A/N: I think we've seen enough of Shepard's Druid holidays that we can skip over the Alban Arthan celebration this year, simply moving the timeline along. Also, events of 'A Christmas Present for Oriana' (25 Nov – 23 Dec) occur between the last chapter and this one, so you might want to skim through it if you have not read it, or simply want to refresh your memory, as it will be mentioned, but not repeated here.

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Nara - literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden (Thessian; Source: CDN)

Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Family

Turian Apartment Block, CGC, Serpent Nebula – 22 Dec 2191

Desis Vyessan Vakarian looked around the nicely appointed apartment assigned to the Turian Primarch's Advisor and Liaison to the Systems Alliance – and his mate, by extension. She was now convinced, more than ever, that choosing to split their trip from Palaven to Thessia with an overnight stopover here on the CGC was the right choice. The more she looked around, the happier she was that she'd insisted upon it.

A bumping noise at the door pulled her attention back. Garrus had dropped a pair of overnight bags just inside the main door before closing and locking it. Setting privacy mode to active, he lowered and dropped his mandibles in his imitation of a Human's smile. "Well, does it meet your approval, Dee?"

The female, still cradling an infant Ace in her arms, nodded once as she replied, "It's quite nice, Garrus." Her sub-harmonics shifted slightly; in a tone of mock disapproval, she asked, "So, why in Spirit's name have I just recently learned of this place?" With a free hand on her hip, she cocked back, lifted an eyebrow, and used an accusatory tone of voice to ask her favorite Turian in the galaxy, "You haven't been using it all this time for clandestine hookups, have you?"

Garrus had long since become used to Desis' mostly mock jealously and thought nothing of it – an entirely different reaction from their earlier times together. Dee still took great pleasure in pushing Garrus' insecurity button, but no longer went there nearly as often as when they had first started seeing each other. "Dee, I would never dream of bringing another female here."

He paused a beat before pushing back. "I have another place I can use." At the look he received – the dangerously spread mandibles, coupled with the determined set of her jaw and an intense, one eyebrow raised, violet-eyed stare – he hastened to add, "I'm kidding, Dee! It's a joke! Spirits! Why in the universe would I look for pleasure with any other female, when it's all I can manage just to keep up with you?!"

Desis couldn't maintain the charade any longer; she responded with a school-girl giggle, saying, "Damn, Garrus! You are still so easy." Setting an increasingly fussy Acicidia on the floor – still wrapped in a soft blanket – she moved to stand in front of him. Wrapping both arms around him at the waist, she reached up to nibble on a mandible and inquired, "Is there anything to eat in this place – besides you?"

Bringing his arms up so he could see what he was doing, he activated his omnitool and placed a dinner order with the nearby Turian short-order café. As he passed that contact information to the tool on Desis' wrist, he said, "There'll be a meal here in about twenty minutes, including a child size meal for Ace. So much more economical to order in, rather than keeping perishable foodstuffs here."

With a glance at his baby daughter, he added, "I never thought until just now that I needed a baby bed in here. I'll make a couple of calls, see if something can be delivered in a few hours." At her questioning look, he added, "You must realize we'll need it again when we return after New Year's."

"Wait, what?" After a moment, her eyes widened slightly as she realized the entire plan. "I understand now! We have to travel through Widow anyway, so you booked us on the daily diplomatic shuttle from our homeworld."

Garrus chuckled. "Hold that thought, Dee." Pulling up his omnitool, he called a store that specialized in Turian-centric furniture. While he was so engaged, Desis picked Ace up from the floor and wandered about, inspecting the apartment with the critical eyes of a mother. After checking the bedrooms, bathrooms – one of which was right off the main bedroom – and the kitchen/dining room, she approached her mate just as he closed his omnitool. "Problem solved, Dee. It took a few calls to find a store with something in stock, but a small bed suitable for a child – newborn to eighteen months – will be here in a couple of hours. The manager will deliver it himself. That'll give us enough time to enjoy dinner and get Ace fed, then relax a bit before we go to bed ourselves.

Desis cocked her head as she shifted Ace in her arms. "Back to our discussion concerning your blatant use of diplomatic courier vessels for travel between systems, Garrus."

"Right. Well, tomorrow, we'll hitch a ride on the Asari diplomatic shuttle bound for Thessia." He chortled with the comment, "I can log both flights, along with the return trips, as official business for the Hierarchy. The flights are generally only half-full anyway, so… what's the harm?"

Dee wasn't convinced it was a good idea. "As I see it, the harm is neither Thessia nor Palaven are part of the Systems Alliance, Garrus. Won't some data and credit pusher in the Primarch's office flag them as improper… a blatant waste of resources?"

Garrus chuckled with his reply. "An important member of the Alliance's Defense Committee will be visiting the T'Soni estate, Dee – that would be Admiral Hannah Shepard. And, I have it on good authority that not only will Fleet Admiral Ines Lindholm be there, but Grissom Academy Commander Kahlee Sanders will be visiting as well, along with Admiral… and Doctor… Karin Chakwas, from the Normandy." With another chuckle, he concluded, "Four esteemed members of Alliance top brass… all conveniently in one place… and me, accompanied by my beautiful mate and the cutest little bundle of joy ever conceived. If I speak with any one of them about Turian recovery efforts, so much the better!"

Desis raised one eyebrow, commenting. "Uh-huh. And I'll just bet you're relying on the fact that Human females – especially Samantha Shepard – seem to have a soft spot for babies… no matter the species."

Garrus dipped his head slightly in feigned embarrassment. "I'm really sorry Dee, but I can almost guarantee Acicidia S'mantha will be totally and completely spoiled by the time we need to leave to come home. Merciful Spirits! The Asari enjoy fussing over babies as well."

The smirk on Desis' face and the glint in her silver-flecked violet eyes was something to behold. "You don't sound the least bit sorry, Garrus Vakarian, and I really must say – spending so much time in the company of Samantha Shepard has utterly corrupted you. You're thinking just like a… Human!"

The main door entry chime sounded as Garrus laughed. Moving to get their meals, he commented over his shoulder, "That accusation – inaccurate as it is – is not something I'll ever consider to be an insult, Dee… not at all." Sensing Desis moving to stand behind him, he handed half of the packaged meals to her after scooping up a squirming baby, settled the bill, then took the other package and Ace to the dining room, where Desis opened the containers and, after finding and opening the bottle of wine, set their meals out while Garrus grabbed a couple of glasses and utensils for them. "Let's have dinner."

T'Soni Estate, Thessia, Parnitha System – 23 Dec 2191

It was mid-morning when they received notification of an inbound vehicle and, based on its description alone, Liara and Shepard knew it was Judea and Miranda, so headed outside to meet them on the parking apron. They watched as Judea brought the skycar in with her usual aplomb, effortlessly setting it down dead-center onto the parking spot. Both passengers immediately climbed out; with broad smiles on their faces, they converged on their hosts, who met them halfway.

"Goddess, it is always good to come home!" Judea first hugged Liara, then Shepard, after quickly trading places with Miranda. "Who has beaten us here?"

Liara smiled softly, "Well, you already know Hannah has been here for a few days, and Oriana popped in first thing this morning… but that is as it should be, with her trip up from Armali being so much shorter than your trip down from T'Sere. Oh, and Garrus, Desis and Ace are due in from the CGC any time now."

"And how did Sella's arrival plan work out with Ori?" Miranda chuckled; Shepard having given her the lowdown on the commando's planned surprise for her sister.

"Well, the start of it all went as planned, with Ori none the wiser, apparently." She glanced fleetingly at Liara, who was grinning ear-to-ear, before adding, "As for the rest, we simply have to assume everything went very well, as we haven't seen nor heard from either of them since."

"So, they simply vanished into their quarters? How inconsiderate." Judea chuckled and shook her head, still grinning as she added, "I'll have to talk to Sella about proper etiquette, when it comes to informing your primary regarding members joining the House."

Liara's smile took away any chastisement her words may have carried as she responded, "You will do no such thing, Judea Voni. Let them enjoy their engagement, just as Shepard and me… and you and Miranda were able to do." Liara paused and fixed Jude with an intense stare as she commented, "Besides which, Sella actually came to me and asked to be released from her position on my Personal Guard, so she would have more home time to spend with Ori; yet, I honestly do not remember you providing me any advance notice before getting together with Miranda."

"But we…" Judea started and then stopped, fingers scrubbing her forehead in recollection. "No. You are absolutely correct; I did not, so I have no counter to that statement. Point very well made, Liara. I will leave them to their enjoyment of their new status." She then smiled and chuckled, realizing Liara was teasing her. "Well, at least until tomorrow, anyway."

"Good choice," answered Liara with a smile, turning to her siame to finish.

Without missing a beat, Shepard quickly added, "As Liara already said, Garrus, Dee and Ace are due in any time, then Karin and Ines come in early tomorrow morning with Falere and Aresia, along with their SILC escort, followed by Sharon and Adrien, who hope to make it by lunch."

"Excellent." Miranda nodded. "And what about the Krogan contingent? Or the Normandy?"

"Neither is making it this year and, as you are likely aware, Gabby took her holiday early, so she and Harley won't be here either."

Miranda smiled. "Yes, we heard about that. Matriarch Tralis actually asked Jude if she wanted to hop aboard the Celebration and go along for the ride to Earth…" Miri's gaze shifted to her partner and back quickly, as she continued, "… but Jude was on a deadline, having some engineering she needed to finish up. She didn't want to hold up the fabrication department, not when we'll be going to the public ceremony, once those two find room in their schedules to have what Gabby refers to as the 'real' ceremony. That one, we won't miss for anything."

Armali Diplomatic Spaceport, Thessia, Parnitha System – 23 Dec 2191

It was a crystal clear, early winter afternoon, with the promise of a much cooler evening to come. Garrus, with Desis carrying baby Ace, had just left the warm confines of Athame's Providence, the Asari frigate assigned as one of two diplomatic courier vessels running between Thessia and the CGC. Garrus, not wishing to remain outside too long with an infant in tow, welcomed the sight of an X3M moving in their direction from the end of the expansive docks.

The sleek craft's nearly silent approach intrigued him, as did its design; virtually all skycars followed a common design philosophy, with little differences between those made by Turians, or Asari or Humans. This speeder, medium green in color, appeared to be an Asari design. As it came to a hushed stop beside him, the canopy lifted to reveal a young woman – a Human! – at the controls.

The big Turian was taken aback by her appearance as she clambered out of the craft. "Garrus Vakarian! It's wonderful to see you again." The voice, with a slight accent not common to any of the Humans he knew, did sound vaguely familiar. Garrus, not wishing to insult a person who obviously knew him, hesitantly replied, "Do I know you, Ms…?"

The instant the words were out of his mouth, he realized to whom he was speaking. Kasumi Goto! Without her black and red armor, and the ever-present hooded cowl, he could truly see her remarkable beauty… a round face with a pale complexion, under a shock of medium-length, seemingly messy black hair, some of which fell forward to nearly hide a pair of almond-shaped eyes… eyes that appeared remarkably luminous, despite being the deepest shade of brown. The dead giveaway to Garrus was the Athame stripe tattooed on her lower lip and the skin above the point of her chin. "Kasumi! I nearly did not recognize you without your armor, or…" he chuckled as he continued, "… the hood that always shadowed your face."

Spreading her arms wide, she bowed slightly with her reply. "At your service. And this must be Desis… pleased to meet you." Dee took the offered hand, pumped it twice, then watched as the woman peered at the bundle she was protectively carrying. "And Ace. So pleased to meet you both."

Garrus was still in shock at the master thief's new mode of dress. "Spirits, Kas. I don't believe I've seen you since you materialized in my place right after the war – to see you unarmored, with your face fully in view?"

Taking note of the seeming disapproval by Desis, Kasumi replied, "Well, yes. Let's all get in the speeder, Garrus. We can catch up during the trip to T'Soni's estate."

After assisting the Turians into her speeder – with Desis taking the seat beside the pilot – they were off.

T'Soni Estate, Thessia, Parnitha System – 23 Dec 2191

Desis had relaxed upon hearing Kasumi relate the tale of her postwar search for a way to end former councilor Sparatus' cushy life on his homeworld. It was only now that Garrus finally learned one crucial detail concerning the invasion of Omega Station by an army of Turians loyal to the disgraced former councilor. He and Desis listened in horrified fascination to Kasumi's detailed description of just how efficient the personal shield generator hack was at assassinating someone, leading Garrus to comment, "After betraying his position by allowing Tarus Kuril free access to assault a restrained Council Spectre, he deserved no less." He concluded, "I believe your partnership with Jondum Bau was very productive."

Kasumi's voice was slightly rough as she recalled, "Jon and I worked well together." With a slight cough to clear the lump that had unexpectedly formed in her throat, she added, "After he retired from the Spectres, but before he left to spend his final days on his homeworld, he gifted me his ship – Gurji's Promise?" Kasumi pulled into the temporary parking area at the southeast corner of T'Soni's home as she continued, "I had it repainted, and renamed it. It's now Spectre's Rose. You can see it if you like. It's parked in the main hanger on the west side of the estate."

Of some surprise, Desis turned to her and said, "I'd very much like to see your ship, Kasumi… but only with you as a guide. I find you to be an intriguing Human… and I'd like to know you better."

Kasumi grinned at Desis while opening the canopy and side doors. "Not much to know, Desis. I've led an interesting life, to be sure, but a lot of the things I did before the war – before the Collectors – are things I no longer wish to recall. The memories are not bad, actually – just… somewhat painful."

Kasumi's admission enthralled Desis that much more, but, after handing Ace to her father, she could actually see a bit of Kasumi's pain reflected in her expressive eyes as she carefully climbed out of the X3M. I won't press her for more information if she's disinclined to share, came the thought, as she and Garrus were enthusiastically greeted by Shepard and Liara, along with House Steward Lyessa Raptos, Captain Lyria Tremi and Samantha Traynor. A nearly overwhelming feeling of peace and delight descended on her as she introduced baby Acicidia S'mantha Vyessan-Vakarian – Ace – to the welcome party. She offered her standard warning concerning fingers – or anything else – placed near her tiny mandibles, then sighed as she thought, No doubt, little Ace will soon be the center of attention. She dropped and spread her mandibles in happy contemplation. Probably won't have a chance to hold her much at all during our stay! Better not get used to it.

T'Soni Estate, Thessia, Parnitha System – 24 Dec 2191

Ori rolled over and smiled at Sella, their blue eyes meeting. Breathing out a soft, contented sigh, Orianna leaned in and placed her lips against the sumptuous lips of her lover… and now, her fiancé. The thought sent tremors of glee through her body, prompting Sella to ask, "Are you cold? I can get another blanket…"

"I'm fine, Sel…" She smiled and laughed before adding, "More than fine if you want the full truth. Tell me… I did not dream of yesterday… we truly are engaged, right?"

Sella's lips spread into a wide grin. "Absolutely not a dream, Ori. You're stuck with me now."

The Human rolled away and climbed out of bed – much to the chagrin of her Asari mate – to don her robe and tie it closed. "Good. That means we can talk about what comes next! Like… my job. Obviously, I can no longer work in Armali… it's too far away for a daily commute. Not that I honestly need to work, after receiving the buy-out funds from my previous job."

Sella sat up and shook her head. "Ori. Slow down, please! We have a lot of time to discuss this."

"We have the holiday… which barely has a week remaining to it, Sel."

"But I'll be leaving the Personal Guard, as soon as Liara makes her new selection… and will be staying here so we can be together more continuously."

"And you never bothered to ask me if that was what I desired, did you?" Ori raised her eyebrows, giving Sella a look that left the commando questioning Ori's desire to reside in the same household.

"Wait. What?" Sella's own brow knit in confusion. "Do you not want me to stay with you?"

Ori actually chuckled at the concerned look on her lover's face, so returned to sit on the edge of the bed and reached out to take Sella's hands. "Of course, I want us to be at the same location, but we never talked about it, Sel. I've always been interested in colonial development… so, I was actually thinking of asking Liara for permission to accompany all of you to Ilos. I would like to speak with them… the Protheans… and either help them or learn from them, regarding all of the many things involved in the establishment of a brand-new colony."

"It's not exactly new…" Sella countered.

"I realize that… and I'm sure that poses difficulties of its own. What to keep for posterity, what to tear down and replace…" Oriana's eyes were aglow with excitement. "I mean, seriously! The challenges that come along with that? I want to know how they make those decisions. What are their priorities?" She shrugged and gave Sella an eager smile. "What would you think of me tagging along?"

Sella chuckled and shrugged. "I think you must be absolutely mad to want to go to Ilos but, then, so is Lady Liara and everyone on the archaeological team… so why not have one more crazy go along for the journey?" She gave Oriana's hands a squeeze. "But… I have already tendered my intent to resign so, if you are truly serious about this, we should speak with Lady Liara at her earliest convenience… or, at the very least, let her know we want to have a conversation about my position and you going to Ilos. I am sure that will come as a huge surprise!"

Liara's morning passed quickly, much of it spent running in and out, back and forth between the warmth of the house and the winter chill of the various landing pads, as the remaining arriving guests trickled in. As soon as she and Shepard had finished lunch, she opened her omnitool and pinged Sella. "I am truly sorry it took so long to get back to you but I do believe we have a moment to breathe, if you and Ori care to come speak with us about your joint future."

Sella smiled and glanced at Ori. They both stood from their seats and waved as Sella replied, "We can do that rather quickly, Lady Liara… seeing as we're only across the room from you, we can be there momentarily. Shall we bring a refresh for your drinks?"

Liara smiled and waved back at them, answering, "Don't worry about it. Both our mugs are still over half full. Just bring yourselves and whatever you are drinking."

The duo quickly made their way over and sat across the table from the couple, with Sella and Oriana quickly sharing their morning conversation. Liara leaned back in her chair, the surprise on her face quite evident. "Well, if this is truly your desire, I believe you are in luck, Sella. We have the list of commandos we were considering for the vacancy… but have not spoken to any of them yet."

Shepard took in the relief she saw on both of the eager faces before her and smiled. "So… Oriana. You truly want to go with us to study the Prothean version of colonial development, rather than continue with your music career?" She smirked skeptically. "I mean, Ilos isn't exactly the nicest place in the galaxy to spend a lot of time. Most of the commandos positively hate it."

Oriana looked at the captain and shook her head, her lips parting in a wide grin. "Colonial management has always been one of my top choices for a career, Shepard. Remote locations, some virtually pristine… that you get to mold into your own vision of what a colony is supposed to be? Adventure and challenge all rolled into one. What could be better than that?"

"A soft bed, followed by a hot shower and breakfast on the veranda, looking out at the ocean?" Liara chuckled softly. "Yet, the archaeologist in me agrees with you, Oriana, wholeheartedly." She smiled and reached over to take Shepard's hand. "As long as the one we love is with us, nothing else matters, does it."

"Exactly, Liara." Oriana's expression turned serious as she looked back at Shepard. "You of all people should know what it's like to feel the need to do something… purposeful. Something that improves the lives of those around you."

"Yes, I do." Shepard nodded. "But… there are limits, even to that, Ori." She looked at Liara and gave her a loving smile as she continued, "There are some things which I am no longer willing to sacrifice, even if it's for the betterment of others." Her gaze, solid and unflinching, shifted back to the woman sitting across from her. "We will support you in this decision, but when you reach the point where either you or Sella need more personal time… more home time… please promise me you will tell us. Liara and I had to endure well past that point, to continue the fight and defeat the Reapers. We did that only so no one else would have to ever do it again – particularly those close to us… whom we care very deeply about."

Oriana not only heard Shepard's statement, but she also felt its intensity in the captain's tone of voice, right to the very core of her being. "Thank you, Shepard. We will honor the dedication you and Liara have shown to all of us, and we will be sure to inform you if and when we reach such a point in our lives. But, for now… Sella and I are in agreement; we want to go to Ilos with the team."

Liara gave them a single, sharp nod of acceptance. "Then that is how it shall be. I will inform Mozia and Aethyta the hunt for your replacement is no longer necessary, Sella."

Sella squeezed Oriana's hand as she replied, "Thank you, Lady Liara. I appreciate the faith you have placed in me… in us… by allowing us to continue to serve you."

"And I thank the Goddess I get to keep you on my Personal Guard for a little bit longer, Sel." Liara gave her an adoring smile. "I have already spoken about how much I appreciate your dedication to House T'Soni… and to me." She paused only a moment before asking, "And what, if I may inquire, changed your mind about staying?"

At that, Sella chuckled and pointed at her companion. "I simply failed to ask Ori what she wanted to do… and she made it quite plain to me, just this morning, that we need to discuss such things before I go making any more unilateral decisions for what she says is now our future."

"Oh," chuckled Shepard. "Ouch! Guess you won't do that again, will you?"

"No, Captain." Sella grinned. "I most definitely will not."

"One of the reasons I never married." Karin's voice came in from the side, making everyone turn their heads, and Shepard to come to her feet.

"Welcome to the party, General Chakwas."

In response, Karin first gave her a playful swat on the shoulder, then a hug, as she replied. "Enough of that now, or I'll have a chat with Kasumi about your next swordsmanship lesson."

Laughing, Shepard dipped her head and replied, "Understood, Aunt Karin. I've received enough bruises on my shoulder to last a lifetime. Kas needs no encouragement in that arena!"

Liara also stood to give the woman a warm, welcoming hug. "I know we just saw you a few days ago, but I'm still glad you were able to join us, as you are most definitely family! May I take it that your joining the party means you and Ines are all settled into your rooms?"

"Oh, yes… and we even visited with Moz and Thyta already… which is where Ines remains, still taunting Aethyta with her inability to find a beverage of any kind that will intoxicate her." Karin chuckled quietly. "I imagine, eventually, Ines will have to let her secret slip, so Aethyta will stop questioning her skills as a bar tender."

Shepard quirked an eyebrow, answering, "Oh, now… where's the fun in that?"

"Oh, Nara…" Sella let out a laugh. "That's not very much in the spirit of the holidays, now, is it? You should be nicer to the matriarch! I know it can be hard… but it's Christmas."

That got a chuckle out of pretty much everyone sitting around the table, making Shepard turn a little on the pink side as she finally answered, "Bah! Fine. I expect you're right. I suppose I can send a little bit of Christmas cheer her way." She smiled and shrugged before asking, "Now, for a change of topic. How was the flight in with our new SILC friend, Escort Lenar?"

"That's a very interesting question, Sam." Karin got an odd look on her face, pinching the brow between her eyes. "He is very reserved, very much the opposite of any of the SILC leads we have encountered, in any of the capacities in which we've met them – be it structural fabrication teams, medical technicians, or the maintenance specialists. As such, I asked him about it… and he stated his purpose is very limited. He is only programmed with two tasks… observe and monitor the actions and body chemistry of his two subjects, and ensure their actions pose no risk to any organic in their proximity."

Karin stopped and sighed, looking directly at Shepard as she continued. "I suppose that is exactly what he needs to do… but it struck me as rather… utilitarian? I don't know. After all our other interactions with the SILC, I thought they were… I don't know… growing more? Do you know what I mean?"

"I think I do, Aunt Karin." Shepard had only a hint of a smile on her face as she recalled a memory. "I had that conversation with Edi… which now seems like a very, very long time ago. She was experimenting with her emotional simulator programming and had purposely created positive feedback loops, to set up certain action-reaction profiles. She said it made it where certain phrasing or actions by the crew, towards her, would meet the criteria… and it would 'please' her. She found it necessary to disable the circuitry during the war, simply because she found it too distracting, and asked me how we, as Humans, could even begin to function efficiently, with all the hormones and emotions that continuously bombard us." Shepard shrugged as she concluded, "Perhaps the SILC have discovered the same thing."

"But what did you tell her? Did you answer her question?" Karin cocked her head, staring at the captain and, obviously, expecting a complete answer.

"I gave her the only answer I had…" Shepard shrugged again. "With practice. Every day of our lives from the minute we're born, we have to practice our emotional responses to things, be they good or bad… but we have no say in the matter, because emotion is innate to our being."

Still not satisfied, Karin prodded, "And how did she respond?"

"She turned the circuitry completely off, rather than simply placing it in standby mode, saying as long as we were at war with the Reapers, she did not have time to practice. It could potentially put the crew… and the ship… at risk, and would violate her primary directive, which was to protect the ship and crew at all cost."

Karin looked stricken. "Did she ever turn it back on again? Was it still part of her programming after the reboot?"

At that, Shepard smiled. "Yes, Aunt Karin, it was… and yes, she did. But, even with Normandy on peace-time standing, she still restricts that circuitry to off-duty hours only." She laughed and shook her head. "Last time I spoke with Joker, he told me that he wished I had told her to simply delete it, because her sense of humor was way out of control."

Karin's eyes opened wide, and she laughed out loud. "By the Gods that any and all of us believe in, the only person Jeff Moreau has to blame for that is himself! He sat right next to her all those years… she learned from him!"

"That's exactly what I told him…" Shepard smirked. "To which he very promptly replied that he was glad I was no longer his captain, because now he could tell me to fuck off and stay the Hell away from his ship!"

T'Soni Estate, Thessia, Parnitha System – 25 Dec 2191

Riana smiled softly, holding Aresia's hand gently within her own as they strolled down the beach. She had been surprised when their SILC Escort, Lenar, gave them permission to walk the beach, as he monitored from the beach house. Of course, the combination of his long-distance visual acuity, the multiple-wavelength sensors on his platform, and his possession of a Geth Armory Javelin sniper rifle made it possible for him to give such permission. Even so, they were cautioned that leaving the designated area within his direct line of sight would have undesirable consequences – a warning they acknowledged and promised to not violate.

Aresia had dipped her head in acquiescence to her escort's directive. "We will not abuse the trust you are placing in us, Lenar. I completely understand that you need to monitor both Falere and me while we are here and letting me walk down the beach with my sister is a stretch on your ability to do so. Thank you."

Now, they simply walked and enjoyed one another's company. "So," began Riana. "How are things at the Monastery? The gardens doing well? And how is the staff shaping up?"

Aresia grinned. "Things are going very well, actually. Matriarch Tela has been amazing through our transition over to the SILC guardianship. More of us than ever before are being allowed to travel and, with so many escorts available, she actually had to institute a travel request process, to ensure we have enough people to operate the newly built greenhouses."

"Wow…" Riana paused before asking, "But how many residents are there now, outside of staff? I hate to mention painful memories, but only sixteen of you remained…"

"Painful, then… yes. But much time has passed since, and the Justicar order has done well with their reorganization, compliments mostly of Samara. With the blending of their code into Asari rule of law, they have once again been recruiting new members. Their numbers at the Monastery have risen from five to twenty-five… and our numbers have risen from sixteen to forty-two."

"Tripled in only four years?" Riana's surprise echoed in her voice.

"Do not sound so shocked, Ri." Aresia chuckled quietly. "There were always more of us out there than in… with families trying to keep many of us hidden, for whatever reasons. The embarrassment, the separation from the child you love… or the opposite extreme, like our parents… I was dead to them. But as word of the Justicar transformation got out, as well as the news on how the gardens helped to keep the galaxy fed during recovery? Let me tell you, Lady Liara organized an excellent promotional campaign with the assistance of the Broker network! You must have known what she was doing… right?"

Riana was both surprised and embarrassed by her own ignorance on this subject. "I had no idea she was so involved in that campaign. I always assumed it was Samara!"

"Well, I will admit, Samara was the public face of the whole thing. The reformed Justicar wanting to help the Order move in the right direction, looking to the future of the Asari way of life." Aresia shrugged. "It made the AYs not quite so scary… made the flaws in our genetics just another illness that was under control, so long as it was monitored on Lesuss by a competent, dedicated staff. It made those who were hiding want to come to the Monastery… want to be a part of something so much bigger than themselves… to live as normal a life as possible while helping feed a starving galaxy."

"Rez, that's amazing! I honestly had no idea!" Riana shook her head. "How could I have been so oblivious to that?"

"Oh, I don't know." The sarcasm was evident in Aresia's voice. "Maybe because people were trying to assassinate Liara and you were more focused on keeping her alive than you were on the various projects she was running?" She chuckled as she added, "Talk about skewed priorities!"

"Ha, ha." Riana rolled her eyes. "Really funny, Rez… but… also true, unfortunately. There were a lot of security issues… places we went where Liara had no business walking about without armor."

"Yet you all made it through. That's the important part." Aresia glanced back, pulled on Riana's hand, and turned them around. "Come on, we need to head back before Lenar blows a gasket. We're still in visual range, but we've walked a right fair distance."

"Agreed." Riana smiled. "If we're good this time, he's likely to let us do it again before you have to head home."