In which Morinth resists the temptation to gloat before making a kill:
21 July 2185, T'Soni Analytics Offices, Nos Astra/Illium
Three asari sat in an office, huddled around a small conference table. They ignored the empty desk at the room's focus, and the glorious vista of Nos Astra's skyline behind it.
One asari was attractive and stylishly dressed, with deep-blue skin, indigo markings, and startling jade-colored eyes. Aspasia: one of Liara T'Soni's oldest friends, until recently her business partner.
The second asari was short and slender but wiry-strong, light-skinned with white dapples and silver eyes, wearing battered combat armor. Vara: commando and spymaster, until recently Liara T'Soni's first and only acolyte.
The third asari was green.
"I still can't believe it," murmured Shiala.
"That damned guilt," said Vara. "She never got over the fact that she survived when Shepard died. Then to lose Karel, Yevgeni, and Tana, all within a few days . . ."
"I don't care how guilty she felt," said Aspasia. "She should never have gone out after that thing without backup."
"She had backup, whether she wanted it or not." Vara sighed, sunk in her private misery. "I just . . . didn't get there in time. A few seconds sooner, that's all it would have taken."
Shiala stared at her, face full of painful compassion. "Don't blame yourself. An acolyte can only do so much when her principal refuses to listen to reason. As I know all too well."
"I know. It's just . . ." Suddenly Vara leaned forward, resting her arms on the table between them as if nothing else could keep her upright. Tears ran down her face like rain. "Ah, Goddess," she moaned. "I loved her, and now she's gone, and it's my fault."
Shiala leaned close and put a gentle hand on the weeping asari's shoulder. Then she glared across the table.
Aspasia sat like a statue carved out of amethyst, silent for a long minute. Finally she stirred, and reached over to grip Vara's forearm firmly. "Vara, I know this hurts . . . but we need you right now."
The weeping asari took a deep breath, wiped at her cheeks, and nodded.
"We're all in bad shape," said Aspasia. "Liara was my best friend too, and I only lost Yevgeni a few days ago. Right now there's nothing I would rather do than go curl up in a dark corner and fall to pieces. But we just. Don't. Have. The time."
Shiala blinked, surprised.
She may look soft and decorative, and she admits to being useless in a fight, but this young one has some steel in her spine.
"What do you intend to do?" she asked quietly.
Aspasia pushed a datapad across the table. "Liara had a current testament on file. The bulk of her mother's holdings go to Kallyria, of course, as the next head of the T'Soni lineage. On the other hand, this corporation was kept separate. Fifty percent to me. Thirty percent to you, Vara. Ten percent each to Quintus and Arin."
Vara stared at the datapad, almost reaching out to touch it but pulling back at the last moment.
"There's a codicil to the testament," Aspasia continued. "She asked that we continue to use every resource to oppose the Shadow Broker, the Collectors, and eventually Cerberus and the Reapers. In particular, she insisted that we do everything in our power to contact Commander Shepard and assist him."
"That doesn't explain why you called me," Shiala observed. "It was other business that brought me to Illium. I'm not sure Liara even knew I was here."
"I called you because I want to make you a proposal. A twenty percent holding in the corporation, carved out of my block of shares, in exchange for you becoming the new head of our Analysis division."
"What about Nyxeris?" asked Vara.
"Nyxeris isn't going to live out the day," said Aspasia coldly. "You and I both know she's the Shadow Broker's mole. The only thing that kept her alive this long was Liara's need to prove it before she took action. I don't give a damn about that. Especially since she was probably involved somehow with that ardat-yakshi in the first place."
Slowly, Vara nodded in agreement.
"So what will it be, Shiala?" Aspasia watched the green asari closely. "Liara always spoke highly of you. Vara has known you since Armali, and she vouches for you. I've read your dossier, and I'm willing to take a chance. With Liara gone, you may be the last person in the galaxy who has the Cipher in her head, and we certainly can't afford to let that asset stand idle."
Despite herself, Vara made a grim chuckle. "Besides, with twenty percent of the fastest-growing information brokerage in the Terminus Systems, you can do a lot to help your friends on Feros."
Shiala took a deep breath. "Put that way, I can hardly refuse."
"Good," said Aspasia. "Nassana Dantius, that ardat-yakshi, Eclipse, the Shadow Broker, the Collectors, Cerberus . . . there is a great deal of payback due."
"For Liara," said Shiala, putting her hand out on the table.
"For Liara," whispered Vara, laying a light-blue hand over the green one.
"For Liara," murmured Aspasia, resting her hand atop the pile. "And may the Goddess have mercy on anyone who stands in our way."
Author's Note: My apologies to anyone who is a bit confused by this drabble, given that Liara never encountered Morinth "on screen" in the games. In my continuity, she did indeed meet Morinth, and almost fell victim to her, just a few days before Shepard appeared on Illium for the first time. The relevant piece of the story can be found in chapters 34-35 of my novel Memoirs: The Illium Years.
