feel sorry for his wife. Anyway, back to Ms. Emily Wong. She said she was doing a piece on corruption on the Citadel. She wanted to know if I came "across" anything juicy that I'd give her a call. I do have the former Shadow Broker agent Fist's data disk. It was on his OSD. But I think I'll run it by the Council before I do anything stupid. The last thing I need is a scandal that Khalisah Al-Jilani would plaster all over the network.

Well luck played into my lap today. The squad and I were checking on a bartender at Flux when we witnessed this quirky salarian being tossed out of the place on his ass. He asked – no he begged for me to help him. Something about creating some software that would prove the Quasar Machines in Flux were rigged. Since we didn't have time to take care of it right then and there, I took his program and said I'd be back later tonight to check on it. I felt it was an underhanded way to get Liara back to the club tonight. Sneaky I know, but hey if it works. It wasn't too hard but I convinced Liara to take me up on that evening out. I told her it was my birthday today. She was all smiles when she told me that one's first hundred years are the best birthdays to be celebrated. I laughed, "The first hundred?"

Liara and I had a charming, semi-quiet dinner, despite having to sit in the kitchen to avoid all the fanfare and looky loos. Although one doesn't usually consider a restaurant kitchen area quiet, it sure beat the numerous patrons staring at us while we sat. The sound of clambering pots and pans along with yelled orders was paradise to us. Liara said she didn't mind so much as she was used to the small number of people on a dig site. Since I have lived on a space station most of my life, I rather enjoyed the serenity of it all myself although it seems to be an extreme luxury these days. After dinner we went for a stroll in the upper sections of the Presidium which earned us only a couple of gawks and stares. It was a lot different than our experience in the wards, making it really nice. I especially liked how the fake lighting dimed to give off the warm glow of a sunset. I have to say it was quite spectacular. I can only imagine what the asari must have thought of this place when they first discovered it.

After a couple of hours of wandering through the plazas we headed to Flux to make good on my promise. I used Schell's software on the Quasar Machines and we won more than we lost, but I attributed that to Liara's un-canning gambling luck rather than his software. Once we started attracting a crowd because of our good luck I decided, with the guidance of Liara, that this type of software wasn't necessarily a good thing and I turned it over to the club's owner, Doran.

After that, the night was ours. Although Liara did mention that she didn't particularly like the really loud music or the packed club, she was happy to be spending some time with me where we were not blowing something up. I asked her to dance expecting a nervous awkward asari to emerge. Instead I was more than pleasantly surprised when her hips started gyrating to the music. I felt like a tree branch blowing in the wind compared to her. Her body moved perfectly in tune with the base. I should have known that asari have an alluring way about them or there wouldn't be so many of them in the strip clubs. The more we danced the more I realized that there were less eyes on me, the first human spectre and more on her. I'm not normally the jealous type but there was a particularly drunk human, who came a lot closer than he realized to getting his ass handed to him.

I thought Liara would be mad by the way we bolted out of there but later as we strolled in the courtyard of the Citadel Tower, she informed me she was glad we left. It felt like the good old late night talks we used to have on the Normandy. The beautiful blooming cherry trees all around us just helped to enhance the ambiance. I didn't want tonight to end at all. The best part was that I didn't have to drop her off at some random apartment door or toss her into a skycab. I got to walk her back to the ship; my ship. I was able to say good night all proper and escort her right to the med lab.

Not that I was expecting anything, but as I turned to take my leave she reached out and gently placed her hand on my forearm. I don't know how to explain it exactly but it sent shivers up and down my spine. It was the best goodbye I ever had including a couple of extremely passionate good night kisses in my past. It's been about 20 minutes after I said good night to her and I think my heart is still racing. One thing is for sure, the next time Dr. Chakwas needs to listen to my heart, Liara is going to have to be off the ship; like in another solar system. Today was a good day!

Commander Shepard,

Commanding Officer, SSV Normandy Out!