#RedrockAgency – June 3, 2026

Ilyna is seated at the her desk in her office, reading through the messages without really getting anything done. The good news about Va'ynna's rescue did help yesterday, but Ehanis' part in this has kept her mind racing. She's wearing her typical dark-gray casual dress over a top and warm pants.

Va'ynna arrives by the Respite sky-car which picked her up at her home and brought her here, and she hurries inside the moment she steps out of the passenger side. She looks tired more than anything else. Not having had time to replace her jacket yet, she's wearing a green long-sleeved shirt and plain black pants; hence the crisp winter air is not that agreeable.

Jason has only recently returned from his morning jog. After getting Justice settled back in the room for his post-run wind-down, he's making his way back downstairs in his usual attire of black fatigues, white tshirt, and black boots. It's only as he nears the bottom that he spots Va'ynna starting down the hall, causing him to furrow his brow. "Hey." he calls out as he moves to meet her. "I was planning on checking up on you

Li is back in the rec room after running out to say hi to Justice on his and Jason's arrival upstairs. She's watching a nature documentary on the biotic wildlife of Thessia, her homework lying forgotten on the cushion next to her amid her fascination with the creatures on screen.

Va'ynna looks at Jason with a weak smile that fades quickly. "I'm.. I can't complain," she says, sounding as tired as she looks. "I didn't get... much sleep after I got home from the hospital." She glances past him at the stairs. "Ilyna wanted that I come visit her and Li." The wound on her head is still visible albeit covered by a thin layer of medi-gel, but the other cuts and scrapes are covered by her clothing.

Jason's smile fades slightly at the mention of Va'ynna's troubles, but her final words cause him to lift a brow. "Oh, so you're not here to see me? I see how it is..." he muses, his words colored with faux offense as he draws in an exaggerated sigh. "Guess I'll try not to take it personally..." he teases and passes a glance back towards the stairs he just came down before his attention returns to Va'ynna. "She's up in the rec

Va'ynna gains a faint look of embarrassment at his mock offense. "That... goes without saying," she murmurs in response to it, "but she was the one to invite me." She accepts the direction with a nod, but does not immediately head there. She averts her gaze as she adds, "I... don't know what Li knows, but... Ilyna knew what... state I'm in when she wanted me to come see her."

Jason's smile slips and he offers a few nods, gaze inadvertantly traveling back to the stairs briefly. "Yeah, I-... uhh-... I'm not sure exactly what she knows." he confirms with an apologetic tilt of his head. "She knew you were taken and that we launched a rescue operation to bring you home, I know that much-..." he offers, summarizing his short exchange with Li from today, "...but I doubt Ilyna went into any detail." he

Va'ynna looks a bit saddened as the harrowing day is summed up, but she gives a few small nodes. "I... hope so," she says, "but... Ilyna wouldn't invite me so soon otherwise." She takes a slight step back and glances past him. "I, uh, shouldn't keep you from your work any longer, so... we can talk more at lunch."

Jason offers a quick nod. "Lunch. I'm holding you to that." he warns through a grin. He gives Va'ynna a quick sidehug. "Figure out what you and Li want to eat and shoot me a message, alright? I'll make a food run in a couple hours." he continues as he pulls back.

Va'ynna returns the hug weakly, and gives a small nod. "I'll... try to remember," she says. "Ilyna should probably have a say in it too, though," she adds as she begins walking away,towards the staircase.

Jason dips his head in agreement. "I'll touch base with her and Linda before I go." he assures her. As it happens, he was just heading that way anyway. As they go their separate ways he lifts a hand in a silent farewell. Coming to a stop just outside of Ilyna's office, he gives the door a buzz.

Va'ynna immediately heads to the rec room once upstairs, not hesitating for long. Inside, her eyes seeks out Li. "Hey, Li," she says softly.

Ilyna looks up from her terminal at the buzzer, which displays the reports that has come in so far. The only other thing that sticks out is a closed draft message to Ehanis. She stands up and taps on the terminal to open the door in response. "Hey," she says as she sees that it's Jason standing in the doorway.

Jason remains at the doorway, giving the room a quick scan to see if there's any obvious signs that she's preoccupied. "Hey." he responds. "Got a few minutes...?"

Li 's eyes are glued to the screen, where a prowling ambush predator from Thessia's equatorial jungles uses its rudimentary biotics to pull its prey into its maw. "Success!" the narrator exclaims in a soothing tone as the animal feasts. The girl looks over her shoulder at the sound of Va'ynna's voice, surprise crossing her face. "Vynna!" she exclaims, climbing over the back of the couch with the faintest of "Unf!"s and running up to

Ilyna nods and gestures for him to enter. "Yes, please come in," she says. "I've been... trying to write a message to Ehanis, but I don't know what to say to her." The only other chair in her office is the one by Li's desk.

Va'ynna does have a genuine smile as Li runs up to her, even a bit of amusement at the unnecessary shortcut, and she crouches down to receive her and return the hug. "It's good to see you," she says, managing to push back the heavy emotions for now. "What are you watching?" she asks in spite of the answer being quite clear.

Jason draws in a breath, offering a silent nod as he grabs the chair by the desk by the top of the backrest and sets it at Ilyna's desk. "I take it that means you've caught up on the reports...?" he asks as he sits down, already well aware of the answer. She's likely read and re-read them multiple times by now. He hasn't exactly had time to flesh his report out yet, but there was enough there to bring her up to speed.

Li grabs Va'ynna's hand and starts pulling her over to the couch to sit down with her. "Animals! Did you know the Fessian Cracklemaw Loto can use its biotics to pull in prey from up to three meters?" she asks enthusiastically, repeating the latest fact she's picked up.

Ilyna sits back down at her desk, nodding to his question. "Of course," she says. "Va'ynna was kidnapped and my sister is caught up in it somehow, so I want to know everything there is to know." There's some guilt in her expression as she finishes speaking.

Va'ynna lets herself be pulled along, but she matches pace after a few steps and joins her in the couch. "I... think I've heard about their biotics before," she says softly, the distraction working for now, "but not that they have such a reach. I... didn't live anywhere close to where they live, though.... Fortunately."

Li nods sagely. "They're really good climbers! They make nests in the trees!" she informs of the lotos, although the vid on the screen is shifting focus now to a species of colorful tropical fliers, and their intricate mating dances.

Jason gives another nod in turn, a deep sigh slipping out of him that wipes away what's left of his smile. "Yeah... Of course." he offers quietly. For a moment he falls silent, sifting through the events of the previous day in his mind which ultimately culminates in a disappointed shrug of his shoulders. "Wish I had more to give you but, unless there's something in some of the equipment we brought back, all we've got is a whole

Va'ynna raises an eyebrow, adding another mental note under why it's fortunate. "They seem very... tough, so I'm glad we're just seeing them on a screen," she says. "Thessia has a lot of element zero, that's why all of us asari can learn to use biotics." She looks up at the screen, admiring the pretty flying animals as her expression grows more thoughtful.

Ilyna frowns. "That's... not good," she says, mirroring his disappointment. "So... we don't even know whether Va'ynna is going to be safe then?"

Li nods in agreement with Va'ynna's information, to indicate that she knows this too, however... "I'm gonna learn too!" After the exclamation her gaze shifts to Va'ynna, eyebrows furrowing slightly as she studies her expression.

Jason shakes his head along with Ilyna's initial assessment. "No. It's not." he agrees grimly. When she continues, he shifts in place. "I'd say based on what little we do know we should be assuming that she won't be." he admits reluctantly, unable to help from feeling like that's a personal failing on his part. "Not until we figure out who else is involved and what this is about." Frustration creeps into his expression as he

Va'ynna tilts her head for a moment, knowing very little about human biotics. "I... I don't know when humans... develop biotics," she says, the levity offered by the distraction waning, "but I'll gladly help you, even if I'm... not a strong biotic like Ilyna and Leah."

Ilyna listens to the explanation with a few acknowledging nods, not looking any happier about it than thim, though there is no blame in her expression. "We should increase her security escort while we follow up, then," she says about Va'ynna's safety, unaware of Victoria's plans. "If Va'ynna wants that, of course." As for Ehanis' involvement, her feelings turn to worry and she glances again at the terminal, but she

Li grins, but it fades quickly - she's clearly picked up on something in Va'ynna's expression. "Are you ok...?"

Jason doesn't comment on the suggestion about Va'ynna, merely nodding and deciding to leave the complications surrounding all of that left unsaid when Ilyna asks her question. "Still working on that..." he says. Because it sounds better than 'we don't have a next step'. There's a brief pause, his gaze breaking from Ilyna's as discomfort washes over him. "There's-... there's something else, too, Ilyna..." he says, his

Va'ynna looks a bit anxious at having been caught, even if it was inevitable. "I'm... okay," she says, but decides to be honest, and she also sounds a bit anxious as she continues, "It's just... yesterday is still on my mind... and..." She shakes her head slightly. No, this was a bad idea. Go back. "I... I hope I didn't worry you too much. I heard that you were told."

Li shifts a little, hands resting in her own lap as she nods, face scrunched up just a little in a thoughtful look. "Mom said you got taken by bad people."

Va'ynna nods, though her anxiety doesn't seem eased. "That's true," she says carefully, "and... then our friends saved us from them." She studies Li for a moment. "We're lucky to have... such good, strong people around us, aren't we?" she asks, her tired voice starting to shake a bit.

Li nods emphatically in agreement. A slight frown takes hold as she looks up at Va'ynna. "Was it scary...?"

Va'ynna ponders for a moment, then gives a small nod. "Yes," she says, deciding neither to lie nor downplay, though it does make it harder to keep her composure. "It was... terrifying, even if I knew... they were coming for me."

Ilyna listens thoughtfully at Jason's words, accepting the half-lie for now. Her own offer of helping goes unsaid as Jason brings up something else, and his tone does make her lean in a bit with some concern and curiosity written across her face. "What is it?" The exposed patch-cable near the door for the camera is plugged in at the moment.