[Citadel, Bliss Festival] By the Code, I will entertain you (closed)

"Surprisingly comfortable, actually. For combat, no, I wouldn't have picked the heels either, but who am I to argue with tradition? Thanks for coming by. Hi! Sure, no problem. ...love from Justicar Amora... By the way, were you at the CX2 charity buffet in Nos Astra? I thought I recognised that fringe. Promotion, really? Congratulations! Good to see you again."

"Miss T'Nara? You're good to take a break now," the PA overseeing the signing table said quietly, as the last in a line of autograph hunters gathered up their various merchandise now bearing Daia's messages and went to seek other attractions.

"Hm? Oh, already? Heck, Taleeze will be here soon, I haven't changed... Actually is it okay if I keep this on for a while? We're probably just going to take a walk, catch up."

"So long as you look after it, I don't see why not. May I?" The assistant relieved Daia of her twin Disciples and placed the replicas on a prop table behind the main desk, where Mountor was lumbering into the place the asari had vacated.

"Over to you, big guy," she smiled, patting his forelimb in passing.

"Jovial: I'll keep your seat warm for you."

"I bet you will," Daia laughed. She made her way out from behind the table, stopping to exchange a few words with other castmates, and meandered through the fans, pausing when asked for photos with them in her Justicar costume.

The approaching couple was well visible from a distance. Not exactly the couple but the tower that was Freh’ya. It could be expected that by her side would be a certain asari dancer.

“Look at that!”

“What’s that even… how… oh… OH!”

“Nifty, isn’t it?”

“I guess.”

Taleeze and Freh’ya strolled along the shopping booths after they had stopped by Ariake’s stand and chatted with the manager about Taleeze’s upcoming show.

As they now neared the Autograph zone it was unmistakable where Daia was. The ‘Justicar’ was still surrounded by picture hunters.

“Hey, Daia!” Taleeze waved a greeting. When they had reached her, she just had finished posing with a pair of volus. Taleeze just hugged her friend tight, rubbing her cheek against Daia’s in a gesture of intimate friendship.
“It’s great to see you. How are you doing? The premiere going well?”

Freh’ya also offered her hands and smiled. She had long since accepted that Taleeze’s friend had no problem with such a display of a Justicar. So far none had decided Daia should die for it, so Freh’ya wouldn’t object either.
“Daia, greetings!”

"Taleeze! Freh'ya!" Daia welcomed the hug readily, even as one hand reached out to take Freh'ya's; once Taleeze let her go, she took the commando's other hand to complete the greeting properly.

"It's wonderful to see you both - how have you been? You look great, both of you. Have you been enjoying the festival so far? Gah," she shook her head and laughed, "I'm doing the all-questions-no-pauses thing, aren't I?"

"Hey, is that... Taleeze?" A broad-shouldered, handsome human approached from the direction of the VIP area. Daia noticed him, and a scattering of faces turning their way from the crowds of fans, and discreetly ushered the two asari across the boundary between 'general public' and 'special guests', ensuring they wouldn't be swamped.

"It is you," the man said, grinning broadly and extending his hand. "Did they rope you into a stint on the signing table, or are you just visiting? Hey Melody," he called to a dark-haired woman in probably the galaxy's least-utilitarian N7 armour.

"What's up Carth- Oh! 'Captain', good to see you."

Beyond the holographic VIP barrier, curious glances were being made towards the impromptu group forming.

"...you remember, she was in the Thessia scene - no not that scene, the battle one, the sniper..."

“Well, two questions I can handle!” Taleeze laughed “We were just…” She was distracted by the people recognizing her.

“Hey, Carth! Melody! Nah, no autographs from the ‘Captain’ – this is more your level of attention…” She said, when suddenly someone from the audience seemed to recognize her.

“gaaawd, that’s cool, hey, ‘Captain’, can you sign this? Hah….. I’ll be the only one with your autograph…” Taleeze did sign a poster although she wasn’t on it. She looked at Freh’ya. Ugh…

“Alright, come on.” Taleeze ushered the group a bit away, behind a mobile wall. Freh’ya just looked at her and the others, then at Taleeze again.

“What… did I miss here?”
“Uh, not much. I played a small role in that vid, while I was on illium and Daia…”
“Wait, wait, you are in a porn flic? Seriously? What kind of role?” Freh’ya looked aghast.
“Technically… but I didn’t do porn, you know I don’t do that…”
“Do I?”
“Yes, well, I played the ‘Captain’ in a scene on Thessia…”
“What Captain?”

I just broke out of Carth: “She was the most amazing commando captain we could get! All of Thessia was burning around her and she just… kept… cool… what? Did I say something wrong?” His eyes were fixated on Freh’ya who was looking horrified. “Uh…I have to go to… you know, autographs… nice to meet you Tal and … Ma’am?!” and he hurried away.

“You did what? You played a commando in a porn flic? For real?”

“Freh… it’s not…”Taleeze sighed. “Yeah, I did, It was a great experience and it was totally great and… it’s nothing bad, just a very short appearance.” She took both of Freh’ya’s hands. “Watch the vid with me, you’ll see.” She looked up with loving eyes.

“I dunno...” She had been on Thessia. She had experienced it and here they all were only mocking it. She sighed. She should have been furious at Taleeze but she couldn’t. Because nobody of them could understand how Thessia had been like. Nobody ever would probably, how could she hold them responsible.... She swallowed hard, her eyes went a bit sad.

“I’m sorry I reacted like that. I should trust you… Okay, I said I was going to see it with you, I still will. I am sure you did great.”

Taleeze hugged her lover and tiptoed to place a small kiss on her lips.

“I’m sorry, Daia… this was just a bit of a surprise.” Freh’ya managed a smile.

"No apologies needed," Daia assured Freh'ya. "Don't mind Carth, he lets his mouth get ahead of him sometimes. We didn't - I hope we didn't - make light of the war, or suggest it was... well, something other than what it was, for the people who fought. Granted it's a business - it's Illium after all - but I wouldn't have done it, and wouldn't have asked Taleeze when they were looking for extra asari for the... well, the non-explicit parts... if the people actually making the film weren't trying to do something more than just make money." She wondered if Freh'ya would follow her thinking, or if she was just digging herself in deeper - but there was nothing else for it, really. "We wanted to depict something positive, the courage people showed in the face of it all, the way people came together-" She winced internally as she heard herself say the last couple of words, and hoped Freh'ya didn't pick up on the inadvertent very bad pun. "-cooperated, rather."

She shrugged, and looked back around the edge of the partition. She knew IE's publicists had put in many long nights tailoring the film's presentation to what they considered the ideal balance of respect and promotion. She suspected it would be overly charitable to say they were all interested more in celebrating heroism than the option of adding sequels to a successful original, but she knew her colleagues on the set, at least. They, in the end, had been what had convinced her to return.

"I hope you know we don't intend any offence," she said, turning back to Freh'ya, "or to trivialise what... what the whole galaxy went through." What you went through, she wanted to say, but that would have been too much, too personal. "I don't blame anyone for having reservations, though. To say the least."

It was Daia’s way with words that made Freh’ya smile genuinely.
“I know, Daia. Don’t worry… it’ll be alright. I do believe that you - all of you cared. Nos Astra is no place where you just forget how the war was. It's alright.” She looked at Taleeze, scolding her with her eyes now. “So we have a porn movie start in the family now. Nice.”

“I didn’t do porn!”

“But hopefully you’ll become a star like you deserve! See, you gave an autograph already.” She hugged Taleeze close. “Okay Daia, I hand this little bundle of joy over to you now. Have fun you two!” She bowed down and kissed Taleeze. Had she thought it would be a short kiss, Taleeze grasped her head and responded with some passion.
“Just so you don’t forget me! See you later for dinner, love!”

Freh’ya smiled and touched hand with Daia. “Bye love! Bye, Daia” and with a wave she was gone, here head visible over the masses for a bit until she took a corner.

Taleeze looked Daia up and down.
“The costume suits you incredibly well. Goddess, it has been too long, has it? So much has happened, both for you and Ana and for me – us. Well. You know.” She grinned.

“Come on, want to walk around the hall a bit? There’s so much to talk about.” She offered her arm for Daia to take
“What’s going on at the Apricity? I must talk with Eafina in the next days. I would like to come to Illium with Skylar and stay for a bit. There is a contract pending with my signature on it. I have a few new ideas we should talk about! Remember that turian makeup thing we’ve been talking about? I now have a concept for a bodypainting show, Sky has looked up a few great turian tracks.” Taleeze was bubbling with ideas, like so often.
Suddenly she realized that Daia probably rather would hear about her well-being than discuss show ideas.

“Sorry, I got carried away! How are Ana and you doing? That’s much more important!”

"Bye Freh'ya. I'll keep her out of mischief," Daia laughed, touching the commando's hand, then waving as she departed.

"Thanks!" she grinned at Taleeze's compliments on her outfit. "It's authentic, too. The costume department were going to exaggerate certain elements, same as everyone else's, but then they got in the reference materials from Thessia, and it turned out the neckline really does go down to there. These take a little getting used to," she noted, touching a fingertip to the metal adornments on her forehead, "but the way they frame the eyes, there's a certain something to them."

She laughed again at the cavalcade of questions, and finally nodded.

"Okay, first things first, Ana and I are fine," she smiled, looping her arm through Taleeze's as they set off, after a handful more see-you-laters to various cast and crew who weren't otherwise busy. "Her energy levels are right back to where they used to be - which is another way of saying I'm at her mercy with a vengeance once again." She didn't seem at all displeased with this state of affairs; rather, her expression had the quality of a kat that had found a crop of sweetbuds in full bloom. "Now that she's back in good health, we're noticing the benefits of the new clean-room systems, with the biotailoring - much less 'down time', even with me in there with her 'contaminating' the place," she chuckled. "Makes us both feel very justified in pushing the sales agenda as hard as we are while we're here. There have been a few unexpected opportunities to make contacts here - I guess I never really saw how good a networking nexus Bliss was for other industries, besides the obvious."

She moved on, ticking off points on her fingers as she recalled them.

"Let's see... Apricity is doing well, naturally. One of the neighbouring tenants in the tower is renegotiating, and it's looking like the club will be getting some extra space to expand. Eafina's thinking of a pool, of some kind, maybe even a whole indoor garden if she can figure out all the details. There'll be a cocktail party here put on by the Oasis, by the way, you are your plus-two are naturally invited - it's not for another few days, no rush. Eafina will love to see you all."

She raised an eyebrow as they passed an evidently-happy CX3 fan, struggling along under the weight of various showbags and, mostly, a Life-Sized Groan Genetically Engineered Perfect Elcor Warrior Cuddle Pillow, which was at least four times his size.

"Mountor has been getting quite the cult following," she observed. "I can understand that, of course. So," she turned her attention back to Taleeze, "we didn't really get a chance to chat the last couple of times - not properly. You, Freh'ya, Skylar, Nevos. Let's hear it. So long as you don't think the girls would begrudge me at least a few juicy details?"

Taleeze’s eyes lit up when Daia was describing the possible ecpansion of the Apricity.
“I can’t wait to be there again. Did I tell you already that I’ll be up on Illium again for some time after this stint? Just collecting our stuff on Nevos and Sky and me will be there again. I have a contract to fulfill after all!” she smiled, making a clear point that the contract was not at all important for that decision.

When Daia talked about the business with the cleanroom, she nodded. She also wondered if that meant Daia had finally get to see Ana’s face. Something the quarian had still been wary about when she had been on Illium. She didn’t feel like pushing this question now – any way, it didn’t seem to bother Daia (And that’s exactly what Taleeze would have expected anyway) so if they could finally be together in a for them fulfilling way it was all good! A slight shadow was crossing her face but swiftly swept away by the positive thoughts.

Then they saw the fan.
“Oh that is one of those pillows? That’s … awesome, I think?” I looked a tiny bit ridiculous but then, who was she to judge? To each their own.
“I guess you have to be a really determined fan for that.” She laughed.

“Oh, no, they sure would not, not you of all people!” she hugged her friend closer. It had been way too long since their last talk.
“It was a dream, Daia. Nothing less. Where do I start… well, I came clear with Freh’ya before I left for Illium and she was so accepting… it was as if the longer this went on the more she was anticipating it herself. She said it was what she saw through me that made it easy for her but I didn’t understand until Sky and I arrived at the house.” Taleeze remembered the scene and the sweet details.

“They clicked instantly. It was a bit like they always knew each other. I mean, I never really studied the matter in theoretical terms but maybe they were indeed already connected through me and the melds?” She looked over at Daia. The question being rhetorical but still a question.

“I do not want to know, I only care about the fallout and that was… bliss.” She giggled. “I know what you’re interested in, Daia, so I’ll spare the long chitchat: It happened the very first night and it was the greatest thing!” another chuckle. “You maybe should ask Skylar about it as well. Anyway, after that is was just… we are a family now and that’s it. A very happy family, one for the others. We went out with the FuHa and I think the lady has not seen a party like this in some time. We did some diving, catched our own dinner and had the greatest time of our lives. Well, I know I had. And Freh… I haven’t seen her so well and relaxed since… you know, since way before the war. Skylar is so good for her. Seeing the two together is just right. Does that even make remote sense?” She made a pause, then slowed her step as if she was pondering something. She then turned her face towards Daia.
“We didn’t yet talk about it yet but… I have a feeling to… I mean, I want this to become formal some day. When did you know you wanted to formally bond with Ana and how was that?”

"Ah," Daia nodded, reflecting on Taleeze's question. "It was... Well, I suppose it wasn't something that came as a surprise to either of us. Ana's always been attracted to asari, and dominant, I am asari, and," she smiled and touched her collar lightly, "quite happy with the arrangement. The longer we lived together the more it was just obvious that neither of us wanted anything else. We hadn't scheduled a ceremony, but we both knew we were committed to each other. In a way, that was... the bond, really, was what grew, not saying the words finally." She waved Taleeze to a public bench, and sat cross-legged beside her, facing her.

"The actual moment was just... we hadn't talked about it, in any sort of specifics. We were on Earth, for that tennis tournament I told you about. Middle sunday - when they take the day off, in between the two weeks of play - we took a trip to Paris, which wasn't far by shuttle, and all the guidebooks and everyone we'd asked had said we had to see it while we were there. Beautiful city." She smiled, slightly sadly, reflecting on how much had been lost. But if she had learned anything of human history from her erratic but occasionally useful 'studies' of the past thirty years, it was that everything fell in time, and Earth's cities, and people, had learned the hard lesson of how to build anew, to turn the ashes of the old into something that lived again, and carried the spirit of what had fallen so that it was never truly lost. It was a comforting thought, in a way, that after the passing of enough time, even the recent war would be a footnote in history - chilling, no doubt, but of the past - to people enjoying food and drink and good company in cafés where once Reapers had walked.

"It was on a bridge called the Pont des Arts," she went on, the momentary shadow seeming to have passed. "A bridge, across the Seine, the river that runs through the city. There was a tradition - I don't think anyone even knew how it started, only that it had, and it went on - that couples would come to the bridge, fix a lock around one of its rails, and toss the key into the river, symbolising... their commitment, their love being unbreakable, eternal." She chuckled. "I gathered a few times the locks had overtaken the bridge somewhat - it'd been going on for hundreds of years. Anyway. It wasn't that thought, actually - the sense of commitment, of making it permanent, we both knew what we wanted, and we both knew we would give each other everything we had. It was..." She leaned back on her hands, grinning and gazing up at the high ceiling of the festival venue.

"Imagining all those people," she said, "not wherever lives they led from then on, but that moment, when they had stood right where we were standing, and nothing in the galaxy was more important to them than the person they were standing with. The locks symbolise permanence, perhaps, but I felt a, a weight almost - in a good way - of the immediacy, the sense of the living moment, right now in time. All those people, thousands - thousands at least - having been in that place and lived in a perfect moment. All the locks, like pieces of time, solid instants of time, made of the love that existed in those perfect moments."

She gave a rueful grin.

"We hadn't known it was there, even - the only thing we had on us that locked were a pair of cuffs, and those were... we had a use for them, and in any case I doubt the city of Paris wanted that sort of thing left stuck on its architecture in any case. But the words, the bonding, just... I spoke them without even thinking. It wasn't even surprise though, it was like our moment had been waiting there for us, so when we arrived... Of course that's what happened, it was always going to be."

She looked back at Taleeze, and gave a little shrug.

"Less than a year, we'd known each other," she said. "But it wasn't rushed. Or something we waited for, so it could be then rather than earlier, in another place. It didn't change our relationship, even, it was just... That was our moment on the Pont des Arts. Our beautiful moment." She grinned at Taleeze. "I think you know what those are like, lately."

Breathless Taleeze listened to Daia’s story. It was fitting that had shared vows in privacy, it was perfect for both of their honest and admirable characters.

“Yes, I do know these.” There was a moment of silence as Taleeze remembered the time they had shared on Nevos: For a short while after the festival they would be separated again as Taleeze would be going to Illium with Skylar but Freh’ya was planning to catch them there after her current duty was done.

“That’s the most beautiful story, Daia,” Taleeze replied and took her friends hand in her lap. “In a way I think there’s nothing really more to say but still… it something that I value, having it formalized. I also wasn’t thinking big but … “ Illium would have been a great place with friends close by. “… if the moment feels right, you’re right about that.” She chuckled. “It’s probably a bit more difficult to arrange with three people, huh? There has to be some downside to that.” She laughed.

“Anyway it will fall in place, I am sure. Oh, did I tell you, Skylar is now a owner of the house as well? We had her signed in as resident in Astella. Makes things easier since she was a resident from outside C-Space and all that. Now she’s totally free to travel, no more bureaucracy.” It had been Freh’ya’s practical side, suggesting it.

“So how’d Bliss go for you? I didn’t have much to do besides that promotion day for Ariake. It was funny to see how people were curious at first by the presentation on their doll on the stand but after the show the reps got into sales talks immediately. It will be a bit awkward seeing it in some other club at first I guess.” She chuckled. “I never thought about it until then, someone else, besides us wearing it. Anyway, even more need for me to find a few special setting that don’t come with the Ariake product. Always one step ahead!”

"I'm sure the three of you will get all the details sorted out," Daia smiled. "She mentioned the house in one of her letters - I guess that finally settles the question of which Republic her asari citizenship will originate from." It had been a foregone conclusion that one day Skylar would move on from Illium and settle on a 'proper' asari world - with most of the paperwork already done, Taleeze and Freh'ya's offer of residency would make the final granting of citizenship a mere formality. As with many aspects of Republican law, prospective citizens were considered on their individual merits and motives, rather than codified, impersonal checklists. Daia had no doubt whichever Matriarch's attendant saw to Skylar's case would be thoroughly convinced of her sincerity.

She gave Taleeze's hand a squeeze, and studied her eyes.

"I can't tell you how happy I am, for all of you," she said quietly. "Forming this triad... I know it wasn't easy for you, having just got Freh'ya back, and the prospect of bringing another into your bond. What you did was very brave. I don't want you to ever forget that - don't ever doubt that you deserve this happiness, no matter how good it gets." She thought of Ana, all the times she had laboured under the feelings of inadequacy, the weight of being loved and not believeing she was worth it. Time was working its magic; the good times were great, the bad times fewer and farther between, more easily surmounted. Whatever issues might trouble her friends - there would always be some - she was sure Taleeze and Skylar, and Freh'ya from what she had observed, would weather them and grow closer as well.

"Speaking of how good it gets," she murmured, keeping her voice down and suddenly looking a little mischievous, "I know a few two-asari-and-a-human tricks; consider them a gift, in honour of the triad's coming together." She glanced aside, at the pedestrians milling about. "Remind me later, when we're somewhere more private. I don't want people overhearing, there'll be a crowd in no time. Don't worry though, I won't spoil all the secrets - half the fun is finding out for yourselves, hm?"

She winked, then leaned back, moving on to topics more readily discussed in the open without attracting an audience.

"The festival's busy, as you can see," she smiled, waving a hand vaguely at the crowds. "All the presales are full for the couple of appearances I'm doing in a few days - and yes, of course I set aside spaces for good friends. I'm just on one of the small stages, but still... It's good to have Bliss back, you know? What with one thing and another it was inevitable it had to skip a year, but being back here again - it seems a trivial thing to note, I suppose, but it feels like another piece of normality coming back. Maybe 'normality' isn't the right word," she chuckled, spotting a volus swaggering along in an envirosuit decked out in a style best described as 'retro pimp chic', "but you know what I mean."

She laughed at Taleeze's reaction to seeing her beloved rig in more general use.

"Always," she agreed. "I don't think you'll have to worry about falling behind - you've got an artistic director in the family now, after all. Actually, I was going to say anyway, Apricity's going to be having a cocktail party kind of event before the festival wraps up, naturally all of you should come along, but Kestrel - you remember her - has an interesting idea for a show using your tech, you and she should definitely talk it through, see where it takes you. Maybe you and she can get a show going when we all get back to Nos Astra - I can't always monopolise you, the others will get jealous," she laughed.

“Yes, I was jumping this thing eyes closed. A leap of faith in a way. But it was that or a constant limbo I couldn’t bear. So looking at both of them I saw that it was areal possibility.” She chuckled. “With Skylar maybe more so than with Freh actually. I mean, I know Skylar and her open mind and she is part of the business… she’s your friend and all. I know how she looks at asari. She still checks on butts occasionally – but that totally okay since I would worry if she loses interest. It’s not where she looks, it’s what she does and oh, her doing is alright!

Freh’ya… she’s more reserved usually but I think she looked right through me. The way she explains it is that whoever is supporting me is supporting her and Skylar’s willingness to do that mader … fall in love I guess, I can say that now.” She smiled, looking at her hands, then back at Daia.

“She can really let go around Skylar, there are no bells ringing in her head, no bad memories no troubling feelings.”

When Daia offered her tips, Taleeze grinned aural to aural.
“Yay, pro tips! You know, we are no circus animals, but a nice surprise or two will be appreciated! There are actually some questions about it that I wanted to ask you anyway…”

They were interrupted by that volus.

“Oh my Goddess. Some of these guys are just over the top, aren’t they? Did you read what’s been written on the forums about the strange people that populate the wards? Funny enough I didn’t get any strange offer yet! Should I be worried?” she laughed.

“Of course I’ll talk to Kes. I always wanted to do a few more double shows with some of them anyway. I am sure she has good ideas and it’s really great to see my handiwork be inspiring for others. I’ll be at the party of course, I received an invitation through official mail even. There was a small personal note attached by Charisma though. So yes, at least Sky and I will be there and I wouldn’t be surprised if the outcome would be way too much ideas for too little stage time.” She laughed again.

A starlet with her followers and a couple of photographers passed by. The guys with the cameras – all guys – were going at great lengths to take the most exposing angles even as she walked. Taleeze was slightly amused and shook her head.

“And please – our double is a fixed thing, no excuses. That’s not monopolizing. I’d even do it with no audience. I think I remember you had a hard time sitting still while I danced for you.” She winked teasingly.

"Who doesn't check out the occasional backside, from time to time?" Daia laughed. It was touching, the way Taleeze talked about Skylar. Daia had known the human for years, almost since she had first left Bekenstein and come to Nos Astra; at times, especially early on, Daia had been her guide when needed to the world of dating asari. She had never dissuaded her from seeking out casual pleasures, once satisfied that they were kept in perspective, but the prospect of a deep, possibly lifelong attachment hadn't appeared, until recently. She was glad it was someone like Taleeze - even someone as worldly as Skylar could have been disappointed, given how powerfully all things asari influenced her, but she trusted Taleeze. She trusted her to know Freh'ya best, as well; based on that trust, Skylar was a lucky woman. They all were.

"I'm glad to hear that," she smiled, when Taleeze mentioned Freh'ya's positive frame of mind around their new lover. "I really am." She nodded at the prospect of answering some of Taleeze's human-related questions, too. Not given to false modesty she did know really quite a lot about that sort of thing, for many species, but it wasn't really that often she got to share all that accumulated knowledge with someone who would really benefit from it, rather than just regard it as a form of titillation.

"I thought you would have," she said, once the volus had gone on his merry way - she hadn't expected Charisma to have forgotten anyone from the guest list, but amid all the hustle and bustle of the festival it was good to make sure. She paused to watch the celebrity and her admirers pass; not someone she knew personally, but there were stars from so many worlds in attendance, that was hardly surprising. She had quite a knack for working her dress; Daia made a mental note before turning back to Taleeze.

"I didn't quite have to sit on my hands," she joked. "You certainly took full advantage of the situation to test my adherence to the no-touching rule, I am going to get you back for that in some ingenious way. I really doubt you need to be worried about whether or not you're getting approached in the street here." She chuckled, then sobered, slightly. "So Illium, after all this," she went on. "No need for a hotel this time round, I suppose it's fair to say."

“I count on that, Daia-dear!” Taleeze answered the teasing of her friend, chuckling, before they calmed down again.

“Yes, no hotel. Beautiful as the place was… in fact, I thought about it quite a few times. That little park they had was so nice. Anyway, but it can’t beat Skylar’s… well, heh, I guess our apartment. I am shameless here but…” she thought back these moments when they all had openly shared their lives and their belongings. Had that be the moment? Not yet maybe but it had been a buildup, like an engagement ceremony perhaps, unconscious. She hoped for Freh’ya to be able to get to Illium after her mission on the Citadel was over. It could be the real claiming of the unity.

“…well, it’s a us now, isn’t it? So anyway yeah, I so love to spend time there and it even has this stage! Skylar can work while I practice. We should have dinner together at our place for a change.” This time Taleeze said the word with no hesitation.

“Freh’ya has some business here on the Citadel for a few weeks but she tries to get permission for a trip to Illium after that. Thinking about that… maybe we need to do some shopping for a larger bed. I mean, Skylar already has a large one but she’s used to all the space for herself!”

The place where they sat was perfect. Literally nobody was taking notice of the them while they could observe the coming and going.

“I was interrupted earlier. I wanted to ask you about something. Like an… expertise if you want.” Taleeze was grinning aural to aural. “What do you know about three-way melds? I mean, there’s literature but that’s all royal bull, at least what I saw so far. ‘Matriarch Jiriba’s guide to triads’ was the best I could find but it’s full of florid metaphors I can’t make any sense of. Mind you, that book is two and a halve millennia old and is only about three asari. I only caught as much that it’s possible… well…” she was blushing a bit, “I … we tried once but it totally didn’t work…. It was fun nonetheless.”

“If anyone knows how to do that, it must be you!”

Daia grinned impishly at the image of Skylar working in her apartment's office, with Taleeze on the dance floor right beside it.

"I'm sure that won't distract her at all. Dinner, though, definitely," she agreed. "We'll return the favour of course - all five of us perhaps? Here's hoping Freh'ya does get that assignment. Is that likely to happen often, do you think?"

She looked mildly surprised at the request for advice - Taleeze certainly seemed to have her life in good working order all on her own - but nodded quickly when she heard the reason.

"I've read Matriarch Jiriba," she replied. "Lovely language, but agreed, so far as practicality goes. I've had the chance to experiment with some of what it seems to be getting at, but... well, a good time was had by all, but if there's more to it than that, it's eluded me so far."

She smiled at Taleeze's blush, and nodded again.

"It's possible," she confirmed. "Even two asari and one other - it's not something I get the opportunity to try that often, and so far never with a human, but I've melded with humans individually enough, I'm confident it's worth trying. It's a..." She moved her hands in vague gestures, seeming vaguely dissatisfied at the result. "...a meld, then a meld on top of that, the 'middle' partner becomes part of her first lover, then that union is the basis for the second to synchronise..."

She paused and sighed.

"All these years amassing experience, and it occurs to me now I haven't really gotten much practice at teaching any of it," she lamented, though with the ghost of a grin. "At least not in any way other than the directly practical sense, and I know I'd be intruding if I... well, demonstrated with you three, two at a time I suppose, even if it was for educational purposes." She laughed. "Just as well I've got a few more centuries to work on it before I'm a Matriarch, and I'll be expected to set up some temple-of-delights-themed sanctuary and pass on my wisdom to acolytes and so forth." She glanced up at Taleeze, and laughed again at the thought. After a moment, though, a notion seemed to strike her, and she gazed longer at Taleeze with a thoughtful little frown.

"Actually," she ventured, "a possibility occurs... As long as it might take to explain the technique to you, and for you to practice, you and Freh both... if I were to show you... Not do it ourselves," she clarified, "with whichever partner, but if I were to share my experiences with you - a meld, just the two of us, for communication rather than pleasure. Would that... is that an option you'd consider?"

“We don’t know, I think this has to work out itself.” Taleeze replied to the question to Freh’ya’s availability.
“Her post is on Nevos and everything else will be an exception most of the time, that’s what it looks like. She’s on the Citadel for some advertisement thing the embassies are running. They were looking for a poster face and someone suggested her. I don’t mind though, also she should not just dig in but get out, see other things. It’s easier to get various assignments in C-Space or the Republics, Illium is a bit more tricky for something other than holidays. She’ll look into being assigned for diplomatic courier duties. Usually nothing for someone in her position but she wanted to argue that only the flight would be communal expanse since she would have accommodation!” Taleeze chuckled. “I think it is completely unfair to capitalize on that to get passage for free but did you look at ticket prices lately? I’m sure something will fall into place though. As for the dinner, I’d totally love to have that. Maybe Ana will be more… accepting now. I know she had issues with my approach towards more than one person. Maybe she understands that we live… monogamous… bigamous… you know what I mean. I need to polish my vocabulary it seems.”

When Daia tried to explain what she had read about the melds, Taleeze only blinked. It was like the gibberish she had read on the extranet and in books. Had the asari forgotten how to explain all this in their own words since it has become more simplistic over the millennia?

“You’ll be a great Matriarch of Pleasure!” Taleeze laughed when Daia drafted her retirement plan. ”All the juicy young acolytes and you in the middle. Uhu, sounds like someone I know!” she poked the tip of her tongue.

When Daia mused on the idea of ‘instructing them’, she had to put a hand on her mouth and gasp… that would be… awkward. But it in fact raised the question in the back of her head, if Daia had ever had anything going with Skylar! Goddess, now she couldn’t get rid of that thought. Maybe there would be a time to ask that.

But when Daia made her suggestion about how she wanted to show instead of explain, Taleeze’s cheeked blushed a bit more. This was unexpected! She hadn’t melded for something else than pleasure with anyone besides her mother in more than half a century. Daia wasn’t a person she could look to as a simple teacher, with no emotional connection. She was her dearest friend after all. So the offer, despite being not sensual in any way, was something intimate, a step further in their friendship, their sisterhood. She tried not to look too touched.

“Of course that is something I would consider! I trust you completely and you’re my sister after all. Maybe this indeed will be the best of all things.” She thought for a bit. “We should do this!” she said with resolve. “Go someplace where we can concentrate. Whenever you have time, Daia.”

"If you think that's something," Daia said, rolling her eyes at the mention of ticket prices, "try paying for a shuttle berth. If it weren't for the clean-tech onboard - you wouldn't believe what Citadel hotels are charging for all-up clean-rooms, especially with the festival booking everything out - we'd have left the Belle at home and just come on a passenger liner." She chuckled, then shook her head. "Anyway, don't feel guilty. She's a commando, you know better than anyone how much she's given - and still does - to the Republics."

She nodded at the mention of Ana's distance from Taleeze, that had manifested - not to the point of rudeness, but obviously enough that it had been noticed - late in her first stay on Illium.

"That was more to do with me than you," she said, looking slightly guilty. "You remember how we were having trouble connecting; nothing physical going on at home, and me off at work..." She sighed, then offered Taleeze a wan smile. "I ought to've taken the plunge and raised the subject long before I did. Anyway though, you were just... seeming a little like a reminder of what she worried about. Away from your mate, but forming this new relationship." She smiled again, and this time it was more cheerful. "Don't worry about it, she's not in any doubt now how sincere your feelings are, for Freh'ya and Skylar both. Skylar went to her for advice, did you know? After you and Freh went back to Nevos, and things with Skylar were still up in the air." She grinned. "I didn't intrude on exactly what was said, but I know it was in the manner of Ana setting Skylar's mind to rest a little, not trying to dissuade her."

Taleeze's response to the offer of melding pleased her. She really was very traditional in many ways - not one to meld often, outside of her most intimate circle, but she understood the experience for what it was, rather than simply regarding it as some species-specific form of sex, as even many asari were prone to do in the current era.

"Matriarch Daia will bestow gifts upon her promising acolyte," she joked, unable to stifle a giggle, before settling down somewhat. "Thank you, Taleeze. This is... If I can share this with you, I'd be overjoyed. Well then," she glanced around, "you're right, this isn't the spot, and I think I could use some time before to meditate a little, review my thoughts." She resolved to talk with Ana as well - an asari's mind was her own, and she completely agreed with Taleeze's willingness to make the decision to go ahead here and now, as she knew Ana would've allowed her to, also. But with their trouble born of lack of communication still somewhat recent, she thought it would be a welcome gesture; depending on how the conversation turned, maybe even an opportunity to 'earn' Ana's blessing. Worth thinking about.

"Tell you what," she suggested. "Ana and Eafina are going to a recital in two days, in the evening, and I'm missing it anyway - the doors will be closed by the time I finish up with some help I'm doing at a Sapphire Alliance seminar, 'is escorting right for you?' kind of thing... Have to try to seem like a voice of experience more than a walking advertisement," she chuckled. "Shall we make it then, after the seminar? It'd be about eightish. I'll send you a note earlier with an exact time and place, once I know just when I'll be ready. Work for you?"

Shuttle berth prices – the problems of the rich and famous. Her rich and famous friends, Taleeze had to think with a grin.

Daia’s explanation of Ana’s reaction made sense actually. Of course they had talked since but Taleeze didn’t dive deep into the problematic aspects which were a thing between the quarian and Daia. When they had dinner together a few days ago, Ana had been gun and lively around Taleeze and her mates. The fact that Skylar had even asked Ana for advice… they had never talked about it but it was okay, since Taleeze valued the quarian’s opinion and she knew Skylar was a lot closer to her as a friend.

“Well, I didn’t ask either who Skylar talked to. But I could have guessed if it’s any of you people, it can only be good.” Her friends had proven themselves probably. It was good to know who to turn to if need be.

Taleeze giggled and jumped a bit. “Oh, I am you acolyte, Lady Daia!” She laughed at the image. But then she got a bit more serious again, still playful and easy though but honoring the moment. She checked her schedule.

“Yes, that’s be perfect actually. I have nothing to do and Skylar wants to do some sports thing with Freh’ya. A human form of ritual combat game with pointy spears, fetching. They have been talking about it for a while – you can guess that Freh was all aurals when she heard it was derived from human CQC. Anyway, they can battle out who gets the middle spot while we meet.“ That gag had been going on for a while now between them but it was really just playful.
“Also, yet, a bit of meditation is a good idea!” Should she ask the two about it? Freh’ya would not see it as a problem, she was sure about that and Skylar… she was an even older friend to Daia. Maybe they had…

“Alright, I am looking forward to your note! I’ll be prepared.” She was excited and moved and took both of Daia's hands.

Daia poked her head out of the doorway and spotted Taleeze just across the way, leaning against a merchandise stall that was closed up for the evening. Bliss Festival had something going on twenty hours a day, but only in certain venues out of 'business hours'; aside from event staff, attendees preparing for tomorrow, and the occasional security guard, the grounds around ExtranetPlaygrounds' pavilion were quiet.

"The Matriarch will see you now," she joked, waving. "Sorry if I kept you waiting - I had a last-minute brainwave. Come on through."

She led Taleeze through into EP's temporary home on the Citadel, past the darkened autograph hall and backstage area, and to a doorway which, against all reason, opened onto the cabin last seen occupied by Dr. Lara T'Sexi of the SSV Intimacy.

"Okay, bear with me here," Daia said, chuckling a little at their surroundings. "They brought the set across from Illium to use as a backdrop for live interviews. But what I was thinking..." She tapped a command into her omni-tool, and the wall of monitors came to life. Instead of the all-seeing displays of the Shadow Broker, though, each individual screen showed a nature image - rivers, valleys, deserts, snow-capped mountains - fading from one to another, and in such a pattern that the spectrum of colours seemed to wash gently across the wall, the dazzling sunlight of an Ulee dawn ripening to the green of a Serrice field after rain, to the deep blue of the Kendra Ocean depths, to the velvet purple of the night sky over Armali.

"It's a program from home," she explained, unfastening her dress and shrugging it off - beneath she wore a simple short-limbed bodysuit, patterned with iridescent scales of reflective silk that caught the colours of the monitor display - and inviting Taleeze to join her as she sat cross-legged on the luxurious bed positioned, quite implausibly for an information dealer, as the focal point of all the screens. "Didn't take much to modify it to match the arrangement of screens here, once it occurred to me, and I'd checked they weren't using the set for anything tonight. I know it's not strictly necessary, but... well, you know," she smiled at Taleeze. "Just because it's not sexual doesn't mean it's not special. I wanted to... set the scene, I suppose. How've you been? Last couple of days have been busy, you three have been keeping yourselves entertained?"

Taleeze had received a mysterious message about an audience with a Matriarch at an odd location. ‘be prepared!’ and ‘Bring comfortable clothing!’ was among the things that made most sense. She smiled at Daia’s approach to this as she entered the empty halls of Bliss. She wore comfortable shorts and shirt. Over one arm she carried a hoodie.

The last half an hour she had used to meditate and empty her mind, letting go of all stress, so she was extremely relaxed when Daia let her in the EP facilities.
“Hey, Lady Daia. I guess you measured and decided this was the most comfortable place on the whole Citadel?” She asked with a chuckle but when Daia uploaded the ambient vids on the floor to ceiling screen wall, Taleeze understood what what her friend wanted.

“That’s … in fact a cool idea!” When Daia started to undo her dress, Taleeze was surprised for a brief moment but her friend did – contrary to a lot of other occasions - wear something underneath it. Taleeze just put her hoodie on the desk chair and dropped her shoes, before joining Daia on the surprisingly comfortable bed. For a vid set this was actually decent. But then, playground had standards when it came to… well playgrounds. Taleeze giggled when she nestled her legs into a comfortable position across from Daia.

“We’ve been here and there. Freh’ya had a lot of meetings for this recruiting business and an upcoming assignment. She’s going to earth as part of an exchange program with the Allliance for a couple of weeks. After that she plans to spend her holiday on Illium!” She smiled wide at the last statement.

She took deep breath. She didn’t want to let her mind wander too far off again after the meditation. She looked Daia straight into the eyes. On her peripheral view, the images of nature drifted into one another and she could hear soft sounds of wind, waves, rustling grass. It was not very distinguishable but it provided a cushion where she could let her senses float on. She felt relaxation and excitement at the same time. Joining with a friend would leave them with something eternal.

“Now… Daia,” she began in a soft but inviting tone “I am ready to join my mind with yours and receive of your wisdom.” It used to be on of the formulas to address a teacher.
“I am ready to become one mind with my sister.” This was more personal.