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“Samantha,” Reyes smiled when the door to his private room opened, “Come, sit down. It has been far too long.”
She returned his smile, sliding into her usual seat beside him, “Reyes, you shady bastard, keeping out of trouble I hope?”
He laughed softly as he poured her a glass of whiskey; neat, just the way she liked it. He knew she preferred it with lime, and had promised her that as soon as the first lime was grown in Andromeda, he was going to make her the best glass of whiskey she had ever tasted.
“You know me, I’m always out of trouble,” he said, handing her the glass.
They talked business for a while, discussing the port, and how the outpost was doing. A lot of people had been hesitant about setting up on Kadara at first, but it was really starting to come together. The water was pure, crops were growing, and Kadara was becoming the central hub of trade in the cluster with Keema in charge.
“So,” he said, pouring them both another whiskey, “I heard some interesting news the other day.”
“Did you now?” she quirked an eyebrow at him.
“Indeed. Had some of my men up in the mountains, scouting the area, and they spotted a woman who looked suspiciously like you rock climbing with a female turian, only then to embrace on the cliff’s edge and share in a very romantic embrace.”
A smile played on his lips as he watched her start to go red, “I… I don’t… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come now, my friend, it is nothing to be ashamed of, especially if it is that beautiful turian of yours that you keep among your crew. I’ve seen how you are around each other. I find it quite sweet… And it would really show that you have a thing for tall, attractive smugglers.”
She kicked his foot under the table. It was true enough, she and Reyes had flirted ever since they first met, but she had no interest in him, and he knew that, even considering the one kiss she’d indulged in to distract the guard at Sloane’s party. He was a handsome man, no doubt, and they got along well, but she only had eyes for Vetra.
“Okay, yes, fine,” she huffed, “We’re seeing each other. That was our first kiss your men got an eyeful of.”
“I’m happy for you,” he smiled, and just from the look in his eyes it was one of the most genuine things he had ever said to her.
“Thank you,” she took a sip of her whiskey, “No one else really knows yet. I mean, the crew probably presumes, but we haven’t told anyone yet. I mean, hell, if your men hadn’t seen us I would have ended up telling you anyway.”
“Truly?”
“Of course, you’re my friend.”
It still surprised him whenever she admitted to being his friend. They were partners, yes, but she didn’t just keep it all business. She genuinely enjoyed his company, just as he enjoyed hers. She hadn’t cared that he was the Charlatan. She was angry that he’d lied, but in the end she had forgiven him, had understood his reasons, and since then there had been absolute trust between them. It did him good to have someone that he could be that open with.
“Y’know, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” he said.
“Shoot.”
“You’ve always seemed very… at home here. A lot of people turn their nose up at Kadara, especially when Sloane was running the show, but you never flinched. You knew how to work the people, the gangs. It was something I never expected from someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” she asked, “What’s that meant to mean?”
“Nothing to offend, but you always mention your work as a scientist, looking for Prothean artifacts, it’s just hard to picture you somewhere like Omega back in the Milky Way.”
She shifted in her seat, pouring herself another drink, “Your first instinct is right. I am very at home here. I grew up on the Citadel, the nice part, but when you’re young, and your parents are busy all the time with their own work, you find ways to entertain yourself. Scott and I worked the Wards, got into all kinds of trouble. Little bit of everything. Theft, small time cons, drugs here and there. We were good at it. We stopped for a while when Mom was sick, moved to Earth to take care of her. When it was obvious that Mom wasn’t getting better, and Dad was throwing himself into SAM to try and help her, Scott and I picked up our old contacts back on the Citadel, got every sort of experimental treatment for her, but nothing worked. When she died, Dad drove us into some serious debt working on SAM. Scott had finally got himself a career as an engineer doing what he loved, but it didn’t pay much. So I turned to smuggling whenever I could. Don’t get too many checks when you’re hauling rocks around for a living. I sent whatever money I could to Dad, and he was too preoccupied to ask where it was coming from. Eventually he got involved with the Initiative and got funding back. I kept it up for a while longer, put the money aside for Scott and I in case we ever needed it. I moved it all into Scott’s name as soon as I was named Pathfinder. If anything happens to me, I know he’s taken care of.”
“He’s lucky to have you looking after him,” he said.
“Damn straight he is,” she nodded, taking a mouthful of whiskey, “Sometimes it feels like he’s all I’ve got left, but times like this I remember that I’ve got a bigger family than I dare to think.” He watched her for a moment, trying to figure out if she meant what she said. “Yes,” she smiled, “That includes you. We’re kindred spirits, you and I, willing to do whatever it takes to keep what matters to us safe. You’ve got my back, and I’ve got yours, and out here that’s all that matters.”
He felt his heart swell and he tipped his glass towards her, “I’ll drink to that.”