Alban Hefin - Druid festival of the Summer Solstice, means 'Light of the Shore' (Gaelic)
Anam Cara - Soul Friend/Mate (Gaelic)
Femella – young Turian female child (Latin)
Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)
Keleven - A breed of blooming high-protein celery developed and grown in Quarian liveships (Quarian; ME Wiki)
Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)
Time to Reflect
Serrice University, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 7 Jun 2192
With classes beginning on the eighteenth, the university required the entire teaching staff to return from summer break no later than the fourth of the month, in order to give everyone a full two weeks to review their schedules and go through their final student rosters, thus ensuring the instructors – at every level of education – were completely ready for the new semester to begin. Even though she was the leader of a High House, not to mention one of the saviors of the galaxy, Dr T'Soni was no exception – especially since she was a new instructor – and it wasn't like she wanted to be handled any differently than the others. She and Shepard both simply wanted to be treated like everyone else, minus all the special attention that was so intrusive to their normal lives.
With Shepard as a mentor, Liara had learned to pay attention to both things and people; like objects moved from their normal location, or out of place sounds, such as people whispering when there was no need. Her first few days on campus had been just a prelude to the first few days with all of the instructors returning – particularly those who taught only summer session and hadn't been around for her initial arrival.
After listening to the many quiet statements of surprise, then the others confirming to the new arrivals that, yes, that really was Doctor T'Soni, along with the occasional statements of concern over such a young maiden not only being a doctor, but also a professor… she had eventually begun to tune them out. She tried her best to disregard them as the idle gossip they were, but there were many conversations that proved difficult… if not impossible to ignore, particularly those that condemned her mother as a traitor, or those advocating that the House assets should have been seized as punishment.
Hearing such comments had led Liara to allowing her anger to get the best of her once or twice, resulting in her turning to those speakers with a biting response. "My cousin tried to do that very thing, you know… by attempting to assassinate me and take control of House T'Soni. Turns out I wasn't very easy to kill." With righteous fury glinting in her eyes, she offered a challenge. "If you honestly believe what you are so thoughtlessly spouting within my hearing range, then anytime you think your convictions have more teeth than your misplaced beliefs based on gossip, you are welcome to try."
Liara scoffed and shook her head. "By the Goddess! You are a teacher! You really should check your facts before spreading such errant rumors. Ask Councilor Tevos… or even Justicar Samara. But, since they are currently beyond your reach, ask Matriarch Elesia, the Minister of Antiquities, who worked very closely with my mother for years. Very convenient for you, she works right here in Serrice, so you don't even have to hire a shuttle. You can get there by taxi… and I'll even pick up the tab, just to keep you from being so thoughtless and rude in the future."
The older teacher had looked at her, aghast. "How dare you speak to me in that tone of voice!"
She didn't get any further before Riana stepped between them, glaring at the offender for a second before raising her hand in a stopping motion. "How dare you speak so insultingly of a leader of a High House of Thessia… and one of the saviors of the galaxy, who risked life and limb many times over to deliver the peaceful future you are trying to shatter with your mistaken and painful words! What did you do for the war effort? Did you fight… or hide? If you fought, I thank you for your service… if you did not, I would thank you to do your research and speak of truth, not rumor and innuendo regarding her mother, Matriarch Benezia. She died so others could live… so we could find Saren and delay the Reaper onslaught. You need to be a better student of recent history, Professor Alayna… before you errantly teach such inaccuracies to your students, who are young and may actually believe your lies."
"What? How?" The professor sputtered, then fell completely silent in her bewilderment over how this commando could possibly know her name.
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have duties to which I must attend." Without giving her time to say another word, Riana stepped back and turned away, walking quickly to catch up to Liara and the Personal Guard. Once there, she unobtrusively slid up to Liara's side. Matching her stride for stride, she breathed quietly, "I'll not let that happen again, Liara. They know not of what they speak of… and you should not let their ignorance annoy you."
"I know, Ri, and I honestly don't care if they speak ill of me and House T'Soni… but I refuse to allow them to besmirch my mother's good name. Not after all she did for the Asari people… and for everyone else in this galaxy!" Liara sighed softly and glanced at her First questioningly. "And exactly how in the Goddess' name did you know she teaches contemporary history?"
"Seriously?" Riana cocked her head and chuckled, asking, "Do you not know my employer is the preeminent information broker in the galaxy? She also has this wonderful drone who is linked to my heads-up display, so I can identify anyone on campus within… oh, roughly 13.2 seconds after I lock visual? Their name and occupation pop up immediately, and I can send additional queries to Glyph if I need more information."
"And just how did you…" Liara stopped speaking and chuckled, immediately knowing the answer to the question she didn't finish. "You have access to Glyph because you were my assistant during the war, and I never saw any need to terminate that… but Glyph should no longer have access to the database." She suddenly stopped and looked at Riana. "Which means you actually requested continued access from the new Broker, without asking me first!"
"I can only admit to doing so and ask forgiveness if you are angry." Riana smiled, "But, before you say anything, I will tell you Glyph's access is limited to public records information only. He gets nothing we couldn't find in open-source data, such as the university staff listing."
Liara closed her eyes for a moment and drew a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. "Alright, then. I accept your… non-apology… and recognize why you would do something like this. But, in the future, I would appreciate you coming to me with your ideas before implementing them. I need to know what you're doing, so I am not surprised if someone discovers it and asks me or, worse, I inadvertently lie to them, because I am unaware. Agreed?"
"Of course, Lady Liara. My word is my bond." Riana smiled and nodded. "And… I apologize if I am speaking out of turn, but… on your part, you really must try harder to not let their ignorance offend your better judgement. Do not let their gossip continue to offend your sensibilities to the point of lashing out, angrily. It just adds fuel to their arguments… and I am not telling you anything you don't already know."
"You are absolutely correct, Riana… and I will try to refrain from lashing out in the future. Thank you." Liara shook her head at her own behavior. "I need to focus on being much calmer when I approach such comments." Shrugging, she then added with a smile, "But that's later. For now, let's go grab some lunch. I'm starving!"
Serrice Apartments, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 14 Jun 2192
Being the last Thursday night before classes began the next Monday, Liara did not have the luxury of skipping out early and returning home to celebrate the fourth anniversary of Shepard's retirement from the Systems Alliance. On the positive side of that argument, however, was the fact that her class preparation schedule had also given them a perfect excuse to not attend the Victory Day Celebrations, neither on Earth nor those held on the Citadel. The last thing she or Samantha wanted was another reminder of the war they would both rather leave in the past – which is where both believed it firmly belonged.
Still, she wanted to celebrate the event in some way, so Liara had given most of the commandos the night off, with the option to either stay in or leave to find their own entertainment out and about in downtown Serrice. As such, she had requested the preparation of a special meal, with only the Personal Guard being required to remain at the apartments.
They ended up feeding the extravagant meal to the entire staff, as every member currently assigned duty at the apartments opted to stay and celebrate Shepard's decision. They did not necessarily care about her separation from the Alliance, but her dedication to House T'Soni was a common thread that bound them all. They all loved Liara's choice of mate and respected her as one of their own.
As the evening reached its conclusion, Liara raised her glass of Serrice Ice and toasted the occasion. "To my dearest Siame. One whom I never truly believed I would find in the first place, then whom I hardly dared to hope would come through all our battles to be with me here today… and now, one whom I love without boundary for your willingness to give up the Alliance… and being a Spectre… simply to spend your days with me as I pursue my career in Archaeology. I know I speak for everyone in House T'Soni when I say we recognize the sacrifices you have made for us, Anam Cara… especially for me, and I will always celebrate your presence at my side. I love you, heart and soul."
Shepard blushed slightly as she smiled. "Being with you, as a member of the House, is not something anyone needs to thank me for, Liara. It is a pleasure and an honor… particularly being your bondmate… and we both know I never would have made it this far without you…" She glanced around at the commandos and staff who were with them at the table as she added, "… without each and every one of you. So, thank you, all."
With that, Riana pushed her chair back and stood. "And that's our cue, team. Let's grab the dishes and help Chef Leyana and the others clean up, if for no other reason than as our thanks for an absolutely wonderful meal." Looking to both Liara and Shepard, she smiled as she continued, "We have the cleanup covered, so I assume the two of you will be retiring to your private suite for the night. Enjoy whatever together time you can manage and know we stand watch over the apartments… along with little Mister Michael… and we will do our very best to make sure you remain undisturbed for the remainder of the night."
Liara blushed as she and Samantha rose along with the rest of the group. "Thank you, Riana." She smiled at the group and gave them all a nod. "It seems like we've had so little time alone lately, between school and Michael., so we definitely appreciate it. Thank you, and we'll see you in the morning." She glanced at Shepard and held her hand out in invitation. "Shall we?"
"Absolutely, my dearest Ionúin Álainn." Shepard took the offered hand, and they quickly made their way to the master suite. While Liara and Samantha did not have quite the same level of privacy they had in their suite at the Estate, Benezia had not skimped in the design of her personal space within the Serrice apartments. The only thing that had been previously lacking – and only because she didn't honestly know such a thing existed – was a hot-tub, which Shepard and Liara easily rectified during the building repairs following the war.
The bathroom was certainly spacious enough, so the only thing they had to sacrifice during the redesign and upgrade was an obtrusively grandiose closet, which was easy enough to shrink down to what anyone else would consider 'normal' for its function. The tub was the exact same model they had in the Estate suite, so it was like slipping into a pair of comfy old slippers, making them both feel very much 'at home,' even though they were in Serrice. Shepard let out a quiet sigh as she leaned back in the seat, the jets pulsing, and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Liara."
Liara's hand slid through the water to land on her thigh as she asked, "For what? The hot-tub? I enjoy it as much as you do, you know."
Shepard chuckled quietly before answering, "For everything, Li." She smiled and sighed happily, continuing, "Growing up aboard ship, then losing Dad… I bounced between Mom and Aunt Karin, depending on assignments. My life was spinning, and the Alliance military became the only family I ever had. Back then, never in a million years would I have dreamed this would be my life."
She opened her eyes, her emerald greens shining brightly with a sheen of happy tears. "I could not possibly ask the Gods for anything more than they have granted me. This new life I have with you, with House T'Soni… even if I did have to die along the way to find it… is worth every moment we have gone through to get to this point. I love you, Liara T'Soni, and I always will."
"And I love you more than anything else in my life, Samantha Shepard. I would give it all up in a second if you asked me to… just to be with you. Join with me?"
Shepard didn't need to respond verbally, knowing Liara would hear it through the link anyway. {You know you don't need to ask, Anam Cara… as the answer will always be yes.}
Cipritine, Palaven, Trebia System – 23 Jun 2192
Desis had awakened at 0520 – at least, that's what she thought the glowing numbers on the chrono beside her bed were displaying – and reluctantly left her cocoon of comfortable warmth in order to relieve a bladder she felt was ready to burst. In less than five minutes she slipped back in between the covers, gently wrapping her arms around her mate's torso. This caused him to stir slightly, accompanied by a nearly inaudible subharmonic question of, "Everything alright?"
"It is now," she replied in a matching tone of voice. She settled her head as close behind his neck as she could while still allowing space to breathe normally, knowing that, if he was awake, he would shift away from the tickle caused by the air exiting her nostrils. With no movement in protest, she quickly resumed her slumbers while mentally going over the list of prepared foods she intended to bring with her for tomorrow's trip to Thessia. Her last conscious thought was, Ace is going to be a year old.
When she woke at her normal time of 0705, it was to the sounds of a baby, babbling in order to entertain herself. Dee, quietly chuckling to herself as she did most mornings, climbed out of her bed and, after pulling on a robe to ward off the morning chill, strolled into her daughter's nursery. Enough outside light leeched in through the drapes to allow her to watch her precious child walking around in her bed, using the low top rail of the enclosed bed as a handhold.
Ace spotted her mother in the doorway and reached out a hand towards Desis as she said "Momma?" as she began bouncing slightly. Dee reached the baby bed before Ace could put any serious effort into her standing bounce. That's all I need, came the thought, and not for the first time. Wonder how much longer before she attempts to climb over that rail to get out? She picked Ace up and, after carrying her to the nearby changing table, deftly replaced a slightly wet diaper for a dry one.
Ace tottered off in the direction of the kitchen as soon as Dee had set her on her feet. Having discovered that walking was a much speedier way of getting where she wanted to go, Ace had quickly abandoned crawling as if it were yesterday's news. Desis dropped the wet diaper in the receptacle and, after returning to her own bathroom to wash her hand, she called to Garrus as she left to see what kind of mischief Ace was getting into.
Entering the kitchen, she discovered that Ace was babbling quietly to herself as she stood beside her feeding chair while holding on to the leading edge of the cushioned seat. Dee picked her up and, after placing Ace in her chair, collected the young one's breakfast, which consisted of several bitesize chunks of meat, along with a few pieces of crunchy Keleven and a bowl of dextro Blast-Ohs, which Ace enjoyed eating dry. She set a half-full cup of milk in front of her, in the hope that she'd drink it instead of pouring it on the Blast-Ohs before she ate them.
Garrus entered the kitchen, hugged his wife, then set about preparing their breakfasts while Desis monitored Ace. "Do you have everything packed for our excursion to Thessia?"
Dee glanced back over her shoulder and responded, "Almost. I'll pack Ace's food just before we leave. I already confirmed Shepard and Lady Liara will have plenty of dextro on hand for us, just as they always do." She paused as Ace grabbed a small chunk of Keleven from her fingers and began crunching on it, using the teeth on the side of her jaw, rather than the front.
In short order, Garrus had prepared a mug each of coffee – the Turian version of the beverage, anyway. After a couple of sips, Desis hummed in satisfaction while observing, "Doesn't exactly have the aroma of Terran coffee. Probably a good thing. I wouldn't want my stomach tied up in knots from drinking out of Shepard's mug."
Garrus chortled. Setting his mug down, he replied, "Our version of the cherry shrub that produces our coffee beans looks similar but grows in a much wider climate range than the ones on Terra. Fortunately, just like on every other planet, the Reapers focused on cities and industrial areas rather than our greenbelts, else we'd be drinking warm water."
The big Turian dished out half of the scrambled eggs he had cooked, added a piece of toasted bread for each of them and set the plates on the table. Dee sat and gratefully ate a couple of forkfuls. "Thanks, darling. My stomach was beginning to wonder if my throat had been cut." In response to his shocked look, she explained, "Human expression. I'm actually surprised you hadn't heard it before."
"I have, actually. Just never expected you to use it." Looking up at the wall mounted chrono, he commented, "We need to keep moving along, Dee. I imagine the T'Soni shuttle is already on the ramp, and I'd like for us to be off-world before noon, so we can have Liara's pilot home in plenty of time for dinner."
She dropped and flared her mandibles with her response. "Agreed. I'm looking forward to our weekend visit and the sooner it starts, the better. It'll give Ace a chance to bond with baby Mike." She paused a moment, then added, "An entire year has gone by, Garrus! Where does the time get off to?"
"It doesn't wait for anyone or anything, Dee. We have to live in the moment." Garrus finished the food on his plate. Taking it and his utensils to the sink, he began washing up. Desis joined him after several minutes; she handed her plate and utensils to him, then dried and put away what had been washed and rinsed. Garrus finished tidying the kitchen while Dee cleaned Ace's face and hands, then took her to the nursery to get her dressed to travel. "Your birthday is tomorrow, little one, and you'll be sharing your special day with a special Human boy." Ace echoed her mom, saying "Boi?" Dee chuckled. "That's correct, my darling Acicidia… a boy."
Setting her little femella on the floor, she raised her voice slightly to warn Garrus. "I'm getting dressed, my dear. Ace is on the loose." After shucking her robe and sleepshirt, she moved into her bathroom, there to quickly shower. After drying herself, she pulled on the clothes she'd selected the previous night. Garrus entered the room as she was leaving. After packing what she felt was enough food to feed several children, she set the container by the door along with their overnight bags. Sitting on the couch to wait for Garrus, she had just leaned back to relax for a few moments when Ace crawled up on the couch and plopped in her lap. They didn't sit there long before Garrus came back out, ready to go.
"It always amazes me how you can get showered and dressed so quickly!" Desis rose, turning to scoop Ace up off the couch. "Come on, little one! We're going to meet little Michael and Aunties Liara and Samantha! I promise, it will be great fun!"
Serrice Apartments, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 23 Jun 2192
Liara's week had gone well. Classes had started on Monday, and everyone was getting settled into their new routines. Her first week also included an abbreviated Thursday night celebration for Alban Hefin and, as Liara and Shepard had mentioned at the dinner party the previous week, they had much to celebrate. It had started with the anniversary, then the holiday, and once the weekend rolled around the party continued, with additional guests arriving to celebrate little Michael and his very first birthday party. He and Ace were both turning one… an event which Garrus wanted them all to celebrate together… so, with it being a single relay hop, Garrus and family had popped over for a quick weekend trip.
Fortunately, the apartments had plenty of room for guests so, in addition to their Turian friends, Aethyta and Mozia had also made the trip, wanting to join in the festivities. They had the pleasure of sitting down together for dinner, with Garrus and Liara chatting and getting all caught up while Shepard and Desis concentrated on getting more food into the young ones' mouths than what ended up landing on the floor. No one was able to suppress the urge to chuckle at both of them losing their individual wars to one-year-olds. Both Garrus and Shepard took the laughter in stride, Garrus commenting, "I think this war might be more intimidating than a legion of Blue Suns," to which Shepard responded, "Blue Suns? I think more like a mob of Banshees!"
That comment made Liara twitch involuntarily and she responded, "Please, don't remind us of that, Samantha. The whole idea of those poor, twisted Ardat-Yakshi still sends shivers down my spine." After a quick apology through the link, they finished up dinner, passed the kids off to the commandos for some story time and bed, and finished the night chatting in the lounge. The conversation shifted quickly to the events of the next day, namely the birthday party.
Shepard chuckled before explaining, "I'm not even sure why we bother. I know I remember nothing from when I was that young. If it wasn't for the pictures, I wouldn't know if I actually had birthday parties or if Mom and Dad just made up stories to make me think I had them!"
Garrus flashed his mandibles, responding drily, "You know those photos and vids can be computer generated by just about anybody. How do you honestly know they're real?"
"Gee. Thanks for that Garrus." Shepard rolled her eyes. "Now what? Do I have to ask Mom for real evidence… and what in Hell could she possibly say to convince me?"
Desis gave Garrus a quick poke in the side to silence any response he may have been thinking about and answered for him. "Absolutely nothing, Samantha… because we trust our parents… Don't we." The last part was definitely a statement, not a question, and she glared at Garrus, daring him to counter.
Being the wise Turian he was, he raised his hands in surrender, quickly responding, "Of course we trust our parents, Dee. Always. It's our friends and spouses we have to worry about!"
At that, everyone broke out laughing, with Aethyta chiming in, "By the Goddess, you have that one right, Turian! They know all your secrets and have the most leverage, that's for sure!"
Mozia leaned away from her and turned to give her a look. "I'll have to remember that, when the time comes."
Aethyta looked her way and asked, "When the time comes for what?"
"I guess you'll know when it happens, Aethyta."
Desis, laughing as much as everyone else, managed to get out, "Gosh! We'd better settle down or we'll wake the children! This place doesn't have as much distance to the bedrooms as the Estate!"
Immediately recognizing the truth in Dee's observation, they all managed to quiet down, but it still took a moment to rein in the laughter. Shepard was the first to speak again, still chuckling as she said, "Gods, how I've missed you all! We need to look at our schedules and try to do this more often! I mean, it's not like we're running off to save the galaxy again, every time we think we finally have a moment to breathe! Hopefully, those days are in the past, and it's time to have days like this, filled with friends and laughter!"
"Absolutely right!" Garrus immediately grinned and stood up, raising his glass of Turian brandy. "A toast to great friends and a vow… a promise to do better about keeping in touch… more frequently, more times in person instead of over the vid, and more small parties like this one, where no one has a hundred other guests to attend to." His eyes traveled across the group as he asked, "Agreed?" His question was immediately met with a chorus of approval.
Serrice Apartments, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 24 Jun 2192
With two young children in the house, Sunday morning started early. Shepard was up with Michael and Dee with Ace. They chatted quietly while they managed baths and diapers, sharing stories of the kids' various antics. While a hungry Ace quietly grabbed pieces of meat from the bowl her mother provided, shoving them into her mouth like she hadn't eaten in a month, Michael did his best to be a fountain, Shepard deftly catching his stream in the diaper she had just removed. "Thanks, Mike, but I've already had my morning shower, thank you very much."
Dee chuckled and shook her head. "You know, given your frightening image as a warrior, I must admit it surprises me, just how good you are with him… with children in general. You are as natural a mother as you are a fighter."
Shepard blushed slightly at the comment and responded, "Thanks. I've always liked kids. They're just so carefree and trusting." Her face turned serious as she added, "It's us adults that teach them fear… never letting them fail on their own to learn that it's okay to not always succeed. It's how we learn."
Dee gave her a sideways glance. "You honestly think you'll be able to do that?"
At that, Shepard laughed. "I honestly don't know… but it's a goal I need to keep my sights on."
"Well… it's as good a goal as any." Desis smiled and scooped Ace up in one arm, picking her food bowl up with her free hand. "But, I think we're finished in here, so how about we join the others and have a real breakfast, instead of just Ace's appetizer to keep her from biting my fingers off."
A wide grin spread on Samantha's face as she scooped Michael up in much the same way. "That sounds like a plan to me!"
The party was pretty close to being a dud as far as the children were concerned. Neither one understood the concept of blowing out the single candle on top of each child's personal cupcake, nor did they know what to do with the brightly papered boxes they were presented with. Even with the parents providing a huge amount of encouragement, they still ended up 'helping' Michael and Ace open their packages. Once the first was done and a toy revealed, however, the children certainly had fun helping remove the rest of the paper, and even more fun with all the things that eventually emerged from the boxes under the wrappings.
A few of the boxes contained clothing items, where ripping the bright paper off the box was more entertaining than what was inside. The parents, however, appreciated the gifts, as the children were in the age range where what fit them one week was too small to fit them the next. Fortunately, Shepard and Liara knew they would eventually have more children coming, so simply put the now too small items into storage boxes, saving them for their next.
Garrus and Dee stayed through lunch, then it was time to say their farewells. "I was serious about my toast, Shepard." Garrus looked at her, his gaze sharp and focused. "You and Liara have the toughest schedule, so you tell us what your availability is and we'll see what we can do for our next gathering."
Desis nodded vigorously in agreement, adding, "And it would be really nice to see one another at least once in every quarter. Is that too much to ask? I mean… we're honestly not that far away, being a short two-jump trip." She looked at Garrus for confirmation.
"True enough." Garrus nodded. "With a dedicated shuttle, our only delay was waiting for the relay realignment at Serpent. Coming this way is fast, we skip only the one cycle through Silean… but, on the return, we could possibly have to wait through all eight of the other relay connections, depending on if there is queued traffic or not." He chuckled and shook his head. "And I say this like I'm telling you something you don't already know. You've transited more relays than I ever will, so I'll just stop talking now and we'll take our leave."
They all exchanged final hugs and sent their friends out the door with a couple of the commandos to help them get home. Team 2 commandos Dayna Axessi and pilot Arlis Tasia would be their escorts for this trip, flying the shuttle route to return the family to Palaven. Arlis smiled as she went out the door, making sure the lead couple was aware of the add-on tasking they received. "We'll see you for lunch tomorrow, Lady Liara. Lyessa gave us a shopping list, so we'll be stopping at the Citadel on our return trip to spend the night, then shop in the morning before we head back."
"Thank you for the reminder, Arlis," Liara responded. "Lyessa told me that, and I just as quickly forgot it. Safe journey, and we'll see you when you get home."
"It is home now, isn't it?" Arlis nodded in agreement. "It reminds me of the days with your mother, when we were elsewhere, going to the Estate only for vacation time." She stopped speaking as Liara's expression changed, then immediately added, "Apologies, Lady Liara."
Liara's face held a wistful smile as she replied, "No apology necessary, Arlis. It does remind me of the good times I spent with Mother there. Vacations were the only times she truly spent time with me, roaming the gardens, swimming off the beach, sailing… and heading out to camp on the lake." She looked at Shepard and continued, "We need to plan on such things with Michael… and then again with our Asari children. Those trips made for wonderful memories."
Shepard smiled. "That sounds good to me, Liara." She then turned to Arlis with a grin. "You'd better get going, or Garrus is going to commandeer the shuttle and leave without you."
"Roger that, Captain," Arlis chuckled. She shouted back, "See you tomorrow!" as the door swung closed behind her.
