Thessia

The sky was filled once more with flying vehicles. People and children thronged the streets, the parks and gardens. A bright day. Gallia took a deep breath of the breeze. It smelled of flowery scents, of freedom and of promise. She leaned against the railing and stared at the bird's eye view of Kelice.

"Great day isn't it," she said conversationally. "Time to talk," she added when Pulchia remained silent. After days of trying to get through to Pulchia, she was all for wrestling the problem down once and for all.

"About what?"

"Let's cut out the flowery speeches. Look, I don't know what to think.."

"Gallia, you're more comfortable with your kind," Pulchia interrupted. "That is very clear. Is there a point to debate over the issue?"

"Yes there is," Gallia returned, frowning back at Pulchia. "Sure I went out with a few guys in the past..."

"The matter is closed," Pulchia said with a severe look on her face.

"Shit, can't you just let me finish a sentence?" Gallia demanded. "I don't know where I stand, no you don't-," she held out a finger in reprimand when Pulchia opened her mouth. "One thing I do know is that I miss you when you're not around."

Pulchia only sighed. "We miss you too when you were reassigned."

"No, damn it, not like that." Gallia wanted to kick the railing in exasperation. How should she say it? "I miss your voice, your company. The times we shared. Does it make any sense to you I feel jealous and protective when you spend time with somebody else? That I get real worried when Nervia told me you were injured?"

"Probably but you're not wholly comfortable with it," said Pulchia. "Which is why we must keep our distance. It'll die with time."

"If I can believe that," Gallia muttered as she paced back and forth.

"I'm sorry it is causing you difficulties. I can get myself reassign..."

"Does running away solve anything?"

"It is not running away. It's creating a resolution."

Pulchia rolled her eyes when Gallia only glared at her. She didn't know what the human wanted but she had made herself clear. She gave a start when Gallia grabbed her hand. Something sparked between them.

"I don't want to leave. I don't want you to go either."

"What do you want?" Pulchia asked guardedly.

Gallia closed her eyes, wondering for the last moment if she was right. Opening them, she looked into Pulchia's clear grey eyes and took the plunge. "To know you better. To understand if I, if we could go anywhere with what we feel."

"Do you know what you're asking for?"

"Yes." Taking hold of Pulchia's other hand, Gallia dared to draw her close. "Shall we find out?"

"Dinner is ready," Nervia shouted as she opened the door to the balcony. She took in her friends' situation with a huge grin. "Hurry up." She disappeared without waiting for their answer.

"Well?" asked Gallia.

A smile lit Pulchia's lips. "Let's go."

T'Soni Estate

"What a day." A sigh of weariness that also conveyed satisfaction and contentment.

Shepard nodded mutely as she lounged at the window seat. Her feet hurt from standing all day, her throat dry despite the numerous time she watered herself during a never ending course of greetings and light conversations. Even her eyes felt dry. A hand slipped into hers. Her fingers curled around it as Liara leaned against her.

She smiled as Liara mentally "played" the Advent ceremony again. The formal acceptance of their children and the naming of them; Delenn Shepard T'sonni and Davina T'Soni Shepard. Thank goodness there were only a few hundred guests, not thousands. They only had to formally present and accept the assent of the clan elders. She didn't think she could last a few thousand asari individually coming up for the ritual of acknowledgement.

It was beautiful.

It is. Thank god we only have to do it once. {fervent}

We may have to if we ever decide to have a second. {teasing}

That's a far way off. Those two will be a handful once they start walking, talking and running.

I would not be surprised. Did not Wrex say Davina is a true Shepard? {laugh}

{amused agreement} He wasn't expecting her to bob him one on the nose. Honestly, I was expecting her to cry non-stop when he brought her up so close. He didn't achieve much with Delenn either, she only looked at him as if he's the baby, not she.

Grunt did not have much success either. {giggle}

Krogans. {snort} Wrex denies it but I think he does that with his own kids just to see how they'd react. It's not really a sure fire way to telling what they'll be when they grow up.

What do you think they will be?

Everyone thinks Davina will take after me but it's hard to say. Whatever the kids want to be, they will be. It's in their hands, not ours.

I agree.

Silence reigned for a while as they contemplated possible futures for the two. Shepard thought of friends who turned up. Everyone she invited had come. Garrus and his mate. Lemilia who was admittedly more steely than she looked. Miranda and her sister Oriana who presented a few bottles of a new brand of wine she created from the distillery she set up. There was a stir among the asari when Samara turned up but none begged leave to be excused on some pretext.

Tali and her stunning party of friends and geth. Wrex and Grunt turned up larger than life, butting their heads into everything enthusiastically. A hale and fit looking Dorrin towing a marine lieutenant whose green eyes said a lot more whenever she looked at him. Even Hackett was present though his reason for coming was to get updates from Chakwas, hitching a ride on the Normandy so Joker, EDI and most of the crew were able to attend as well.

Do you think it will work? The plan to introduce birth control?

Bakara always have great ideas and foresight. {flash of humor and a vision of Kalros} I don't see why her plan wouldn't work if the females could see the wisdom of controlling the population. I think her idea of tying the right to have more children to peaceful accomplishments is another great notion.

Do you see Grunt achieving peaceful accomplishments? {droll}

{Laugh} No, but he didn't have to. He's already acknowledged as a great warrior. Kind of hard to turn when you're already charging up the path. It's too late for some of them. At the most, they'll get a kid or two but the next generation have to set their goals to other things other than fighting. Bakara and Wrex don't want a repeat of the Krogan Rebellion.

I hope they succeed. Liara moved to settle more comfortably against Shepard. There is something I want to ask.

What?

What is that strange vision of flowing metal?

You saw that? I'm not sure what it is. I saw it twice. Once when I spoke to the Inusannon on Ilos. The second time when I was near that odd column on Avernus Station.

Is it Prothean?

I don't know. It's as if I can control that liquid metal with my thought and shape it into whatever I want.

That is odd. What does it mean?

When Greenacres spoke of an alien technology that repair metal. That came to mind. {flash of an ovoid shape}

Liara stiffened. What was that?

I don't know. Looks like a ship, nothing I've ever seen.

It feels alive.

Strange isn't it?

Can it be an ancient artifact? Ancient technology that was lost?

Could be. I wonder if he knows but I've a feeling he does not.

Will we ever find out?

Shepard shrugged. If not us, then perhaps those who will come after us may discover what it is.

Do you suppose the Cipher has more to it? Could what you have seen be part of it?

{sigh} I'm not sure. I may find out.

They sat in silence for a while, thinking of the mysteries. Feeling sleep coming over her, Liara sighed and snuggled closer. Shepard turned her thoughts back to the events of the day.

I'm glad our friends turned up. I never expected Tali to be the major draw.

Not many know what the quarians look like before they were exiled. Benezia once mentioned it but my imagination did no justice. They are beautiful.

They look exotic and mysterious. (reflectively) Like silvery beings from some mythic world. It could be hard for some to tell them apart if they didn't have different hues to their silver eyes, skin patterns and those astounding threading styles on their heads.

Tali said they can adapt to the colours of their environment.

Really? Like a chameleon? {image of animal changing colours}

Hmm, something like that. She said they only do it when there is danger in olden times. Living for so long in those suits and cramped quarters, they have all but forgotten their natural abilities and reflexes. She wants to get back to finding what her people were like once their biology is more secured.

I'm not surprised. I'd like to see them in their natural environment once they have adapted to living without those suits.

Oh good, I will mark it up as a potential vacation for the future.

What?

We are going to be busy, positively engaged and busy. We should consider plausible destinations, things to see when we take holidays so I am taking notes. You ought to make a list too and keep it updated.

{laugh} That's a good idea. {yawn} I'm so tired.

Shepard let herself drift, feeling Liara floating along with her. Something pricked at the back of her mind. As she idly wondered what it was, she remembered. She sat up abruptly, giving Liara a start, and went over to the wardrobe, adroitly steering clear of the crib in the dark. Rummaging at the bottom, she brought out a slim box and padded quietly back to the window seat.

"What is it?" Liara asked curiously when she felt her bondmate put the box in her hands.

"Open it." Shepard reached out and flicked on the small nightlight on the wall. She watched as Liara opened the box.

"Did you make this?" Liara stared at the slim coppery necklace nestled in silk cloth. With careful hands, she lifted it out. A cimilcir crystal gleamed from a intricately carved pendant holder of twining leaves. "It is not metal, is it?"

"No. It's a kind of wood. Once heated, it becomes hard as metal." Picking up the necklace, Shepard carefully put it around Liara's neck, pleased that she had the measurements right.

"I know you were making something but I did not expect this." Liara touched the crystal in wonder. The colours of the necklace in the tiny glow of light cast an aura around Liara. To Shepard, she was more exotic than anything she had ever seen.

"With this I pledge an undying bond," she said softly, echoing the words of the bonding ceremony between Hiaras and Sanar. Words they too had spoken at their own union years ago.

"May the great consciousness keep us now and beyond."

Mind and hearts filled with promise, they merged minds and flew.

Citadel

The little group of children watched the progression of freighters and liners. Some were docking, others were leaving. The ward arms were once more ablaze with lights and activities. A welcome sight after months of silence. It meant a return of jobs, the resumption of quiet trading and credits to buy clothing and other foodstuff than the paste they were living on. To the oldest, they would have a chance of finding their way off the station or permanent jobs. To the youngest, a more substantial existence. They watched until they grew bored. Some drifted away to prepare their plans. The others off to find other means of amusement.

The small girl continued to sit. Now and then, she looked at the silent figure next to her. It kept its gaze on the ships. She wondered what it was thinking. It never said anything. They never do but she knew they were aware. They always seemed to listen when she chattered to them, their eyes shifted and heads always seemed to bob when she tell them about various incidents. She knew they heard her calls for help when she and her friends were caught in a strange trap. They saved them. This one, she felt she knew best of all. It was hard sometimes to tell them apart but this one had an odd little bump to the back of its head.

"Som day I'm go off te see other worlds," she said. "Hink said I haff te read en write too. He's goin te get books for me. I hoep he keps his promise, I want te make lots of credits and eat good."

She blinked when it moved, seeming to look at her. It fished something out of a pouch by its side and held it out to her. Stunned, she stared at it before looking at what it was holding. Something black and yellow. Hesitating for a moment, she reached out carefully, ready to snatch back her hand but it didn't move. She examined it. Black and yellow with a picture of a tree.

"It's pretty, wha's it?" she asked. It didn't say anything of course but withdrew its hand. "You giving te me?" Eyes wide, she stared as it seemed to nod before turning away, making its way down the passage on its four legs. Surprise held her for several seconds before she found her voice again. "Thank you, Esty!"

It didn't answer. Its former life was a dream in a dim memory. Now it only had one purpose.

Unknown Space

"Transit corridor is at a hundred percent."

Lance checked the readings again to make sure. So far so good. After another run through the final checklist, he put the consoles on standby. The bridge lights dimmed when he closed down non-essential systems. From now on, the V.I. would take over. He took the lift down two decks and slowly walked to the stasis chambers. There was no one else but him. He wanted to be the last one to hit the cooler, to make sure everything was running smoothly. Though it took him hours, he walked through all the chambers. There were thousands of sleepers. This was the last time to reassure himself that they were safe and sound. The air was cool and dry when he finally reached his own cryo unit. Taking one last look around, he enabled the hatch and stepped in.

"Oreth, commence Sentinel."

"Commencing."

"See you in the new world," he murmured as the hatch closed. "See you all on the other side. May we prosper." He closed his eyes as he felt himself losing consciousness.

Goodbye April. I hope our children will meet some day.

F * I * N * I * S

Author note : It could have been longer since I envisioned the party of friends at the gathering. Garrus and all the others but I decided to cut it short and make it simple. Just a plop here and there.

There're no mention of Leviathans as I've noted in the first chapter that they do not exist in this fic. Indeed, they do not because I put their existence in another galaxy, not the Milky Way. So where're they? *grin* In a galaxy far far away.

Davina is the male form of David. (David Anderson)

The Systems Alliance Cross Services

Given the odd ranking system in the game, Shepard by rights as a marine, could not command Systems Alliance Naval ships. In order to make sense out of the confusing jumble, I decided to come up with the CS system.

The CS system applies to military officers who passed ICT and navy officers who may decide to switch career tracks. The final ICT module would include basic navy courses; ship nomenclature, operations, fleet manuevers and tactics. N6 and N7 officers were qualified to command a naval frigate. Their ranks would reflect the naval ranking system. However, they were restricted to frigates. If promoted, the highest they could attain in naval ranks would be captain (0-7). After a number of years in service, the officers would be offered the option to cross service to the naval career track. They would undergo extensive naval training (ATC) that would qualify them to command other ships; cruisers, dreadnoughts, destroyers, carriers.

My heartfelt thanks to all who have been patient, reading and contributing reviews. It is very much appreciated!

P.S. The revision is complete. I made some changes and corrections. I doubt I got things straightened out perfectly but when is anything perfect.