Author's note: Hello everybody! For those of you that know, I have resurfaced! This story was originally posted on the kmeme and has yet to be updated recently. The reason for that is that I felt the story was going in the wrong direction. I have done some major edits and finally am ready to post my new and improved version! This chapter was beta'd by Pestomonkey (many thanks!) a while back. I think you will all be very impressed with the changes.
The plan is to post the first week of every month, so please follow me for updates! There won't be any more long hiatus and this will be completed. You may ask why I just don't post everything at once? Well, frankly, I want to give myself a bit of a buffer so I don't disappear again.
This story has consumed my life, am I am very happy to share it with all of you. As always, please read and review. Critical comments are always welcome. I love hearing from you!
The cover art is Charlize Theron, she's my Shepard when I'm writing this story (check her out in "Crossfire", that did it for me) If anyone wants to make a specialized art, let me know I fail at artistic endeavors. If you have a different Shepard in mind when you read, shot me a picture, I'd love to see it!
Disclaimer: Bioware owns all the characters and universe they live in.
** The Shepard - Prologue **
"In the years since the war, I have often been asked why the humans did it. Out of everything they could have done to prepare the next cycle for the Reapers, why did they chose to leave us Shepard?
I ask you why not. Clearly she was all we needed." - Interview with Dr. T'soni, 2561
Arcturus Station - 48,000 BCE
Arcturus never truly slept, being the last great watchman over humanity. The late hour, however gave Admiral David Anderson some much needed privacy. The last few hours - his arrival on the station, the meeting with the council and their decision - played over and over in his head. He needed space, he needed perspective.
What better to place to find that than in the heart of Arcturus: The Archives.
Until the war, the Archives had actually been three separate complexes: Eden Prime, Earth, the Citadel. They had been glowing examples of how far mankind had come since taking to the stars. And one by one, they had fallen. What little could be salvaged had been incorporated into Arcturus during the expansion fifty years ago. The data chambers were built directly onto the core of the original station, turning the outdated technology into an athenaeum that was all but sacred. It had seemed fitting, incorporating all of humanity's failures and hopes into one sanctuary.
The halls of the Archives echoed softly as Anderson walked through them. Motion sensors picked up his movement as he passed, activating holo vids and related articles. A flickering hologram caught his eye and he paused for a moment to watch.
Codex entry: Dr. Josephine Silva.
Silva was the granddaughter of the great Mateus Silva who was the first to discover the ruins on Mars. Following in her grandfather's footsteps she became an archaeologist specializing in the protheans. Her tenacity led to the discovery of new beacons that had been left by ancient race. The technology had been purposefully hidden deep underground, away from ancient cities. The mystery of these beacons took years to decipher, but Dr. Silva's team identified the looming Reaper threat almost fifty years before the first sentinel appeared. During her time many had called her crazy, but with her family's fortune she had put together an archeological team dedicated to gathering information about the looming threat.
The following is a transcript of her first meeting with the human Council.
Silva: We all know that the prothean dig site on Mars made it possible for us to develop faster than light travel and mass effect field technology. That is just the tip of the iceberg! The discoveries we've made there are-
Councilor Jones: Get to the point Doctor.
Silva: I think I know why the protheans were on Mars.
Councilor Hudson: We already know that. They were studying us.
Silva: Yes, but we didn't know what they had planned for us, or even why they left. I found a data drive that talks about their observations and in it they mention something called the Reapers.
Councilor Jones: What are Reapers?
Silva: I think they were the ones that wiped out the protheans. A synthetic race that lives deep in dark space.
Councilor Morris: That's all well and good Doctor, but why do we need to know this?
Silva: Because I think they are coming back.
End of transcript.
The hologram ended and Anderson sighed. That archeologist had been right, the Reapers had come. However, it had taken too long for the higher ups to listen. By the time the Alliance brass had come around, it had been too late. The Reapers had descended on them like a hammer.
Anderson shook his head and walked on. There was always the "what-ifs" that floated around. What if they had listened to Dr. Silva? What if they had prepared more? He wasn't much of a fatalist, but he had been on the front lines. They were technologically outmatched by the Reapers in every way imaginable.
Another room lit up as he walked by. The hologram was a picture of Admiral Bizri, the head of Alliance Headquarters when the Reapers first attacked.
Codex Entry: The Outer Rim.
The Outer Rim was the furthest reaches of human colonies in the Milky Way. Even with the use of the mass relays the trip was well over a week from the Earth to the nearest colony of Mindoir. These colonies were made up of scientists and terraformers, preparing the way for later human habitation. The colonies distance from Earth combined with a proximity to deep space made them easy targets for the first Reaper attacks, by the time that word had reached Earth there was little time to mount a defense. Admiral Nala Bizri mobilized the Eighth Fleet, but they too were lost.
The following is a transcript from Alliance Communications in Vancouver.
Specialist Richards: We've lost the Outer Rim.
[The Admiral looks up. The room stills.]
Admiral Bizri: What do you mean, Specialist?
Specialist Richards: There are no communications coming through. They've gone dark.
Admiral Bizri: What about the Eighth Fleet?
Specialist Richards: A few distress calls came through, but we've lost their transmitters. All of them.
Random Voice: NO!
Admiral Bizri: [The Admiral slams a fist down on the table.] Damn it.
End Transcript
The first attack had cut through their defenses and they had lost the colonies.
The loss of the Outer Rim was the first thing they taught in training, every recruit knew about it. The Reapers had systematically destroyed the communications relays. During the chaos, the Reapers had cut down the Eighth as they tried to defend the communication hubs. The fleet had been too spread out to do much of anything and in a few days as humanity had lost everything past the Nemean Abyss.
In recent years Anderson had taught the basic tactics class, it had become something of a speciality of his. His war tactics and understanding of Reaper movements had been what had earned him his promotion to Admiral.
What good had it done, he thought, if the council still makes decisions without consulting the military branch?
Another room lit up as he stormed along, lost in his own thoughts. This hologram wasn't a Codex entry, but an actual video from the Alliance News Network.
"According to sources, Jump Zero has finally fallen after 30 consecutive days of siege by the Reapers. Admiral Nelson had this to say on the matter: 'The loss of the Gagarin Station is a major blow for the Alliance, but the Mars defenses are still holding. For now, refugee transports have to be put on standby until we have identified a safe way for them to travel through the Sol Relay.'
He refused to say more on the matter, but our reporter on the ground in London had this to add: 'The city has all but been evacuated and people have headed towards the hills. All that's left are the marines and a few militias that have taken to guerrilla warfare. The fighting is from house to house, but hopes are still high. Even with the news that Jump Zero was lost, the successes at Mars are constantly bolstering the troops. If Mars can hold, then maybe Earth can as well until the reinforcements arrive.'
This reporter hopes they will soon. For the Alliance News Network this is Emily Wong reporting."
Anderson shook his head. The Fall of Earth had been devastating. If it had been a quick process it might have caused less damage. The siege on the Sol system had been long and drawn out. It had taken almost 10 years before Earth finally succumbed and with it, many soldiers lost the will to fight. In a war like this, morale is more important than anything. He hadn't been born yet when Earth fell, but he had seen what soldiers did when they felt like everything was lost. It did more damage than a gun ever could.
In the years following the loss of Earth, the Reapers swept across the galaxy causing a rift between the vast civilization. The colonies' core relays were connected by a few threads.
Even without hope, man's desire to live persevered and the relays stayed open. The fact that he was here was a testament to humanity's will to survive. Generation after generation of humans were born into the war and now there wasn't a single man, woman or child alive who had known a world without the Reapers. Surprisingly, that fact had been a turning point in the war.
Humanity continued to surprise him.
The shock of the first attacks faded into a distant memory and while each defeat was heartbreaking, it was routine. Each victory was a reason to celebrate, and each celebration strengthened their resolve. A new generation of soldiers rose from the ashes of defeat and the Second Wave was set in motion.
The room across the way flickered to life as if reading his thoughts.
Codex Entry: The Second Wave
The Second Wave began almost 100 years after the initial attack of the Reapers. It began on Benning, the planet closest to Arcturus Station. What should have been a crushing defeat and the end of the Alliance turned into one of the longest and well known battles in the history of the Reaper War.
The military defense was headed by Captain Osoba. With a small military presence, he inspired the local farmers to take up arms and they were able to hold out until Arcturus could fend off the invasion. Together the incoming forces and ground militia were able to force the Reapers to retreat. In the wake of the victory, emotions ran high and Osoba took advantage of it and lead a huge recruitment drive.
The following transcript is from a rally on Eden Prime.
Captain Osoba: We need you. Every single one of you. We can no longer hide on in caves and bunkers, hoping and praying that the Reapers won't find us. We need to fight!
[A cheer roars through the crowd.]
Captain Osoba: Benning showed us that if we come together, we can push the Reapers from our doorstep.
[Another cheer.]
Captain Osoba: I am done living in fear! I will not wait passively for my death. If I go, I will take one of them with me!
[More cheers.]
Captain Osoba: We can do this. We can win!
End transcript.
Anderson walked on.
Captain Osoba had been pivotal in the success at Benning, and he was a personal hero of Anderson's. His determination in the face of adversity, the way he rallied his troops and the civilians to create a cohesive and successful counterattack to push back the invading Reaper ground forces was legend. Then, as if that hadn't been enough, the Captain had set out on a massive recruitment drive and succeeded.
Paths between colonies were strengthened, the Alliance fortified and expanded Arcturus and the war continued. The Reapers' conquests slowed and humanity's victories increased.
For a while, people began to think they might actually win this war. Anderson had been born during that time, in fact a lot of people had. The general elated feeling and multiple successes had led to a huge baby boom, and now most of those babies were soldiers.
Osoba would be proud, Anderson thought. Then the smile on his face left as the next holo started. It was another recording.
Alliance Records - Communications
To: Personal unit 12.24093.43
From: SSV Hastings via bridge QEC station 12
Cpt. Shepard: Donnelly, what did you find?
Cpt. Donnelly: Its...it's already over.
Cpt. Shepard: What do you mean?
Cpt. Donnelly: Most of the basic communications were blocked but...we intercepted this on the QEC. Shepard..I can't. Just listen.
Unknown: If anyone can hear thi-Oh God. They're coming. Close the door! CLOSE IT!
[Unintelligible screeching. Metal scraping against metal as something is dragged across the floor.]
Unknown: Shoot it!
[Four shots fired. Sobbing in the background and labored breathing.]
Unknown: If anyone can hear this, we're trapped in a clinic on level C38. There's 10 of us and...What's the point? No one's coming. We're all going to- [Slap] Fuck you Jeremy. Just fuck you.
Cpt. Shepard: What's the timestamp?
Cpt. Donnelly: Two days ago.
Cpt. Shepard: I'll forward this to the Admiral.
Cpt. Donnelly: They've been fucking with us Shepard. Right under our noses and we didn't...couldn't...
Cpt. Shepard: I know Donnelly. I know.
End Communication
The Fall of the Citadel. He had been there for that one, commanding the SSV Tokyo. The order to retreat hadn't come from Captain Donnelly, it had come from Captain Hannah Shepard.
That day had earned her promotion to Admiral, but she had hated every moment of it. It was why she stayed on a ship until the day she died. It was why they had been such good friends. Both of them wanted to be out there, and while Anderson's strengths kept him on Arcturus, Hannah's had kept her on the front lines.
The Citadel hadn't been the last human fortification lost in recent years. Eden Prime fell 15 years ago. Elysium 10 years after that and, most recently, Tiptree. Arcturus was the last well fortified position and the Atticus Stream had only one safe path of retreat remaining. There were systems completely lost and the Reapers were closing in.
If Hannah was still alive she would have been down here with him, pacing the halls in the middle of the night, racking her brain for anything that would help them out of their current situation.
Hannah wouldn't let the Council go through with this.
The Council and their team of scientists had come up with a plan. He had just been informed a few hours ago. He had never gotten along well with politicians, but this had been the icing on the cake of their stupidity. They wanted to send a weapon to the future to aid in the next cycle's war against the protheans before them had tried to do the same thing, preserving their race by putting thousands of their best scientists, soldiers and leaders into stasis, but the Reapers had found them and wiped them out systematically.
According to the Council, humanity wouldn't make the same mistake. Only one human with all the knowledge of the war would be sent into the future; a guiding light for the next apex species to follow. The candidate had already been chosen: Commander Jane Shepard, Hannah's daughter. They were going to take her off the battlefield and freeze her.
Why? Because humans are a bunch of vindictive assholes, Anderson thought, finally stopping. Staring back out at him in a haze of blue light was Jane Shepard. Younger in the video than she was now, she was being awarded the Star of Terra. Hannah stood next to her as proud as ever.
The Shepard family had been a gift to mankind. From John, god rest his soul, who had died saving Horizon, to Hannah, who had sacrificed her ship so the Second fleet could retreat. Jane, their only daughter, was the hero of Eden Prime, Elysium and Tiptree. She was the best soldier he had ever seen.
She deserves better, Anderson thought as he watched her awkward acceptance speech. Public speaking had never been the woman's strong point. It hadn't helped that she was only seventeen at the time.
A man's voice echoed in the metal halls. "I thought I might find you down here."
Anderson looked up at the voice. He had missed the sounds of footsteps, but then again Admiral Steven Hackett had always been light on his feet. The man held a bottle of scotch and two glasses and took a seat on the floor, albeit it slowly. The war hadn't been kind to either of them.
With a raised eyebrow, Hackett looked at his friend. "Aren't you going to sit down?" He asked.
"I don't know," Anderson said, looking warily at the ground, "I'm not sure I'll be able to get back up."
Hackett laughed, and even though he protested, Anderson was already sinking down next to the other man.
"Learn anything?"
Anderson shook his head. "Just that politicians always make the same mistakes."
Hackett unscrewed the lid and poured them each two fingers of the fine alcohol. It was hard to get anything good these days. Something like this would have put Hackett back a few hundred dollars. That is, if he hadn't inherited it.
"I don't like it any more than you do," Hackett sighed. "If Hannah was still alive, you think she would go through with it?"
Anderson took a sip, letting the golden liquid burn down the back of his throat. "Of course not. She was already convinced that her daughter was pushing herself too hard."
Hackett raised an eyebrow. "You don't agree?"
Anderson returned his gaze to the young woman outlined in blue.
"Shepard all but ran herself into the ground a few years ago, sure, but I think losing the Cairo put a few things into perspective for her. She dove into the Normandy project, picked her team and her targets. She's not just blindly fighting anymore, she's leading the best damn squad we have out there. Hell, she's probably one of the only reasons we haven't lost this war yet."
Hackett chuckled. "You sound like another one of her fans."
Anderson smiled. "You could say that, but I like to think I know her a bit better than some. Have you heard the stories they're telling?"
Hackett nodded. "My favorite is the one where she killed a Reaper with only a knife - climbing up its leg and pulling out its circuitry until it finally keeled over."
"I hadn't heard that one yet." Anderson laughed, swirling his drink around, "I'm partial to the one where she drove a Mako filled with explosives off a cliff and straight into a Reaper. "
"Didn't that one actually happen?"
Anderson nodded. "It did."
That had been one hell of a mission report to read. Shepard had saved three cargo ships carrying refugees that day. He still didn't know how she made it out of there alive. He didn't know how she made it out of most situations alive.
"Steven," Anderson started. "The point is, we need her out there. Not just for her surprising knack for killing Reapers, but for the morale she brings to the soldiers. They thrive on her victories, her passion. She's a hero. If we take that away..."
"I know," Hackett said, finishing the last of his scotch."But this war is all but over. You know it. I know it. Humanity had its time, but Project Light isn't about us. It's about the future. By giving Shepard a second chance in a young war with more supplies, more troops, we give her a fighting chance."
Anderson stood up and tossed the last of his drink back.
"You're making a lot of assumptions. A lot of things can change in 50,000 years. Her pod might not make it. The next sentient species might not find her or if they do, they might just kill her instead of talking to her. There are too many factors that we can't account for!"
"I agree, but I still support it."
"Why?"
Hackett looked back at the holo vid that still flickered before them. Admiral Mikhailovich was giving a speech about honor and bravery. It hadn't been worth listening to the first time, and it still wasn't.
"Knowing that she's out there gives me hope that there is still a chance to beat the Reapers."
"Even if we sacrifice everything else?"
Hackett sighed and poured them each another glass. There was no point in saving the liquor for another day anyway.
"The Reapers have taken the colonies in the Asgard system. They are amassing a fleet to move on the relay."
Anderson's head shot up. "What? Why wasn't I informed of this? If we lose that cluster then Arcturus will be isolated from the rest of our forces. We'll need to-"
"The retreat is already alpha-site in Sentry Omega is already receiving the refugees from Benning. The Fifth Fleet will be staying behind in an attempt to maintain control of the Asgard relay."
The Fifth Fleet was Hackett's fleet. Anderson watched his friend down the the alcohol in one gulp. He hissed and poured himself another. They both knew that the mission was suicide and they both knew that it if it failed, then the only human strongholds were a few scattered garden worlds and key fueling rigs. Without Arcturus and the centralized military that it provided the war was going to go from bad to worse in a matter of a few months.
He finally understood why the Council seemed so defeated and desperate.
"Damn," Anderson said, downing his glass in one move as well. "This really is the end isn't it."
"Maybe." Hackett poured them each half of what was left of the precious liquor. "Who knows what the future has in store for us, but I do know one thing." Anderson looked at his friend in question. The older man smiled and tilted his glass towards him. "As long as Shepard's alive, the Reapers are going to be in for one hell of a fight."
Anderson chuckled, tapping the two glasses together. "The best yet."
Oma Ker - 48,000 BCE
PX-139 was a small rainforest like planet situated halfway across the galaxy from Arcturus. It would have been a prime location for a colony except for the fact that the life-forms were dextro-amino based, so humanity decided to forego mass colonization. There had been a few redeeming qualities about the small world, including its strategic location on the edge of Reaper occupied space.
A single military outpost was hidden in the vast array of underground caverns, enough for the Reapers to miss if they scanned the planet. It was the perfect place for small ships looking for a refuge as they escaped from the hell behind enemy lines. The secrecy and proximity to Reaper space made it Shepard's favorite place to dock. There weren't many supplies, but the Normandy was just fine for the few days. PX-139 seemed to be one of the only safe havens these days.
"Shepard," Admiral Anderson said, walking up next to her. His face was illuminated by the glow of the war map. The thing was more red than anything these days and sometimes it felt like whatever she did, that wouldn't change.
"Sir," she acknowledged, surprised to see him out here. It was rare to see the Admiral so far away from his outpost on Arcturus station, and with the battle for the Asgard relay on the horizon, it was outright shocking. "What are you doing here?"
He sighed and leaned against the map. "I've been ordered to the alpha site. There is a good chance we are going to lose Arcturus."
Shepard exhaled. She didn't want to think about what it meant if they lost the station. Her mind went in another direction, grasping for anything that might help them. "Any word on the Crucible?"
Anderson shook his head, "We still don't know what the Catalyst is and with the Mars archives lost, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack."
"Dammit."
Most people didn't know it, but the Crucible, an ancient weapon designed by countless creatures over countless cycles was their best bet. Hit and runs weren't cutting it and with the loss of more colonies every day, the people needed something to hang on to, something to hope for.
"Don't Shepard" he said. "It's not your fault that we're losing this war. Hell, we'd all probably be dead already if it wasn't for you."
She looked up at him. "Sir, you give me too much credit."
"No I don't, and I told you, it's Anderson." He got a smile for that one, something incredibly rare these days. "I don't know if you understand the difference you've made in the last few years. People are rallying, rising up because of you. Holos of the Normandy are being passed around the colonies and I hear soldiers telling stories about you in the mess hall as they eat. You've brought the fight back to humanity, something we desperately needed."
"You're going to make me blush."
He laughed. "That would be the day. I think your ego prevents you from showing any weaknesses."
"It's not ego, it's confidence. At least that's what my mother used to say."
That sobered up the mood quickly. The smile left Shepard's face and she gripped the side of the table until her knuckles were white. The SSV Orizaba had been destroyed a month ago. There were no survivors.
"I was sorry to hear about your mother. The Admiral was a good woman and a good friend."
Taking a deep breath she released the table. Emotions were best kept to yourself. A soldier is a symbol. If you want people to believe in you, don't let them see you flinch. Another lesson her mother had taught her.
"Thank you, but I'm sure you haven't come all the way out here to give me your condolences. Is there something I can do in the upcoming battle? The Normandy is ready to lead a pack in if you-"
He held up a hand. "I have another mission for you, Shepard. I've received word that the Council have decided to go through with a dramatic plan to preserve everything we've learned about the Reapers and past cycles. Inspired by the protheans they are going to create a series of beacons in hopes that the next cycle will be better prepared for the invasion. What the Reapers have done to us and to others before us can't be allowed to happen again."
"Sir?" Something didn't feel right to Shepard. She hated the idea of giving up, and that is exactly what it sounded like the Council was doing.
"We are compiling data, artifacts and weapons. Anything to give them an edge. And you."
"What?"
"The information will only help them if they believe it. We didn't believe the protheans until the Reapers were on our doorstep. That's where you come in. You can, and will, get sentient species' of the next cycle prepared for the onslaught. That's your greatest weapon Shepard, the power to inspire."
"But the fight is here!"
"The fight is over!" he snapped. "Look around you! Earth is gone. Eden Prime is gone. We've lost the Citadel and ninety-five percent of the galaxy is occupied. Arcturus is our last stronghold and the Reapers are on our doorstep. This cycle is lost. Humanity is lost."
Shepard grabbed him by the collar. It was against protocol, but she didn't give a damn about court martials. If they wanted to throw her out of the military they could. She'd take the Normandy and raise an army of her own.
"Not while I'm still breathing," she growled through clenched teeth.
"I thought you might say that," Anderson sighed, pulling her hands off his collar. "But this isn't a choice Shepard."
From this distance she couldn't defend herself. His punch hit her solidly in the gut. It winded her, but shouldn't have put her down. She swayed backwards, confused, staring at the syringe that stuck out of her uniform.
Her mouth was heavy as the sedative took effect and she couldn't get the protests past her lips. With darkening vision she fell to her knees, vaguely aware of Anderson catching her.
"Give them hell, Shepard, for all of us." He whispered and then there was nothing.
Chasca - 2174 BCE
"Are you reading that book again?" Dr. Olena asked Liara over the soft sound of her piano. The asari archeologist blushed, and put the data pad down. They had been stuck in the pre-fabs for almost three days now thanks to the storm. Liara had been getting restless, going over the notes she had on the dig, hoping that something new would emerge. That way when they could finally get back to work, maybe they could find something worthwhile.
"You say it like it is a bad thing."
The salarian doctor shrugged, but smiled at the asari. "You're young and eager. That's not a bad thing, but there is nothing we can do right now. So relax. Staring at the reports from the past two weeks won't tell you anything new."
"You don't know that." Liara sighed. "There could be something I missed; something that could tell us more about the weapon-"
Dr. Olena laughed and stopped playing."You are assuming the Shepard was a weapon."
"You don't?" Liara asked, staring at the salarian.
The doctor shrugged. "There are many theories about it. What it was - a myth, a religious figure, a weapon - is one of the greatest mysteries of the collapse of the human empire."
Liara nodded. She had read the books. All the books. It was what she had written her final dissertation on at school. It was how she earned a place on this dig. The human ruins had turned up a data disk with mentions on the Shepard and she was determined to decipher as much of the damaged thing as she could.
So far, nothing else had come up to shed light on the elusive identity of the Shepard. None of the scholars had reached a consensus. The Shepard was first referenced in the later periods of the collapse, right before the humans disappeared. There were thousands of different tales. Some accounts talked about the Shepard 'raining down fire' on the enemy and others talked about the Shepard bringing 'salvation to the weak'. It was all very exaggerated and disjointed. Perhaps that was what drew her to the subject in the first place. The greatest mystery of humanity.
No one really knew why the empire collapsed. Scholars knew of a war against an unknown, but very powerful enemy. Liara knew that the Shepard was the key. If she could unravel that mystery then perhaps she would finally know how the greatest civilization in the history of the galaxy had fallen.
"What do you think it was?" Liara asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. She loved to talk about the Shepard and it would get her mind out of the circles it had been going in for the last three days.
Dr. Olena sighed. "I think it was an idea. A story they told little children at night to protect them from the demons that lurked in the darkness. We know that the collapse was a brutal time. It makes sense that they would create something to protect them from things beyond their control."
"You're making reference to the Niacal site."
Dr. Olena nodded. "Among others. The writings are just so...fantastical. The colony there escaped from certain doom because, and I quote, 'Shepard didn't fear the flames. Shepard doesn't fear anything. I won't fear either.' That was from the soldier who flew the colonists to safety. How could that be about some gun?"
Liara shrugged. "A weapon can be anything. It isn't limited to a gun. It could be a ship, a virus, an AI, or-"
"An idea," Dr. Olena cut in. Liara paused and thought about this for a moment and then nodded.
She wasn't about to give in though. "What about the Cyone archives?"
Dr. Olena was silent, her fingers drifting back down to her keyboard. Soft music began to fill the small shack. "If you want to bring up the Cyone archives then we'll have to discuss the Gellix articles."
"Which," Liara smiled, "Will mean we have to talk about the ruins at Chalkhos." The salarian nodded and Liara closed her eyes. "And when we have finished the debate, perhaps you can teach me that song. I like it."
That got a small smile out of the salarian. "Perhaps I can."
