Notes:

Burukh - a strong Krogan cocktail set on fire first, then put out, then drank while still hot

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Catching Up

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 18 Dec 2190

Once Liara and Moises had turned and started moving away, chatting quietly between themselves, Garrus and Dee stepped up to the inactive Spectre. "Shepard. Always good to see you, especially when you're smiling. It always makes people wonder what you're up to."

"Garrus." Her inflection said everything her lack of words did not as she reached out and they clasped forearms. "Damned good to see you, brother." Her gaze shifted. "You're looking good, Dee. Things on Palaven must be going well… and, somehow, you're managing to keep this one out of trouble."

"Yes, I am. I guarantee you, it's still a full-time job with that one." Desis chuckled and she waggled her mandibles in humor. "Though I will say it's been a bit easier since he stopped hanging around with you, Shepard."

"Ouch!" Shepard reached up and placed a flat hand on the front of her shirt by her heart, acting as if she had been stabbed. Laughing, she continued, "You didn't even wait until my back was turned to jab me. I would say that was uncalled for, but…" Her eyes shifted to Garrus as he started to chuckle.

"Yeah. Don't go there, Shepard." He shook his head in emphasis. "This one has a memory like a damned SILC. If you try to refute it, she'll rattle off at least a dozen examples before you can get your first complete sentence out of your mouth." He chuckled quietly. "I've given up and given in… so just say 'Yes, Desis.' It will make both of our lives a whole lot easier."

"Huh. I do believe I said something very similar to Liara, just this morning." A wide grin spreading on her face, Samantha laughed and stepped between them, pulling them both into a group hug. "Gods be damned, it's good to see you both. It's been too long!"

"Well, we all have stuff to do… and, unfortunately, those things are in different systems, now." Garrus offered up a shrug as they separated. "We're not all together on the Normandy anymore, that's for sure."

"Thank the Spirits for no longer needing that!" Desis chimed in. "I prefer a galaxy that no longer needs the Normandy to ride to everyone's rescue!"

"Oh, right!" Shepard suddenly remembered there were a whole bunch of other people who had already arrived, waiting for them inside. "Speaking of the Normandy, Ash is already here, along with everyone else in my Human clan, all of whom are eager to see you. Let's take this mini-reunion inside and join up with the rest of the party, shall we? Before they all band together to have my ass for hogging all your attention!"

"I suppose it's too early to say we'll drop our bags in our room and meet you at the bar?" Garrus chuckled, a contented expression settling onto his face. Coming to the T'Soni Estate was like coming home; everyone here was family.

"Just a bit… but lunch isn't that far away… and neither is Matriarch Aethyta, who would sit down with you in a second for a drink, time of day be damned!" Samantha laughed in response. "Come on, let me show you where you're staying, so you can ditch your bags, then join the crowd to catch up with everyone!"

Garrus smiled, replying, "Lead the charge, Shepard. I've got your six."

By the time the latest group managed to get to the entertainment hall, including House T'Soni commandos, there were already close to fifty people in the room. Lyessa and her staff had done an amazing job, with multiple tables set with various food types – for all races – and piles of snack dishes ready for the taking. There was also a table set up with various non-alcoholic beverages, which is how it would be throughout the holiday season. Food and drink would be available in abundance, all hours of the day, as there would be too many persons in attendance to even think about a sit-down meal. It may have been different if it was summer, as the outdoor seating area was much larger, but with the cold of winter, that option wasn't exactly available.

Liara, being the good hostess, was mingling through the room. Even though she had wanted to spend a bit more time with Moises, she had reluctantly left the Asari Spectre to her rest, who had promised to be out after a quick nap. She was all smiles, particularly when her eyes settled on Sharon Culver and Adrien Burns. She closed on them quickly, immediately caught by Sharon's always attentive gaze. "Liara. I was beginning to wonder when you and Shepard would finally get your asses to your own party." She opened her arms wide, which the Asari quickly stepped into for a welcoming hug.

Smiling, Liara replied, "I can always count on you to be the eloquent one, Sharon," causing the Human to roar in laughter.

"Eloquent is not a word I believe I have in my vocabulary, Lady Liara." Grinning, she added, "I leave that up to the leaders of the great houses and the diplomats… not the soldiers. We are, generally speaking, much too frank when it comes to what's going on in the galaxy to ever be considered eloquent."

"I will admit, your blunt honesty is generally refreshing, and always reminds me of Samantha." Stepping away from Sharon's embrace, Liara turned to Adrien. "And it is great to see you again, as well. I hope we have some time during all this to chat about your latest projects. I am dying to get an update on your beltline world project!"

"Oh, gosh! Absolutely, Liara. The list Hannah gave me was super helpful." Adrien grinned and shook her head. "Of the seventeen colonies, fourteen of them contacted me with questions about my work. Fourteen!" She shrugged in amazement. "I can't go to that many places and still take care of Cliffside, so I had to get creative."

"Creative, how?" Liara's eyes lit up, simply knowing there was a story here to be told.

"I invited them all to come to me, on Gellix, to see firsthand what we were doing there." Her expression shifted to one of gratification. "Of the fourteen, ten agrobiologists accepted, and we had our first conference in August of last year." She laughed happily, her entire demeanor joyful as she continued. "It was an incredible exchange of information, a few of them had some awesome ideas. We recently decided we needed to keep our exchange going, so we now plan to meet quarterly, mostly by vid-conference, but still…"

She closed her eyes for a moment, pure contentment settling on her face before she reopened them and continued, "The strides we are making together are going to eventually feed the galaxy! Of the ten worlds, everyone has increased their productive growth area by at least five percent, some as much as twelve to fifteen! And we're only just beginning!" She smirked as she added, "The four holdouts from the original fourteen have finally decided to join us, and I've received initial contact from the last three, who initially ignored my offer, expressing interest in coming to Gellix to see what we're doing."

"Which I assume you will do," commented Liara, only to be surprised at Adrien's response.

"Actually, no." The woman laughed at the resultant expression on her sister-in-law's face. "I told them I was extremely busy, and that they should contact a couple of the colonies closer to their location, to save on travel time and expense. Since we're all working together now, we all have the same level of knowledge and expertise." She grinned. "After they commit and actually make contact with someone, if they still feel the need to come to Gellix, I will try to find room in my schedule. I may be a leading agrobiologist, but I am also a colonial governor and have responsibilities to Cliffside. My own people come first."

"Any thoughts of expanding contact outside of the seventeen Human colonies?" asked Liara. "I'm sure there are other worlds who would benefit from the technology…"

She didn't finish, as Adrien was already shaking her head. "Honestly, no. I considered it, but quickly realized I didn't have the contacts nor the knowledge of other races' staple crops; nor do I have the time to do the research for it."

"What if someone else did the research for you? Identified the staples, located the leading agrobiologists who would likely take an interest?" Liara arched a brow. "Would you consider chatting with them, then?"

"I might think about it… but who is going to volunteer the time to do all that legwork?" Adrien frowned. "I won't use Cliffside money, and I certainly don't have the resources to pay for it. And, before you go and offer, I'll tell you straight up; I don't want you and Shepard to foot that bill, either. That's ridiculous."

"You do remember I was an info broker, correct?" Liara smirked. "It would be a relatively small fee to have a simple query run… staple crops of each race and their leading agrobiologists of record. I would think we'd get a reply within a week for something so basic as that." Liara's smirk shifted to a grin. "I get an amazing discount on research fees… and it would not involve any of my personal time, other than to draft the request and submit the query; twenty minutes, tops. What do you say? Would you consider it then, assuming you get enough information?"

Adrien looked at the Asari in amazement. "You are about to embark on the research venture of your dreams, and you're worried about getting me data to expand my research base?"

"No," shrugged Liara. "I'm worried about helping everyone still recovering from the Reaper War by reestablishing the food basis for the entire galaxy. Between your agricultural research and the SILC helping to restabilize the atmospheres of multiple worlds with their Shroud constructs, we can give people back the quality of life they had before the Reapers. Some semblance of food security and a normalcy that will complete our recovery and let people get on with their futures." She paused as she watched Adrien's changing expression. "So. Are you in?"

Adrien smiled, shaking her head and chuckling lightly as she asked, "How in Hell am I supposed to say no, when you phrase it like that?"

Liara's expression erupted with a satisfied grin, her eyes twinkling as she answered with a satisfied shrug, "You can't."

Garrus had scarcely closed the door to their room before Desis was on him like a predatory animal. After an intense embrace – the strength in her arms never failed to impress him – she pushed back slightly to glare at him. "Dammit, Vakarian! When are we going to tell them? Do you have any idea how difficult it is for me to not be on the roof, shouting our news to the entire galaxy, much less two of your best friends?"

The big Turian chuckled at her vehemence, the natural sub-harmonics in his throat – mixed with the flanging produced by his vocal cords – combining to send a familiar and very welcome jolt of need straight through her core. Placing a hand with fingers wide-spread in the middle of her lower belly, he chortled, "I know you're anxious to share… this, Dee…. so, I'll acquiesce. Even though it's a surprise I felt might best be saved for Shepard's Christmas day, I'll pull Shepard aside after we've had lunch and ask to speak with her and T'Soni privately."

He let out a sigh of resignation before continuing, "I do realize that outside of Shepard's immediate family and Liara's Personal Guard, we really don't know most of the people here… and I damn well know Shepard and Liara will be thrilled for us, so I won't make you wait any longer."

Placing both of her hands over his in order to hold it in place, she gazed lovingly into a pair of intense, sapphire-blue eyes. "Thank you, Garrus." Mandibles spread wide, she observed, "You know, that hand is setting off little explosions of lust a bit further down." She removed her own hands and watched in quiet amusement as her normally calm and collected mate stammered, "Oh… sorry," and removed his hand as if it had been sitting on a hot stove.

He started to back away from her, but she quickly grabbed his arms and pulled him to her. "Not so fast, Vakarian!" She nibbled on a mandible for a moment before adding in a husky whisper – subharmonics carrying the passion that was always bubbling just beneath the surface, "You touching me that way is partly to blame for my current condition."

"And you thoroughly enjoyed every moment we spent getting you to this point, Desis Vyessan." He waited for the inevitable denial, so was a bit surprised at her response.

"I did, Garrus. Spirits forgive me, when we're together, nothing else exists." She buried her face in his chest. "I love you, Garrus Vakarian… with every fiber of my being! Spirits! I cannot think of my life… my future, without you." She wasn't surprised to feel his fingers carefully slide under her jaw.

Carefully tipping her head up, he stared into a pair of silver-flecked violet eyes and answered, "That's a good thing, Dee, because I wouldn't want to imagine my future without you, either." Releasing her and backing away, he said, "So, let's go downstairs and enjoy lunch with our dear friends. I think our news will be best delivered on full, happy stomachs."

The light chuckle he received was followed by, "Wouldn't have anything to do with Shepard invariably having a bottle or two of Turian brandy tucked in the back of her beverage cabinet, now, would it?"

He cocked his head and dropped his mandibles in amusement with his reply. "Not at all, my love." Opening the door, he accompanied a quiet "Shall we?" with a wave of his hand.

Garrus, having eaten a skimpy breakfast prior to departing Palaven, had enjoyed a lunch large enough to take the place of dinner. Now, with Desis on his arm, they had worked their way around the hall to visit with the various people at the party he happened to know – particularly Grunt, Wrex and the Turian Spectres – before finally approaching their hostess just as she finished up a rather lengthy conversation with Lee Riley. "Shepard… I wonder if we might have a quick word with you… somewhere private?"

The woman's expression instantly shifted from a friendly smile to tempered concern. Glancing back and forth between her favorite Turians, she quietly asked, "Is there something wrong with the room? Would you like a different one… with a different outside view… or something else?"

Garrus held his hands up with an instant denial. "No! No, nothing is wrong, Shepard. Far from it, actually. It's just that I…" he looked at Desis for an instant, "… that is, Dee and I, have a bit of news we'd like to share with you…" he looked around the hall for a moment before continuing, "… and T'Soni."

He started slightly at the soft "This had better be good news, Vakarian, as we have barely begun our annual winter party. After all, it is only day one of a nearly two-week affair. Please don't ruin all of our careful planning so early in the event." She had heard Shepard's mental shout and was quickly coming up behind the trio.

Garrus had to turn partway to see her, looking over his shoulder at the head of one of the most influential great houses in the Asari republic and chuckled. "Liara. You surprised me." Waggling his mandibles in happiness, he added, "No bad news, I swear. Quite the opposite, in fact. It's just some, ahh… info… we want to share with you and Shepard, before anyone else learns of it."

"Okay, then. Let's go to the office." The Human and the Asari, Garrus and Dee's dearest friends in the galaxy, linked arms and slowly strolled out of the great hall with the Turian pair following close behind. After ushering the pair into the comfortable retreat ahead of her, she closed the door and motioned for them to sit at the conference table. "Either of you need anything to drink?"

"A bit of water would be nice," Desis replied in an uncharacteristically shy voice, leading Liara and Shepard to look at her closely; Shepard fetched and set a glass of water in front of her, then took her own chair across from the couple.

Garrus started to speak, but ducked his head and chuckled when Desis, after taking a sip of water, interrupted him before he got more than a couple starting words out of his mouth, blurting, "We're going to have a child, Shepard!" Before Shepard or Liara could react in any way, Desis added, "I'm pregnant."

After a moment of stunned silence, Shepard exclaimed, "That's wonderful news, Dee!" Jumping from her chair, she moved to the side of the seated mom-to-be, reached down and happily hugged her. "How many weeks? You're not even showing!" With a deep chuckle, she added, "I've never seen a pregnant Turian! When are you due?"

Liara, having embraced the totally flustered Garrus, offered her own congratulations. "I'm so happy for you… for both of you!" She cocked her head and studied Dee's soft, violet eyes for a moment, then looked at Shepard as she grasped one of her Dee's hands. "And since she's most definitely not showing," she returned her attention to Desis, "I'd hazard a guess that you're no more than four weeks along… five at the most?" She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them to offer, "Allowing for the four weeks or so already elapsed, I'd expect your due date to be about the middle of June."

Dee's mandibles went wide as her mouth dropped open; recovering quickly, she shook her head slightly and replied, "Third week of the month, according to my doctor, but no later than the thirtieth." With a chuckle, she added, "You're good, Liara. How is it that you know the average gestation period for a Turian?"

"I've been a data researcher for a long time, Desis. It's something I'm quite competent at doing." Still holding Dee's hand, she asked, "Do you think you'll continue your work as the Children's Welfare Coordinator for Palaven, after you give birth?"

"Right now, that's my intention… at least, after I recover and have a bit of time to bond with my baby."

Garrus commented, "We've discussed it. Oh, and you may not be aware of the fact that she'll have to remain on the homeworld for at least six months after she gives birth." He could see the question forming in Shepard's mind, so placed a hand on Dee's backplate while adding an explanation. "We have to expose our children to the home world's sun – in gradual doses, in order to toughen the carapace. Solar radiation sets the alignment of the metallic elements inside."

At this point, Desis took up the explanation. "Exposure times are calculated to allow optimum curing of the plate without damaging the child's skin. It's a rather drawn-out process, made a bit more difficult to calculate now, given the still-remaining atmospheric debris left by the Reapers."

By this time, Shepard had moved to her beverage cabinet and, after a bit of digging, produced a bottle of what appeared to be Drossix Blue, a particularly fine – and rare – dextro brandy from Digeris. After pouring a generous measure into a cut crystal tumbler, she poured a glass of dextro fruit juice for Desis, and a glass each of Serrice Ice Brandy for herself and Liara. Setting their beverages in front of them, she raised her own glass and said, "To your unborn child, Desis Vyessan, and to your future life with Garrus Vakarian. May your family be blessed with long, peaceful lives."

Desis, after peering into her glass for a moment, heaved a sigh and downed the contents in one go. Setting the glass on the table, she commented, "Thank you, Shepard. And just so you know, I fully intend to be here this time next year, so I can imbibe a bit of that D'Blue alongside my mate." With a self-conscious laugh, she concluded, "Having to give up liquid spirits for the health of my child is a small price to pay, I suppose."

Garrus chuckled alongside Shepard as Liara observed, "Motherhood will be an exercise in self-denial, Dee – especially during pregnancy." After a meaningful glance at her Siame, she added, "I am looking forward to having children myself, Dee, but have quite a few years with just us, yet, before that can even happen."

After surveying the reception area, Ines Lindholm sauntered over to the lounge and slid onto one of the few empty barstools. Meeting the eyes of a rather stern-faced Asari, she matter-of-factly stated, "You must be Aethyta; Liara's dad." Following a brief nod, she added, "I'm Ines. Pleased to meetcha."

"Yup, I am… and you're new here, so I hope I can say the same after I get to know you." She grinned at the expression that appeared on the Human's face, chuckling as she ran a rag across the section of bar in front of the new arrival. "Just giving you a hard time. I know you supported Shepard when she needed help, and that's good enough for me." She half-turned, waiving her hand at all the bottles on the shelves behind her. "So, what's your poison of choice?"

Ines chuckled. "Well, I'm not sure what half of that stuff is, and certainly don't know what you've got hidden behind the bar, so it'll be tender's choice. Something with a bit of a bite that won't rot my insides or tear 'em to shreds, like Ryncol. A bit tamer, if you please."

Just then, a voice sounded from behind. "Don't tell her that, Ines! Her idea of 'a bit of a bite' is likely very different than yours. You'll be laid out on the floor within the hour if you let her choose. Joker challenged her once… and ended up so drunk he couldn't even find his way off the barstool, much less walk to his room to sleep!" As she spoke, Karin slid onto a stool next to her. "She'll likely give you a full biotic kick or burukh… and you'll be sleeping it off within 30 minutes, missing most of what remains of the day."

Ines cocked a brow. "I'm assuming a 'full biotic kick' isn't some Asari martial arts move?"

Aethyta released a gravelly chuckle. "Nope. It's bourbon, Tuchanka dry, twist of orange, and ginger beer to fill."

"None of that sounds horrible…" started Ines, her voice dwindling with the scowl that appeared on Karin's face.

"Don't tempt her, Ines." Karin gave her a knowing look. "You should stay away from anything Krogan… in this case, the Tuchanka dry. It's a hard alcohol designed to make a 150 kilo Krogan drunk. You'll be under the table by the time you drink half of it… unless you plan to nurse it over the next four hours. The same can be said for that innocent sounding burukh."

"Understood." Ines smirked at the doctor. "In that case, it seems you are the resident expert… been to this joint a time or two, I take it… and my personal safety monitor. So, if that's the case, what's your recommendation, Doctor?"

"Well, depends on your tastes… my favorite is Serrice Ice Brandy." Karin watched as Ines wrinkled her nose, and continued, "But if you're not a brandy gal and are looking for something else… something with, I believe I heard you say, a bit of a kick… try a Quad Kicker. That at least has recognizable ingredients."

Karin chuckled at the questioning look she got from the Fleet Admiral, prompting Aethyta to offer the ingredients list. "Spiced rum, bourbon, ginger ale, and an option for curry powder."

"Now, that sounds like it has possibilities." Looking at Aethyta, Ines smiled. "I normally abhor following doctor's orders but, in this case… one quad kicker, if you please… with the curry powder, to give it a tad bit of zing."

"Probably a good choice." Aethyta smiled and nodded. "We'll see how it suites you and go from there for future recommendations. How long you here with us?"

"I'm here until the new year, so you have two weeks to experiment on me and find my perfect drink, Aethyta." Ines smirked. "You up for the challenge?"

Karin groaned out an "oh, no," as Aethyta mixed the first cocktail, a grin growing on her face.

Placing the gently shaken concoction on the bar in front of her newest customer, Aethyta gave her a quick nod. "You've got yourself a deal, Ines. Nothing more satisfying than finding that perfect combination of alcohol for a friend of the family." She huffed. "Can't get Shepard to bite though. She's a Bushmills gal, through and through. Though, after trying some, I do have to admit it is one fine whiskey."

Ines eyes lit up. "Shepard has a stash of Bushmills here?"

"Not you, too!" groaned Aethyta. "I've lost you forever, now, haven't I?"

Laughing, the admiral smiled, "Oh, most definitely not, Aethyta, so don't you worry about that. I'm just surprised, is all. That stuff is nearly impossible to find, so she must have an inside supplier. I'll have to talk to her about that sometime this week… pry out her secret."

Karin nodded. "Yes, Shepard most definitely has some connections. She even keeps me supplied with Serrice Ice. Not so hard now, but she somehow managed to keep me in stock during the Reaper War. That was a miracle all in itself."

While they chatted, Aethyta had poured Karin her glass of brandy and placed it in front of her, as well. Giving the matriarch a nod of thanks, she picked up and raised her glass. "To Shepard and her ingenuity, and Aethyta… for her skill with all things alcohol."

Laughing, Ines raised her glass in answer, "Here, here!"

Unlike your normal, employed bartender, Aethyta poured herself a glass of crystal-clear amber liquid. "This is another one you'll try… and maybe even need a couple of times this coming week." She explained, "It's Akantha. Warm and smoky, with a sweet chase…" grinning as she added, "…and, most importantly, helps get rid of hangovers."

"I'll keep that in mind," Ines replied. "Just in case we have an experiment gone wrong sometime over the week."

"Ha!" Having just faded, Aethyta's grin reappeared. "Or every night as your final drink… just to be sure. It's actually quite pleasing." She suddenly set her own glass down so she could pull out a shot glass. Pouring a dram of Akantha, she set it on the bar in front of Ines. "Here, just give it a taste. If you like a good, smoky bourbon, you'll like this."

"Why the hell not?" Ines picked up the shot glass and asked, "I assume it's a sipper, not a shot?"

"Yup, but that's just a taster. Visit the bar before you go to bed. You don't need me for that. The bar is open to anyone – all day, all night. I'm just here because I like mixing drinks people like but don't know how to make." She gave the admiral an unexpected understanding smile. "The Akantha sits right back here, center stage… because everyone needs this one, once in a while."

"Oh! This is good," whispered Ines. "Almost tastes like a top-shelf Kentucky… without the caramel." Ines looked at Aethyta in surprise. "And this is a pure Asari drink?"

"Sure is," nodded Aethyta. "The base extract comes from the common irssal, a blossom that Humans tell me smells like honey." She shrugged. "Sometimes, I think whatever is in it that causes its sweet smell is strong enough to give Akantha its sense of sweet finish… because nothing else in the ingredients explains it."

"I will leave the mysteries of alcohol to you." Ines set the shot glass down and pushed it toward the matriarch. "I can see why you would drink that, with or without the hangover that would necessitate it." Ines laughed lightly. "But, for now… I'll stick to my quad kicker."

Aethyta, always the good bartender, felt the need to carry on some form of conversation, so asked, "So, Ines. Got any kids?"

The woman smiled softly. "I do… though nowhere near as famous as yours, that's for certain. Her name is Amanda, and she just turned 30 this year. She's a metallurgist working on Terra Nova, so I was extremely thankful to learn she just happened to be in one of the underground mining camps when the Reapers hit. Those abominations didn't bother going into the mines – just controlled the surface – so she stayed safe through the entire war."

Ines frowned as she continued. "I wanted her to come home after the war, but she refused. She said the surface population was cut in less-than-half, so they are rebuilding… and they need her. The planet's population dropped from almost four-and-a-half million to just under two… quite literally with the initial attack. Crushing the protective domes over the surface cities took care of that. Humans don't survive those kinds of high temperatures for very long without some form of solar protection and access to water, so they were forced to attempt relocation… closer to the poles. Apparently, the Reapers picked off many of the survivors of the initial attack, detecting many of them as they tried to move. Not many had the good fortune to finish the migration."

Karin added to the discussion. "We had heard the mines ceased operations… I imagine they must have secured the doors and moved deep into the mines to avoid discovery?"

"Yes… but not just discovery." Ines shook her head. "Mandy told me they couldn't stand being close enough to the doors to hear those outside banging on them, screaming to be let in. So, the facility's guards moved them deeper into the mine… and then made sure no one left the secured area, for fear someone would unlock the doors to let their families in… and get everyone killed in the process. She also said the first couple of weeks were the hardest… after that, everyone simply gave up, assuming the worst."

"And, at the end of the war?" asked Aethyta. "How many were still alive outside the mine?"

The Matriarch was initially surprised at the smile that appeared on the Admiral's face, until she heard the answer. "The mine population was only around five thousand… so, you do the math."

"Two million people held it together and found ways to survive?" The matriarch was amazed but realized she should not have been. The Asari had proven astonishingly resilient so, she supposed, the Humans were capable of the same. All she had to do was think about David Anderson, and it all made sense.

"Yes. Just like Earth, just like Thessia." Ines nodded. "Apparently, people get pretty stubborn about living when they need to… even when Reapers are parked at their front door."

"Well, I sure as hell hope Amanda isn't staying there out of survivor's guilt, because she hid during the war." Aethyta shook her head. "Some people are commandos, and some aren't. It's just that simple. A person who can't fight can get the remainder of a squad killed, simply by trying to cover for them and keep their ass alive."

"I didn't even realize you had a daughter, Ines." Karin finally asked the question that had occurred to her at the very start of the conversation. "I don't mean to pry… but I am curious. Were you… or are you… married? I've never seen a ring on your hand, but that's neither here nor there. A lot of military members don't wear jewelry on the job, and we haven't exactly traveled in the same social circles."

"No, we don't, but neither do I mind answering your question." Ines smiled softly. "I did want to be a normal nobody here this week, so I guess that comes with the territory, doesn't it? Getting to know one another as people, instead of as Alliance officers." She paused for a moment before continuing. "It seems like a whole different lifetime. My husband Charlie and I married relatively young… and were in our mid-twenties when we had Amanda. She was only seven when he died in 2167, during a Batarian raid on Elysium… almost a decade before the Skyllian Blitz. The colony had grown fast… much faster than the defenses that guarded it, making it a prime target for the Batarians."

"I am so sorry, Ines! Was he a colonist? Was Amanda with him?" Karin was shocked by the revelation, thinking about Samantha as a young child; she was only eleven when David was killed on the SSV Geneva.

"Thankfully, no." Ines shook her head. "Charlie was a long-hauler and on a delivery run for the many vacation resorts located on that damned planet. Alpine paradise, my ass. Target for every no-good criminal and thief in the sector, more like it. Of course, the Blitz hadn't happened yet, so those two-bit criminals weren't enough to garner Alliance attention… not until Elanos Haliat arrived on the scene."

She paused and met Karin's eyes. "Elanos Haliat and a certain young officer by the name of Samantha Shepard. That was the first time I ever heard her name. My only regret from all of that was that someone like Shepard hadn't been on-planet that day in '67, like she was when the Blitz hit. I have to admit, I was glad she was there. All I could think about at the time was that those bastards finally got what was coming to them… and it was an Alliance officer who accomplished it. I don't know if the group that killed my Charlie was part of that larger group, but I like to think they were… and finally received the justice due them."

Aethyta set a second quad kicker on the bar in front of the woman. "That's a hell of a story. Shepard know it?"

"No, she doesn't." Ines met the matriarch's eyes. "And she never will, because she's the type who would carry the guilt of not being there, even if she was only what? Twelve? Thirteen?"

Aethyta shrugged. "Or she could be happy in the fact she – along with all those who were there at her side – helped you finally get some closure for Charlie." She glanced across the room, looking for the love of Liara's life. "That's the kind of secret you shouldn't keep. She needs to hear it from you, though, not through gossip. Go be a normal person and let her know how she helped you get closure on a not-so-great chapter in your life. I know Shepard. It will be a good thing; I promise you that."

Ines looked at the matriarch for a moment longer before following her gaze. Shepard was laughing. It was obvious that a group of friends surrounded her, all of them chatting and getting caught up on life. A life Shepard had given them all by leading them to victory over the Reapers. Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea to remind her the Reapers weren't the only victory in her career. She turned back to Aethyta and picked up her drink, raising it to the matriarch. "I'll do that, thanks." She took a small sip before adding, "When I manage get a bit of private time with her."

"Private time, at this party?"

"Nope," answered Ines, shaking her head. "I'm getting some flying time with her and Judea Voni between Christmas and New Year's… Which does remind me. I was going to only stay the week… but with the promised tour, I'm staying for two. Your lovely steward has no problem with it, but I do need to send a note to Quinn Tyberg, my aide, and to Admiral Dresher… Commander, 2d Fleet, and my stand in while I'm here… to let them all know I'm staying the extra week."

She stood and grabbed her drink. "This is very good, by the way. I very much look forward to future experiments in alcohol with you, Aethyta. But next time? You're drinking with me… and it's going to be something more than Akantha."

"She's on to you, Thyta, and don't be looking at me like that. I didn't warn her of your tactics. Her attention to detail and ability to read a room is why she's the Fleet Admiral!" Laughing, Karin rose to rejoin the party, leaving the admiral to make her necessary notifications. "And you, Ines, come find me if you'd like to know who more of the guests are, as well as their relationship to Liara and Sam."