Finding a way: Mass effect 3

Lost and found

After making arrangements for the Grissom Academy students to rendezvous with the Fifth Fleet, Kaidan went looking for Aubrey. He needed to clear the air about Rahna.

He found her in the shuttle bay sparring with Vega. He had strength, but she had speed. He watched her duck a jab and spin around to get behind him, hooking her foot around his ankle to sweep his feet out from under him. He hit the floor with a grunt and Aubrey grinned down at him.

"Not bad, Lola," he said, taking her extended hand to help him up.

She groaned. "I fucking hate that nickname, Vega," she said, settling back into a fighting stance.

He smirked at her. "Well, when you dance that good with a body like yours what the hell am I supposed to call you?" he flirted.

Kaidan tensed up where he had leaned against the wall. Neither of them had noticed him watching, too caught up in the fight as they started throwing punches again. He clamped down on the jealousy that twisted in his gut. It's not like he could blame Vega, especially since he wasn't in the know about their relationship.

"Oh, I don't know?" she said, landing a blow to his solar plexus that made him double over, "How about – Commander?"

He recovered enough to grab her right arm as she took another swing at him, pulling her forward to ram a knee into her abdomen, driving the air from her lungs. He then twisted his wrist, yanking her arm up and behind her back. "Yo se que te gusta, chica," he said. (you know you like it)

She snorted, shifting her weight into her back leg as she drove the elbow of her left arm up into his chin, causing him to stumble back a step. She re-centered herself and spun a roundhouse kick across his face, knocking him to the mat. "No tanto como la ganas de darte en el culo," she said to him. (not as much as I like to kick your ass)

Kaidan had to stifle a laugh at the shocked expression on Vega's face. "You speak Spanish?" he asked dumbly.

"Along with a smattering of Mandarin," she said helping him up again.

"No, shit?"

"They encourage multilingual recruits in the N7 program," she said, grabbing two water bottles from the edge of the mat and tossing one to Vega. "Which is why I've submitted a letter of recommendation for you. Assuming we kick the Reapers' asses into oblivion and the Alliance still exists, of course."

James scoffed, "I'm not exactly N7 material, ma'am." He looked at the floor and shifted uncomfortably under Aubrey's measured gaze.

"I disagree, Lieutenant."

"I lost my whole squad and the entire colony of Fehl Prime to the Collectors, Commander. Not exactly a glowing mark for leadership and command."

Fehl Prime had been one of the earlier colonies hit by the Collectors. Kaidan hadn't realized Vega had been stationed there.

"I'm well aware of your service record," Aubrey said evenly. "You made a command decision, James. You retrieved intel on the Collectors rather than save the colonists." She held up a hand, stopping him from interrupting. "That intel proved to be vital to Mordin in making an antidote that protected me and my team on Horizon, allowing us to save half the colony. Your decision sacrificed some to save more in the long run. That's what it means to be in command." She laid a hand reassuringly on his shoulder, forcing him to look at her. "We can't save everyone. And holding yourself back with guilt sure as hell isn't going to bring your team back, nor is it going to honor their memories."

James took a deep breath and clenched his jaw, looking like he wanted to argue some more.

"Piensalo, amigo," she said, turning away from Vega and walking toward him. (think about it my friend)