Nathan finds himself turning towards Leah as she begins her introductions, a beaming smile on his face as her sweeping hand lands on him... then trails away to his sister at the sort of introduction at being her boyfriend. His mouth opens with a finger raised, then he pauses, before lowering it with a half-hearted grumble.
#RedrockAgency – April 19, 2023
Sofia completely ignores her brother's grumbling and waves heartily to Lema. "Heyoooo~" She sings, a gleeful smile plastered on her face.
Leah glances Nathan's way, smile widening at his grumbles when he finally turns his attention away from whatever him and Jasper were discussing that had him so absorbed. "And this is Nate, my boyfriend... or whatever..." she quickly rattles off with an exaggerated lack of enthusiasm and a dismissive wave of her hand, though soon enough her bright smile slips back out and she snickers, reaching for his free hand and leaning
Jasper snickers, attention shifting back towards the head of the crowd as he takes a sip from his drink.
Lema looks around at the people around her as they're being introduced, a small smile on her face in spite of her discomfort around the armed mercenaries. "Hi," she says in response to Sofia. Tara's gesture surprises her a little, and she is able to identify the gesture, but at a level where she'd be confident mirroring it. "I'm looking forward to that! My arm's all healed up, too."
Vasquez clears her throat sharply, waiting a beat for the crowd to silence before speaking. "Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. I hope you've been enjoying yourselves. I know Alliance New Year's isn't a holiday all of you celebrate normally, but it is one that both Jason and I grew up with, and I-" She furrows her eyebrows and corrects: "...we, thought it was the perfect time to reflect on the past year, and look to the
future. Redrock as a concept has existed for a few years now, but in it's current form it's existed since late 2184. Which means 2185 has been our first full year operating on Aite. I'm sure those of you that have been around since the beginning..." Intense brown eyes seek out Leah, Mendez, Victoria, Renala and Steve in the crowd. "...will agree that it feels longer ago." There's a faint twitch of a smile that never
manifests, and her tone is somber. "Redrock's first year here has been an eventful, and... a challenging one. We've made a name for ourselves, built a reputation for a reliability and integrity that the big players out here in the Terminus lack. We've created a strong foundation that we'll continue to build on in the years to come. But... we've had our share of setbacks too. Of losses. Throughout the year..." she pauses
Tara 's attention immediately snaps to Vasquez, paying close attention despite not even being a member of Redrock.
Emma 's gaze shifts from the horizon to Vasquez as the speech starts, shifting her weight against the crutch to stand more comfortably as she listens.
Jason takes a position near the front of the crowd, his own drink in hand. He gives a snort at the mention of just how long this last year has felt. The aches and pains that he wakes up with every morning makes it feel more like ten. "Can say that again..." he mutters, though his smile remains. That is, until the mention of their 'setbacks'. His gaze briefly turns towards the ground and he gives a few small, silent nods before
Leah remains close to Nathan, fingers intertwining with his and giving his hand a quick squeeze as Vasquez begins her speech, drawing her big green eyes towards the head of the group. The mention of those who have been around since the beginning causes her to lift her drink in acknowledgement, and the joke about the year they've had, and Jason's muttered addition, draws a snicker out of her.
Nathan's smile manifests once more as Leah settles against him and their hands link together. But his attention is drawn towards Vasquez as she speaks, standing that smidgen straighter. He listens raptly, until she trails off at the end. He finds his hand squeezing Leah's in return in a manner that he hopes brings a degree of comfort, even if it is just a modicum.
Sofia pivots towards Vasquez, her body just gently swaying as she too listens. However, she can sense that almost mourning nature in the air at the end of Vasquez's sentence and she decides to simply remain quiet, mismatched eyes snatching a brief look towards her brother and those around.
Oxaris stands almost to the point of attention as Vasquez begins her speech. She's only prevented from going the full way by her recovering wounds and winces at the reminder. She settles back and looks, to an observer, almost cold and stoic at the words.
Gage and the rest of Ironheart remain together near Emma. Arms folded across his chest, he listens in silence as Vasquez begins her speech.
Steve draws in a breath as Vasquez clears her throat, signalling for everyone's attention to return to her. He gives a small dip of his head as he's sought out, but otherwise remains quiet.
Ilyna looks up at Vasquez as she begins speaking, watching through the slightly distorted view of the faint barrier. She may not have been here since Redrock's beginning, but with the stress of the last few months, it almost feels as if she had.
Va'ynna snaps her attention up at Vasquez as the speech starts. While she is not part of Redrock, she has been in the orbit of enough members of it to feel that -- in her own small way -- she has been. And her time on Aite is almost as long as Redrock's.
Uvena pays attention to Vasquez' speech, even if her membership is fairly recent, and she has been spared many of the worse things Redrock has been through.
Lema feels like she walked into the wrong room once the speech start, and her attention does not last long before she finds herself looking around at the people present; especially Li and the barrier around her.
Vasquez draws a deep breath before straightening her back. "Throughout the year, we've been haunted by an enemy that we were only recently able to put a name to. The Collectors. They've been a threat to everyone in the Terminus Systems, but for many of us here..." Her gaze sweeps across the crowd, lingering on several faces. Halisi. Li. Leah. The crew of the Jack. Sam. "...it's been personal. A lot of us have lost people. Redrock
has lost people. Good people. But that enemy is gone now. Defeated for good. And Redrock is moving toward a brighter future, without the past hanging over us." A small smile, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes, an odd look there. Her gaze falls on Halisi, Ilyna and Li and she draws another breath. "...but that doesn't mean we forget the people we've lost, or what their sacrifices accomplished. Many of us, me included,
wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the bravery, dedication and skill of everyone at Redrock. And that goes for a lot of other people too. I know you're all here for different reasons, but I don't want any of you to lose sight of the good that we've done. Should any of you need a reminder, Dr. Halisi has, earlier today, shared on the company network some holiday greetings to Redrock from the survivors of Ogofau." A
Halisi offers a small, sincere but somber smile in response, standing just outside Ilyna's barrier after giving Li her drink.
Li sips her juice with little regard for waiting for midnight as she , for a while, listens to Vasquez, before her mind starts to wander, tuning it out and looking around.
Lucy lowers her head, the rim of her hat obscuring her face as Elena leans closer to whisper something to her.
Zaylus leans against something to watch and listen, tending to stare into the glimmer of the biotic barrier. The somber tone regarding the collectors causes him to grimace and look down.
Sam is quick to take a swig from her drink when it becomes clear that Vasquez is singling her out, look briefly growing distant before she's pulled back by the hand patting her on the back. She turns her attention to the man it belongs to, Gage, and offers him a small nod. An assurance that she's okay. And even if it might not be true, he respects her space enough to let it go.
Jason remains silent, nodding to himself as Vasquez continues. A wall full of names occupy his thoughts. He briefly casts a glance to Ilyna, Li, and Halisi, well aware at just how much this past year has put them through. He seeks out the asari's eyes, offering a small nod of recognition to one of the few people on this rooftop for whom the nightmare of the Collectors began long before Aite.
Leah draws in a heavy breath, nodding to herself. Her mind, too, returns to the names on the gym wall. One name in particular. It causes her to swallow at the lump in her throat and inadvertantly lean a bit heavier against Nathan.
Nathan hums softly at the words, bracing a little more on the spot to let Leah press against him. He wasn't there for much of the death, the loss. At least not from before. But the Collectors? It was still very, very fresh in his mind.
Oxaris involuntarily flinches at the mention of Collectors and there is the slightest parting of her mandibles. But beyond that, little else.
Ilyna casts a glance down at Li during Vasquez' speech, and her barrier flickers as reflection on it takes away from her focus. It is loss that lead Li to Ilyna, and she hasn't missed the news of the other two human children she surrendered on the Citadel. Her eyes meet Jason's, shimmering slightly as she is unable to wipe the tears.
Va'ynna leans a bit more on Victoria as the speech brings up the Collectors, and she averts her eyes for a moment.
Vasquez takes another long breath. "The coming year will see some changes to Redrock. You can expect fewer high-risk, off-world missions and a greater number of long-term contracts. I'm happy to announce that we've already signed one such new contract - In 2186 and onwards, Redrock will be providing security for a large-scale, long-term construction project for the Syranis Foundation. As a part of this contract, a rotating team of
Redrock personnel will be living on-site in the mountains to the north, as well as riding along with the supply convoys to and from the site. You can expect more contracts like this in the future, and, of course, a continued expansion of Redrock's roster and resources as we grow our operations." Her attention falls on Senya, Elena, and finally Lucy. "Most of you already know this, but another way that Redrock is expanding
this year is by welcoming Captain Lucy Crawford and her crew to the company." she announces with a gesture to the captain. "Captain Crawford's ship, the Jack of Diamonds, will be flying cargo for Redrock, with an onboard Redrock security detail. For those interested in this assignment, Captain Crawford and Jason will be administering the selection." A nod and a small smile to her husband. "Finally, I want everyone to know
that Redrock will be undergoing some organizational changes in 2186, aimed to address some of the problems our operations have faced in the past year and to prepare us for future expansion. Like myself, Jason will be taking a step back from fieldwork in the coming months. A chain of command will be formalized, and several company-wide training courses will be held to ensure cohesion in the field. I will also be conducting
Li giggles quietly in response to the wave, no longer paying any attention to Vasquez. How long is she going to talk to anyway?
Zaylus appears intrigued, apparently learning something new. He doesn't seem concerned by the idea of employer strutiny, instead casting a glance at Elena's gesture.
Jason shifts to glance towards the others assembled, offering a small nod as he's indicated. He also takes the opportunity to scan the crowd to gauge reactions.
Steve seems a bit surprised by the news, though not negatively so. He signed up to make money, not die for someone else's cause, after all. He shoots a glance to Renala- who has certainly heard her fair share of Steve's Redrock frustrations- and gives a small, approving shrug. Maybe they're finally getting their shit together.
Shane seeks out Elena, big grin on his face as he makes a show of lifting his hands and offering her a little clap.
Leah visually winces at the mention of performance reviews, mouthing a quick 'Fuck!' to herself. She shoots a stealthy little glance up at Nathan to indicate her concern for the pair.
Mendez straightens up a bit as he listens to Vasquez run down the upcoming changes, passing a glance towards the crew of the Jack as they're indicated. If the mention of performance reviews worries him, he certainly doesn't show it. He has a spotless record, after all. A spotless record with one massive pile of dogshit at the end of it.
Jasper too, seeks out the crew of the Jack, acknowledging Lucy with a silent nod. The mention of performance reviews causes him to speak up. "S'pose this means I'll finally be gettin' that raise I deserve?" he jokes aloud.
Nathan takes the news with a mixture of emotions. He seems happy at the idea of more relaxed, simpler assignments without any crazy enemies or horrifying situations. That's good! The mention of performance reviews doesn't draw any reaction from him beyond a casual shrug. That seemed par for the course, after all. But then he catches movement from the corner of his eye and steals a glance to Leah... and then it dawns on
Sofia seems to take the news with a smile. The news translates, at least to her, that her brother will be kept out of trouble for the most part.
Oxaris casually glances towards Zaylus at the mention of reviews which then leads to her looking towards Elena with a neutral stare. "Hm." The turian returns her focus to Vasquez.
Emma looks thoughtful as she listens. She seems unconcerned by the mention of performance reviews despite her involvement in the recent unsanctioned debacle.
Ilyna regains her composure, mostly, in turn stabilizing the barrier around her. Not before a tear rolls down her cheek and onto her dress, however.
Lema smiles to the girl before reluctantly turning her attention away for a moment to observe the other people present. She can't walk over and say hi in the middle of the speech, that would be rude.
Va'ynna looks briefly over at Li and Ilyna during the talk of performance reviews and company changes, stifling a giggle when she spots the girl not paying attention either.
Vasquez ' gaze stops scanning the crowd and zeroes in on Jasper as he interjects, and then... she actually cracks a small smile, a quiet snort slipping out. "Your extensive contributions to Redrock have not gone unnoticed, Mr. Sullivan, I can promise you that. However..." She checks her omni-tool's clock and smile a little. Just seconds left. "I think I'm running out of time here... so let me just say: Thank you, all of you, for
your hard work and loyalty. Redrock wouldn't be here without you. 2185 has been a rough year. But we got through it, together. And for the first time in a long time... the future is looking bright. 2186... it's gonna be our year." A deep breath, and an understated but sincere: "Happy New Year, everyone." before she steps aside and looks out into the night - the signal to Nathan to get this show on the road.
Nathan thankfully manages to catch the signal. No need to add to the likely growing list that Vasquez has against him. He slips his hand free from Leah and activates his omni-tool, watching the clock tick towards 'show time'. "Alright then everyone, let's welcome it in together." With a big, dopey grin on his face, he counts down the last few seconds, loud enough to be heard over the din of explosions that pocket the
night sky. "Three! Two! One!" And, with little flourish, he presses his finger down. "Happy New Year!" Firing off into the sky comes a sequential series of multi-coloured fireworks, whistling as they soar high and above. Reds, yellows, greens; on and on come the colourful explosions that dominate the immediate night. Some detonate into simple, orange sparks that teeter away into white, then nothingness. Others
are like clustered flares that trail through the myriad of others, soaring then sailing down before teetering out. Shrill whistles penetrate the air, rockets sprialing with twisty trails, sparking into sharp snaps, crackles and pops. Paired with the other displays that blanket the city around them, one could swear that night turned into day. Nathan looks up into the sky with the biggest smile ever seen, unable to
Sofia's eyes are practically alight themselves as she watches the displays, small gasps escaping her followed by gleeful giggling as she tries to watch every single firework that lights the sky. "Happy New Year!" She cries out alongside her brother. She finds herself skipping over to Tara's side, standing next to her and eagerly stealing glances to see how she reacts.
Oxaris looks up at the display, appearing to any who would glance upon as an unmoving statue. But if someone spared the time to look closely, they would see the faintest smile appear on her face and a quiet, but meaningful whisper of, "Happy New Year," escape her.
Jasper snickers and points at Vasquez, offering a silent promise to hold her to her word. As Vasquez' speech comes to a close and Nate takes over, he passes a glance his way, joining in on the countdown. As it reaches midnight, he calls out with a loud, "Happy New Year!" His attention quickly shoots upward, big grin on his face.
Leah gives a chuckle at Jasper and Vasquez' exchange, giving Nate's hand one last squeeze before releasing her grip on it. The glow of his omni-tool is plenty of warning for what's about to transpire. Leaning closer to Tara, she whispers in the young girl's ear, "Fireworks time!" Standing up straighter, she joins in on the countdown at the two count. She cups her free hand around her mouth and shouts a, "Happy New Year!" of her
own into the night sky. That big, bright smile of hers spreads out across her features, free- if only for a moment- from the weight this past year has placed on her as a ballet of colors reflect in her big green eyes.
Shane gives a loud, "Whooo!" as the countdown finishes and the explosions begin to erupt while Sam adds a, "Happy New Year, bitches!" to the cacophany of voices and fireworks.
Jason's gaze remains fixed to Vasquez, lopsided smile returning to his face. He, too, offers a, "Happy New Year!" to the mix of sounds flooding the rooftop, but the fireworks are only given a quick glance before his focus turns right back to Vasquez and he steps towards her. Fireworks are great and all, but traditions must be upheld! His free hand slips around her waist and he tilts his head down, pressing his smile against her
Steve surprisingly, lends his voice to the others, a small smile slipping out as he shoots a look Renala's way. He raises his glass to her before taking a sip and repeating himself a bit quieter, directly to his unlikely friend this time. "Happy New Year, Ren."
Mendez remains quiet, though the smile that escapes as the fireworks begin betrays his usual stoicism. He watches the fireworks for a moment before scanning across his friends, studying Tara for a moment.
Renala taps a few times on her omni-tool to move the security system into dry-run mode. She does keep her omni-tool hand on, but her eyes are on the display above. "Happy new year to you too, Steve," she says, turning her attention to him, taking a sip of her drink.
Va'ynna hasn't been bothered by the distant fireworks earlier, but she might be holding onto Victoria a little more tightly than intended as she watches the display above them.
Lema takes a few steps away from the group of people she's near to get a better view, eyes glued to the sky in awe as it lights up. "Happy new year!" she shouts into the sky after hearing others call it out.
Ilyna puts a little more energy into the barrier at the countdown, but she brings it back again once the display starts to go off. "Happy new year," she says only loud enough to be heard by those near her, and she looks down at Li to gauge her reaction to the fireworks.
Vasquez takes a step back and watches the first fireworks launch into the nightsky before tearing her gaze away to seek out Jason. She smiles to find his attention already on her, wasting no time in reaching out to tug him closer by his jacket and meeting him in a firm kiss.
Tara seems a little baffled by the counting and the shouts, and she nearly stumbles back as the skies above explode into a rapidly renewing canvas of light and color and the rapid stream of loud sounds echo against the mountains. Her eyes are wide but blinking rapidly as she struggles to absorb the spectacular assault on the senses.
Emma 's gaze follows the first rockets that shoot up into the sky, the colorful explosions lighting up her deep blue eyes, but her attention soon drops, finding Jason and Vasquez briefly, then she seeks out Leah and Tara in the crowd as well, eyebrows furrowing slightly.
Lucy 's pushes her hat back a little with a brush of her hand, head tilting up to watch the fireworks in silent contemplation.
Elena seems on the verge of joining in with the calls of happy new year, but Lucy next to her makes her reconsider, and instead she gives her arm a squeeze before joining her in watching.
Senya too remains silent as she watches the fireworks, a stoic but comforting presence on Lucy's other side.
Cynthia lets out a loud "WOO! HAPPY NEW YEAR!", drink rising enthusiastically in the air - and spilling more than a little in the process.
Li 's eyes go wide and she clings close to Ilyna as the fireworks start, closing her eyes at first, but after a peek the spectacular array of colors and lights draw her attention in, and curiosity overtakes fear, the shimmering barrier around her and her mother a bubble of comfortable safety.
Halisi smiles as she watches the start of the fireworks display with a subdued enthusiasm, the colorful explosions making both her silver eyes and her dress look like they're shifting through the whole rainbow. Spotting Jason and Vasquez out of the corner of her eyes makes her attention shift to Ilyna, studying the asari while she's checking on Li. Her smile softens, warmth mixing with a bit of sadness, and she returns her gaze to the
Zaylus gives a spirited 'whoop' at the height of the cheering, the following nervous chuckling being drowned out in firework blasts.
Nathan lowers his arm, the sequencing now fully automated by this point so that he can simply watch and enjoy the show for a few moments. The display continues for a few minutes, alternating here and there, showering the sky just long enough to not become a drag. Nate peers to his side, finding himself watching Leah as the lights reflect in her eyes. He shuffles a step closer to her and nudges her with his hip to draw
her attention. And, the moment she does, he leans down to press a kiss against her lips and slip away before she can retaliate. "Happy New Year, dork," he says to her, just loud enough to be heard over the din in the sky. And, mere seconds later, comes the finale. As the last of the smaller fireworks head into the sky, there is a brief pause. A beat. 'FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!' A single, almost monstrous trail of
flame shoots up in a gradual arc. The single rocket soars higher and higher, before the flame simply fizzles out. Then it explodes, flashing across the sky in a wide circle that shifts into an almost spiral of smaller fireworks that selfishly hog the immediate sky above. These smaller fireworks spark out into different colours, creating an explosive rainbow.
Sofia seems relieved that Tara didn't fall flat on her behind, nor seems terrified by the display. Assured, she turns her focus towards the finale, clapping her hands gleefully.
Oxaris glances towards Zaylus and chuckles herself, the smile on her face widening for a time as the finale takes flight.
Steve gives a firm nod. "Here's to hopin' for a better year." he offers the asari before swigging a large portion of his wine.
Thiago scarce smile widens at Tara's response and he steps closer to the group, offering the young girl a few pats on the shoulder. "What do you think, little bird?" he asks, his thunderous voice requiring little work to be heard over the display.
Leah continues to watch the sky with unbridled glee. Laughter slips out of her and she looks to Nathan when she's bumped. It looks as though she's about to say something but all that comes out is a surprised sound as she's pulled into a kiss. She sucks in her lips, cheeks reddening slightly and fighting the urge to make sure nobody is staring. "Happy New Year." she replies softly, her voice almost drowned out by the finale of
the fireworks display overhead. Her green eyes shift from Nathan's left to his right. With a deep breath, she scrunches up her nose. Maybe it's the night of booze, or perhaps just the perfect situation, but she finds herself deciding against worrying about onlookers as she pulls Nathan back down for another kiss, this one lingering as her free hand slips around his neck.
Jason presses into the kiss, lingering in it for more than a few moments. Eventually he pulls back slightly but remains close, big dumb grin still present. "Happy New Year." he repeats quietly, studying the features of his wife's face.
Lema looked back down, but the fwoop returned her attention to the sky and she continues to watch in amazement as the fireworks go off.
Ilyna keps her attention on Li for a few moments longer, and she resumses watching it for herself in time for the final show. After, she cannot help but notice Jason and Vasquez, Leah and Nathan, and she looks Halisi's way. Most importantly, the former pair is distracted. "Happy new year," she says softly. Ilyna cannot move much without disrupting the barrier, but she lets it fade a little in the space between her and
Renala chuckles. "To a better year," she says and gulps down most of her glass, "even if that is a low threshold to pass."
Tara is just staring at the sky in awe as the finale bathes the roof in colorful light, Mendez' question going unanswered for a moment, but then a breath slips out and a shaky smile crosses her lips. "It's... very pretty." As the explosions die down and the sky darkens she looks between Mendez and Sofia. "It... is over?" she asks, a confused and slightly disappointed frown taking shape, as if she wasn't quite ready for it to end.
Vasquez lets out a chuckle that's felt more than heard as their lips part, offering a quiet "Happy New Year..." in return, unable to keep a big grin of her own from her lips as she watches him for a moment, before shifting to lean against him as she turns to catch the end of the fireworks display.
Nathan was about to turn away and watch the last hoorah of the fireworks. But then, this hand reaches up and grabs him, pulling him back down. Now it is his turn for noise of surprise that is quickly silenced by the kiss. There's a brief blink before simply gives in. Embracing the lingering kiss, he settles both his hands at her side as the lights above fade to their end. Yeah, he has to agree with her here. This is
Sofia lets the finale twinkle out in her eyes as Tara speaks, a soft smile spreading. "Afraid so," she admits. However, the young woman steps towards Tara and lowers her voice in a stage whisper. "But here's the best part. There's always next year and the year after that and the year after that. It's not a once in a lifetime thing!" She grins widely and stands up straight. "Tell you what! Next year, I'll take you to see
the fireworks at my home! They're even better these ones, I promise!" With that, Sofia tucks one arm behind her back and extends her other arm towards Tara, poking out her pinkie finger. "Link your pinkie with mine and that's a guaranteed promise. A pinkie promise!"
Halisi 's gaze flicks to Ilyna in the corner of her eye as she notices a faint flicker to the barrier bubble. She hesitates a little, searching her eyes for guidance before shifting closer through the biotic field - making her long hair flutter a little at the resistance. With both of the asari's hands occupied she gently encircles her upper arm and, after casting a cautious look around, leans in to press the softest of kisses against
her lips as the finale firework bathes them in light and makes her ensemble sparkle in a flurry of colors. It's only a brief moment before she pulls back. "Happy New Year, Ilyna..." she almost whispers as the explosions die down, voice soft and uncharacteristically nervous, watching her reaction closely.
Li watches the giant, final firework with fascination, no longer clinging quite so tightly to Ilyna.
Tara listens closely, blinking in surprise at the offer. She smiles a little hesitantly and nods. "I-... ok," she agrees, eyebrows furrowing as she goes to follow the instructions that follow and mirror Sofia's gesture, looking very focused at getting it right.
Steve gives a tilt of his head. "Can't argue with that." he agrees with a snicker before downing the rest of his drink.
Mendez snorts at Tara's question, turning his focus back to her. His attention shifts from Sofia to Tara as the former speaks, doing a terrible job at putting his smile away.
Leah brings her other arm around Nathan's neck, her drink left right where it was, suspended by a light blue glow that envelopes both her and the glass.
Jason shifts, one arm remaining around Vasquez' waist as they stand side-by-side to watch the end of the display. As the last of the colors fade from view, he draws in a breath, the sneaky kiss in the biotic bubble going unnoticed. "Hell of a-..." he begins as he shifts his attention across the rooftop towards Nathan, though his compliment trails off as he realizes that the man is currently occupied. He chuckles, shifting a bit to
Vasquez cranes her neck a little to glance in Leah and Nathan's direction at Jason's nudging, a quiet snort slipping out on noticing them. She shakes her head a little as an amused snort slips out, opting to leave them to it undisturbed - she's in a good mood. In no rush to move, she wraps an arm around Jason's back, her focus soon returning to the night and watching the other fireworks displays still ongoing throughout the town.
Ilyna can't help but feel thrilled by the secret kiss in plain sight, and the barrier threatens the sputter out entirely as she carefully returns it. Once she pulls away, the nerves return, and she glances just enough towards Jason and Linda to check whether they saw in the corner of her eye. The barrier is soon restored, but the asari is still left speechless by the stunt; there is a big smile on the face, however.
Va'ynna barely spotted them, and she exchanges some whispered words with Uvena once the fireworks above them go out.
Halisi 's nerves are wiped away by Ilyna's smile, a bright one of her own crossing her lips as she returns to her previous position with a smug little hum, standing tall as her eyes go back to the fireworks going off across town.