Author's Note:

Hello All, I hope that you have enjoyed what I have posted so far. While writing this chapter, I decided that I am going to try and make every new chapter at least 3000 words or more.

I chose this for two reasons: 1) I can fit more content into a section without feeling like I left something out, and 2) You, the audience, will have much more to chew on. Everybody wins!

So, enjoy this longer chapter and please leave a review if you like it. All criticism is good criticism!

… ... ... ... ... ...

The familiar pressure of hardened steel pushed against Ryder's chest as he deftly snapped the final clasp of his armor into position. He rolled his shoulders and jumped in place to make sure nothing was loose or secured improperly. Satisfied that everything was where it should be, and confident that nothing vital would come loose if he had to maneuver himself quickly, he asked SAM, the onboard AI, to connect his communicator to Sidera Nyx's work station. As he waited for the call to connect, he peered out of his cabin's observation window towards the darkness below. The Heleus Cluster's lawless and chaotic jewel – the smuggling capital of the cluster – Kadara seemed to smolder defiantly against the ravenous black-hole that prowled beyond it. As the titan's irresistible pull barely missed the insolent figure, Kadara's swirling atmosphere behaved like a veil against the planet's violent splendor. Ryder contemplated the fate of those forced to eke out some form of life there. Nowhere else to turn to. Nowhere else to run. Although he couldn't condone the actions of the 'exiles', he could at least sympathize with their plight. While a few were objectively malicious, many more just seemed to have pulled the short straw. Before he could think about the issue further, SAM's voice echoed in his ear.

"You are connected Pathfinder. You may speak at your leisure."

The Pathfinder nodded in thanks and pressed two fingers to the communicator in his ear.

"Hey Sid, its Ryder, can you hear me?"

He heard a sharp yelp of surprise, a dull thump, and frantic shuffling as someone pulled themselves off of the floor. Sid eventually replied while the subtle sounds of a desk being rearranged could be heard in the background.

"Dammit Ryder, you almost gave me a heart attack." Her voice was shaky and an indirect tone of irritation colored her words.

Ryder did his best to stifle his amusement, but a small chuckle escaped him nonetheless.

"Sorry about that Sid. I forgot that SAM can connect to a terminal without setting off any type of alarm."

She sighed and took a few deep breaths before she said anything else.

"Give a girl a heads up next time? I accidentally threw all my files off my desk and now everyone is looking at me like I just lost my mind."

"Next time, I'll make sure that SAM sends you a loud notification," he said, laughing around his words.

After a few minutes of small talk and benign chatter, Ryder brought the conversation back to the original point of his call.

"Alright Sid, is everything in place? Are we all set?"

"Yep. Everything is where it should be. Kesh approved Lexi's supply requisition, Drack and Jaal made sure to clear out the area of any scavengers, and Suvi 'borrowed' an empty supply crate from a couple of fellow researchers," she said, quickly listing off the important details. "We should be good to go."

Ryder turned from the viewing window and walked out of his cabin. He strolled through the Tempest's lower catwalk and made his way towards the holding bay where the Nomad, their all-terrain vehicle, was parked and constantly being tinkered on by Liam and Gil. They both gave the Pathfinder a nod of acknowledgement before they returned to whatever task they had embroiled themselves into, the occasional flash and crackle of sparks illuminating their protective face-wear.

"Awesome. It looks like it's finally time to put 'Operation Vacation' into effect."

Soft giggling made its way over the channel. In his mind, Ryder could practically see Sid bouncing up and down in her chair with excitement.

"I can't wait to hear all the details. Good luck!"

Sidera closed out the channel and Ryder walked over to the door separating the cargo hold from the rest of the ship. He went over the plan one more time in his head, amazed that all of the pieces had seemingly come together without too many issues. It had taken himself, Sid, Lexi, Drack, and Jaal, several days of careful planning and maneuvering to keep Vetra out of the loop. As far as they could tell, she was unaware of their machinations. The Pathfinder knocked on Vetra's door and did his best to look casual. He didn't want to make her suspicious from the very get go.

The door slid open with a hiss and Vetra looked around for whoever had knocked. Her eyes locked onto Ryder quickly and she beamed as a large smile lit up his face. Even his eyes seemed to smile at her as the corners of them creased together. She couldn't figure out why, but whenever he looked at her like that, Vetra felt her stomach do a somersault. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling. If she was being totally honest, she quite enjoyed it. However it was an unfamiliar sensation and she was wholly unsure of how to react to it. In her mind, at least for the moment, she decided to chalk it up to the excitement of having a close friend.

"Hey Ryder," she said, her voice welcoming, "Did you need me for something? Need something done?"

His smile became a smirk and he answered with a sly expression.

"Actually, yes. I need someone with skills of the more…" he trailed off as if searching for the correct word before resuming, "…clandestine variety. A contact of mine let me know there is a valuable supply cache to be found in an unsearched area of Kadara. You in?"

Vetra expressed a wicked glee at the possibility of preventing Kadara's outlaws from hoarding more materials that the Initiative so desperately required.

"Absolutely."

… ... ... ... ... ...

Several Days Earlier

Lexi T'Perro perused the text of an old medical journal from the early days of asari medicine. The book's edges were frayed and loose bits of binding stuck out of the spine which barely held the pages together. Though extremely old and antiquated, the volume provided her with something to do while the rest of the crew remained injury free. More importantly, it provided Lexi with a visible and tangible link to her life in the Milky Way. As she delved into the familiar pages, the hiss of the med-bay door pulled her attention away from the weathered tome.

The Pathfinder entered the Doctor's office and took a seat on one of the examination beds near her desk. On first observation, Lexi thought he looked more relaxed than he had been over the last few weeks. There was a lightness to his step that indicated something in him had – if only temporarily – unburdened itself from his shoulders. She thought back to his outburst over the ship wide intercom and contemplated what could have eased the turmoil that had infected his stoic persona. Some of the crew often considered him to be cold or aloof due to his lack of emotional responses. However, in Lexi's professional opinion, she saw something else behind his emotive silence. To her, she saw an individual whose core possessed deep levels of passion and empathy but protected itself by keeping everything at an arm's length away.

She greeted him with a smile as she placed her book on her desk.

"Hello Pathfinder, what can I do for you?"

Ryder laid back on the examination bed and laced his arms behind his head. He turned slightly to look at her.

"Lexi, are you able to place an emergency rations requisition with the Nexus?"

The doctor eyed him quizzically.

"If the request fits the need, I have that authorization," she said, the hint of a question just below the surface of her words.

Ryder quickly sat upright and pulled out a list from his pocket that he had hurriedly scribbled down.

"This isn't strictly protocol," he said bluntly, "but I need your help getting these supplies without raising too much suspicion."

Lexi looked over the list carefully and frowned questioningly.

"Ryder, most of these supplies are for dextro-amino based life forms such as turians and quarians. And we only have one turian…"

She trailed off as understanding finally clicked in her brain.

"These items are for Vetra. But what is the need? Our stock is still adequate enough to fit her daily requirements."

Ryder grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's the thing Lexi, this is a personal 'under the radar' kind of request. Remember how you mentioned that Vetra is always trying to take care of others? That she needs to take more time for herself? Well," he said extending his arms for effect, "this is part of a plan to do that."

It was a rare occurrence when Lexi T'Perro chose to bend the rules. Rarer still for her to actually want to go against protocol.

The doctor transferred the information from Ryder's list into a requisitions request on her Omni-tool while she trained a stern gaze in his direction.

"This never happened and I have no idea what you're talking about."

Ryder laughed and stood to leave the med-bay.

"I was just here to have a routine check-up done. See you later."

He gave her a cordial wave as the door shuttered behind him. Taking a seat at her desk, the doctor added some medical embellishment to ensure that the request appeared more official. As she finalized the application, a small knowing smile played across her lips.

Lexi had finally discovered the reason, or more specifically the person, behind Ryder's shift in demeanor.

… ... ... ... ... ...

Present day

For all of the planet's violent tendencies, Kadara's wilderness possessed a unique attraction. While the majority of the Heleus Cluster was untamed – save for a few key angaran home worlds and Initiative outposts – Kadara, among its more romantic settlers, possessed the unique title of the "Wild West" of space. While the Collective, a rag tag group of smugglers, and the Exiles, disgraced former Initiative members, battled amongst themselves for control of the port, there was at least some semblance of order and control. All things considered, the authority of the gun ultimately ruled the "civilized" areas of Kadara. Unfortunately, for the unlucky or the stupid, or for those bad enough to be exiled from the Exiles, their fate was usually a short and bloody one. Outside of the port, the Badlands claimed dominion over everything. If the Sulphur vents didn't suffocate you, the corrosive nature of the water would simply dissolve you. If the water didn't kill you, the teeming wildlife would probably hunt you down and eat you. All in all, it was a charming locale.

Through this minefield of death, Vetra and the Pathfinder found themselves cresting the top of a weathered hillside as the wheels of their vehicle dug deep grooves into the loose soil. With one final punch of the accelerator the Nomad shot forward.

It was a false top.

A panicked shout tore from Vetra's throat as the Nomad careened dangerously over one of Kadara's rugged cliff faces.

The uncomfortable sensation of falling twisted her gut and she gripped the base of her seat in an attempt to establish some feigned sense of security. Her talons cut deeply into the pliable leather as the hard surface below closed in upon them. Just as it appeared that the vehicle would be obliterated by the jagged boulders, Ryder ignited the Nomad's emergency thrusters and leveled out the bottom of the transport for a semi-smooth – although bumpy – landing. He pushed forward on the throttle and zoomed down a sulfur encrusted embankment before sliding to a messy stop at the edge of a small azure lake. The two of them breathed heavily and took a moment to allow their adrenaline to subside. As Ryder began shutting down the vehicle's systems, Vetra unbuckled her harness, pushed open the butterfly doors, and leapt out of the passenger seat in one fluid movement. She turned her head to look back at him over her shoulder.

"Next time? I drive." She said harshly.

He gave her a mocking thumbs-up before releasing his own harness and hopping out as well.

"Come on," he said with a playful shove, "it wasn't that bad. You know you love my driving."

Vetra did her best to look angry but she couldn't hold it. She broke into a smile and lightly jabbed her elbow into his side.

"Whatever."

He secured the locks of the Nomad and turned with a shrug.

"I'm just saying, my vehicular prowess kept us in one piece."

Vetra reached around him as he opened up the storage compartment that contained their equipment. She looked at him with a skeptical expression.

"It's also what almost turned us into scrap."

Ryder chuckled and secured his rifle to his back. He watched the turian with interest as she readied her gear and adjusted the velvet scarf around her neck. As she went through her usual routine, there was a unique grace to her movements that he had only recently begun to notice. It was little things here and there. The way she walked. The way she held herself during meetings. He even noticed the gentle way she grasped a cup with two hands as she sipped it absentmindedly. When they had originally been introduced, he had simply considered her a useful addition to the Pathfinder team. But as time progressed, whether it be on assignment or during down time, the two of them had begun to spend much more time together. If anything, Ryder felt that the two of them had at least developed a fairly solid friendship.

When they had both outfitted themselves accordingly, they carefully made their way down a clearly worn and eroded path. Stepping over a sun bleached pile of bones, Ryder opened his Omni-tool.

"According to my contact, the cache of supplies should only be about a mile or two across this valley. It's hidden, so we'll have to be careful not to miss it."

Vetra tripped on a loose stone and steadied herself before answering.

"Sounds good. So who's the contact? I know most of the smugglers, at least in passing, on Kadara."

He looked at his Omni-tool once more in an attempt to feign concentration.

"Seemed pretty new to the whole situation. Mentioned that he wanted to get in good with the Initiative or something," he said as he waved his hand dismissively.

She hummed to herself thoughtfully as they continued to hike through the uneven terrain. A wild adhi peered hungrily at them from the cliffs above but scampered away quickly when Vetra loosed a warning shot near its perch.

"Was it Tacitus? He's pretty fresh blood. Talks a big game but is really all bark and no bite."

Ryder shook his head and helped pull Vetra up the side of a large boulder.

"Nah, I don't think so. I think it was a salarian. But I'm not totally sure as all of our conversations were over voice communication."

Vetra grunted in the affirmative and kept pace with Ryder's walking. She looked around and made sure to listen out for anything suspicious. A few more minutes passed as they walked through the valley and she seemed confused when Ryder looked back at her.

"What are you thinking?"

She studied the area once more and eventually met his curious gaze.

"Doesn't it seem a little strange that we haven't seen any scavengers or outlaws around? Wide open spaces on Kadara are usually teeming with them."

He pretended to look around confused as well. Internally he was cheering. It appeared that Drack and Jaal had fulfilled their end of the plan spectacularly.

… ... ... ... ... ...

A few days ago

One-Eyed Jimmy had been in some pretty tricky situations. He had surprisingly survived certain death a fair number of times. But despite all of his escapes from the perilous and his run-ins with demise, none of those times could have prepared him for this. Jimmy gasped for breath as a massive and armored foot dug itself into his sternum. A light cracking sound indicated that at least two of his ribs were now fractured. The scavenger wheezed in pain and the spiky head of an ancient krogan loomed over his face.

The krogan's voice was harsh and guttural.

"Are you still confused," he pushed his foot harder for effect, "Or do we have an agreement?"

Jimmy stared into Drack's emerald eyes and saw his own frightened reflection. The krogan's angaran companion casually wiped the dirt away from his targeting scanner before returning it to his head.

"We could always tie him up and leave him. The adhi have to eat as well."

Drack looked at Jaal as if truly contemplating the idea.

"It would be much easier," he mumbled as he looked back down at Jimmy. "But then we have to deal with all of his lackeys, and that takes time."

Jaal hummed thoughtfully.

"True. It saves us much trouble if we can just make a deal."

The smuggler looked back and forth frantically between Drack and Jaal. Neither of them seemed particularly worried with the fact that Jimmy was having serious difficulty breathing properly. He began to panic and beat his fists against Drack's massive appendage.

The krogan pushed even harder into Jimmy's chest and another couple of ribs fractured.

"I'm old and impatient. So make a choice before I make it for you."

Jimmy's vision began to go dark around the edges and he started to hyperventilate. He gave one more futile push against Drack's leg before he finally grunted weakly. The smuggler looked the old krogan in the eye and frantically nodded his head to indicate he was ready to parley. Drack pulled his foot off of Jimmy's chest and Jaal helped sit him up. After a few minutes of deep breathing, One-Eyed Jimmy finally spoke to the two strangers.

"You have a deal. My crew and I will pull out of this area and leave it to your band. This shit ain't worth dying over."

Jaal crouched down to get a better look at the battered smuggler.

"Good choice," he said cheerfully. "You have until tomorrow to completely clear the area, or my irritable companion will have much more to say to you. Now go."

One-Eyed Jimmy struggled to his feet and hobbled weakly towards his shuttle. Without a second glance, he climbed into the cockpit and flew off towards the port with his crew.

Drack looked at Jaal and chuckled deeply.

"That was much easier than expected," he said as he pulled a loose piece of bone from his armor and began picking his teeth with it. "We should probably call the kid."

Jaal nodded and activated his Omni-tool.

"Pathfinder, this is Jaal, do you copy?"

"I read you Jaal. Go ahead."

"The zone is clear. Drack and I will do a final sweep of the valley, but I have a feeling no one is going to bother you or this spot for quite some time."

Ryder responded positively and gave them the go ahead to finish up and return to the Tempest. Jaal closed out the transmission and Drack looked over at him with a slightly bored expression. The krogan lifted the crate of supplies onto his shoulder and jerked his head towards the adjacent hillside.

"Come on. The sooner we hide this thing the sooner I can go shoot something."

… ... ... ... ... ...

Present Day

Ryder and Vetra descended carefully from the uneven hillside that they had spent the last hour or so hiking across. Just as they made it to the bottom of the ridge, Ryder's scanner set off an alarm. Looking at his Omni-tool, the scanner indicated that their intended target was just across the valley and midway up the next hill.

Vetra glanced at his scanner and pointed at the provided nav-point, "We're close. I can't wait to see what we find stashed away."

They continued their steady pace up the valley and eventually crossed over another embankment. The alarm on Ryder's scanner began to ring consistently as they closed in on the hidden supplies. Midway up the hill, a rock formation similar to an obelisk punched through the earth and provided a natural overhang against the elements. In between the rocks, covered in a thin layer of loose soil and shoved into a hollow space in the stone, rested their supply crate. Ryder saw it first and quickly pointed it out to Vetra. She laughed excitedly and crawled into the formation to pull the crate out of its hiding space. With a few solid tugs the crate came loose and she set it down on a flat piece of ground.

Ryder watched with anticipation as she snapped the locks of the crate off their hinges and flung open the lid. Vetra reached into the container and rummaged around a bit before sitting back on her heels with a confused expression. She looked up at Ryder, looked down at the contents of the crate, looked back up at Ryder, and flung her hands up in the air in exasperation.

"The guy that told you this was a worthwhile drop really pulled your leg Ryder."

She reached back into the crate and pulled out two items. In one hand, she gripped a bottle of aged whiskey. In the other, she held a dextro compatible equivalent.

"There's nothing in here but some booze, a blanket, and what looks like a mix of levo-amino and dextro-amino food."

Vetra dropped the bottles back into the crate and stood up, patting dirt away from her legs as she did so, "I mean, I guess it's useful for keeping our supplies stocked. But next time we're using one of my contacts."

Ryder walked over to the crate and took a look inside. After a few moments, he knelt down and unfolded the blanket on a patch of earth absent of any sharp rocks. Vetra, utterly confused, watched his actions with interest. He laid the two bottles carefully on the blanket and arranged the food as well. When he was content with his setup, he took off his helmet and looked back at her.

"Surprise."

The smuggler blinked a few times unsure of how to react. She uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips as she scrutinized the Pathfinder's work.

"Wait…What?"

He sat down comfortably on the spread out cloth and extended a hand out for her to follow his example. Still confused, she removed her helmet and sat cross legged across from him. He handed her the dextro compatible liquor and took a sip from the bottle of whiskey.

"On Earth," he said after taking another swig from the bottle, "we call this a 'picnic.' Friends get together, eat and drink together, and just enjoy the scenery."

Vetra inspected the bottle in her hand a few times before uncorking the lid and taking an extended draught of the contents. It had been far too long since she'd had the opportunity to enjoy expensive alcohol and she relished the warmth that coursed through her system.

"A 'picnic' huh?" She took another sip and relaxed a bit. "So this was all a ruse?"

Ryder laughed and nodded, "Sid was actually the one who put this plan into motion." He leaned back against a boulder and crossed his legs comfortably, "She said you needed to take more 'personal time.'"

Vetra laid on her side and propped herself up on one arm.

"Whose idea was all this?" she asked with a twirl of her wrist towards everything Ryder had set out.

"Well I came up with this bit, but I had some help setting everything else up."

Vetra contemplated his words quietly as she sipped from her beverage. Ryder looked at her for a moment before turning to appreciate the view of the horizon as the sun began to set over Kadara's wild expanse. She sat up once more and crossed her legs. This was all so very out of the ordinary for her and she didn't quite know how to feel about it. While it was appreciated, her upbringing had been a tough one and companionable niceties were something altogether foreign to her.

"Why?"

He looked at her quickly, a puzzled expression on his face. Of all of the things she could have said, 'why,' was nowhere near the list that Ryder expected. He paused thoughtfully before responding.

"I mean, isn't that what friends do? They do nice things for each other because they can. There doesn't really have to be a reason."

She pondered his words and nodded. She liked that.

"Well, thank you. Really. You're a good friend Ryder."

"And you're a better one Vetra," he said, smiling at her brightly. "Now let's relax and enjoy the view."

They both sat together comfortably, wordlessly appreciating the presence of one another in this quiet moment. As they sipped their liquor and snacked on their food, the harsh light of day gradually shifted into a more serene twilight. The final rays of daylight defiantly pierced through the swirling clouds and illuminated a cliff face that rose majestically over the Sulfur Pits. Vetra studied the rocks intently as the light began to fade and could only imagine what the view of the surrounding area would be like from that vantage point. Once the sun had completely receded from the horizon, the two of them packed up their materials and shoved the crate back into its hiding space. If they were lucky, this could be a regular place for them to get away from the craziness of the world.

Once everything was secure and properly hidden, they began they journey back to where they had left the Nomad. Climbing over the ridge once more, she turned back and looked in the direction of the formation that had been revealed by the dying light.

One day, she thought, I would love to climb that mountain.