"Normandy, go!"

For all intents and purposes, the living room made a suitable substitution for the open galaxy. The lamp was the mass relay, the armchair served as docking bay, and there was enough space for Shepard to run around with a child on her shoulders while making the appropriate 'pew pew' sound effects.

"Where to next, Commander?" she asked, as seriously as she could manage with tiny blue arms wrapped around her head.

"Mmm..." She felt Ava's head press against the top of hers while the girl thought, springing up a moment later with an excited kick to Shepard's shoulder. "Mama!"

"Confirmed." Shepard reached up, lifting Ava off her shoulders and holding her in her arms, leaning forward with a grin. "Coordinates set to Station 'Mama'. Requesting clearance."

Liara looked up from where she sat on the couch, smiling at the two of them before setting her datapad to the side. "Clearance granted, Commander Shepards," she said, and Ava laughed as Shepard tilted her back until she was looking upside-down at Liara.

"Coming in for landing," Shepard announced, walking forward. Ava giggled and reached out her arms to the older asari.

"Hi mama!" she said as they came to a stop. Liara leaned forward and nuzzled her nose against her daughter's, a laugh coming from both of them at the gesture. "Hi baby."

"Docking at Station Mama," Shepard said, giving one last 'pchoo' as she lifted Ava higher into the air before setting her down in her mother's lap. She herself sat down next to Liara a second later, leaning her head back and draping an arm across the back of the couch. "Normandy needs to refuel."

"Aw," Liara teased, lightly bouncing Ava on her leg. "And here I had heard that the Normandy had better endurance."

Shepard tapped the back of Liara's head. "Hey, I haven't seen anyone offering to give rides on the Shadow Broker Base."

"What's that?" Ava asked, sprawling across Liara's lap to get closer to Shepard for her question. Liara turned her over onto her back before lifting her, cradling her to her chest as she stood.

"Another ship," Liara answered, while Shepard took the opportunity to stretch herself out across the now unoccupied full couch. "How about we ride it right now to go get you ready for bed?"

"Don't forget all the ship noises," Shepard reminded her. She smiled and pointed a finger gun at Ava, one eye closed. "Pew pew."

Ava pointed back at her with a smile, doing her best to imitate Shepard. The hand gun came out just fine, but the wink did nothing more than scrunch up half her face and cause Shepard to laugh at the expression. "Pew pew!"

Shepard laced together her fingers and rested her hands over her eyes as Liara carried Ava into the other room, but the pair weren't gone fast enough for her to miss hearing the question the child asked of her wife.

"Mama, when can I ride a real spaceship?"