#RedrockAgency – November 3, 2017

Li has eventually calmed down after several minutes of unexplained crying in Ilyna's office. She's sitting in the asari's lap now, looking at the door in silence as occasional sniffles escape her.

Mikey slowly approaches Li and Ilyna, big pout on his face and arms folded across his chest with his mother right behind him. As he nears the pair, he looks back to Jennifer who browbeats him and gestures towards Li. The boy sighs and looks down at the ground before muttering under his breath all at once, "...Sorry I made you cry." He instantly turns on his heels after he gets it out and whines to his mother softly, "Moooom, I didn't

Jennifer gives Mikey that look that only a parent can give that shuts Mikey right up. She then looks apologetically towards Li and Ilyna. "I'm so sorry... Is she alright?"

Cynthia has disappeared into Jason and Vasquez' room on Markus' request, after some more not-too-subtle flirting with Ehanis.

Oxaris has spent much of her time trying her best to socialise with the other guests, although it is quite obvious that it really isn't her forte.

Sam gives a few more nods. "That makes sense, I guess. Jay isn't exactly the 'filing paperwork type'." she muses with a snicker and a shake of her head. "I do not envy what that woman probably has to put up with..." she adds, though the smile that crosses her face implies she, at the very least, has fond memories of Jason.

Emma lets out a mildly amused snort, a strange, almost uncomfortable look crossing her face for a moment. She folds her hands behind her back as she looks out at the rooftops of the town. "I... understand you have all left the Alliance? Is your motivation the same as the others?"

Markus is wandering the corridors of the base now, seemingly looking for something or someone.

Sam glances Emma's way, brow furrowed for a moment. "Huh?" she asks, unsure of what exactly the others have even told her. Another moment passes before she responds. "Like I said, I'm a field medic. They teach us to keep our people alive so-..." she gives a shrug of her shoulders as she glances back out towards the view, "...That's what I'm doing. I go where they go."

Leah is still just waiting around with Mendez and Tara up in the rec room.

Jasper has slipped a bit of his homebrew booze onto the beverage table in case anyone is feeling adventurous during the reception.

Emma nods slowly. "Loyalty to your team then. To your friends." She pauses for a moment, clearly thinking. "You still wear your uniform. Do you fear you are letting the Alliance down? Letting humanity down? Abandoning your duty?"

Ilyna have said little more than reassurances in the last few minutes. Her arms are wrapped around her. She's about to speak when the door opens and she looks at the approaching pair, causing a sigh to escape her. She was not ready to talk with Li while also talking with Jennifer and her son. She hums thoughtfully. "Yeah, I think so," she says in a low voice, then looks down at Li. "What do you think? Are you ready to

Tara has, of course, not left Leah's side.

Li rubs her eyes and looks up at Ilyna. After a moment she nods softly, but remains sitting in her lap.

Nathan and his sister, after preparations on their instruments, have come upstairs to join in the mingling. Nate seems to falter a step when he enters and he tries to cover it up with a casual pose and a clearing of his throat. His sister gives him an odd look before nudging him towards Mendez, Leah and Tara. He stops before the trio with a wide smile. "Well, aren't we all looking flash today?"

Sofia smiles and waves, stopping just besides Tara. "Hey, Tara. You look amazing!"

Tank is still sitting in the couch, apparently lost in thought as she scrolls through something on her omni-tool.

Tara blinks, lowering her head as she's addressed by Sofia. A small smile crosses her lips despite her lack of response.

Victoria has remained by Va'ynna's side, offering just some idle conversations while time has passed. "So, do you have to go back to the Respite after this?"

Markus lets out a frustrated grumble as he heads downstairs, still looking around. He furrows his eyebrows, stopping outside Jason's office and knocking on the door.

Tarkus has decides to try out one of the 'Quarian' alcohol drinks, trying to find out if it has been sterilised. He figured he might as well find out, because if it was not he had to clearly warn any Quarian that might have been there.

Jennifer forces a small smile and nods to Ilyna before reaching out for her son's wrist. "We'll leave you two with some privacy." she offers Ilyna before exiting the room, bringing Mikey along with her.

Sam stands up straight, looking down at her uniform for a moment as it's called into question. Clearly she wasn't expecting such a loaded question. It causes her to cock an eyebrow. "Letting the Alliance down?" she snorts, giving a shake of her head, "I wear the uniform because I've got nothing but respect for the Alliance. Make no mistake about that. But abandoning our duty?" she asks, using 'our' rather than 'my' specifically. She

Halisi has remained in the hangar for the time being. She wanders along the food and drink tables, studying the offerings. She stops as she reaches Jasper and shoots him a polite smile. "It's nice, isn't it? To celebrate something for once."

Leah takes a step towards Nathan, standing up as straight as she can to get the most out of the few extra inches of height her heels give her. "You're losing your advantage, Nate." she taunts through a grin with a glance down at her spiffy shoes despite still having to look up to look him in the eye.

Mendez turns his attention towards Nathan and Sofia as they arrive, offering only a bow of his head in greeting.

Jason furrows his brow as he spots Markus, concern instantly showing through in his features. "Hey... Is everything alright...?" he asks, assuming Markus probably wouldn't willingly come to him unless something was wrong.

Emma 's eyebrow rises slightly as she glances Sam's way, and she gives a small nod, gaze falling to the parking lot below. "Yes." she agrees, partly relieved the rather aggressive question didn't backfire. "I think a lot of people feel that way right now. We've lost... how many colonies now? Millions of people, taken from their homes. The Alliance I knew, the Alliance I served? They would be out here, putting a stop

Markus lets out a grunt, sounding remarkably like his sister for a moment. "It's time soon. Will you be ready?"

Nathan grins and pointedly makes the effort of looking down at her, even going onto his tiptoes to add that extra height. "Hmm, I dunno, Leah. I still think you have a long ways to go. Literally." He winks and drops back down onto his feet, canting his head slightly. "You look good."

Tara shoots Nathan a glance, an odd look briefly crossing her face before her gaze returns to the floor.

Sofia doesn't seem phased by Tara's lack of an answer. Instead, she smiles brightly. "Isn't it exciting? I love weddings! Everyone is just so happy and full of life, right? And everyone dresses up nicely." She nods firmly.

Tara 's attention snaps back to Sofia, although her gaze remains lowered. "I've... never been to a wedding." she says quietly.

Renala has just left her office, having been dragged out of it by Uvena. "It's important that everything runs smoothly," she protests. "Can't have a certain hatch popping open during the ceremony now, can we?" The door closes and locks behind her.

Uvena pushes her away from the door and folds her arms. "These are manually turned on and off, you've told me," she asks. "You don't think I pay attention?" The other matron sighs defeated and they continue upstairs and into the rec room.

Ilyna gives her a small smile in return, but she doesn't say anything before the door closes behind them. "So," Ilyna reaches for a box of wet tissues in her desk's drawer, using her biotics to do most of it so that she can remain mostly still. "So, what is on your mind, Li?" she asks.

Li shakes her head, clearly not in the mood to talk about whatever happened.

Sam bites down, clearly agitated by even the thought of what's going on in the outer colonies. "Instead, they're backlining perfectly capable soldiers who could be helping with the fight." She shakes her head, taking a moment to clear her thoughts as she continues to scan the horizon. "I was pissed when Jason left. Hell, we all were. We had a good thing, you know?" She lets that linger for a moment before shaking her head a second

Jason glances down at his outfit, the lopsided grin returning to his face as his worry is alleviated. He gives a little 360 turn for Markus' sake, momentarily forgetting just how far that stick is wedged up Markus' ass. "Has anyone ever looked more ready?" he jokes, "Let's get this show on the road."

Leah rolls her eyes, but a sincere smile shows through upon hearing his compliment. Her gaze drops to his shirt then back to his eyes. "You're not looking too shabby yourself." she answers, for once reeling back on the sarcasm. Special occasions and such.

Nathan shrugs casually, resting his hands on his hips for the moment. "Well, you know. I thought baggy trousers and my hoodie wasn't the best outfit for a wedding." He glances across to Tara and Sofia as they chat and he lowers his voice slightly. "How's she doing?"

Va'ynna hums thoughtfully. "She said I... should return if this ends early," she says, "but I don't have to." She is still a bit unsure about most people present, and has opted for the safe option of staying by Victoria's side for the time being.

Sofia eye's widen and she dramatically gasps. "Never been to a wedding? Well, you're in for a treat. Dancing, delicious food, cake, music... Gott, they're always so much fun." She smiles at Tara and giggles softly. "Hey, after my brother and I have played, would you like to have a dance? Surely you know how to dance?"

Tarkus finishes the sterilised drink and begins to wonder about, to see if there are any conversations he could before the ceremony begins.

Oxaris is currently just stood off to the side, a drink in her hand and a neutral expression on her face. The turian sighs and brushes down her dress, picking at an imaginary speck of dust.

Emma nods, the faintest hint of a smile briefly crossing her otherwise cold expression. "Sounds like we have a few things in common..." she furrows her eyebrows, going quiet for a moment. "I... don't think I caught your name, actually." She turns partly to her side and removes one hand from her back, extending it to Sam. "Emma Nordström."

Tara shoots Nathan another subtle look likely to go unnoticed, almost like a faint glower, but Sofia pulls her attention back to their conversation. She furrows her eyebrows with an uncomfortable look and shakes her head, although it's unclear at which question.

Victoria gives a smile "Well, this is clearly not ending early. And even if it does, we can just said it went late." She gives Va'ynna's hand a squeeze, Vicky believed that Va'ynna has earned some time off.

Leah glances to Tara briefly. She opens her eyes wide and takes a deep breath. "...I talked to her." she says in a whisper. A short nod follows. "...She knows what we're going to do and she's onboard. We just-... We have to be careful, you know?" It's not often that she lets her hair down, but now free from its perpetual ponytail bonds, it reaches down just past her shoulders.

Sam reaches out, taking Emma's hand and giving it a firm shake. "Samantha Rhodes." she says. "Sam." she clarifies, not wanting to allow anyone to fall into the habit of calling her Samantha.

Markus doesn't seem particularly amused. He shoots a brief glance to Shane's uniform before looking back at Jason, studying his suit, but offering no comment except for a dry "Make sure you are." before changing the topic. "Have either of you seen the damn photographer? If she's not on the roof when the cermony starts..."

Tarkus approaches Oxaris, figuring he would not get brushed off by a turian. "Hey there, I'm Tarkus."

Nathan seems to momentarily shrink under Tara's gaze for some reason, before he looks back to Leah. He nods simply, turning his back to whisper to Leah. "Of course. Listen, we'll talk about it after the wedding, alright? For now... let's just enjoy it." He smiles at her and makes to give her a gentle nudge with his hip, half playfully and half to see if she actually has any balance in her heels.

Emma offers another nod as she pulls her hand back. "Nice to meet you, Sam." she says, taking a deep breath of winter's air, colder here on the edge of the roof. She seems about to say something else when the sound of an approaching shuttle catches her attention. Over the town a small dot in the sky is getting larger as it comes closer to the Redrock building.

Sofia pouts in thought and nods once. "Then I shall teach you. It'll be fun! I'm sure Miss Mercier will agree- Nate! Don't be mean." She glowers at her brother as he makes to nudge Leah.

Jason's grin fades and he clears his throat as he's reminded of who exactly he's speaking to. Yep, that stick is pretty far up there. "Uhh... No-... Not in a while." he says, giving a glance Shane's way.

Shane is quick to step down off of his seat on the desk as Markus looks his way. He instinctively straightens up, a trained reaction to being addressed by a an officer. "Uhh-... No sir." he lies, giving a look Jason's way.

Jason looks back to Markus, giving a single nod. "I'll have Fergus call her up. It shouldn't be a problem."

Oxaris blinks and turns to Tarkus, instinctively straightening up. She silently scolds herself and relaxes, offering him a nod and a smile. "Hello. I'm Oxaris." She dips her head and takes a sip of her drink. "I wasn't aware we had another Turian at Redrock."

Leah nods along. A day off from all of the stress and drama would be a welcome change. As one might expect from a biotic ninja- or perhaps contrary to what one might expect from a tomboy who stomps around in chunky boots all day- Nathan's nudge does little to upset her balance. She playfully returns the nudge with an elbow to his ribs. "You never came through with that dinner, by the way. The least you can do is make it up to me

Ilyna sighs and takes out one of the tissues, gently wiping under her eyes. "That's... okay," she murmurs, "we can talk about it when we get home." There was so much more Ilyna wanted to say, but this is not the time nor place. Though, that could be just another excuse Ilyna makes to put it off, like she has done countless times already.

Markus shakes his head. "I'll do it." he says, before adding: "Focus on getting ready." in a softer tone. He turns, muttering as he starts to leave: "I told Linda not to hire that Terminus delinquent... don't know what she was thinking..."

Sam gives a couple more nods. "Yeah, you too." she says. The sound of the shuttle causes her to lean back a bit, craning her neck around to get a look at it. "More guests...?" she muses aloud.

Tarkus gives a nod. "Guess you could say I am new, only had one job with Redrock. But I have known Jason for quite sometime, back in his freelance days." He explained, he looked at her drink. "Is that the sterilised stuff?"

Li gives a faint, reluctant nod, and hops out of Ilyna's lap.

Nathan makes a show of looking oh so terribly hurt by her nudge before having the decency to look a little sheepish. "Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I actually got all the ingredients together but with the wedding and Sofia and Sandbeck and all of that mixing tog-" He clears his throat. "Yeah. A dance. I can do that." He smiles.

Tara gives a slightly uncertain nod. "O-... okay."

Emma remains entirely focused on the shuttle, tensing up slightly. "I... don't know." she says.

Jasper looks Halisi's way, giving a short, sincere snicker. "It sure as heck is." he agrees. "Them two have been through a lot. They deserve this." he says as he glances back to the booze. Something seems to occur to him as he looks back to Halisi. "We've all been through a lot these past few months...." he corrects, perhaps his way of showing a little sympathy for what Halisi survived without bringing it up directly.

Ilyna remains seated in the chair, looking towards the door as Li leaves the room.

Halisi 's gaze falls slightly, and she gives a somber nod. "Yes... and... not all of us made it here." she says quietly.

Leah cocks an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Uh huh. Suuuure. Whatever you say, Nate." she teases. "Me and Tara were ready and waiting for some delicious grub and you just stood us up." She takes a step back, relenting on the teasing for a moment. "But I get it... A lot has been going on."

Li looks back at Ilyna, urging her to come with with a slightly worried expression.

Sofia gives her brother a dirty look. "Nathan! Standing up Leah and Tara?!" She fixes him an angry scowl before smiling a little and shaking her head. She then looks back to Tara and smiles brightly. "Great! It'll be fun! Although dancing in heels is never easy, when you get the hang of it you will look beautiful and graceful. Like a swan!"

Tara frowns. "What's a... swan?"

Jasper lifts up one of the bottles, focusing intently on the label, but his only response to Halisi is a slow nod at first. "Just means we need ta celebrate 'nuff for all a' them who didn't make it, too." he offers, glancing back to the doctor with a somewhat sad smile

Oxaris smiles and looks to her drink. She nods and raises it a little. "Yes. It's not too bad to be honest."

Va'ynna gives an amused smile. "I... like the way you think, Victoria," she says, then lowers her voice. "I'll stay until it's over... if you don't drink... much."

Nathan pulls a face back at Sofia, poking out his tongue. Mature as ever. He looks back Leah's way afterwards and gives a gentle shrug, glancing down for the moment. "Yeah... still, no excuse. My mother always said that a man is only as good as his word, so... you'll get that dinner. Promise." He turns and gives her a wink and a smile.

Ilyna tilts her head at first. "Do you want to show me something?" she asks and stands up, taking a few steps towards the door.

Sofia pouts again and quickly turns to her brother. "Borrowing this," she states firmly, quickly nicking his omni-tool. She turns back to Tara and taps away at it for a moment, sticking her tongue out the corner of her mouth as she fiddles with the device. "Ah, this!" She spins the interface around to show Tara a picture of a swan, gliding along in the water.

Tarkus gives a shrug. "I just prefer the normal stuff. I have never really drank it sterilised." He pauses for a moment, looking at the booze but deciding against getting another drink. "Anyway, how long have you been working with Redrock?"

Oxaris hums and takes a small sip. "Not too long. Only a recent addition myself," she explains. "I've just spent the past few years working as a bounty hunter for governments and Citadel space authorities. But it wasn't quite right for me, so."

Victoria gives a shrug "I told you before, I have some great ideas." Upon hearing that she was not allowed to drink much, she gives a frown. "How much is too much?"

Halisi lets out a sigh, nodding faintly. "Yes... I suppose so." she eventually agrees. After a moment's silence she clears her throat. "Excuse me, I-... I need to get some air." she says before rather abruptly heading for the exit.

Leah allows a small chuckle at the way Nathan and Sofia interact. "Yeah... Alright." she agrees with a nod, "But I'm gonna hold you to that, Nate! And if another couple of months pass and I don't get my magnificent dinner, I'm gonna kick your ass. I get cranky when I don't get my chow!" she threatens.

Tarkus nods. "Too much rules and regulations? Or just decided you needed a change of scenery?" He asked, wanting to know why she would change her profession.

Nathan grumbles at Sofia and wafts his hands at her indignantly. However, he laughs softly and looks to Leah. "I thought short-people were always angry? What's it called again...? Short-man syndrome?" He gives her a cheeky look before taking a pointed step away to get out of smacking range.

Oxaris hums. "Change of scenery, I suppose. Although I missed working in a unit, a team. I prefer the... cohesion."

Tara blinks, studying the picture curiously. A small, genuine smile crosses her lips, and for a moment it almost looks like she's going to reach out to touch the hologram.

Sofia smiles warmly at Tara and quickly reaches around to tap something else into the interface. The picture changes to a vid of a swan, gently gliding along a river. It ruffles its feathers before taking off into the sky, wings stretched and blooming. "They're from Earth. One of my favourite animals," she says quietly.

Va'ynna leans in and gives her a quick kiss. "I don't know," she admits, "but... I'll tell you when you've had enough." It's not that she doesn't know how much it takes, but she knew no way to express it that someone with so many great ideas could find a way around.

Leah stares blankly at Nathan for a moment. "Know what?" she begins, scrunching up her nose, "Forget the dinner, I'm gonna kick your ass regardless." she threatens playfully. "You're just lucky we're at a wedding! Otherwise-..." she presses her thumb to her neck and slowly drags it across.

Jasper nods softly, watching as Halisi takes her leave. He considers following but quickly reconsiders. Sometimes people just need their space.

Mendez allows a snort as Nathan rips into Leah, but quickly bites down, lest he show any more emotion than absolutely necessary.

Nathan shoots an appreciative look Mendez's way as the grenadier interprets the snort in his favour. He grins at Leah and walks around the back of her, tilting his head as he coos, "Promises, promises. All talk and no bite." He flashes her a smile and skips a step away. "So! Mendez! How the devil are you doing? We don't talk much."

Victoria gives a brief sigh. "Well I guess it will be negotiate, how much is too much. But for you, I will be good." She offers with a defeated sigh.

Oxaris nods a little. "You had a team? Why did you leave them?"

Markus starts down the corridor towards the lobby after exiting Jason's office.

Li blinks, shaking her head in confusion.

Tarkus gives a shrug. "Not really a team, people I worked with and knew. But the group, kind of fell apart." He gives another shrug. "So, I went out and did a few jobs by myself and then ended up here."

Leah continues to stare ahead. She fights the urge to just jab an elbow into Nathan's stomach as he circles her. Once he's moved on to Mendez, she turns around to face him. She opens her mouth, and bites down, her teeth making an audible sound as they clasp shut.

Mendez cocks an eyebrow as Nathan joins him. "I would be doing a whole lot better if Jason and the Chief would hurry up and get this thing started.

Tara nods again, her fascination getting the better off her as she continues to stare at the display, small smile lingering.

Nathan winces at the sound of teeth on teeth, although his grin persists. He sends a glance over his shoulder at Leah, perking an eyebrow before looking back to Mendez. "Not a fan of weddings, huh? Or, wait, are you actually a massive fan of weddings and you want it to hurry up so you can get drunk and dance to your heart's content?"

Mendez' expression remains unchanged. A moment passes before he says simply: "Correct." Given the confusing nature of the response, one would probably assume he's trying to be funny. But given the monotone delivery and his unflinching nature... It could go either way.

Sofia watches Tara and she steps around to stand besides her, to watch the video as well. She pauses for a moment before tapping at the interface. The vid switches to another. One of a hummingbird hovering before a flower. "My mother used to take me out bird watching... there isn't many left, but I loved it. Seeing them fly."

Sam watches curiously as the asari disembarks, but otherwise remains silent.

Tara 's hand hovers just above the screen, observing the impossibly fast wingbeats of the hummingbird in silence, but after Sofia speaks she furrows her eyebrows slightly. "There... were animals like that where I'm from."

Emma turns to watch the shuttle, seeming to relax slightly as she notices the asari in a wheelchair, but a hint of confusion remains.

Oxaris nods lightly and takes another sip, giving her full attention to Tarkus. "You missed being apart of a team too?"

Nathan snaps his fingers together and gives a victorious nod. "Called it. Hopefully your dancing is better than Jason's because... eesh."

Sofia looks to Tara and perks her brow up high. "Really? Where was that?"

Ilyna chuckles. "Sorry, I... misunderstood," she says with a sheepish smile. She takes her hand and starts making her way out of the room.

Tarkus nods "Yeah, guess you could say that. But it is also good knowing you can trust some people to have your back." He simply states.

Va'ynna nods, and gives a small smile. "Thank you," she says. Make no mistake, though, she will pay attention.

Mendez allows a small snicker, having seen the video. "Maybe we'll find out." he says.

Li accompanies Ilyna out of the room, keeping a tight grip of her hand.

Markus arrives in the lobby, clearing his throat as he waits for Fergus to appear.

Fergus materializes behind the lobby desk, bowing his head slightly. His appearance has been altered for the occasion. He's wearing a formal tunic rather than his usual plate and mail. "Can I help you, ser?"

Victoria sighs with defeat yet again, knowing that Va'ynna would be keeping a close eye on her. "I'm going to grab myself a drink. Do you want anything?"

Sam gives an unceremonial lift of her hand in greeting to the asari. "Welcome to the party." she calls out, not seeming particularly eager to move from her spot.

Markus nods. "Would you please tell Ms. Kaya to stop whatever the hell she's doing and get to work."

Fergus bows. "Of course, ser." he says, before disappearing.

Oxaris nods in agreement and smiles to Tarkus. "Yes. That is what I missed. I was with the Armiger legion before I became a bounty hunter. You wouldn't find a unit tighter than ours, I assure you."

Tara furrows her eyebrows. "I... don't know." she admits. "It was... a lot warmer."

Nathan grins at Mendez. "That we will. Either way, dance off?" He chuckles and gives him a look that shows he is mostly kidding. Mostly.

Va'ynna raises a brow, but her spotting Ehanis holding a bottle of beer in the corner of her eye answers the question before she's got a chance to ask it. "No..., thank you," she says, not wanting to remind her that she doesn't drink.

Mendez looks Nathan over, as if sizing him up. He rolls his shoulders and adjusts his suit jacket. "Careful what you wish for." he taunts.

Leah takes a deep breath and rolls her eyes at the two. "You're both idiots." she sighs.

Renala is currently near the door to the rec room, exchanging small talk with Uvena while casting the occasional glance around for the first excuse to slip away.

Fergus ' voice soon sounds inside the storage closet, expectedly unfazed: "Ser Vasquez requests that you cease your current activities and resume your duty as wedding photographer."

Namira gives a weak smile as she notices the wave, slowly driving closer since Sam and Emma are the only people currently up on the roof. The nurse follows behind her.

Sofia looks at Tara and smiles lightly. "Yeah? Near a beach, maybe?" She giggles slightly.

Tara shakes her head slightly. "Fields."

Nathan reaches up and adjusts his tie, giving Mendez the exact same look over. "Hmm," is all he overs the man before looking back at Leah. "Isn't munchkin land missing their mayor by now?"

Tarkus nods. "You use to be apart of the Armiger legion. That is impressive. I was trained in a little bit of everything."

Victoria gives Va'ynna a smile. "Okay, I'll be back in a minute." Vicky walked over to the booze table and looked to pour herself a rum with coke, if it was all there.

Ilyna considers looking for the other children, but decides against it until she finds out what happened. "Do you want to see the roof?" she asks as they start making their way upstairs. She pats the pocket near her thigh to ensure that the small box is still there.

Li offers an unenthusiastic: "Ok."

Jessica glances about, a little caught off guard at first by the unexpected voice. But as she gets a handle on the situation, she scoffs loudly, a deep frown crossing her face as she keeps Yan Sun pressed against a shelving unit holding cleaning supplies. "Fuuuuuuuuuuck." she groans, struggling to free her hand from Yan Sun's pants. "Stupid fucking-...." she mutters, turning her frustration to Yan Sun. "You see? You waste too much

Steve is seated at the table in the rec room, using a chair to prop his boots up as he works on his third beer. He looks to Renala and a small smile crosses his lips. He raises his beer silently to her in greeting.

Leah looks about ready to slap-a-bitch. She places one hand on her hip, leaning to the side sharply. "Oh, are they?" she asks, "Then how about I snap you in half so you can go fill in for the day?"

Va'ynna nods, and watches Victoria leave the rec room. She looks around nervously as she's completely alone in a room with mostly mercenaries, the occasional familiar face sorrounded by people she didn't feel comfortable approaching on her own.

Yan Sun doesn't seem to have quite registered what just happened as Jessica stomps towards the door, leaving her leaning back against the shelf as she tries to catch her breath. "Wh-...huh...?" is all she manages at first, looking rather dismayed as she reflexively tries to keep Jessica close. When she realizes what the disembodied voice was, and what it said, she leans her head back against the shelf with a long, frustrated

Nathan laughs warmly and shrugs his shoulders. "I think I'd still be taller than you," he pushes, before stepping over and making to throw his arm around her shoulder good-naturedly.

Sofia hums. "Did you like it there? Do you miss it? I... there aren't many fields where I am."

Emma bows her head slightly in greeting to the unfamiliar arrivals. "I... take it you're here for the wedding?" she asks, gaze moving from person to person.

Oxaris straightens up a little, a swell of pride in her chest at the praise. "You were? What unit were you apart of?"

Namira makes a face as she attempts, and fails, at nodding.

Sam allows Emma to take the lead, merely leaning against the edge as she watches. Her eyes focus on Namira. Her staring may come across as a bit rude.

Victoria once she had mixed her drink and got everything sorted with it, she makes her way back to Va'ynna. Knowing that she was not really comfortable by herself in this environment.

Syranis approaches the group on the roof, offering a nod of her own. "Indeed. A pleasure to meet you. I am Matriarch Syranis. Here to officiate this cermony. This is Rusk, and Namira." she introduces, gesturing to the vorcha and the wheelchair-bound asari in turn.

Emma raises an eyebrow, and then gives another, deeper bow of her head when she realizes who she is. "Matriarch. An honor. I am Emma Nordström, employee of Redrock."

Leah cocks her head to the side, following Nathan with her eyes as he returns to her side. "Is that all you've got? Height jokes? Come on, Nate. Get some new material." she sighs. Her attention moves to Tara as she chats with Sofia. The smile returns to her face despite Nathan's teasing. It dulls her urge to elbow Nathan in the gut a bit. Instead, she returns the gesture, throwing an arm around Nathan's waist and leaning into

Tarkus gives a shrug. "Ah, I was not apart of Armiger. Just a standard military force, however I believe they were trying to tailor me for command." He stops for a moment to remember why he left the turian military. "Had an incident, caused me to get wounded. I would have ended up behind a desk, if I stayed."

Namira returns Sam's look. "Can... I help you?"

Tara blinks, frown returning to her face. She shakes her head, gaze falling back to the floor. "No."

Renala excuses herself – to some protest – and makes her way over to take the vacant chair next to Steve. "I see you've hit the bottle already," she says with a chuckle. "How's the party going?" She then makes a show of looking him up and down. "You're looking good, by the way." Renala had left early to ensure the security systems be on their best behavior, so she may not have seen him at all today depending on

Nathan sniggers. "I'm not all that great at insults. So... no new material for a while." He gives her a side hug as he followes her gaze to his sister and Tara, lowering his voice to her level. "Yeah. My sister tends to do that to people." He glances at Leah and he nods gently to her. "She's improving. And soon she'll be free for good. Keep your chin up, mm?"

Sam blinks, suddenly realizing she's staring. She gives an uncomfortable shake of her head to Namira, "No-... Sorry." she apologized before looking to the Matriarch. She gives a half-cocked salute to Syranis. "Sergeant Major Samantha Rhodes." she greets, still holding onto the old habit of introducing herself with her full rank when interacting with another species. "Yeah-..." she continues with a glance Emma's way as she echoes the

Sofia looks at Tara for a moment longer before she turns back to the omni-tool. She prods the interface. "Hey, Tara? You wanna see more animals from Earth? There's a whoooole bunch of them and I don't think Nate will be needing his omni-tool back anytime soon."

Tara shakes her head slightly, her mind seeming elsewhere at the moment.

Steve removes his boots from the seat so Renala can take a seat. "Feelin' good, too." he says with a smile. "Feel a whole lot better when I get this thing off, though." he adds, giving his cast a nudge against the edge of the table. "So what have you been up to? Ain't seen you since ya got here."

Namira cracks a faint smile at Sam's discomfort, remaining in place and listening to the introductions.

Leah gives a short nod. Yep. Free. And all it would require is for them to kill a whole bunch more people. Seems to be the way of things for her. "Of course." she agrees, giving a second, more confident nod as she conceals her doubts with a big, bright smile.

Oxaris tilts her head slightly and her browplate furrows. "I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds like you knew where you were headed in the military."

Syranis raises an eyebrow, looking from Emma to Sam. "I did not realize this occasion called for military escort." she says, perhaps in jest. "Then again I suppose your species has already shown itself to have much in common with the people of the Empire."

Rusk remains silent, standing to the side and behind Syranis, observing the others with a keen gaze.

Nathan gives her a bright smile too, not detecting a hint of her concerns and doubts. "Come on. Let's nab a drink." He slips away from her and moves off to the refreshments, searching for something not too strong, but not too bland. A little bit of liquid encouragement for his performance that is rapidly approaching.

Vynira has just entered the rec room and has introduced herself to Va'ynna by the time Victoria returns. "I wonder, is there any truth to the rumor that Ilyna has adopted you as her little sister?" The young asari seems caught off-guard by the question, and she gives no immediate response.

Sofia nods and turns off the omni-tool, throwing it to her brother who barely just manages to catch it. "Hey... you okay?" She looks at Tara with concern, her mismatched eyes looking over her for a moment. "Oh, I... I said something wrong didn't I? I'm sorry, I sometimes don't think before talking."

Tara shifts slightly uncomfortably, giving a small shake of her head. "It's... okay." she says quietly.

Tarkus gives another shrug, he knew where he was going back then. "Yeah, I did. I guess I was following in my father's footsteps, just as he did. Guess it was sort of a tradition."

Sam gives an awkward chuckle, as if unsure if she should be laughing at what was said. She looks to Emma, as if looking for confirmation that it was a joke. "Uhh.... Just a friend of the groom..." she explains, just in case she read the situation wrong.

Leah gives a shake of her head. "I'm good for now. Figure I should wait until after the ceremony before getting trashed. I'm classy like that." she says with a shrug.

Jessica exits the closet as she attempts to straighten out her shirt and button her pants back up, eyes down on her outfit.

Victoria slowly approaches Va'ynna and Vynira, she just hears about this rumour. She moves next to Va'ynna. "You did not tell me about that?" Hopefully making Va'ynna feel slightly more comfortable.

Emma doesn't seem to have any better of an idea than Sam, clearing her throat as a slightly awkward tone settles in.

Syranis looks out across the roof, and towards the platform. "This is where the cermony will take place? Interesting." she comments, starting to walk around, studying the area curiously. Rusk follows closely behind, but Namira remains with Sam and Emma.

Nathan picks up a pair of drinks and smiles across to Leah. "Who said anything about getting trashed? This is just a casual drink before the ceremony kicks in." He holds a bottle out, a final offer to her.

Renala shrugs. "My job," she says. "Everything's gone smoothly so far, though, but knowing my luck...." She lets out a long sigh.

Sofia nods gently. "Are you sure? You look a little-" She cuts herself off, realising that she's probably making the situation worse. "Sorry."

Oxaris sips her drink and shifts on the spot. "Your father was an officer, then?"

Markus spots Jessica from the lobby, raising an eyebrow as he realizes she came from the closet. He shakes his head in confusion and walks up to her. "What the hell are you-... the cermony is almost about to start! You need to be up on the roof when the guests arrive!"

Yan Sun remains in the closet for the time being, adjusting her clothes and taking a moment to let her frustration over the abrupt interruption fade at least a little.

Tara remains silent.

Tarkus nods. "Yeah, he was. As I said, kind of runs in the family. I was working my way to an officer role." He shifts in his spot and gives a cough. "Figured fate or the spirits had a different plan for me."

Jessica furrows her brow as she locks her attention on Markus. She just sort of shakes off everything he said. "And who the fuck are you? Mmm?" she asks. "Gah-... I don't care. Some of us have work to do, so get out of my way." she grunts and storms past him.

Leah rolls her eyes. "Fiiiine." she sighs, reaching out to take the bottle. She retakes her earlier position beside Tara and gives her a little nudge, not having kept up with the recent conversation. "Hey. Having a good time?" she asks.

Markus blinks, failing to respond in time as Jessica storms off. He remains in place for a moment, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

Yan Sun exits the closet, still looking rather flustered. She stops dead in her tracks as she nearly walks into Markus.

Nathan grins. "Atta girl." He steps besides Sofia, also unaware of the pairs conversation. He rests his free hand on his sisters head. "Hey kiddo."

Sofia blinks and squints, pouting her lips. "Don't mess up my haaaaair." She reaches up to bat Nate's hand away, much to his amusement.

Va'ynna raises an eyebrow once Victoria shows up and puts more pressure on her to respond. "But... I, um..." She stops when the matriarch clasps a hand on her shoulder. That does cause her to tense up, made worse by her dress leaving it bare.

Vynira laughs softly. "Relax, kid, it was merely one of my daughters' exaggeration," she says. "But be careful, Ilyna will prove difficult to shake off once you let her fuss over you enough."

Ilyna did overhear that as she passes by the rec room on her way to the roof access; her father is not exactly soft spoken. "No, I'm not," she mutters defensively. She has shown no reaction to Li's lack of enthusiasm, but she still hopes it'll help put her mind off what bothers her.

Markus looks at Yan Sun for a moment, opening his mouth as if to say something, but then glances Jessica's way before looking back at her. He then furrows his eyebrows before turning and heading down the corridor without comment.

Sam gives a glance around, followed by a nod. "Seems to be the plan." she says, still a bit of lingering discomfort.

Oxaris chuckles. "Seems so. Most of my family seemed to prefer more behind the scene roles. Engineers and the like. My brother took that engineering passion to the field, whilst I... went a different path."

Yan Sun remains standing in place with a sheepish look on her face.

Steve's smile grows. "Well ain't you an optimist." he teases. "This thing is prolly gonna start soon, right? I'm startin' to work up an appetite with all this sittin'."

Halisi heads up the stairs on her way to the roof, and as she notices Ilyna and Li she ups her speed to join them, giving both a faint smile. "I was wondering where you were... heading up?"

Victoria grabs Va'ynna's hand, trying to comfort her and make sure she is alright. She takes a drink of her rum and coke, whilst giving a chuckle to Ilyna's response.

Tarkus nods. "Well, my family seems to be in the front of the scene type of people. Younger sister is apart of C-Sec and my older brother is getting into the political game."

Ilyna nods to Halisi. "Yeah," she says. "I heard a shuttle arrive, so it must be starting soon." She hasn't had any time to herself since she arrived, so this is the first chance she's got to speak with her. "It's good to see you, Halisi," Ilyna says with a smile, briefly looking her over. "You look great."

Tara turns her attention to Leah, giving a small, insincere nod.

Oxaris smiles a little and nods. "Politics? That's... uh...". She kinda gives a half shrug, her opinion on politicians not really all that high.

Halisi mirrors Ilyna's smile. "You too, Ilyna." she responds, her mood seeming to lift quite rapidly as she joins them on their way toward the roof. She looks down at Li and adds: "That's a very pretty dress."

Li looks a little embarassed, smiling slightly and mumbling: "Thank you..."

Va'ynna doesn't seem to get less tense at Victoria's comforting her. She's completely at a loss at how to behave in front of a matriarch, even one that appears to have shed much of the formality

Vynira smiles. "Ah, Victoria, I presume?" she asks as she lets go of Va'ynna. "Ilyna's told me very little of you." There's the slightest hint of amusmenet visible on her face, hinting to what exactly she has been told. She extends her hand Victoria's way. "I'm Vynira," she says. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Nathan and his sister followed upstairs and, with a little encouraging from Leah, sit on Vasquez's side. Sofia, despite the rather awkward end to the conversation with Tara, has chosen to sit beside the girl, offering her a warm smile and a nod.

Oxaris has taken a seat on Vasquez's side too, sitting a row behind Leah and the Tennhausen siblings. She looks around curiously.

Tarkus has taken seat next to Oxaris, partly due to not knowing anyone else at the ceremony.

Tank has also taken a seat on Jason's side.

Halisi has indeed chosen to sit next to Ilyna.

Tara is of course with Leah, as always.

Emma has taken a seat on the front row of Vasquez' side, next to Markus' seat. She remains slightly on edge even now.

Yan Sun has taken a seat on Vasquez' side purely because it is less populated. She looks mildly uncomfortable, surrounded mostly by strangers as Jessica does her job.

Jessica has remained mobile. Aggressively so as she snaps pictures of every. Single. Moment. She has an intense, focused look on her face as she darts about capturing everything.

Va'ynna has taken a seat on the row behind Ilyna, next to her mother and Victoria.

Victoria has clearly taken a seat next to Va'ynna.

Li nervously slides out of her seat, grabbing the basket and starting to make her way down the aisle as instructed, spreading flowers. She glances back at Ilyna more than once, perhaps in search of confirmation that she's doing it right. Ilyna would no doubt have been informed of what Li's role in the ceremony entailed.

Leah can't help but grin as Li begins starts down the aisle. "She's so adorable!" she exclaims in a stage whisper as she leans towards Nathan.

Nathan gives a friendly roll of his eyes and a little nudge with his elbow to keep her quiet, grinning all the way.

Mendez is even, for once, openly showing a bit of human emotion as a big smile crosses his face at the sight.

Ilyna watches Li spread flowers, smiling proudly. She nods and mouths a few words of encouragement as the girl looks her way.

Li continues the rest of the way, looking more at ease after Ilyna's encouragement. Once she reaches the end however it becomes clear she has absolutely no idea where to go, looking around in confusion and slight hints of embarassed panic.

Jennifer brings a hand up over her mouth, covering the huge smile on her face. She uses her other hand to begin gesturing towards the seat Li was previously sitting in- in hopes of helping the girl.

Li keeps looking around in confusion until she notices the gesturing, her eyes going wide as she hurries back to her seat, already blushing from embarassment.

Mendez spots Jennifer's gesture and joins in, waving Li in towards her previous seat like air traffic control.

Nathan gives Mendez a big grin and leans back in his seat.

Mendez stands slightly from his seat- in the row behind Ilyna and Li- to lean forward and pat Li on the head. "You did great, little dinnosaur." he whispers before settling back down into his seat.

Li gives a tiny nod, still looking a little spooked.

Ilyna pats her shoulder once she's back. "You did great," she whispers, her big smile still present. She then rises from her seat and walks down the aisle, only taking the box out of her pocket when she steps onto the raised platform; still holding it partailly concealed. Ilyna stands next to where the groom will be, and waits for them to make their appearance.

Jason steps onto the roof from Jasper's makeshift staircase. He's instantly under scrutiny from his uncle who seems terrified that Jason may have messed something up between here and his office. Shirt tucked? Check. Tie on right? Check. Shoes unscuffed? Check. It's strange for him to be dressed so formally, but he wears a suit well. The look on his face is one somewhere between absolute joy and utter terror. A big lopsided grin

Christopher breathes a sigh of relief as his nephew makes it up to the platform without incident. He seems to be every bit as nervous as Jason. But beneath those nerves, there's an obvious bit of pride.

Cynthia makes her way down the aisle at a leisurely pace, a big grin on her face. She’s quick to take her position on Vasquez’ side, shooting Jason a wink and a quiet. "Yo." followed by a snicker.

Ilyna breaks her composure to briefly grin at Jason's whisper. "You're welcome," she replies in kind.

Jason snickers softly to himself at Ilyna's response before looking to Cynthia and returning the wink. He takes another deep breath as he anxiously looks towards the hatch, shifting a bit in place.

Vasquez emerges from the stairs alongside Markus. She’s wearing a floor-length white wedding dress. A relatively simple, sleeveless design, with no lace, an a-line skirt and a Queen Anne neckline. It is a stark contrast to… more or less everything else she’s ever worn. Her black hair is free, resting on her shoulders, and it appears to have been styled. Glimpses of sneakers can be seen underneath the dress as she starts

Jason's shoulders seem to ease up a bit at the sight of Vasquez and the tension- if for just a moment- slips away. His eyes remain locked on her the entire trip down the aisle, mouthing a subtle 'Beautiful' as she nears the platform.

Leah's mouth widens as she spots Vasquez. "She looks soooooo pretty!" she practically squeals in a whisper as she leans towards Nathan once again, a little more of that uncharacteristic girliness slipping out.

Tara watches with fascination, eyes wide.

Halisi smiles warmly as she watches Jason and Vasquez arrive, holding Li's hand while Ilyna is away.

Nathan smiles and looks to Leah, perking his eyebrows up at her change in persona. It draws a genuine smirk from him as he turns back to watch the bride. "Yep."

Sofia seems to join Leah and leans a little towards her, quietly squealing, "She issss!" She then looks to Tara and grins.

Oxaris watches with mild fascination, humming softly at the reactions of others.

Ilyna looks a bit uncomfortable once she sees Vasquez show up through the hatch, but it quickly gives way to a smile as she watches her walk down the aisle.

Gage leans over, whispering something to Sam which gets a smile out of her. She rolls her eyes at Gage and settles back into her seat.

Syranis looks from Jason to Vasquez with a calm smile, and then out to the crowd. "Welcome all to this joyous occasion. We have gathered here today to witness the affirmation of the love and bond of these two. This is... my first time officiating a human bonding ceremony. Please excuse any irregularities." she starts, perhaps trying to relax the mood a little. "Redrock and its leadership have become an important part

Vasquez takes a deep breath as the Matriarch speaks, looking more than a little nervous. Her right hand keeps tapping against her right hip, hitting something hard beneath the dress. When Syranis finishes she locks eyes with Jason, mouthing: ‘Can I...?’, presumably asking if it’s alright if she goes first.

Jason's lopsided grin persists. His left leg is bouncing a bit, but he's doing his best to hide it. He furrows his brow as he attempts to decipher Vasquez' meaning, but eventually he gives a small nod as he shifts from leg to leg, his gaze briefly moving towards the guests before focusing right back on Vasquez.

Vasquez makes a concentrated effort to curtail the movement of her hand, managing to restrict it to a slight twitch in her index finger. She casts an uneasy glance out past the crowd, but when she meets Jason’s gaze again she seems to calm a little. A few deep breaths later she starts. "When... when we first met, I was lost. Broken. I’d... spent years digging myself deeper, closing everyone out. I was convinced I had no

Leah sniffles loudly as her eyes begin to water up. She's quick to wipe the tears away- carefully avoiding smudging her makeup- hoping to avoid anyone noticing.

Jason swallows hard, looking as nervous for Vasquez as she is. But as she begins to speak, the familiar smirk returns. When she pauses, he gives a small nod, encouraging her to continue. It's not long before his eyes have glassed up and he blinks hard to keep the tears away. His smirk grows as he follows her hand to her belly, lingering on it and what it means for them before meeting her eyes once again. His expression grows more

Jessica continues to move around the rooftop snapping photos silently. She makes sure to take a knee beside Yan Sun as she snaps some photos during their vows. Once Jason has finished, she winces and leans in close to Yan Sun. "This is soooo gay."

Tara seems entirely enraptured, just staring in silence at Jason and Vasquez.

Emma furrows her eyebrows, observing in silence, her expression dead-serious.

Nathan looks to Leah as she sniffles and the man smiles softly at her. He reaches to place a hand on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze as he turns to look the couple. He nods gently as his gaze mixes with a myriad of emotions.

Tank has a warm smile, despite being far from familiar with either of the two.

Sofia is smiling like a fool, clutching her hands together in front of her as she happily watches Jason and Vasquez.

Oxaris rests her hands on her knees and watches, mandibles twitching silently. She does find this rather sweet.

Li is struggling to see anything over the heads of the other guests, and as such she is now sitting in Halisi's lap, still stretching her neck to see.

Halisi has covered her mouth with one hand, watching in silence. There are hints of tears in her eyes, but she's managed to keep her composure.

Ilyna brings a finger up to wipe under her eyes while listening to their wows. She's seen some of the things they define as thick and thin, understanding the true weight behind their words.

Steve watches in silence, arms folded across his chest. He's not all that impressed. He casts a questionable look Renala's way.

Mendez has a big smile on his face, making no attempt at hiding it for once.

Jasper is openly in tears, grease-stained hat in hand as he wipes at his cheeks with the backs of his hands.

Christopher manages to keep his emotions under wraps, but a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips as he watches Vasquez and his nephew on the platform.

Gage is seated with his hands folded in his lap. He gives Jason a stealth thumbs up once the pair have finished.

Yan Sun has propped her head up in one hand, and despite everything she finds herself more and more invested as the two of them speak. She blinks as she hears Jessica, glancing her way and giving her a light shove with an exasperated expression.

Jessica grins, realizing Yan Sun is wholly invested in the whole ceremony. "You are soooo gay." she adds in a whisper before leaning in and pressing a brief peck on Yan Sun's cheek and getting back to work.

Leah sniffs hard again and reaches over, placing her hand over Nathan's. She passes him a small, but sincere smile before looking back to the platform.

Cynthia has had a rather serious look on her face as the two of them speak. She's been told much of what they've been through. As they finish a big grin spreads across her face however, and she studies the side of Vasquez' face.

Yan Sun seems about to respond, but the kiss on the cheek causes her to go quiet, a small smile spreading across her lips, and for a moment she watches Jessica work before her attention returns to the ceremony.

Markus ' expression has softened considerably, and there's even a faint hint of a smile tugging at one corner of his lips. Not that he'd ever let it manifest.

Namira is smiling, watching silently from her position off to the side.

Renala is watching the ceremony, smiling slightly as she listens to their vows. Whether she's faking it is anyone's guess.

Va'ynna only looks down once to wipe her tears. She smiles when she sees Jason glancing to the guests during his wows.

Ehanis watches the ceremony with a blank expression.

Jattic is batarian.

Syranis listens in silence to the exchange of vows, her expression serene and her hands folded in front of her. After giving both of them a moment to absorb each other's words, she speaks up again. "Do you, Jason Wolfe, take Linda Vasquez to be your wife, to love and cherish for as long as you both shall have together?"

Jason's smirk grows into a full on, ear-to-ear smile at hearing the words. His eyes never leave Vasquez as he gives a few, slow nods. "I do." he says confidently. Just saying the words out loud seems to help work the nerves out. Make the whole thing more real. His gaze remains fixed on his soon-to-be-wife, as if nothing else beyond the platform even exists.

Syranis ' gaze turns to Vasquez, as she repeats the question. "Do you, Linda Vasquez, take Jason Wolfe to be your husband, to love and cherish for as long as you both shall have together?"

Vasquez gaze is equally fixated on Jason, slowly forming her own smile as she hears the words, tears still rolling down her cheeks. She reaches up to wipe some of them away, and as the question is asked she ends up blurting out: "Yeah, no shit." in the middle of a half-chuckle, half-sniffle.

Syranis lets out a slightly amused snort, glancing towards Ilyna.

Jason's shoulders bounce as he lets out a chuckle of his own. But he quickly gets it under control by biting his bottom lip.

Ilyna nods at the cue, opens the box and holds it out towards Jason. Despite her earlier attempt at wiping her tears away, there's still some under her eyes.

Jason takes the ring from the box. It's simple, matching the engagement ring. Neither of them are flashy people, after all, though there is a diamond. Again, nothing too eye catching, but surely custom made at the same place as the engagement ring. He looks down at it, holding it between his thumb and index finger as he rotates it for a moment before stepping closer to Vasquez. He gently reaches out for her wrist, eyes moving to

Vasquez smiles as Jason places the ring on her finger, looking down at their hands. She lets out an almost trembling breath, tears still rolling as she reaches for his ring to do the same. She takes his synthetic hand, gaze lingering on it for a moment before she turns it over and starts to slide the ring on. She runs into trouble as she reaches the joint of his finger, however, letting out a quiet, perturbed noise as the

Jason gives an uncomfortable chuckle, well aware of how Vasquez tends to get fixated on his arms and the- unfortunately- negative feelings she associates with them. He brings his hand back, bending his finger at the joint a few times as he uses his other hand to wiggle it on. It doesn't sit quite as high up as it should, but it clears the joint. He forces a smirk back into place and holds his hand up to show it to her. "Perfect."

Vasquez lets out a quiet, relieved sigh, squeezing his hand as she looks back down at the rings.

Syranis gains warm smile as they finish, looking at each of them. "By my authority as a Matriarch of the Asari Republics, I now pronounce you bonded as husband and wife. You may now kiss!" she proclaims, turning her gaze to the crowd.

Shane cups his hands around his mouth and gives a "Whoop!" in response.

Jason gives a quiet snort as he hears his old friend. He steps in close, giving one last look to the ring on his hand before moving his hands to Vasquez' waist. "You heard the Matriarch." he whispers to her. Big ear-to-ear grin, he looks lovingly into her eyes, leaning forward slightly.

Vasquez mirror's Jason's grin as she wraps her arms around his neck, leaning on her toes to match his height and pulling him in for a rather dramatic kiss and pressing close to him in the process.

Jason closes his eyes, holding the kiss for a number of seconds before finally releasing his hold on Vasquez. The kiss washes away the last of his nerves. The final piece of the puzzle before it's official. The first kiss shared between him and his wife. His grin only grows as he studies her face. "I love you." he mouths as he reaches for her right hand with his left, intertwining his fingers with hers.

Halisi is one of the first to start clapping, encouraging Li to join her with a big smile on her face.

Gage and the rest of his team all stand up in respect, joining in on the clapping.

Leah wipes at her cheeks as a few more tears escape, but she's soon to follow with clapping of her own.

Christopher takes a deep breath to keep his emotions in check, nodding to his nephew before clapping his hands together.

Vasquez is reluctant to let go off the kiss, but as she does, and drops back to her feet, a warm chuckle escapes her, a big grin on her tear-stained face. She squeezes his hand, leaning her forehead against his as another sniffle escapes her. She seems to have all but forgotten about the crowd, entirely focused on the man in front of her. Her husband. "I love you too." she whispers in a happy sigh.

Tara takes a cue from Leah and joins in on the clapping, she seems to be thoroughly enjoying the ceremony and the general mood on the roof.

Markus takes a deep breath as the ceremony finishes, a faint smile spreading across his lips as he sees the joy in his sister's face. He too joins in on the clapping.