[Citadel, Sheyres Plaza] MEETUP 2188! [TOTALLY OPEN]

Arash really only had two looks most of the time, somewhat disheveled academic or field work. This was a bit different though. Between the Bliss Festival and the likely attendants of this meeting he was in what he personally called his "formals". A tight crisp white shirt over dark woven pants that he carried like a uniform. The capstone however were his boots. Actual hide, black and shined to a literal mirror polish. He felt a bit strange but it was also good to be out in the outfit.

He was nearly bowled over by the Lieutenant on his way in and had to backpedal and dodge to keep from falling entirely. Perhaps understandably the room was quiet as he wandered in. He always did have terrible timing. A quip died in his throat as he tried to gauge the room and see who he recognized or at least remembered from the forums.

Titus smirked at Arina. "I think the official look fits every turian. " At the question of whether or not he was on duty, Titus placed a claw on the back of his neck awkwardly. "Not... Exactly. I do have to go do... Something after this, and... Well, I don't really have any 'casual' clothes." At 'casual', he used one talon on each claw to indicate quotations.

When Michelle arrived, Titus stared hard at her for a good time before realising it was rather rude, and turning his attention elsewhere, such as the food table.

Titus made his way to the dextro table to grab a bite and saw Phraag by the edge of the Plaza. He stopped mid chew to fix the salarian with a baffled gaze, before shrugging and turning away. Not the strangest thing Titus had seen; especially not from a salarian (hell, he practically considered this typical behavior for the frogs at this point), but he still felt a little wary about a mysterious salarian watching everything, and mentally made a note to check it it later.

When Sarah yelled, he spun around, claw dropping to the pistol on his hip. He had it half out the holster when he realised that nothing was happening and, rather embarrassed, he hastily put it back in. As he turned back around, he almost knocked a newcomer over. Titus extended an arm in case the drell needed to steady himself and said, "whoah, easy there, mate!"

Drell reflexes are not prized for nothing and Arash managed to not only duck the swinging Turian but to keep a drink he had snagged from the table from spilling everywhere. Still he took the Turian's talon gratefully to stable himself. "Thank you Sir. Sorry about that. Doctor Arash Hari at your service. I don't believe we've been introduced." He turned and faced the various Asari gathered nearby. Most were somewhat familiar to him but none that he knew particularly well. He took a small bow to them and fixed his gaze on Daia T'Nara "Miss T'Nara, I believe we spoke recently via the extranet in regards to a few artifacts. Though you may more readily recall me as Seeking_Rakhana. Oh and which, if any of those present, is the chef? I haven't had a chance to sample as much as I would like but the food is lovely."

He was rambling a bit but it was a habit of his, at least until he settled into the gathering proper, and he didn't wish to appear standoffish. He thought he recognized the symbol on the shirt of the human with the strange glasses, but he didn't know her directly. The same could be said for several other guests.

Kiara blinked as she saw the... encounter... between Sarah and Chris. She didn't say anything, though, turning as she heard the compliment. "Aw, thanks- that'd be me! I'm Kiara- Blue_Baker on the forums. It's a pleasure to meet you, Arash."

She turned back to Arina. "Oh, defenitely. I generally go there most weekends unless I've got something else on, anyway."

Scanning the room, Tezri was slightly relieved to see he wasn't the only salarian hiding awkwardly in the shadows. Perhaps this wouldn't be so terrible after all. ...or maybe it would. The night was still young.

"Oh... hey.... wow..." was about the only thing, Taleeze was able to say about the little scene that had unfolded between Sarah and Chris. She happened to had her mouth full with a piece of delicious bakery.

Also, who was she to judge on weird relationship quirks? She just could hope for a good end. She wished for Sarah to have a happy family!

But for now she couldn't do anything so she greeted Aresh. "Hello Doctor! Nice to meet you, I am Taleeze. I've heard a little bit about your explorations already on the boards."

There also came Michelle wearing glasses. Or was it the glasses, wearing Michelle?
"Hey there! Michelle, nice to see you." She didn't mention their recent argument on CDN.

Sarah stormed back into the plaza, ignoring Chris, who followed and tried to explain her position. The blonde took her usual seat and crossed her arms, her attention focused on the view of the planet outside of the plaza. Her partner sat down beside her and leaned over, speaking in a hushed tone. "You've made mistakes and I've forgiven you. Crashing that car? Being involved with Cerberus..?" She crossed her arms. "I'm only asking that you forgive me the same. I made a mistake, one that haunts me. I want to be there for our son /and/ you. Please?" She reached over to rub Sarah's shoulder.

Sarah shut her eyes and visibly recoiled. "..I'm mad that you sold me out. I could have died, Chris. You thought I wouldn't make a scene here with all these internet people?" She glanced back, resting her arms on her belly. She whispered. "You fucking sent /separation/ papers. Told me to my /face/ you never wanted to see me again." She made a gesture, waving her wrist as if she was trying to ease a point along. "And you expect me to just be cool with it?"

"I wasn't in my right mind. I've told the lawyer to cancel the process and I - I really want to try again. Please? I promise I won't endanger you again, and we can go to therapy again. Get a new therapist, throw that old bastard out onto the curb?"

Sarah pulled her hands into her jacket sleeves and rubbed her eyes.

"...Fine. Don't make me regret this. I want to move back into the old apartment, I want all the information you have on the men who contacted you, and I want you to file a complete report with Alliance security and Citadel Security." She turned to the raven-haired woman next to her and spoke with a robotic tone.

"Done and done."

Arina was just about to greet Aresh and had already opened her mouth, when the scene happened. She exchanged glances with Daia and Taleeze and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, hello Mr. Hari..." Then Sarah came back. Okay then. Back to food. If in doubt, excuse yourself with a full mouth. She took a bun and made an excusing gesture towards Kiara.

Ah, so there was the first altercation. Between the human female he had offered to room with and another human, funnily enough. At least there wasn't shooting or crazy biotic stunts, and it hadn't blown into a full-scale ruckus. Whether this was about Cerberus or neo-Cerberus or anti-Cerberus or not related to Cerberus at all he didn't know, but he wouldn't want this sort of drama going on inside his own apartment. Still, he had offered the human a place to get away from all that. Somewhere quiet, where there wouldn't be mercenaries blasting through the door. That was the whole point of the offer. But then again, the people of CDN were all more or less addicted to violence. Drama followed them like a lost choriick, and he suspected they preferred it that way.

They were all probably ill. Like some mass trauma - he would say Reaper related, but the board predated that - which had attracted them to the site and its cultish community. He still wasn't sure how you progressed to the more secretive levels or gained status in this strange little community, but it probably involved killing something. Or maybe just finding the weirdest situation you could insert yourself into and then surviving it.

Still mostly asari; a few humans and turians. One of the humans had ridiculous glasses on. She didn't look much of a threat. Part of him was relieved - NO! Don't relax. Be on guard! - but another part of him wondered when the real crazies would turn up.

He suddenly recognized one of the asari. She was the escort-sometimes actress-turned CEO. What was her name? Dire? That sounded CDNish.

"Don't mind if I do," Daia smiled, helping herself to a bun. "Thank you Kiara, it's a pleasure to meet you properly." She chuckled at Arina's joke then took a bite, and thus had her mouth full when Sarah's biotic field erupted, drawing all attention to her and Chris.

"Oh dear," she murmured to herself. Well, there was nothing to be done except wait and see. She still hoped the couple could settle their differences, even as dramatic as those differences had become in recent weeks, but now was certainly not the time to poke her nose in.

Luckily conversations seemed to be resuming; a public place was hardly ideal for deeply personal moments (not this kind, anyway), but at least there would be the semblance of privacy for the two. Daia returned Arina's glance, then turned to the drell who had appeared, nodding when he introduced himself.

"Doctor Hari, of course," she smiled. "I received your most recent message just this morning. I'd be happy to come see your swords - somewhere less open air, as you said, no need to go waving weapons around in public. I'll be on the station for the next couple of weeks, so whenever and wherever suits you."

She made way so Arash could compliment Kiara, and in glancing around caught the eye of a salarian, who seemed to have spotted her as well. Not somebody she knew by sight, so far as she could recall, but perhaps a forum-goer who knew her; she didn't exactly make images of herself difficult to find. He looked a little apprehensive at approaching the gathering, so she smiled and gave a little wave.

"If this party turns out like the last Citadel shindig I attended I may regret not bringing the swords. I swear sometimes I don't know which is riskier, uncharted backwaters or C-space. And Taleeze I'm glad the reports of my travels have reached the boards. I really must plan another expedition soon, probes and reports are always bringing back rumors of more failed garden worlds."
There wasn't much to be said in regards to the human couple speaking privately. The Salarians on the other hand... he had to wonder when they would join in, or if they needed an invite. He let it rest for a moment and turned back to Daia. "When might you find a free moment? I'm sure pouring over ancient artifacts is hardly as thrilling as all the events of the Bliss festival, but it could prove a relaxing respite."

Chris rubbed Sarah's shoulder briefly, then shoved herself up to a stand. She cut through the crowd and approached Michelle.
The woman took a deep breath and pulled her hair back. "Hello, Michelle. I know about what happened at the restaurant. I appreciate that you went out of your way to see to my safety. The window was covered by my insurance, you don't need to worry." She grabbed her elbow took a deep breath.

"Are we still on for the charity dinner? I'm going to be on the Citadel for a few months still with what's happened, and I'm going to need the business to help with .. well, the baby."

Someone careful could see Michelle's face tightening behind her glasses when Chris came on, but she continued to listen to the conversations.
Then Chris came straight at her.
She smiled to the people around her, excused herself and took Chris by the arm to a corner of the room, then removed her party glasses. Chris could then appreciate that the usually cheerful woman had an ice cold look in her eyes.

"Ho wow, so I didn't cost too much money looking for you? That's a relief financially speaking, since I had already paid someone to provide security while I looked for you. It sounds pretty stupid in retrospect I know, but when I couldn't reach you and C-Sec never heard of you, I automatically assumed you were in deep trouble! How silly am I? I was actually very worried about you! Crazy right? Of course you were just getting shitfaced at some bar! Of course you didn't even go to to C-Sec to give them any info about the men who threatened, or tried to find help looking for your wife, or anything at all! And it's not like when they asked you you gave them too much trouble to get the information right?

Christina I want you to listen to me very carefully. People who love you are going to tell you that you were just scared and it's normal that you retreated in alcohol, couldn't be proactive about trying to help your wife and unborn baby, and that you are a good person. But a part of you will always tell you that they have to be wrong, that what you did isn't normal. That you should have done something. I want you to listen to that part of you because it's right. This was not normal. They say that extreme situations reveal what we truly are, and know you know. Some people discover the courage to resist torture and die before betraying their loved ones. You on the other hand are the woman who gave the intel that almost doomed Sarah right away and then went on to feel bad about herself.
You are a hollow, broken, sad parody of a human being, under all the nice and pleasant behavior, and you disgust me.

So no, we're not on for the charity dinner. We're not on for anything ever. I don't want to see your face anymore. I would be really glad if you just left, but defaulting that, if you speak to me again I will attack you physically. And I've learned a thing or two fighting gangers."

Michelle then smiled to Christina, put back her silly part glasses, and came back to the group.

"Hey Daia! Such a pleasure to see you, I didn't even know you were on the Citadel!"

Being the daughter of a salarian maybe made Arina a bit more aware for the finer arts of salarian behavior. Or, since genetics didn’t really work that way, it was just the time she had spent as a diplomat on Sur’Kesh.

Anyway, she noticed two salarians standing on the outline, looking in. Her eyes contacted with either one, accompanied by a friendly smile and nod. She’d be more than happy to talk to them, maybe they needed a bit of encouragement.

Hm, or it really was STG, observing CDN.
For a moment she enjoyed the view of Kiara’s nice back, as the baker moved about. She had to smile again, taking a sip and looking for conversation.

She didn’t want to disturb whatever Daia and Aresh were discussing in privacy. She looked over to the salarians again, sipping her drink.

Taleeze used the opportunity when Chris left for Michelle.
She grabbed two buns and approached Sarah.

"Here." she handed one to the human. "They're godessly and biotics must eat a lot. Pregnant biotics even more so." She sat down next to Sarah, leaning sideways.

"I am glad you're alright. This is a lot to take but...life goes on." she looked at the belly. "literally. Can I be of any help?"
She thought about Skylar and Freh'ya who were probaly having a good time soemwhere else now, at least Taleeze hoped so.
"I have a bit of experience with odd relationship stuff myself lately." she smiled at Sarah, taking a bite.

Sarah stared off for a moment, before snapping to attention with Taleeze's offer of food. She took one of the buns and tore it in half, chewing a bite from the softer interior. She gave a nod of appreciation. "You have experience in this?" She gestured off at Chris, who appeared to take whatever Michelle told her with heartbreak. "I'm really unsure of what to do."

She found herself furrowing her brows.

"Hm, not exactly at this maybe but I was sorting out my own love life over the last months and ended up with... unusual solutions. So I have a few fresh reflections on the matter." She noticed the exchange, when Michelle took of her glasses, Taleeze saw it was serious.

"I found trust the most important thing. Not necesarily trust in the other but trust in your judgement on them. When I was faced with the question of bringing together two women I loved for whatever may happen between them it was trust in what I saw in them to just act out. It did.

From what I see Chis suffers - and will probably suffer more, she's in a hell of pain. Coming here and facing you in front of all those people is something. She's so down she rather faces the humiliation by you than continue living like she was."
Taleeze could need a drink actually.

"What is it you want?" Find out that, then you could start finding out how to get it.

Well, it seemed as though the time for lurking was over. Tezri walked over to the asari and nodded, introducing himself: "Tezri Alra. Out-Of-Work Merc on the forums. Yourself?"

Uh-oh. One of the asari was smiling at him, making eye contact. No, two of them. 'Dire' and another one, with that instinctive communal inclusiveness that seemed to define the asari. So much for hovering unseen. He quickly ran through his mind a list of the various asari he remembered from the site. None of them jumped out at him as being particularly aggressive or dangerous. They were sensible, asari. Perhaps if they were calling the shots here - and they clearly dominated in terms of numbers at the moment - he might risk getting involved. If only, he told himself, to get some answers.

He took a breath and then strolled out from behind the plant, trying to put a slight sense of bravado in his step. As it was, he simply found himself marching with slightly desperate focus over to the smiling asari, tensing himself in anticipation of... well, of something. Nothing happened, of course. Mostly, everyone was ignoring him.

He stopped a short distance from both asari, feeling awkward.

"Er, good day. I was... inspecting the premises. Plant inspections, you know? That's why I was over there. Not for any other reason. For plant inspections. It's for reasons of safety and security. Some of the leaves can be poisonous, and if we have elcor showing up they might start eating them and then there'd be a, a scene".

He cleared his throat.

"I, er, appear to be one of the only salarians here".

The others were obviously sensible enough to stay away. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the other one present as he strolled over also, wondering if he was equally mad.

Far smoother, the other stepped forward and introduced himself.

Make it look easy, why don't you?

Now he felt even more awkward.