Morning broke, the sun shone through on Vanessa's face...she slept nice for once in she can't remember how long...she stretched and rolled over to see someone standing in her doorway. At first she thought it was Le’Nassia but as she sat up more came into view and it was her mother's lackeys...geez, “good morning madam, my lady thought you'd appreciate a change of clothing more suitable I feel than your clanky metal armor,” Penun had a typical snob Asari attire for her to wear, so Vanessa decided she might as well try and fit in rather than stand out...well anymore than having a human on an Asari planet would.

Vanessa walked into what would be considered a dining room in their world but it was extreme probably used for house parties, she walked over to the table looking at all that was on it, “you look amazing!” Vanessa turned around to see Le’Nassia walk into the room.

“Well it's not everyday you see a human in Asari get up...unless you've been in any of the nightclubs on Omega.” Vanessa chuckled.

“Still you look pretty good,” she smiled at Ryker

“Thank you,” she tempted a curtsy, then another Asari walked into the room, it was Jineya, “Jineya! how are you feeling?”

“Much better, thank you...and I want to formally thank you for your assistance you gave me yesterday, I could never repay you for that.”

“And you'll never have to, it was my pleasure to help you and it was the right thing to do.” Jineya smiled at Vanessa.

“Always a thrill to hear such politeness amongst the species,” with that, the joy in the room died, their mother walked in to join them, “oh now don't let me spoil this mood I just wanted to make sure everyone has what they needed, I'm on my way to the office if anyone needs me for anything let Penun know...Goddess protect you,” and just as she entered she left.

Vanessa walked over to Le’Nassia and took her hand, “it's alright she can't mess things up and Jineya is safe...I won't let anything ruin or change that...I promise.” she touched her face.

Jineya could see they both cared for each other very much, she's never seen her sister so happy in all her life...she didn't want that taken from her, “I promise I'll never reveal who you truly are to anyone, because you make my sister happy...but you hurt her and you'll be answering to me.. understood?”

Vanessa smiled at her, “I understood and I promise I would rather die than cause any harm to your sister...or you.” She stuck her hand out to Jineya and Jineya accepted it.

Later that day as promised Le’Nassia and Ryker made their way to the science tower, it was inspired my Liara T'Soni and the work she'd done with Commander Shepard.

Her image hologrammed all over the walls of the building, there was a blue haze all inside...it all looked to precious to touch... Vanessa remembered in her studies about Shepard how amazing this woman was, she was the one who inspired Vanessa to do the best she could for anyone...and to now be here not only where she was from but in something she also made and inspired was... overwhelming.

“You alright Ryker?” Le'Nassia was concerned.

“I'm great, this is great...SHE was great.” Ryker about cried pointing up at one of Liara's hologram.

“Yes, yes she was...some still say she lives but no one truly knows or if where...she's a legend among us and it would have been an honor to witness.” They walked hand in hand to the elevator to go meet Le'Nassia's friends.

“I heard rumors few years back she became the shadow broker.” They entered the elevator.

“Yes I heard rumors of that as well, but I've heard the shadow broker's voice once and it didn't have the Asari dialect or mannerisms to it, but that can all be arranged different if trying to hide whom one is.” She pressed the button for the 80th floor.

They've done an amazing job rebuilding after the Reaper invasion, from the looks of things you'd never even know they were attacked.

Exiting the elevator they took an immediate left toward some cubicle spaces, “Kas! Suul!” Le’Nassia called out to them.

“Le’Nassia!” They all three embraced each other, “it's so good to see you well, I didn't know you were coming home.” Kas seemed happy and yet confused.

“It wasn't a planned visit, had some things come up that needed my attention,” she looked back at Vanessa, “on that matter I need your help, both of you.”

“Whatever is in our power we'd gladly help you,” Suul came up to join in their discussion.

“This is Vanessa, she's important to me...someone on the Senate committee has framed her for the killing of that ambassador and I want to try and find out who...now no one else knows who she is and that she's here and I'd like to keep it that way if possible.” Le’Nassia looked at her friends with a plea in her heart.

“Nassia what are you getting yourself into? This...this is dangerous.” Kas was concerned.

“I understand that but I can't let bad things happen to good people, and as I said I care for this one, more than my life.”

“Then we will see it done, and try our best to find something out for you.” Suul boldly stated.

“We will?” Kas still not happy about it all looked at Suul. Suul gave her a look, “....we will.” Kas finally agreed, “it will take some time though.” Le’Nassia nodded and was grateful.

"Oh and I have a request if possible," Ryker walked over to Suul, "I've been trying to sort out how to deactivate the AI in my omni-tool so Im able to use it, but so far have been unsuccessful. Do you by chance know of a way I can?"

Suul thought it over, "let me look up the pages on it and I'll get back to you on it." Ryker smiled and nodded in agreement as they walked away back to the elevator.

Vanessa and Le’Nassia returned to her mother's house and waited to hear word back from her friends.

Night fell and still no word yet, so they called it a night and would check back in the morning.

As Ryker slept she had a dream there was a shadowed figure laughing at her as they held an omni-blade to Le’Nassia's throat, they called Ryker a traitor and threatened her lover's life...Ryker pleaded to have them spare Le’Nassia but the shadow laughed deeper and stabbed her, then let her fall into a dark hole...Ryker screamed after her...and then woke up startled and sweaty, 'it was just a dream...just a dream’....she then heard a shifting in her room, “who's there?” She had her blaster in her hand, and prayed no one answered her back.

After a moment a voice muffled and unknown to her, “if you know better, you'll leave well enough alone...this will be your only warning.” A woman's voice, and just as quickly they were gone...the window flew open and out they went, into the rain that poured through, Ryker ran to the balcony not caring that it was storming to see where they went...but they were gone.

Ryker debated turning on her omni-tool to scan the area and see if she could find her intruder, but the AI would still be active so she decided not to.

Seconds later Le’Nassia came running in the room after she heard Ryker scream it scared her awake, “what's wrong? Are you alright?... Goddess you're soaking wet...what the hell happened!” Ryker wasn't sure herself but she was damn sure not gonna let anything happen to Le'Nassia...she grabbed ahold of her tightly and held her, “it’s alright, I'm here...nothing is going to happen.”

“Damn right it won't, I won't let it!” Ryker still wouldn't let go...she started shaking both from the rain and the anger welling up inside her...this can not happen, WILL not happen.

“Let's get you changed we don't need you getting sick,” Le’Nassia closed the doors and locked them then helped get Ryker changed…

Ryker told her the dream she had and then the figure that was in her room...she felt lost, unsure how to proceed...this is a first for her, she never had those to care about, when it was just her she didn't care live or die it was for the cause...now her actions involved others that could be hurt in the crossfire...she will not allow that.

Le’Nassia stayed with her, held her while she slept. In the morning they would sort it out with clear heads...and she wanted to know who was in this room.

Morning broke, and Ryker startled awake, “shhh it's ok, I'm here.” Ryker laid back down... Le'Nassia didn't like that Ryker was so on edge..her brave tough warrior now lived in fear...and there wasn't a thing she could do to help her...it killed her.

Ryker rolled over and saw Le’Nassia laying beside her, “thank you.” She smiled at her

“What are you thanking me for?” confused she looked at Ryker.

“For being here, for being you...for loving me...I'll never take that for granted.” Ryker closed her eyes.

Le'Nassia watched to drift off, “I live for you, I'll always love you...I'd die for you if I had to... we're together on this, on everything...Siame.”

Morning came soon enough, and Ryker went for a walk outside, clear her head and get some fresh air. Le’Nassia had some business to run, and some dealings with her mother, so she stayed out of the way, she promised they'd meet up before dinner to discuss what her friends had found out.

She sat on a bench at the park, still toying with her omni-tool, and she might have found a way to rewire the AI to work with her instead of against her.

“There you are,” Le’Nassia came strolling up to her, “I wondered where you went.”

“How did today go?” Vanessa kept staring at her arm, the trees were blowing in the breeze, pink flowers swarmed around her.

“Well...I found out my mother is being put up for Matriarch title, hence her shortness with everything that has happened.” Le’Nassia didnt seem thrilled about the idea, Vanessa could hear it in her voice.

“This displeases you doesn't it?” on that note she stopped messing with her arm and looked at Le'Nassia.

“Mildly...I could care less what my mother does, but when she becomes Matriarch I will be watched more closely than I already have, I'll be told to set and example and lead...all because of my mother's stature...I'm not looking forward to that.”

“Well,” Vanessa turned to face her, “when my issue is resolved we can go away from here, I heard there is talking of others wanting to Branch out into the Galaxy more...we can look into that and go somewhere where people don't know us...a fresh start.”

Le’Nassia looked concerned, “but Ryker your life here..a Spectre...you'd give all that up to start over?”

“I'd be starting over with you...and at this rate I don't have much of a Spectre life anymore...someone saw to that.”

“But we can fix that once we've settled the matter.” She came and sat by Vanessa

“It won't matter, I'm different now... we're both different...I'm willing to start a new.” she smiled at Le’Nassia.

“Wow...I never would have thought or believed that humans could change so strongly for something...Asari hold onto things...for a long time...and we live for a long time, if one of us were to just up and change direction so suddenly it would be blamed on our 'father’ genes *chuckled*”

“You mentioned age, I know your race can live a long time, and I've seen only your mother..is your father in the picture?”

Le’Nassia sat quiet for a moment, “no, my parents only met up for a short time, nothing serious...I mean you've met my mother she doesn't have time for love and relationships...their encounter was brief and when I've asked before it was for a purpose.”

“Do you know who your father is?”

“From what I'm told he was a Turian general, and a damn good one too...he died in the First Contact War.”

“Ah yes, the war with turians and my people… what a three months that was.”

“What about your parents?” She was interested in the matter.

“My dad was an alliance soldier through and through, my mom a scientist...my dad was away a lot of the time...my mom ended up getting a job with Cerberus.”

“The human terrorist group?” Le’Nassia was confused.

“She didn't realize at first they were a terrorist group, when she was pitched the job offer it was an organization benefiting the human race, trying to advance it in an alien world...my mom fell for the pitch.”

“Where are they now?” she turned to look at her.

“Dad I'm told died on a mission to explore a planet around the time of the Reaper war, but it was covert so they won't tell me what planet...mom I never heard from again...I'm not sure if she still lives or if Cerberus has done things to her...I was almost a teenager when I was put in the foster care system, so I had no hopes or plans anyone would adopt me,” she shrugged at the idea, “then come age 17 I enlisted in the alliance, worked my way up to where I am now.” she fidgeted with her hands.

“Have you looked for her?” She now understood more of why Ryker had a strong urge to help people, she wouldn't leave others behind and gave everything her all...her dad was an icon and her mother unknown, she felt left behind all her life...but why feel the need to prove herself to anyone...the only one that mattered was herself.

“I've looked and ended up with more questions than I've found answers...I've been told to just assume the worst and that she's dead...so outwardly I have...but I'll never truly give up...not until I know...or I choose to stop and move on.” Ryker shrugged at the notion that maybe it was time...time to let go of it all...time to be her, if she kept holding onto the past she could never embrace the future...she looked at Le’Nassia, and she liked where her future was headed.

“Cerberus! Are you sure?” They met up with Le’Nassia's friends... apparently Cerberus was behind the attack on the ambassador, but they don't know who wanted the attack..not yet anyway.

“Yes, my reliable source was on the ship the day it happened and noticed Cerberus officers.” Suul handed her the hologram with images and files.

“Thank you for helping me...you went to great lengths and I'm very appreciative of your efforts.”

Suul, "you're welcome. As for your omni-tool I wasn't able to find a way to deactivate it."

"That's fine I might know of a way I can rewire it, I just need to find the tools to do so." With that Ryker took her leave thanking the two again for their time and needed to rethink a plan.