Kadara: La Tierra Del Amor.

A Start.

Ryder thought she'd never get a break from being the Pathfinder. Even off duty, her work followed her, SAM was there, reminding her of that. Though she cared for the AI, being alone at times was something she craved for.

With Reyes, she felt almost like a human being. They both ran through the markets of Kadara, giggling to each other as they had angry residents swearing at them for bumping and barging past them. Ryder loved it, Reyes made her feel normal, even for a night. It was a welcomed break.

They got behind the markets and stood beside a ladder. "You first," Reyes says, he hooks the whiskey bottle to his waistband, making sure it was safe.

"Why me?" Ryder asks as she starts to climb. Reyes smacks her ass before she gets too high to reach.

"That's why," he huskily replies. Ryder rolls her eyes, they both start climbing the shacks of markets. "We're nearly there."

"Too bad, I don't have my jump jet, I could fly us both up," Ryder joked. Reyes climbs the last roof, holding his hand for Ryder.

"What's the fun in that?" Reyes asks. He then stands behind Ryder, putting his hands over her eyes. "Do you trust me?" he asks with a whisper.

Ryder shivers against him. "Of course I do, Reyes," she replies. Reyes slowly pushes her forward, Ryder stumbles but keeps her balance the best she could. They come to a stop.

"A view fitting for a queen," he slowly says as he pulls his hands away. Ryder's eyes adjusted to the bright sunset, the view was astonishing. The markets of Kadara were sprawled out with the badlands in the background. She could see the monoliths, and then at the end of it was the bright orange sun. It made the fresh water in the badlands look like steam as it shone down on it.

"A queen eh?" Reyes nods, he sits over the edge, patting the seat next to him. Ryder sits to the side, her back by his shoulder.

"I forget just how beautiful this place is," he comments as he takes a swig of the bottle. He then passes it to Ryder. "Do you miss home?"

Ryder takes a sip, she could still taste the horrid concoction Umi made. The whiskey was a welcomed taste, but she wasn't in the mood for more alcohol. "Yes, mostly for the friends and family I left behind. I miss your work as well. How about you?"

Reyes nods, looking out towards him. "I miss my mother. She'd loved Andromeda, I didn't have much else to leave behind when coming here." Ryder passes him the bottle.

"What happened to your mum?" she asks, turning to look at him.

Reyes went physically stiff being asked. Ryder was about to say she'd drop it but he starts talking. "After my father passed, she worked so hard to raise me. She was adamant she didn't need a man and worked three jobs to keep us fed and happy." He paused to take a long drink. "She got breast cancer when I turned twenty. Died two years later. I was... depressed for a long time." Ryder places her hand on his knee, he looks down at her, smiling. "Work filled a small gap in my heart, but then I got asked about the Initiative and joined without a second thought."

"I'm sorry about your mum, Reyes. You obviously loved her so much." Ryder saw his eyes glisten, he blinked back the tears.

"What about you? You only told me about Alec," he says looking at her. Ryder bit her lip, pulling the bottle from his hand to take a long drink.

"She died before we left, not long before we left either. She did work on biotic implants and eezo. Caused her to become sick and a... new form of cancer formed in her brain. There was no treatment, nothing they could do. She still worked as much as she could, loved my dad and us like nothing was ever wrong." She let a tear fall. "When she died, my dad went... quiet. He'd spend more and more time with SAM and his work. Then he joined the Initiative. Me and Scott both agreed to go as we had nothing left in the Milk Way. I needed a new start."