This is my first attempt at a Mass Effect Fanfic. Please be kind.

Disclaimer: Mass Effect belongs to Bioware and Electronic Arts.

Mass Effect: Rescue

-ONE-

Illium: The Kidnapping

The Citadel, Docking Station

One week before the destruction of the SR1 Normandy

Commander Karen Shepard, the first human Spectre, looked out pass the Ward Arms of the Citadel and into the stars. She knew that somewhere out in the vast cosmos, the Reapers were preparing the mass genocide that they have committed for untold millennia.

The light that reflected of the Normandy's hull also reflected of Shepard's pale complexion, short blonde hair, and dark blue eyes. Her N7 armor fit snuggly around her figure. A frown graced her face; the Council was sending her and her crew on some patrol in the Terminus System, looking for pockets of Geth resistance. Shepard knew that the Reapers were the real threat, but the Council refused to believe that Saren was a servant to his own flagship.

"Karen," a soft voice said, "are you alright?"

Shepard's frown was soon turned into a small smile. There stood Liara T'Soni, the beautiful Asari Maiden/Prothean expert. How long ago was it when she found the Archeologist behind a Prothean barrier curtain in the ruins on Therum? It seemed like a lifetime.

"I'm fine, love," Shepard assured her, "I just wish that the Council could concentrate more on the Reapers and less on the Geth."

"But the Geth are the Reaper's servants, are they not?" Liara asked.

Shepard knew that what her lover said was true. If they had any hope against the Reapers, they would first need to defeat their agents.

Shepard noticed a distant look in her beloved's eyes. She could tell that Liara was in deep thought, but about what only the Asari knew. She would have to ask her what was on her mind.

"Liara," Shepard said, "is there something wrong? You seem…distant."

The Asari came out of her stupor. "What?" she said. "I'm sorry, Shepard, what was it you were saying?"

"I was saying that you seemed distant," the Spectre said. "Is there something wrong?"

Liara seemed hesitant. "No," she said, "there is nothing wrong."

"Liara," Shepard whispered, placing her hands on her shoulders, "are you sure you're alright? You know you can tell me anything."

The Asari sighed. "Karen," Liara said, "I assure you, everything is fine."

Shepard looked her in the eye. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there."

Liara turned away from her love. "It is not important right now," she said. "It can wait until we return."

The Asari walked toward the docking tube that led into the Normandy, she never knew that she would soon regret not telling her beloved what she kept hidden.

Illium, Nos Astra

Two weeks after the destruction of the Collector Base

The only thing that could be heard in the office of Liara T'Soni was the clicking and clacking of keys. The former Prothean expert was preparing sensitive information for a recently acquired client. The Asari made a quite comfortable living off being an information broker.

During the day, she had been distracted at times. Sometimes she would lose focus of her work and her mind would wander off to a certain topic. Liara had heard of the destruction of the Collector Base and that the crew of the SR2 Normandy had become the first to return from the Omega 4 Relay alive. As soon as she heard, she wanted to contact Shepard, but then she had received a message from her.

Liara,

I'm sorry that it had to be this way, but it's over between us. No offence, but you've become too obsessed with your revenge on the Shadow Broker. I understand what he did to you and your friend was wrong, but I can't deal with it anymore. I hacked all those terminals for you because I thought there could be a chance that we could still be together, but now I see that I was wrong. I'm really sorry Liara, but there's someone else now.

Shepard.

P.S. We'll always have that night before Ilos.

Liara read the message over and over again, hoping that its contents would change after each reading. After several minutes, she had her new secretary cancel all of the day's appointments and had returned to her penthouse apartment. For the rest of that day, she had cried on her bed while clutching an old picture of her and Shepard.

The next day, Liara had learned that the Normandy was docking on Nos Astra to restock on supplies. She had sent one of her best sources to learn who it was that Shepard was in a relationship with. A few hours later, her source came back with what he learned. He said that Shepard was in a relationship with a Turian.

That Turian's name was Garrus Vakarian.

Liara could honestly say that she was shocked by the revelation. The Asari remembered the C-Sec Officer. He was kind and noble; she did not expect him to pursue a relationship with the Commander.

Liara's heart was heavy as she thought of this. She wished that Shepard was still hers. If she would have told her when—

No, that was impossible. Liara would not have allowed that to be public knowledge. She would not risk the Shadow Broker using that against her just so that she could continue being with Shepard.

Her intercom buzzed. "Ma'am," she heard the voice of her new secretary, Alma T'Riso, "Margaret is here and she's bleeding."

Liara gasped. She jumped out of her chair and practically ran out of her office. Outside, she saw with her secretary a human female bleeding from a wound in her right thigh.

"By the goddess," Liara whispered. "Maragret, what happened?" She looked around, something was obviously missing. "What happened?" the Asari asked desperately. "Where is she?"

The human named Margaret avoided looking at her employer in the eye. "I'm sorry, ma'am," she said. "A squad of Eclipse mercs came out of nowhere. I tried to protect her, but I got shot and they grabbed her. I tried to follow them, but I couldn't with this wound."

Liara felt like she was dying. How could this have happened? What could she do?

But she already knew the answer to her last question. There was one thing she could do, but she feared what would happen when she did.

Terminus System

SR2 Normandy, Deck 2, CIC

Karen Shepard was going through the unread messages on her private terminal, nothing but junk male and a few reports from Alliance Command. She wore her officer's uniform, but where the Cerberus emblem used to be, there was now the emblem used by the Alliance Navy. Ever since she defied the Illusive Man by destroying the Collector Base and the horrifying "Human Reaper", she had ordered all Cerberus markings be removed from the ship (she gave a small grin when Miranda ripped the Cerberus emblem off her uniform).

"Shepard, can we talk for a minute?"

The commander smiled as she turned around to see Garrus. "Sure, what's up?"

"Can we talk in private?" he asked.

"No problem," Shepard said. "Kelly, watch the bridge for me."

"Aye, aye commander," her yeoman answered.

She and Garrus took the elevator to Deck 1, where her personal quarters was. They walked in and Shepard locked the door behind her so that they were not disturbed.

"Is there something wrong, Garrus?" Shepard asked concerned.

"No," the Turian said, "there's nothing wrong. I've just been…thinking about something for awhile."

"What about," the Commander asked.

He sighed. "Us," Garrus said. "I've been thinking about us."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked worriedly.

"I mean," Garrus said, "that maybe we should go back to just being friends."

"What?" Shepard gasped. "Why?"

"Well," the Turian said, "no offense Shepard, but I think that you've been using me as a replacement for Liara." Before she could protest, Garrus continued on. "I know you're reunion on Illium was hard on you, but it's pretty obvious that you still haven't moved on."

"That's not true Garrus," Shepard said. "I've gotten over her."

"That says otherwise," Garrus said, motioning to an object on her desk. It was the frame that kept a picture of Liara from before the first Normandy was destroyed. How Cerberus got it, Shepard could only guess.

"Garrus, please," she pleaded, "just give me time."

The Turian sighed. "I'm really sorry, Commander, but I've already made up my mind. No offense, but I don't want to be anyone's second choice."

Shepard did nothing as he walked out of her quarters. She turned toward the picture. That damned picture. Why didn't she get rid of it when she first got together with Garrus?

Who was she kidding, she knew why. Shepard still had feelings for her former lover. She wanted to forget about Liara and enjoy being with Garrus, but she found herself unable to do so. Maybe if she went to him and explained that—

A ping came from her private terminal, indicating that she had received a new message. She sat at her desk and looked up the unread message.

/URGENT! PLEASE OPEN IMMEDIATELY! /

Shepard opened the message and read.

From: Liara T'Soni

Karen,

Something has happened! I need your help! Please contact me as soon as you get this!

Liara.

Shepard practically ran out of her quarters and straight to the elevator. As it began her descent, she felt that she was not helping things with Garrus by jumping right when she got a message from the Asari.

She walked briskly out of the elevator when it reached its destination. "Kelly," Shepard said, "I'll be in the Debriefing Room and I don't want any disturbances."

"Yes ma'am," she said. "I'll be here if you need anything."

The Commander locked the door to the Debriefing Room behind her. "EDI," she called.

The blue avatar of the Normandy's A.I. popped up. "Yes, Shepard?" it said.

"I need you to patch through to Liara T'Soni's office on Illium," Shepard said hurriedly.

"I'll do my best, Shepard," EDI said. "This room was originally designed to contact only the Illusive Man, but other means may be used to contact Ms. T'Soni."

EDI's holographic avatar disappeared. Within a few moments, EDI managed to make contact and a holographic projection of Liara appeared from the conference table.

"Shepard!" the Asari exclaimed. "I am so glad that you got my message."

The Commander took note of the relief that she heard in her voice. "It said that it was urgent," Shepard said. "What's going on, Liara?"

The Asari seemed hesitant. "I…I do not know how to tell you this, Shepard. Eclipse, they…they…"

"What about Eclipse?" Shepard asked worriedly. "What's going on, Liara? Are you in trouble with them? Did they attack you?"

She watched her former lover take a deep breath. "No Shepard, they did not attack me, they…they took her, Shepard! They took our daughter!"