#RedrockAgency – November 7, 2017

Sofia carries a small grin on her face and encourages Tara with a small nod and a whispered, "You're doing great!" Sofia slowly starts to move away from just the simple back and forth routine to incorporating a gentle rotation to their routine, smiling at Tara all the way.

Nathan blinks and looks down at the smaller woman, a small flash of awkwardness behind his eyes. But he relents and he smiles gently, settling his hands on her waist as he too moves into the lazy sway of the music, all aspects of competitiveness washed away in the peaceful moment. Nathan catches his sister's eye and gives her a subtle shrug, before turning his gaze back down to Leah.

Tara 's expression relaxes a little from the encouragement, fear replaced with focus once more as their dance continues. Up close like this, inevitably looking right at her face, Tara's scars are painfully visible. Long streaks of burnt skin taking on a grid-shaped pattern. Her ash blonde hair is far from long enough to cover up the places where the burns break her hair line. Nor to obscure the obvious brand on her forehead. A

Halisi furrows her eyebrows briefly, not sure what to make of Ilyna's expression. But she lets it go uncommented as they all focus on eating.

Li struggles with her tower-like burger she built, the impractically tall construct not really suitable for picking up in one's hands, much less taking a bite out of. It's not long before a slice of tomato, and dressing along with it, drops to the floor with a thwap, much to her dismay.

Renala has not done this in years, maybe even a decade at this point, but she masks it by having Steve take the lead on this project. She has put aside her concerns for the security system momentarily to enjoy the party.

Ilyna lets out a chuckle while observing Li in the corner of her eye, choosing to not interfere. She continues to eat in silence, a slightly thoughtful look on her face.

Jason gives a couple of distant nods as he looks our idly at the landscape around them. "Yep..." he agrees before glancing Vasquez' way. "No terminals. No meetings. No reports." he lists, though his tone implies it's more of a warning to Vasquez, as if worried she may wither away without a crapload of work to invest herself into. "Just you and me." he repeats.

Steve actually seems to have a bit of dancing experience. It's nothing fancy. He's much more laid back and casual in his steps, but it's serviceable. As the song begins to fade out and is soon replaced by one a bit more upbeat, he gives a chuckle as he steps back, cocking an eyebrow as if to ask if they should continue.

Leah continues to sway gently to the music, eyes moving around the room to the others, but then returning to Tara and Sofia. It's not until the song ends that she pulls her cheek away from Nathan's chest. She looks up to him with a clear hint of discomfort as she shrugs her shoulders. "I-... uhh..." she bites her lower lip as she glances towards the door. "...I just need a minute." She forces a smile before quickly adding, "I

Nathan blinks as she looks up and his brow briefly furrows in confusion at her look. He pulls his hands back, unable to hide the sudden jerk of movement as he interprets that he crossed some boundary he wasn't aware of. He clears his throat and nods, flashing a brief smile. "Yeah, of course. Take... take all the time you need." He jabs a thumb towards the their table. "I'll go finish my food."

Halisi silently watches the various people dancing as she eats, a small, slightly sad smile crossing her face as her gaze lingers on Tara and Sofia. Having picked out a fairly light selection of food it's not long before she's done. She finds herself studying Ilyna out of the corner of her eye, even though she's still facing out toward the dancefloor.

Li makes another attempt to lift her burger and take a bite, resulting in all of the contents shooting rapidly out the back onto the plate, leaving her holding only to pieces of bread. She pouts, looking at the failure of a burger before her with furrowed eyebrows.

Sofia seems very good at masking any curiosity or discomfort at the myriad scars across the young woman's body. Indeed, it seems her focus is just purely on teaching Tara right now. After all, everyone has their stories, but not all are comfortable with sharing them. And Sofia certainly gets that vibe from Tara. "You'll be a professional at this rate!"

Tara furrows her eyebrows, seemingly struggling with Sofia's words. "Pro... fessional?" she asks after a bit of hesitation, seemingly hoping for clarification. As the song stops and another one comes on she freezes in place, uncertainty on her face as she looks around in confusion.

Vasquez lets out a quiet chuckle, drawing her exposed, and non-synthetic, arms close to herself as a cold wind blows across the roof. "I know, Jason. Trust me... I'm ready for a break." she sasys softly, before looking over her shoulder towards the access hatch. "Guess we should... attend to our guests, huh?"

Vynira makes her way back to the table along with Ehanis. She has picked out a light selection of food, a burger with some vegetables beside it, a small glass of brandy balanced on the plate, and a glass of red wine in her other hand.

Ehanis has a small varren kebab and some salad on her plate, not planning on sitting down for very long.

Leah forces another smile as she nods, already taking a few steps towards the door to the corridor. She lifts a hand to wave to Nathan before casting one more glance Tara's way. Assured that Tara is in good hands for now, she continues through the door. If Nathan were to pay attention, he might catch sight of her upstairs, disappearing through the gym door.

Jason casts a glance back to the hatch before looking to Vasquez with a nod. "I mean, we are the guests of honor." he adds, giving one last glance out towards the mountains before turning to the hatch and starting back. "Given our track history, they might send a search and rescue party if we're gone for too long."

Cynthia finishes off her beer as the song changes, stopping by the table in front of Ehanis and Vynira. She puts the bottle down and plants one hand on the table as she leans against it, her attention on the younger asari as she points a thumb over her shoulder. "Wanna dance?" she asks with a raised eyebrow and a briefly flashed grin.

Vasquez joins Jason in heading back towards the hatch. His words elicit a quiet, exasperated snicker, even despite the heavy truth behind the statement. It turns into a sigh partway through and she nods. "I haven't even met everyone. Saw a lot of unfamiliar faces." she says as they head down the stairs.

Nathan watches Leah disappear and his brow crinkles in concern. He sits back down and, out of the corner of his eye, spots Leah disappearing off into the gym. He watches the spot for a few moments, putting two and two together before he sighs and runs a hand down his face. "Well done, Nate... well done." He picks at his plate for a moment and glances around, not entirely sure what to do. Part of him wants to

Renala steps forward. "Trying to shake me off already?" she chuckles, an eyebrow raised. Not that she was going to let him.

Syranis has not left the building yet. Indeed, she's standing by the drink table, sipping a glass of brandy as she watches the guests enjoying themselves with a faint smile, a detatched look to her. She looks a little out of place in her robe, not exactly a guest, and unlikely to remain for the whole thing, but still here for now, to honor the couple, and Redrock. Rusk accompanies her as always, although they haven't

Sofia giggles. "Yeah, you know, a professional! Someone who's one of the best at what they do!" She listens to the change in music. She smiles broadly and nods at Tara, gently motioning for her to let go. "Ah, now this kinda music you just... dance! Let your body tell you how to move." She starts to step in time to the music, letting her arms sway. "Like this!"

Jason glances Vasquez' way as they navigate the corridor, the lopsided grin returning to his face. "No better time to rub elbows, right?" he suggests. "I mean, wedding dresses pretty much give free first impression points, right? Gotta take advantage of the system while you can." he jokes.

Victoria has managed to grab herself a plate of food, with a little bit of everything. She had return to her seat next to Va'ynna, and started to eat her food.

Markus has taken to the dancefloor alongside Emma, but as the song changes they both find themselves at a bit of a loss. They step apart, and Emma seems intent on retaking her seat, but Markus makes the questionable choice to attempt dancing to the new tune. It's an awkward shuffle to say the least, more than a little reminiscent of past efforts by his sister. The otherwise taciturn sharpshooter finds herself watching in

Ilyna doesn't seem to notice that Halisi is watching her, either that or she's feigning ignorance. She does put her food down when she notices Li appearing to be giving up, leaning slightly towards her. "Try put it back together," she suggests. "But this time, just the meat patty and one more thing."

Steve snickers, giving a shake of his head. "Not a chance." he jokes as he steps back towards Renala and picks up the pace of his steps to match the rhythm of the new music. "So. Tell me, darlin'. You do a lot of dancin' in the past few hundred years?" he asks, raising his voice slightly to be heard over the new song.

Tara ponders the definition for a moment before being distracted by the new instructions. She looks rather skeptical, but regardless starts to sway slightly, trying to find the tune of the music. She mirrors much of Sofia's movements best she can, but she's obviously still hesitant, the movement of her arms minimal and her steps uncertain.

Li obeys with a frown, reducing the contents of the burger considerably. She does however managed to lift and take a bite without issue.

Nathan disappears through the door and starts to make his way upstairs, mumbling to himself and seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. "Just knock on the door, apologise for being an ass, then leave her to it. That's all it'll be, that'll be all it'll take..."

Gage and Priya- neither seeming very rhythmic to begin with- completely lose the beat as the new song begins. Priya seems pretty self conscious as she steps back and forth entirely out of beat with the song. But Gage seems oblivious to just how off tune he is. Or maybe he just has more important things on his mind than worrying what a bunch of people he barely knows think of his dancing.

Sofia laughs a little and gives Tara an encouraging nod. "That's a good start. Just let yourself feel the music and move with it. Whatever you fancy!" She spins as she says that, her arms up in the air and she clearly doesn't quite care that they are. She seems to just be enjoying herself.

Halisi chuckles quietly as she watches the reassembly of Li's burger. As it becomes clear that the effort was successful she glances out towards the dancefloor before looking back at Ilyna. "Do you dance?" she asks, knowing full well from Nathan's company-wide distribution of a certain video that it has at least been known to happen.

Vasquez gains a small smirk as she looks down at her dress, almost as if she'd forgotten about it for a moment. "Do you like it?" she asks as they make their way towards the stairs, approaching Nathan.

Ehanis has barely taken a bite out of her food by the time Cynthia shows up, but she has no qualms abandoning her food as she nods, downs her drink, stands up, and rounds the table. "And abandon my family?" she asks with a grin, evoking an exaggerated indignant look from her mother. "Of course!"

Cynthia snickers, nodding towards the dancefloor, but she's quick to make her way away from the table when she realizes Vynira is a parent. She walks backwards into the dance area, bobbing her head to the music while watching Ehanis, waving her over.

Jason glances down at the dress before letting out an exaggerated deep breath, furrowing his brow. His eyes move back to meet Vasquez'. "Yeah." he says through his smirk. "It's-... You-... I mean, the dress is-..." he pauses, attempting to search for an elegant way to put it. "Hot. You're very, very hot." he decides, displaying his vast vocabulary. "Like... Fire hot." he adds with a nod, as if they should clarify. As they

Tara 's hesitation only seems to grow as Sofia starts to let go, and she ends up almost stopping completely as she watches the uninhibited dancing in fascination.

Nathan blinks out of his stupor and he is suddenly aware of the bride and groom. He smiles at them both and returns the pat with his own, arriving upstairs. He walks to the gym and stops besides the door, leaning on the frame outside for a moment. He furrows his brow and chews on his lower lip, finding his legs urging him to go the other way. Instead, he remains rooted on the spot. "...Am I really this

Victoria started to eat the food on her plate, she makes sure she finishes what she is eating before talking. She looks at Va'ynna. "You did a good job, Va'ynna. Hope you are enjoying yourself, as well."

Leah's muffled voice can be heard inside, though it's unclear what she's saying without opening the door.

Renala takes a while to answer as she focuses on matching his rhytm. "Mh... yeah," she says, "but even rare events happens 'a lot' on such a timeline." She chuckles. "Nallie was good at it, though," she says. "She even tried teaching me a thing or two, but well,... I don't think we ever did after Aeyna was born."

Vasquez barely suppresses a laugh, ending up with a surprised snort. A grin spreads across her face after they pass Nathan and start heading down the stairs. She shakes her head slightly to herself and glances Jason's way, looking him over. "You don't look so bad yourself..." she comments, running her hand along the fabric of his suit, her focus more on his face than whatever is ahead of them as they walk through the

Sofia playfully rolls her eyes at Tara and steps over to her, reaching for both of her hands and smiling. "C'mere." She would try and start dancing with Tara, dancing together as she sort of swings their arms as one, stepping with the music and the beat.

Nathan inhales a deep breath and gently raps his knuckles against the door.

Ilyna smiles and gives Li a gentle pat on her shoulder. "You could try putting more in and see if it holds, one piece at a time," she says. Upon hearing Halisi's question, she lets out a sigh and leans back into her seat. "I... well, sometimes," she says. "I'm not very good at it." A sheepish smile follows before she adds, "I tend to step on toes."

Jason gives a brief glance down at his attire before looking back towards Vasquez. "Let's be honest. Do I ever?" he teases through a cocky grin. With his attention on Vasquez, fate seems to deem it a perfect time to put him in his place. As he rounds the corner, his lack of attention causes him to shoulder right into the wall. He rotates a full 360 degrees and keeps walking, playing it off as if nothing happened.

Tara starts to move more at Sofia's urging, doing her best to keep up, and eventually she's actually moving her arms, not just letting Sofia move them. A hesitant smile starts to spread across her face, and as she starts to get into the dancing more and more a brief, nervous laugh sounds, her smile briefly growing.

Halisi smirks slightly and gives a dismissive shrug. "That's alright, I know how to treat a bruised toenail." she assures. "What do you say?" she asks with a slight shrug of her shoulder towards the many dancing guests, holding out a slender hand to Ilyna with a friendly smile.

Vasquez breaks into full-on laughter as Jason slams into the wall, stopping just a few steps after the corner and yanking his hand to pull him back as he tries to keep walking. Her expression a mixture between amusement and affection she presses her lips to his, another laugh escaping as soon as she breaks the kiss.

Leah's muffled voice dies down as Nathan knocks on the door. It takes a few moments before the door slides open. Leah looks a bit surprised to see Nathan. Her heels are sitting atop the bench beneath the memorial wall, having opted to give her feet a rest as she sat up here. Back to being pint-sized for now. "Oh-... I was just-..." she glances back towards the bench before looking back to Nathan with an uncomfortable chuckle,

Steve continues to move to the music, keeping things simple as they talk rather than focusing on the dancing. "Sounds like the two of you-..." he begins but quickly decides against it. It not his place to dig into Renala's past or trudge up bad memories. Especially not on a dance floor. He swallows, quickly shifting gears. "...Aeyna." he decides with a nod, "Bet you're excited to be seein' her soon. Figure out when you'll be

Nathan immediately breaks out into a sputtered apology, his words crossing over hers once or twice. "I know, I know, you said you needed time and I'm sorry, I just- you looked- and with th- I was worried and I wanted to- I thought you might need... but you said you needed time and I should mind my own business bu-...". He clamps his trap shut and inhales a deep breath. "...You're not fine," he finally settles

Sofia nods her encouragement at Tara and lets go of the girl, motioning for her to keep it up. "Yeah! Now you're getting it!" Sofia starts to laugh in glee, the young woman spinning and twisting with the music as her heels click and clack against the floor, showing no signs of getting in the way of Sofia's dancing.

Ehanis smirks at Cynthia 'running off', but she is quick to follow even before she's waved down. "So, how are we doing this?" she asks, silently hoping she'd take the lead but being too stubborn to admit it.

Cynthia starts to move to the music pretty much as soon as she comes to a stop, but Ehanis' question causes her to raise an eyebrow. "Can't dance?" she asks with a teasing smirk.

Tarkus had managed to get himself a drink and some food, he retreated back to a table to eat his meal and have his drink.

Renala again takes a few moments to answer, focusing on the dancing. She either missed the question he cut short, or ignored it. "Of course I am," she says. "Tomorrow night if the cargo ship headed for Illium's got room for me. I haven't heard back yet." She chuckles as she adds, "You should have seen the look on her face when I told her this morning."

Jason seems a bit caught off guard by the sudden show of affection. But it causes the smirk to return to his face. "This is how it should be." he says softly as he steps forward, wrapping an arm around Vasquez' waist. "You smiling. Laughing." he continues with a small nod as he studies her face. After everything they've been through, it's a welcome change. A small amount of guilt sits at the back of his mind, however, knowing

Leah lowers her gaze as Nathan begins a ramble that could challenge one of her own. It's obvious that she's not just going to be able to wave him off. Once he's finished, she nods a couple of times and sucks in a deep breath before she turns around, starting back towards the bench. "Come on." she sighs, gesturing for him to join her as she retakes her seat next to her shoes.

Yan Sun glances to her side at Jessica as she eats, a smile crossing her lips as she studies her face. "I like it. What y-..." She furrows her eyebrows, gesturing at her own face. "You look pretty awesome."

Nathan lets out a quite breath as he steps across to the bench. He lowers himself onto the bench besides her and stares up at the plaques for a moment in silence. He won't push her anymore than he has done just merely by coming upstairs. He waits, giving her the time she might need to tell him something. Or he sits in silence for as long as it takes.

Va'ynna nods, and gives a small smile at Victoria's question. "I'm..., yeah," she murmurs. She glances up as she sees Jason and Vasquez coming down the hallway, then looks down again; a look of guilt on her face.

Vasquez smiles, sliding her arms around Jason's back and locking her hands behind him as she studies his face, a quiet snicker following, not having gotten quite all the laughter out just yet. She doesn't seem to mind lingering in the corridor for just a moment, sucking in her lips briefly as her gaze wanders across his face, a thoughtful, but genuinely happy look on her own.

Ilyna looks a bit unsure at first, and she casts a glance Li's way, but it doesn't take that long for her to nod and take her hand. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she jokes.

Li seems quite preoccupied with her hamburger for the time being.

Steve gives a snicker in turn. "Well, it's gonna be rough without you 'round to keep this place from fallin' apart." he says, giving a glance about at the others. "I'll do my best to keep 'em from gettin' themselves killed. But I ain't makin' any promises." he continues, only somewhat joking.

Jessica glances up from her plate of varren meat. She rolls her eyes at the compliment, well aware that it doesn't hide the massive amount of burns, but she has no reason to assume Yan Sun is being insincere. She shrugs her shoulders dismissively. "Mmm. Is a good thing my face was burned off. It only takes half of the time to put on makeup now." she says with a snort, quick to point out the obvious before anyone else might be able

Leah plops down heavily onto the bench, elbows on her knees as she rests her chin in her hands as she looks up at the plaques. She doesn't seem to be in any rush to speak. Her gaze distantly lingers on names on the wall as the glassy look returns to her eyes.

Jason wraps his other arm around Vasquez, pulling her in close to press a kiss against her forehead. He remains silent as he studies her, happy to just enjoy her company for the moment. But eventually he gives a glance down the corridor towards the hangar door. "Shall we?" he offers, his hands sliding back to Vasquez' waist and lingering there for a moment before releasing his grip on her.

Nathan remains quiet, only turning to look to her with concern evident in his gaze. He folds his hands together and leans forwards, elbows on his knees as his gaze once more drifts to the names adorned upon the wall. He reads them, one by one before finishing off on Damien. He swallows and softly sighs, barely audible even with the muted music behind the closed door. "..."

Victoria stops eating for a moment and notices the look on Va'ynna's face. "Hey, what is the problem?"

Halisi 's smile widens and she stands up, waiting for Ilyna to do the same before rounding the table, pulling the asari along by her hand. She lets out a soft laugh as they step onto the dance floor, only then letting go of her hand so that they can dance. And dance she does, quite well too, despite her intricate clothing.

Leah continues her quiet staring. Finally, after a number of uncomfortable, silent minutes have passed, she takes a long, deep breath. "How do you feel about biotics, Nate?" she asks softly, eyes still locked on the plaques. "I mean really feel? No bullshit. I can take it." Despite being a topic she doesn't seem to linger on very often, her tone implies the question is very important to her.

Tara mirrors Sofia's laugh, although hers is far more subdued, barely audible over the music. Her dancing grows more enthusiastic, and she starts to move her feet more, until a misstep in the heels, which she is far from accustomed to, sends her tumbling to the floor with a surprised noise, a wince, and a thump.

Ehanis shakes her head before starting to move with the music. "Not what I meant," she says with a grin. Her moves lacks creativity, but she's got the rhytm nailed down.

Yan Sun blinks, going quiet as her smile fades quick. After a moment's uncomfortable silence she returns to eating with a slight frown.

Va'ynna sighs. "I... think I... said something that hurt... Vasquez," she mutters, barely audible over the music even if she leans in. "I... I said that Jason was a good... person."

Nathan considers the question for a short time, though he doesn't seem surprised about it. He hums softly before saying, "They scared me at first," he admits. "This... power, being able to lift objects and rip apart people... yeah, it scared me for a time." He pauses before saying, "But we had one or two biotics in Sandbeck. Not just asari, but a human passed through. And I learnt a lot about them... what they

Vasquez takes a deep breath as she too turns her gaze to the hangar, nodding in agreement before reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. "Let's go." she says, before doing just that.

Sofia continues to giggle and laugh, but seeing Tara spill to the floor makes her immediately stop and kneel besides her. A small smile is on her face, the same one you would give to a friend who just stacked it. "You okay? You're not quite used to heels, are you? Come on, I'll help you up."

Leah's eyes remain fixed on the plaques, nodding distantly as Nathan speaks. She closes her eyes for a brief moment as the final words leave his mouth. Opening her eyes seems to open the floodgate, and tears begin to stream down her face. She finally tears her gaze away from the plaques, looking away from Nathan as her hand shoots to her cheek and a loud sniffle is heard.

Jason intertwines his fingers with his wife's and continues alongside her back to the hangar. As they enter, he glances to Vasquez, giving a few bobs of his head. "I'm getting you back out on the dance floor before the night is over." he says, his tone almost implying it's a threat.

Victoria listens to what Va'ynna has said, then gives a sigh. "I mean, she already knows Jason is a good person. But she might be in the same boat as me, she thinks she is a bad person that does not deserve a good person to be with."

Tara grimaces, nodding to both of Sofia's questions as she sits up on the floor.

Nathan blinks and he sighs heavily. "Shit, no, that's...". He buries his face in his hands and shakes his head. "Leah, that's... no, I...". He swallows and he shakes his head. "I'm sorry. I-...". He sits there, shame burning in his cheeks and his chest tightens. "Christ...".

Cynthia snickers, studying Ehanis' dancing for a moment. "Come on, let's see you move!" she exclaims, increasing the enthusiasm of her own movements to punctuate the point as she dances her way a little closer to the asari.

Namira drives over to Jason and Vasquez as they re-enter the hangar, calling out a "Excuse me." to try and get their attention, since she can't exactly intercept them.

Ilyna follows her to the dance floor, her initial smile. She casts one glance back at her table to see if Li's still preoccupied. Ilyna looks back at Halisi, whose good technique does anything but help her confidence. She starts swaying back and forth with closed eyes as she tries to get a feel for the song's tempo – at least that's the excuse she's telling herself for her delay.

Vasquez smirks slightly. "We'll see about that..." she says, a hint of embarassment as she glances down at the hangar floor. Upon hearing Namira's voice she turns toward the asari, raising an eyebrow. "Hello. I-..." she glances Jason's way, eyebrow raised slightly.

Va'ynna glances over at the bride, and nods. Maybe she's mistaken on what part of what she was saying that evoked Vasquez' reaction. "That's... not true," she says. "You... you aren't a bad person." Her plate is almost as full as it was when Victoria returned.

Leah swallows hard, gaze still turned away. She asked for honesty and that's what she got. Nobody to blame but herself. "No. You're right." she says, her voice low strained as she struggles- and fails- to get her emotions under control. "We are-..." another loud sniffle interrupts her words before she's able to finish. "...dangerous. It doesn't matter 'whose fault' it is." she spits out with a sob, "Facts are facts."

Jason snickers at Vasquez, but his expression completely changes as his attention is pulled to Namira. A big, genuine smile crossing his face. "Hey, you." he says casually. "Gotta admit, it was a surprise to see you." He gives a nod, "A good surprise. I'm glad you could be here." he offers, meaning more than just the obvious.

Halisi subdues her dancing as she notices Ilyna, turning to more subtle movements as she finds herself studying the asari's attempt at getting into the rythm with a a warm smile. She doesn't interrupt, or make it known that she's watching, seeing instead how long it'll take before she notices.

Namira 's smile widens slightly, before fading. A futile attempt at a nod follows, a habit not quite shaken yet. "It's thanks to you that I am." she says. Her voice is different than it used to be, like speaking is more of an effort now. "I wanted to... pay my respects." she says, looking from Jason, to Vasquez, and back.

Nathan lowers his hands, shaking his head as frustration at himself for mixing his words over takes effect. "It's not a fact! You're not dangerous, Leah. I-I...". He looks at her and his mouth opens and closes not sure how to phrase anything right now. "Leah, you're a damn good person. And the biotics don't define you or your personality. I'm an idiot, alright? I... I don't think things through when I speak.

Jason's own smile falters slightly as he notices the effort even nodding her head takes. He shakes his head as she thanks him, brow furrowed. "No-... That's not necessary. Really. I'm just happy we could-..." he trails off, giving a sympathetic tilt of his head, "...I wish we could have done more."

Sofia helps Tara up and rubs her chin in thought. "Hmm... idea!" She immediately kicks off her own heels and sets them to the side of the dance floor, pattering across with only her leggings covering her feet. She grins at Tara, not minding the chill of the floor. "Better!"

Vasquez looks back at Namira, recognition in her eyes as she realizes who it is. She lets Jason speak for now - he's had far more interaction with the asari.

Victoria gives a smile at what Va'ynna said. "Thanks, now how about we continue to eat." Feeling that she made Va'ynna feel a little better, she grabs another piece of food from her plate to eat.

Namira 's smile returns, if faint. It's a little hard to read her expressions with her face immobile, but she seems dismissive. Her chair is completely powered, and there appears to be a wire connecting to an implant of some sort on her neck. "I should have been dead. Instead I am here. I could not ask for more. Both of you, and Redrock, have my thanks."

Tara winces in pain as she stands back up, her right knee buckling as she reaches down for her ankle, shifting her weight to the other leg.

Sofia 's jovial expression fades as she realises Tara is actually quite badly hurt. She moves across. "You twist your ankle? Okay, don't put pressure on it. Here, let me get you to a chair." The young woman makes to help guide Tara to the closest chair, before looking for Halisi and waving at her to try and catch her attention.

Tara accepts Sofia's help, hobbling over to the nearest chair and sitting down with her leg outstretched. She keeps a neutral face for the most part, despite obviously being in pain.

Leah straightens her shoulders, taking a long, deep breath as she continues to try and get a handle on things. When it's clear that's not happening, she simply turns forward again, eyes moving back to the plaques as tears continue to run down her cheeks. Specifically, to Damien's plaque. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Nate. You've been-..." she shakes her head, quickly bringing a hand back up to her face to rub at her

Jason gives a nod, propping his smile back into place as he does. "Just-..." he gives a brief glance Vasquez' way before settling it back onto Namira, "...doing our job." he offers humbly.

Renala chuckles. "I thought you weren't one for lost causes, Steve," she says, thinking back to their last conversation on the kitchen counter. She is getting a little more confident in her dancing, at the expense of technique as attention gets taken away from it.

Vasquez nods in agreement. "We're... glad we could help." she says before turning silent, studying Namira, and her condition, doing her best to keep from frowning.

Namira 's smile grows as she adds, looking to both of them: "Congratulations. It was a beautiful ceremony."

Ilyna starts off by gently shuffling, hitting every other beat and there's a thoughtful frown on her face. She stops when she opens her eyes and notices Halisi's dancing has slowed down, her cheeks gaining a slight purple hue. "You're... good at this," she says in a poor attempt at distraction.

Halisi 's smile shifts to a more amused smirk. "I think you-..." she trails off as she notices Sofia, furrowing her eyebrows. "Looks like-... looks like I'm needed." she says, sounding slightly disappointed, but unable to ignore the request for help. "I'll be back!" she calls out as she leaves the dance floor, heading over to Sofia and Tara. "Is everything alright?" she asks, looking at each of them.

Nathan sits there as he watches Leah sob, his chest threatening to constrict his heart at the pain and guilt he feels for causing her to feel like this. "...Then you wouldn't be you, would you? You're...". He swallows and he reaches up to rub at the back of his neck. "Ever since I got to Aite, you've been nothing but... wonderful. Kind. Albeit full of jabs that, honestly, wound me so much," he says, trying to

Sofia nods a little. "Sorry for interrupting, but Tara fell and I think she's twisted her ankle." Sofia backs up a little, giving an apologetic look to Halisi and then directing it over to Ilyna.

Tarkus continued to eat his meal and drink his drink. He was just watching everyone having fun and enjoying themselves.

Halisi furrows her eyebrows, kneeling down in front of Tara and giving her a friendly smile. "Mind if I have a look?" she asks. After the girl shakes her head she gently lifts her foot, studying her ankle and doing a few light squeezes where she asks Tara whether it hurts. "It's nothing to worry about, but you should avoid putting pressure on it for a while. I recommend remaining seated for now. Sorry, I'm sure you'd prefer to

Sofia nods and scurries off to find Jasper, still barefooted. She weaves between the other party guests, only just now noticing that Leah and her brother are gone. "Jasper? Excuse me, Jasper?" She stops near the older gentleman and smiles apologetically. "Could we get some ice? For Tara's ankle? She fell and twisted it."

Steve gives a dismissive shrug, glancing off to the side briefly. "Yeah, well-... I also ain't one for bein' unemployed. So I s'pose I'll have to keep these knuckleheads alive so long as they're signin' my paycheck." he responds. Perhaps the wedding softened him up a bit.

Leah continues to sob as Nathan speaks, but his words seem to fall on deaf ears. She remains silent as he begins to take his leave, only the occasional sniffle escaping her as her focus remains fixed on the wall once again. It's not until Nathan is all the way to the door that she speaks up. "I killed him." she says softly, barely more than a whisper. "If-... If I wasn't me-... If I wasn't this-..." her right hand reaches

Jason gives a small chuckle. "Well, thanks. She did most of the work." he says, pawning it all off on Vasquez. "My job was easy: Show up and look good." He adjusts his collar with a quick sideglance to Vasquez with a wink. "Mission: Accomplished." he jokes.

Jasper is boogying on his own on the dance floor. He's currently doing the robot to a tune that seemingly only he can hear since it doesn't match up with the beat of the song in any way.

Jasper is quick to stop his dancing as Sophia approaches him. "Huh-... Crap nuggets. She alright?" he asks, casting a glance Tara's way. "Ya'll just hol' on. I'll be right back, alright?" he offers.

Ehanis ups her pace as she step closer to her partner, but only with her hands and upper body movements since she's not used to kicking a dress skirt of that length around. She grits her teeth a bit after one bad move with her arm, but she says nothing.

Ilyna frowns once Halisi leaves her alone on the dance floor, and she's quick to retreat to the edge of it and wait for her to return. She's looking in her direction.

Nathan stops by the door, his hand hovering over the interface. He blinks and turns around to look at her with confusion, brow furrowing. "Killed who...?" His eyes slowly drift to the plaques and the names imprinted upon them and he slowly lowers his hand, walking back to Leah as he crouches before her. "What happened?" He speaks quietly, brow knitted in concern. All aspects of shame and guilt have been washed

Halisi heads off towards the infirmary after a few words with Tara, returning not long after with a pill and a glass of water, which she has the girl take.

Sofia nods to Jasper and hurries back over to Tara. She pulls a pair of chairs over, one to sit on and one for Tara to suspend her leg if she needs to.

Vasquez snickers slightly, squeezing Jason's hand with a brief flash of a smile before her attention returns to Namira. "Yes, thank you." she agrees, looking out at the hangar before adding: "Please, enjoy the rest of the reception. Are... you travelling back with the Matriarch?"

Namira purses her lips as one might when nodding. "Yes. The Matriarch and her foundation has been most kind in assisting with my treatment."

Halisi helps Tara's foot carefully onto the chair, looking around for Jasper.

Leah continues to hold Nathan's gaze as he returns to her. She shrugs her shoulders as she bites her lower lip, already having accepted that her friendship with Nathan was over the moment the words left her mouth. "He was my friend. I-... I liked him." she says, lowering her gaze, not particularly used to talking about these sorts of things. "A lot. We-..." she winces, glancing off to the side as she runs through the events in

Jasper comes trucking along with a small bucket filled with ice from the drink table. One hand is on his cap, holding it in place as his legs carry him across the hangar as fast as they can. He drops the bucket right beside Tara as he arrives, looking between the women. "She gon' be alright?!" he asks with genuine concern.

Jason remains silent as Namira and Vasquez exchange words, doing his best to keep his gaze from wandering to the chair.

Cynthia 's movements are largely unrestricted by her short dress, and she smirks as Ehanis seems to find some enthusiasm, a snicker following when she notices the gritting of her teeth. Her gaze darts across the asari's body, and as the music shifts into a new, more energetic song she shifts her dancing to match as she moves closer, turning her back towards her with a flash of a grin over her shoulder.

Halisi offers a reassuring smile to Jasper, nodding. "She will." she confirms, taking a towel she brought from the infirmary and wrapping some ice in it to put on Tara's leg, giving her another smile and a pat on the shoulder. "There... that will help. Just take it easy for a while, alright? And I'll be nearby if you need me." she says before standing up, giving a nod to Sofia and Jasper before returning to the dance floor,

Nathan listens and he remains impassive as she talks, just processing the information. He glances over his shoulder to the plaque with Damien's name upon it and it all starts to fall together. He sucks in a deep breath, turning back to look at her as his eyes trace along her face, seemingly searching for... something. "It... sounds like he did see you for who you truly are. I can guess how close you two were

Renala chuckles. "Of course," she says, not sounding too convinced. "For me it's an attachment to the mess I made in the server room that keeps me coming to work every morning."

Sofia smiles at Jasper and Halisi, her gaze wandering back to Tara. The young woman grins gently and shrugs her shoulders. "It happens," she says, motioning to her ankle. "I did it when I first tried dancing in heels. I'm pretty sure every woman has at one point!"

Tara blinks, her attention turning to Sofia. "You... did?"

Sofia makes a small scoffing sound and nods. "Course I did. Mistakes happen, it's just how it is. You learn from them, you move on." She shrugs, chuckling gently. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Ilyna smiles back, but she sighs as that means she needs to be back on the dance floor. "Oh," she says, looking a bit concerned. "Is she okay?"

Halisi chuckles slightly and nods. "Some pain, now. But she will be fine soon enough." she says, encouraging Ilyna to come back to the dancefloor as she does so herself, listening to the new song that has started with slightly furrowed eyebrows. Not quite her sort of music.

Jasper places a reassuring hand on Tara's shoulder. "The danger a' cuttin' a rug." he sighs in agreement with Sofia as he rubs at his cap to scratch his head. "Gotta be careful out there."

Leah's voice remains low. Almost hoarse from her sobbing. Her attempt at saving her makeup seems to have been a failure as light streaks of her mascara have left short trails down her cheeks. "Cerberus." she says distantly, gaze lowered as she folds her arms across her stomach. A number of moments pass before she lifts her gaze to meet Nathan's again. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me. I-... I like you." she

Vasquez nods, offering a faint smile. "That's... good to hear." she says, trailing off as she searches for what to say.

Namira smiles again. "I won't keep you any longer. Thank you again." she says before her chair starts to turn, and she drives back to her previous location, where her nurse awaits.

Steve continues to shuffle about to the music. "Well, here's to hopin' it's enough to bring you back." he says, perhaps giving away a little more than intended. A fear that she may not come back. "I know, I know-..." he's quick to add, worried his words may be taken the wrong way, "...That's your baby girl. You go and do what you need to do, Ren. Just-... All I'm sayin' is there are people that're gonna miss you out here." He

Nathan breathes a gentle laugh. "I hardly follow you. You just seem to bump into me at every turn." He tries the levity, but finds it lacking giving the weight of the situation. He turns his gaze to the side as her fingers fidget with his collar. He reaches up to gently grasp her hand in his, giving it a small, comforting squeeze. "Look... I'm not going to pretend I know what you've gone through... and are

Sofia nods to Jasper's words, grinning at Tara. "Exactly. Learn, move on!"

Tara gains a faint smile, nodding slightly.

Ehanis spins and circles around Cynthia to face her, keeping her shoulder injury in mind from now on as her arms movements get less enthusiastic. She ends up close enough to speak without having to raise her voice too much. "I wasn't planning on showing up today," she says. "This isn't my kind of party." She grins as she adds, "Glad I did, though."

Ilyna follows her onto the dance floor. "Could you... show me how you do it?" she asks with a titled head, hoping that a few directions would help her get started.

Cynthia snickers, gaining a cocky grin as she listens to Ehanis. "Hey, free booze, hot aliens and a dancefloor, what's not to love?" she asks with a shrug as she continues to dance. "Sure beats the Halloween party!"

Halisi smirks slightly, gaining a slightly awkward look as she listens to the music. "I... must admit that this isn't quite the sort of music I'm used to." she says, only swaying a bit to the energetic song as they speak. "I may not be of much use at the moment."

Jason watches as Namira heads back to her table before looking to Vasquez. He doesn't say anything, but there's a clear sense of pride on his face. With all of the losing they do, it's nice to be reminded of the good they've done every once in a while.

Leah remains silent as Nathan speaks, though she rolls her eyes at the mention of bumping into him. A faint but sincere smile manages to manifest upon his comment on Tara, that image of her dancing with Sofia still fresh in her mind and untainted by her lack of ignorance of how it ended. 'Keep moving forward'. Just like her father always told her. Those words seem to trigger something in her. Her posture even straightens

Sofia smiles and nestles herself in her seat, seemingly content with sitting next to Tara. "Well, it was fun anyway! You're a quick learner."

Jasper gives Tara one more pat on the shoulder before touching a finger to the brim of his hat and looking to Sofia. "Well, if ya'll are alright, then I s'pose I should get back out there and strut my stuff a bit. If ya'll will excuse me..." he offers with a small bow of his head as he begins to back up towards the dance floor once more, already giving a slight shake of his hips.

Vasquez watches the asari depart in silence, wrapping an arm around Jason and giving him a small sidehug and looking his way. By her face, her thoughts are similar to his, but she leaves them unsaid, nodding further into the hangar. "Got... some people for me to meet?" she asks with a small smile.

Tara gains a faint, slightly embarassed smile, remaining quiet as she looks out across the dance floor, studying the others curiously.

Nathan laughs quietly, shaking his head as he releases her hand and lowers it to his side. "The throat is fine. You gotta keep the goods," he says with a gesture to his face, "Intact." He reaches into the pocket of his waistcoat and takes out the pocket square, unfolding it and holding it across to her for her to take. He smiles gently, nodding softly with her. "Weddings. You gotta love them and hate them,

Renala sighs, remaining quiet for a moment. "Yeah, I'm coming back," she says with a smirk as she moves a tiny bit closer to him. "I don't give up on my lost causes."

Ehanis grins. "That's why I don't regret it!" she says, spinning around to briefly glance at everything around her. "I thought it would just be a ceremony."

Ilyna manages to match her swaying very well. "I... prefer slower music as well," she says, barely audible over the music.

Halisi furrows her eyebrows slightly. "Well, we... can just look awkward together until the next song, I suppose." she suggests with a chuckle.

Ilyna chuckles, glancing away thoughtfully. "I know that dance well," she says.

Cynthia shakes her head, still grinning. "Nah, no way! If there's one thing you gotta learn? Humans love to party." she informs her, taking the opportunity to move in closer when Ehanis spins around to take in the rest of the hangar. As a part of her dancing she brushes against her lightly, hands briefly touching her sides.

Leah gives Nathan a blank look as he gestures to his face. "Uh huh..." she mutters dismissively, seeming to slowly shift back to her usual self as another smile surfaces. She accepts the handkercheif and begins wiping around her eyes. "Any time any place." she taunts back as he mentions kicking her ass. She gives a glance down at the clothe with a frown, a mess of smudged makeup all over it. "Hey, I should probably freshen

Jason tosses an arm over Vasquez' shoulder, returning the sidehug. Upon hearing her question, he cocks an eyebrow. "You know what? I think I might just have a few troublemakers I should introduce you to." he says playfully as he begins to lead the way over towards the edge of the dance floor.

Steve gives a short snort, but otherwise simply continues to dance, deciding against saying anything more for now.

Vasquez moves along with Jason, keeping her arm wrapped around him as they walk.

Nathan nods and slowly stands up, his knees cracking. "Oop, that's not good. Getting old," he says with a shrug. He looks down at her and makes to place a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle, but reassuring squeeze. "Take your time, alright? And... I am sorry." He nods once to her and starts to head towards the door, shoving a hand into his trouser pocket, the other hand rubbing the back of his neck.

Leah breaks away from Nathan's gaze as he apologizes, simply nodding to herself a few times in response. She takes a long, deep breath as he nears the door and she stands from her seat, stepping closer to the wall. She presses a quick kiss to the palm of her hand and presses it against Damien's plaque. Without her heels, she's only just able to reach it without standing on her tippy toes.

Jason comes to a stop near the edge of the dance floor and gives a call out to Gage and the others. "Hey! Once you jerks are done making fools of yourselves, come have a seat with us." he offers.

Gage glances Jason's way. The teasing only causes him to get even more enthusiastic with his bad dancing. His dance partner, Priya, however, seems to look legitimately uncomfortable.

Sam and Shane, contrary to Jason's words, actually seem to be doing fine on the dance floor. Plenty of rhythm and timing. Shane winks at Jason but Sam doesn't even hesitate before flipping him off.

Vasquez gives Gage a nod, gaining a slight grin as she watches the lot of them dancing, tilting her head slightly.

Sofia sinks into the seat next to Tara, reaching for her wine and smiling. It's been a good night.