Aja walked through the halls of Riverview, saying hi to various nurses and doctors that she knew from previous visits. When she arrived at Mami"s door, Aja leaned there on the frame and beamed a smile at Mami doing the director thing.

"We"ll make sure those scans make it to that office more efficiently." Mami was saying diplomatically. Trouble in medi-ville, Aja thought to herself and smiled. Mami noticed Aja standing there and motioned her in. Aja took a seat and occupied herself by toying with various office supplies on Mami"s desk. A couple items puzzled her, so she studied them a bit before setting them back down.

"Aja. I'm so happy to see you." Mami said as she hung up the phone.

"Ya did request my presence." Aja grinned and held her hands out to her sides. "So here I be."

"I did want to see you." Mami set her elbows on the desk and steepled her hands. "Rico mentioned a business trip you two were taking soon."

"Business trip." she echoed, curious now where this was going. "Yeah. We take a lot of them." Aja nodded, hedging some to see what it was Rico had said.

"This had to do with a band of pirates." Mami cut to the heart of the matter.

"Pirates?" Aja smirked. "In the shipping business" Gods have mercy!" she put a hand to her heart and over dramatically sprawled in the chair.

"Be serious, Aja." Mami insisted. Aja sat up in her chair and crossed her legs all lady like then smiled at Mami.

"So. There are pirates. Go on." in her best haughty voice making Mami sigh.

"The one port where the pirates have been causing trouble."

"He mentioned that, did he?" Aja didn’t confirm anything really, just watched Mami try to extract information from her. "What about it?"

"I don"t think you should go." Mami said as she sat up a little. "You are not responsible for the safety of everyone." Mami said watching Aja"s foot start to wiggle in frustration. Mami and Aja often would disagree on many things. Both were strong willed women and used to being in charge.

"To hell I'm not, Mami." Aja shot back while starting to plot Rico"s death for mentioning anything to Mami about plans for missions. What was the man thinking"!

"You're one person."

"Yes. I am." Aja sat up. "I"m one very qualified person with a crew. With knowledge. Who else can do what needs to be done?"

"Someone else."

"No, Mami." Aja held out her hand slightly. "Someone else can't do it." she paused. "Or if they could, they would have by now. So. Someone has to step in and protect those people."

"You're important to me."

"So is someone else. To someone else." Aja was up out of her chair now. "Why are you not thinking about that' If not me, someone else with a family is going to try to take these guys out. And they are going to possibly die. Cause they may not have all the information or the skills. Or the help. I have those things. What part of that, don"t you get it?"

"You risk your life for people you don't know."

"Yes. I do." Aja didn't bother to deny it. Mami watched as Aja fidgeted. This was a sign that Aja was reaching the limit of what she was going to put up with.

"You don't have to."

"I know that."

"Then stop."

"No."

"Aja?"

"Mami. I appreciate that you care. That you fear for my life. ...BUT. It's MY life. Not yours. I do what needs to be done to save the weaker among us. Isn't that part of what you yourself have always said" That it's our job to look after those people."

"I did?"

"We"re exempt?" Aja asked seriously, pausing long enough in her pacing to do so. "What' We"re somehow too special to battle against these people?"

"No but.."

"There is no but after that, Mami." she stared evenly at Mami. "It"s do the job. End of story. No discussion. No more attempts from you to tell me what I can and cannot do."

"Aja.." Mami began but Aja had reached the limit on how much she was willing to put up with from Mami.

"NO!" Aja"s roar silenced what else Mami had thought to say. That was the end of that. "That's it." she took in a deep breath then. "I"ll take a fair amount of criticism Mami, but I will not tolerate you, a person who doesn't have any battle experience to tell me how to handle it." She paused for a moment before going on. "Now. I know I give you a fair amount of grief. I joke around. I make you laugh." Aja stopped pacing then and placed her hands on the back of the chair she had abandoned earlier and stared at Mami. "But. End of the day, I do know what is at stake. I know the cost of not being prepared. I know what happens when amateurs try their hand at taking out the bad guy. I’ve seen the bodies, I've had the blood on my hands. Too much. I won't tolerate it on anyone else's if I can help it. I can live with it. Others can't."

"You're one of my children."

"And those people I protect, they're someone's child too." was all she said in response before heading for the door.

"Being a hero has its price." Mami called after her, making Aja pause for a split second. She never looked back at Mami.

"Well." she started. "It's a good thing I'm not hero." Aja replied then walked out.

Mami watched her pass the windows, head held high, the determined look to her face as she headed towards the exit and the village beyond those doors.

Mami leaned back in her chair thoughtfully. Through the years, they had several conversations just like that one. Each time, Aja would eventually push back.

Mami knew Aja had respect for her. Given the amount of concern she would allow before putting Mami in her place. It was something that Tanner had warned Mami about before he died.

They would have long talks in the days before he passed. Where he shared with Mami his worries about the young woman he had loved as his own.

He knew after he was gone, Aja would assume command of the crew. Take on the mantle of their well being and safety. He also knew, she wouldn't worry about her own life while taking care of others. Tanner had hinted to Mami of something else in Aja"s make up that as much as Mami would worry, never to push Aja too hard. That there was more to the girl than she would ever reveal. To anyone. Even to those closest to her.

Mami recalled those talks in moments like these. She stood up and brushed out her suit coat, picking up some of her files and getting back to work. ————————————————————————— ————————————————————