Several months prior...

Carefully observing the three human Alliance soldiers as they quickly removed their armor and helmets, Liara T'Soni considered her current predicament. Just a few days ago, she could be found huddled up near her computer monitor, studying the recent data collected from the ancient subterranean Prothean ruin found on Therum. She remembered how the geth had interrupted her studies.

Liara's attention was suddenly stolen by the leader of the three person squad, Commander Rachel Shepard. Since removing her protective helmet, the Commander's head and face fully revealed themselves to the young asari scientist for the first time. Shepard was darker than most humans Liara had seen in person, though, Liara had not met that many members of the galaxy's newest space-faring species since the Turian Heirarchy had made first contact with them only decades before. With deep caramel colored skin, dark shoulder length hair, and dark brown eyes, the Commander's appearance intrigued Liara. Days before the geth attack, she briefly caught a news vid featuring this human woman. Shepard had recently been appointed a Spectre by the Council; the first human to ever achieve this honor. Liara did not watch the remainder of the news piece on Commander Shepard, quickly distracted by thoughts of her current research findings. Finding herself face to face with the human Spectre, she wished that she had paid closer attention to the vid.

Rachel Shepard sat at the desk located in her captain's quarters, staring intently at the previous days mission report. Her first official mission as a Council Spectre had gone well, besides the destruction of the Prothean ruin on Therum. The important thing was that the Prothean scientist was recovered and she had agreed to aid Shepard and her team in locating this mysterious 'Conduit' that Saren relentlessly hunted. It just so happened that Dr. Liara T'Soni was also the daughter of Saren's second in command, Matriarch Benezia. Rachel spoke briefly to Dr. T'Soni earlier that day regarding her mother. The Prothean scientist was unfortunately unable to shed anymore light on the situation with Benezia and Saren. Of course, the doctor could easily be lying to Shepard in order to protect her mother, but for some odd reason, Shepard believed every word she said regarding the matter. She did perform a background check on Dr. T'Soni before setting off for Therum. The young scientist unsurprisingly possessed a clean criminal record. No matter which university she attended, no matter at what educational level, Dr. T'Soni scored the highest marks out of all her peers. Her professional publications list was quite impressive too, and had contained a few research papers of great interest to Shepard. She recalled reading through a few of them pertaining to the extinction of the Protheans prior to extracting Dr. T'Soni from Therum. The theories that the doctor presented in these papers corresponded with the visions Shepard gained from the Prothean beacon; the Protheans were completely wiped out in a mass extinction and they weren't the first. The only piece of the puzzle the doctor was missing were the Reapers.

Shepard heard the chime ring for the door to her quarters. Someone was seeking an audience with her. She wondered who would be calling upon her at this hour.

She answered the request for entry, "This is Commander Shepard."

The voice on the other end belonged to the person Shepard had just been thinking about, Dr. Liara T'Soni. She sounded timid and uncomfortable, "I'm sorry to bother you, Commander. But there is something that I have been meaning to speak to you about. Something I forgot to mention during our...previous discussion."

Shepard thought back to the discussion she had with the Prothean scientist earlier that day. The conversation ended awkwardly and abruptly after Shepard jokingly suggested that Dr. T'Soni planned to 'dissect her in a lab' in order to learn more about the images Shepard received from the Prothean beacon. She wondered if the joke was missed because of the cultural differences between the two, or because the scientist simply lacks a sense of humor. Shepard recalled meeting a few human scientists that tended to take things very literally and were not very fun to be around. She was betting it was the latter case with Dr. T'Soni, and for some reason, she loved to tease people like this. Shepard vowed to control these urges to tease, however, for the sake of the mission.

Shepard replied to Dr. T'Soni's request, "Sure, come in."

Shepard unlocked the door to her quarters to allow Dr. T'Soni entrance. The asari stepped into the room and glided confidently over to the Commander, stopping five feet before the desk she was seated at. Surprising to Shepard, the scientist adopted the parade rest stance once she stopped in front of her. She must have picked this up from one of the soldiers, Shepard thought to herself. She wanted to say something to Dr. T'Soni about it, to tell her that she didn't need to follow Alliance military regs as she was non-Alliance. Wrex sure as hell didn't follow them. In the end, Shepard decided against it, in order to avoid another awkward social situation with the scientist.

Shepard stood up from her chair to face her guest. "What is it that you would like to discuss, Dr. T'Soni?'

"Please, Commander, you can refer to me as 'Liara'."

"OK, Liara. What is it that you wish to discuss with me?"

"I wish to discuss my responsibilities for this mission. I am grateful that you have allowed me to travel with you and your team and utilize my knowledge and expertise on the Protheans. However, I also wish to lend you my combat abilities, especially my biotics."

Shepard honestly never thought of Liara as the 'combat type'. She figured Liara would merely accompany the team as a scientist, aiding them in deducing what this Conduit actually was, where it was, etc. Now that the idea was presented to her, Shepard did remember that Liara was probably a very powerful biotic, due simply to the fact that she was an asari. Shepard still doubted that Liara had the sufficient martial or weapons training that would allow her to realistically contribute to her squad in a combat situation.

"I see. I wasn't aware you had received any formal training in combat, being a scientist who studied and applied her trade for the past fifty years", Shepard replied.

"As with all asari, I received training to hone my biotics starting from a very early age. I have kept up with my training throughout my adulthood, as most asari do. As for combat and weapons training, I was tutored, as a youth, by some of the deadliest Commandos in asari space."

Once again, Shepard found herself mesmerized by the manner in which Liara articulated her words. Her voice was smooth, sophisticated, intelligent, and beautiful. Shepard discovered that all she had to do was close her eyes if she ever wanted to hear it. The sound of Liara's voice had entrenched itself deep within the Spectre's psyche. Before Liara could speak any further and before Shepard completely lost herself in some kind of trance, she spoke:

"That is impressive, Liara, but that was decades ago. Do you have more recent combat experience?"

"Yes, Commander. As I mentioned to you earlier, there were times that I ran a foul of mercenary groups on digs. They were no match for my biotics."

"I'm sure they weren't, Liara." Shepard paused, considering her next words. "I know you are a very powerful biotic, but this is different from those situations. I usually lead a small, three person squad on missions. Being a member of a squad such as that requires certain discipline and training...training that I doubt you have. I'm just curious as to why you are so eager to join the front lines in this battle?" Shepard smirked, "I figured a bookworm like yourself would prefer to spend all her time in the lab."

Liara looked slightly confused. "A...'bookworm' such as myself? I'm sorry, I am not sure what that term means, Commander."

"Sorry, that's a human expression. I was just curious why someone like yourself, who seems to prefer academic pursuits, would want to join my squad in the front lines."

Shepard couldn't read the next expression on Liara's face. Was she still confused? Angry? Hurt? Before she could read anymore into it, Liara replied:

"I just want to help as much as possible, Commander. I just feel...I want to contribute as much as I possibly can to this mission. I refuse to hide in a lab, while Saren and my mo...Saren and Benezia are plotting to bring back the race that wiped out the Protheans. I refuse."

Liara stood up straighter, lifted her head slightly higher, and narrowed her right eye slightly before continuing. "As I have mentioned, my biotics are quite powerful. If you have time, Commander, you could teach me the necessary tactics needed to participate in one of your three person squads. I am a very quick learner, especially when I am eager for the knowledge. I am eager to receive the necessary combat and weapons training from you, Commander, so I could accompany you on your missions and contribute in more ways than just simply sitting on the Normandy studying the occasional Prothean artifact you retrieve."

For the first time since beginning this discussion with Shepard, Liara broke eye contact with the Commander, lowering her eyes. She also broke her parade rest stance and shifted slightly.

"That is...of course, if you would agree to train me."

Shepard stood staring at Liara for a few moments, completely stunned. She didn't expect this kind of powerful and confident response from the, seemingly, awkward and socially clumsy scientist. Even though some of the social awkwardness resurfaced at the end of Liara's brief speech, the force of the rest of her delivery made an impression on the Spectre.

Of course she wants to do more, Shepard thought to herself. She probably feels a sense of personal responsibility towards this mission, due to her mothers involvement with Saren.

Another voice in the Spectre's head quickly chimed in, Or, she may simply desire to be closer to what you and your team are doing on a day to day basis, in order to spy on our operation for Benezia.

Shepard admitted that the latter was possible and she would, in essence, be training the enemy. Nothing in Liara's delivery or posture betrayed a hidden motivation to Shepard. Liara was either sincere in her desire do all that she possibly could do to stop Saren, or she was just a very skilled liar. Shepard realized she was becoming oddly trustworthy of this asari, and felt that Liara was indeed being sincere. Still, even if Liara motivations were underhanded, these training sessions would also give Shepard a chance to watch Liara more closely in order to decipher her true motivations. Shepard made her choice.

"OK, Liara. Either myself, Alenko, or Williams will begin training you in the Alliance protocols our team follows. Williams or myself can assist you with weapons training, as well as hand to hand combat. We will also need to purchase some armor for you to wear. Have you any experience fighting and using your biotics armored?"

"I do, Commander. Armored combat training was part of the tutelage I received as a youth."

"We are currently heading to the Citadel and will arrive tomorrow. We will first purchase some armor for you to wear. Then, we can spend the remainder of the day at the Alliance training facility located on the Citadel. We will begin with pistol training."

Liara interjected, "I believe I have sufficient experience with pistols, Commander."

Shepard smirked and replied wryly, "Well, we will need to see just how good you are with them, doctor."

Liara was flustered because of the tone Shepard used in her reply , "Ah, I'm sorry if I offended you, Shepard. I was just hoping we could...skip ahead to some of the other weapons. But you are right, I have to prove that I am capable of using the weapons that I claim to know how to use first."

"Don't worry, Liara. I was just teasing you. I'm sorry."

"I am sorry, Shepard. I am having a hard time dealing with you and your species' sense of humor."

I know you are, Shepard thought to herself, and I find it very funny.

Shepard smiled, "You can stop apologizing now, Liara. It's understandable."

"I will...I am sorry," Liara replied quietly.

Shepard let out a small chuckle. This seemed to confuse and distress Liara even more.

"Did I say something to offend you, Shepard? I am sor..."

"No, no more apologies." Shepard replied as calmly she could. She was calling on all of her willpower to prevent herself from chuckling. "I think we just need to end the conversation here." Shepard began to wonder if every conversation with Liara was going to end like this, with Liara growing embarrassed and flustered over a social misunderstanding or a failed communication.

"I will contact you once we are approaching the Citadel, and we can plan our day from there. You should go get some rest now. I have a feeling tomorrow will be a very long day for you."

And...probably a long day for me too, Shepard added in her thoughts.

"Yes, I will." Liara bowed her head and then turned to leave. Before she reached the door, she turned, "Commander, I...I just want to say, 'thank you' for giving me this opportunity to prove myself to you."

"We will see if you are still thanking me after tomorrow."

"I will remember to thank you after tomorrow as well. I am very grateful that you are giving me this chance." With these last words, Liara turned and left the room. Shepard finally let out the small laugh that she had been struggling to hold in for the last minute or two.