Ashley managed to inspect several empty balok's. Bare walls. Everything is as usual. It was unlikely that she, the commander of a marine platoon, would be allowed to transfer some of her soldiers to these balok's. Unlikely. And there is no need to transfer them here to these houses. Tents... are much more familiar, more common.

*Balok — a trailer house.

And somehow closer to her and her people. Come to think of it... tents won't be enough for survival soon. We'll have to move to dugouts. Dig trenches, communication passages, crevices. If several such "shrimps" hover over the planet... only structures such as dugouts will be able to somehow help reduce personnel losses. Not to exclude, but to reduce. Now the Marines had to fight. With a real opponent. With the troops that will come to Eden Prime — and not only to Eden Prime — from the sides of such giants. And this landing force will be very numerous. Geth... Few people could have argued quite recently, a few days ago, that they would necessarily appear so far from the Perseus Veil.

And now that the Geth were landing from this Reaper... it was clear that there was going to be a war with the machines. With robots armed not with virtual, but with full-fledged artificial intelligence. With robots that shoot without a miss, without fear, uncertainty, hesitation. They act quickly, often with a speed and accuracy that is beyond the reach of any reasonable organic. The war was going to be... terrible.

Ashley thought about it while doing her usual daily commanding routine. She didn't really mention what she was doing or how she was doing it now, and she didn't really think about what she should do in the near future. Somehow all this... became automated or something... Yes, she always wanted to serve in the army, for her the army became a home, became a family. And now, becoming more aware of the fact that a real big war was approaching, Ashley asked herself if she was ready for such a war. It was she, the commander of the Alliance's Space Infantry platoon. The sergeant of the MSF.

The answer "yes" looked... pale. Maybe if we were talking about an ordinary racial conflict, at least with the same Turians, Williams, the granddaughter of a military general, would be more confident and unequivocal in her answer. Having witnessed the confrontation between the frigate and the Reaper, having survived the drone attack on the camp's inhabitants, having seen indoctrinated, or perhaps drugged people who resembled patients of earthly psychiatric clinics, she realized more fully, more deeply and more acutely that she had not been prepared for such a war that was coming. They didn't cook at all, or maybe, at best, they didn't cook enough.

The Normandy shuttle, which was carrying the Lighthouse to the frigate, returned. The driver put the car in, got out of the cab, sat on the grass, turned on the omny-tool.

Kayden did not appear, the spacer on duty at the camp recently reported that the lieutenant was still working with documents. And if these representatives of the local administration visit him... Alenko will stay here for a long time.

The shuttle driver is calm, he's not in a hurry. He's sitting there, reading something on an omny-tool.

"Sergeant, the local police have arrived. The people detained by Lieutenant Alenko were handed over to them," A day marine who came up to Williams with quick steps reported. "With the knowledge of the lieutenant, Sergeant," the soldier clarified. Ashley nodded and saluted, allowing the soldier to be free.

This means that this problem has been solved. The gun and the contents of that "cache" were probably handed over to the police along with the detainees. It is quite possible that the Marine soldier did not see everything and was not told everything, but what he understood was enough to realize that a lot would change very soon.

Sitting down on a boulder, Williams took a pike briquette out of her duffel bag, opened the shell, put the briquette on the stone, waiting for the "stove" to finish its work. I didn't want to eat cold rations — there was time to warm up the food.

Williams' thoughts kept returning to Kayden. She was very interested in him for some reason. And, as Ashley realized when she started eating, she was interested for a long time.

"Do you mind if I invite you to the shuttle, Sergeant?" Alenko's voice rang out. Ashley almost jumped in surprise: the lieutenant had approached so quietly and unnoticeably. "There we can have a snack in more comfortable conditions."

"I don't mind." Ashley stood up, shouldering her duffel bag. As she sat down at a table in the shuttle's cabin, she glanced at the lieutenant. "It looks like my platoon will be left alone soon."

"The archaeologists are being transferred to another site," Kayden confirmed, unpacking his ration briquette and waiting for the stove to finish its work. "I'm sure there are plenty of Prothean artifacts in the area", He paused, picked up a spoon, and began to eat.

There was silence in the cabin for several minutes, but Ashley noted that this silence was not forced, but natural. Yes, Kayden... can be different. He can be very laconic and... surprisingly unobtrusive. Yes, he had invited her, the commander of the Marine platoon, aboard the frigate shuttle, although he might not have done so. Maybe it really looks... standard.

Maybe, but it's important to her: it wasn't her, he showed her attention, which, of course, he might not have shown. He's a lieutenant, an officer, and she's a sergeant. Distance, difference, subordination, and everything else gave him huge advantages that... quite possibly were neither essential nor necessary for him right now.

Nothing much was going on: she, a sergeant in the Space Infantry of the Alliance of Systems Air Force, and he, a lieutenant in the Alliance of Systems Air Force-Ashley wasn't interested or interested in his specialty right now-were just having lunch, or maybe even dinner, on board the shuttle.

Still, Ashley was pleased to feel that this was not just a joint "meal" between two commanders, even if they were of different levels, even if they were of different ranks. And when, in fact, do they, the commanders, even communicate, if not during these very meals? There is practically no free time, and there are a lot of responsibilities. Besides, it's clear that Kayden won't be here for long... He will definitely return to the frigate.

If representatives of the local authorities visited the archeologists' camp and, as they managed, dealt with the local "troublemakers", handing these "outsiders" over to local law enforcement officers, then Kayden has very little reason to linger here, among the spacemen who are temporarily out of work. If...

Unless she, Sergeant Ashley Williams, is one of those reasons for Kayden. And since there will be no work for the Marines of her platoon in the very near future, at this very place, she may well take a little break from the daily army cocktail and remember that she is not only a sergeant of the Marines, a platoon commander, but also a girl. And Kayden is not only a lieutenant, but also a young man. Interesting, attractive, pleasant... not just a conversationalist...

God, why was she so fast? They barely know each other, and he tries not to look at her at all, concentrating on his food. She's looking at him, of course. With interest. He understands this and does not hinder her. The driver... is sitting with his back to the cabin, so... you can't underestimate him, of course, he can feel a lot.

"Lieutenant, may I..." Ashley puts the package aside, wipes her fingers and palms with a napkin.

"Williams, you and I are not on the parade ground. So let's do it for now... without ranks." Alenko leans back in his chair and looks at Williams. I assume you may also be transferred to a new location soon to complete a new task."

"And so it will be." Ashley didn't know how to address Kayden at that moment. Yes, she understood the wording "without ranks," but just like that, she immediately addressed him, the lieutenant, by name.... Maybe she's worried unnecessarily?

"Kayden... Excuse me... This fight..." Williams said timidly, overcoming her reluctance to switch to communication "without ranks" very quickly.

"We were preparing for it," said Alenko. "Long before our ship appeared in this star system. We were preparing. And that's why... we were able to resolve the situation in our favor. Or... at least start solving it. So far, it is clear to me that the situation has not yet been fully resolved. The Reaper... is only immobilized, it is not destroyed, it is not subdued by us. So... things can still change very quickly", Alenko hesitated, "one way or the other. And the fight... We really used some of the capabilities of the planetary infrastructure. I understand that there will be a lot of restoration work."

"That means..." Williams continued timidly.

"This means that, most likely, the frigate will not leave the planet in the next day or two, Ashley", Kayden said, vaguely realizing that he was the first to give the interlocutor the opportunity to reduce the distance in communication very seriously and significantly.

Hearing her name from the guest's mouth, Ashley experienced difficult feelings, and at that moment she was afraid to think logically about feelings at all. It was too good to hear her name coming out of Kayden's mouth. He was the first to take a big step towards her, calling her by her first name, not by her rank, not by her position. Although... he could, of course. Could. But he called me... by my first name.

Chakwas saw on her indicators how Kayden's health status was changing and understood that the lieutenant... had fallen in love. He was certainly happy to realize that such acute and profound emotions would not have to be "paid for" by hours of terrible headaches, although at those moments he hardly thought about such things in any particular way. He was happy and enjoyed it to the fullest.

"I'm glad, Kayden, that... the frigate will stay on the planet for a few more days", Williams said softly, looking straight into the face of the young man sitting across from her. "You won't mind if we walk around. Half an hour... we have."

"I will not." Kayden stood up, led the way down the ramp to the ground, and offered Ashley his hand. The shuttle driver, who turned to them, saw how the Marine sergeant hesitated, leaned on the lieutenant's outstretched hand and, descending, as the hostess of the camp, led the guest to its border. Soon, Ashley and Kayden were walking slowly along the path.

They talked for several tens of minutes. They talked alternately, without going into long drawn-out monologues. Ashley liked the way Kayden listened to her, how unhurried and calm he was. It seemed to her that he was even somewhat relaxed. Maybe because they had already moved far enough away from the camp with its artificial order and were now in the midst of a forest almost untouched by civilization, or maybe for some other reason.

Williams really wanted to believe that Kayden would be with her for a long time. For a very long time. The premonition of war did not leave Ashley, it became familiar to her, won the right to permanent placement somewhere in the corner of her mind.

If there is such a war ahead, then these peaceful, calm moments... will be very precious when you only have to remember them, reliving them over and over again. Then, when there will be a war around. A terrible war. With huge losses, destruction, losses. Almost continuous and heavy fighting. Digressions... Yes, yes, retreats, because the enemy, who has ships like this Reaper on his side, is unlikely to immediately begin to retreat under pressure from the forces of the Alliance of Systems, for example.

There will be no endless retreats, but we will have to retreat... especially in the first hours and days. The enemy will have to show his strength and might in order to convince the inhabitants of the galaxy at least of the seriousness of his intentions, and only then of his ability and willingness to impose his will on them, intelligent organics.

Ashley didn't feel ready to talk about occupation or captivity. Even internally. And that made her very nervous. The distraught people-both civilians and military personnel-made a difficult, heavy impression on her, the sergeant of the Space Infantry. If the enemy can just influence the psyche of intelligent organics like that... There will be no captivity. It will be either life or... death. Complete and final. Death is not of the body, but of consciousness, because a madman is already another, completely different person, despite the fact that outwardly he is often indistinguishable from a mentally normal person.

Kayden... tell me... about yourself," Ashley asked, trying to detach herself from thinking about the unenviable fate of indoctrinated intelligent organics.

"Good." Alenko went even slower. His story was unhurried. Williams understood that there was a lot Kayden wasn't saying, and yet there was a lot he wasn't hiding. "Now I am the deputy commander of the landing group. For amphibious assault work," the biotic officer finished his story. "Ashley, tell me about yourself."

"Well." Williams did not stop, although at that moment she really wanted not only to stop, but also to look around.

She also left out a lot of things in her story, not really hoping that Kayden wouldn't catch it, but she tried to reveal many points with sufficient completeness. "We were sent to Eden Prime to ensure the safety of the archaeologists, whose task was to extract some valuable Prothean artifact from the bowels of the planet. Official excavations, but requiring military protection. This is common for space marines, although such tasks are quite rare in our practice. It's also good that both the archaeologists and we were located close enough to each other, and we didn't start distancing ourselves. Geographically, we were close, but otherwise we tried to keep a sufficient distance. They work, we guard. And we don't interfere in anything else. Unless, of course, we are asked for something specific and the request does not contain anything... unacceptable. And the relations with the locals... well, the archaeologists are mostly from Eden Prime, we're here on a business trip," Ashley smiled faintly. "I had to let the locals do a lot of things. And avoid excessive bureaucratization of relations with both local authorities and local residents. So the errors have accumulated. It's also a good thing that the weapons found at the locals and in the makeshift warehouse... did not start firing at reasonable targets."

"Yeah... good," Kayden nodded, stopping. "I'm sorry..." he put his hand to his ear, activating the speaker at the same time. "Lieutenant Alenko," he listened to what his interlocutor was saying. "That's right. I'm listening. I'll be at the playground on time." Lowering his hand, he looked at his companion, sincere regret could be read in his gaze. "The order is to return to the frigate. For now, go to the playground. There's work to do," he looked at the incoming shuttle. "Our people are already on board, this is for me. I'm sorry," he gently took Ashley's hand. "I hope to see you again. I really hope so," He spoke softly but clearly, turning and taking the first steps towards the landing ship, reluctantly releasing his companion's hand. "I really hope so."