Chapter 3: Information Trade or Childish Arguments

ALLIANCE FILES: CLASSIFIED

SECURITY LEVEL: 7

PROJECT PROMETHEUS

DATE: 29 December, 2595 Human Galactic Year

STATUS: The Alliance Fleet stealth ship The Normandy launched with a crew of fifty to ensure the safe arrival –CORRUPTED DATA: UNRETRIVABLE – der J.R Shepard aboard – CORRUPTED DATA: UNRETRIVABLE – enhancements. – CORRUPTED DATA: UNRETRIVABLE – stop the Reapers. Shepard is intended to be the guide for the next – CORRUPTED DATA: UNRETRIVABLE – Normandy contacted Alliance Naval Command Center and confirmed the safe arrival of Shepard. Location will not be disclosed for security purposes. PERSONAL NOTE: Anderson says that hope for the future is now secured and that we have done all that we can to stop them. Does this mean we stop fighting? No, this means we give them all of God's fury even if we know we cannot win. Let them fear the humans so when Shepard – CORRUPTED DATA: UNRETRIVABLE

File sealed by:

Admiral J. Hackett

Liara was back in her cabin, this time with Tinara, Garrus and their little stowaway. She had ordered all three of them to her cabin when she noticed the other crew members listening in on their shouted conversation. She had hoped that in her private quarters, Tali and Tinara would cool off a bit and stop trying to kill each other, but, oh boy, was she wrong.

"I should've just thrown you out the air lock when I had the chance!"

"And I should've just had Chiktikka shoot you walked right by me! Three times! And here I thought the Doctor only hired competent henchmen!" Garrus watched the cat fight with a look of amusement and Liara watched with growing disbelief.

Tinara growled and held herself like she was about to pounce on the smaller woman. Tali tensed and activated her Omni-Tool, a fingers breadth away from attacking Tinara. Liara wasn't sure what Tali planned to do to Tinara, but if it involved an Omni-Tool and a quarian, it couldn't be anything beneficial to Tinara's health.

"Enough!" Liara stepped between the two women, knocked Tinara down and grabbed Tali's wrist that held the Omni. Liara couldn't be sure, but it seemed like Tali gave her a look of disgust before yanking her arm free and deactivating her Omni. Tinara grunted and scowled at Liara as she got back to her feet.

Liara turned back to the disgruntled quarian.

"Tali, you said you had information for us?"

"No, I said I had information for Garrus Vakarian" Liara clenched her teeth in exasperation and Tinara threw her a knowing look, one which Liara ignored. She looked to Garrus who shrugged.

"However, due to certain… circumstances, I am willing to make a trade."

"Heh, she knows how the information business works." Tinara chuckled.

"Glad you're getting amusement out of this, Captain." Tinara shot a dirty look at Garrus. Tali seemed confused before continuing.

"When I came across this information I, uh, I ran afoul some important and powerful people."

"Who?"

"If you don't mind, that is some information that I would like to keep to myself." Liara raised an eyebrow.

"I am willing to give you the information if you can provide me with sanctuary."

"What? What even makes you think I – we want this information?" Liara crossed her arms.

"It is important! And if you really are the Doctor, I have something you'd be interested in as well."

"Oh?"

The quarian nodded vigorously. "It's about the Shadow Broker."

"Oh." Liara turned to Tinara.

"Captain she can stay aboard if," Liara shot a warning glance at Tali. "Her information is good. Tali, forward me the information you have for me and the information you have for Garrus. You can give Garrus his information at any time."

"If she proves to be more trouble than she's worth, Tinara, you can throw her out the air lock." Tinara gave the small quarian a malicious grin.

Liara opened her Omni-Tool and synced it Tali's. After that was done, she crossed the room and opened her cabin's door, an obvious dismissal. The two turians left first but as Tali made to leave, Liara stepped in her way.

"Be warned Tali, there is nothing that happens on this ship that I don't know about. "

"Doctor, I know quarians are seen as rats and thieves, but we only become thieves when we are pushed to that point." The quarian raised her chin in defiance. "I maybe on my Pilgrimage and I may need a gift but I am not a thief." With her head held high, Tali'Zorah marched out of Liara's cabin.

Liara shook her head and sunk into the chair in front of her desk where data pads and information streams were waiting for her.

Back to work then.

Hours later, Liara's work was interrupted again, but this time it was by something positive. Her Omni-Tool lit up as the information from Tali transferred. Liara immediately put down the data pad in her hand and opened the files incoming.

The first file contained names and bases of Broker agents. Quite a few of which, Liara already had on record but… some of these were new. The second file, however, is what really caught her attention. It was labeled 'FIND: Shepard'.

Shepard? As in the Shepard? Liara wondered and eagerly opened the file. Almost immediately, her Omni-Tool lit up with loads of new information. Inside the file were several smaller files and some miscellaneous information. One of the files was labeled 'Eden Prime'. Knowing that it was once a prominent Human and Prothean colony, Liara opened that file.

As pages of information loaded, Liara couldn't help but wonder how the young quarian had managed to get her hands on something like this. Scrolling through the pages quickly, Liara noticed that there were several research references and papers listed as well, some of which she recognized as her own. One of the papers was highlighted and had notes attached. It was another one of hers. The focus of the paper was the Shepard, what it stood for and possible explanations on to what happened to the Ancients and why they left the Shepard for them. One of her more popular thesis's.

She examined the attached notes and had to marvel at what the commenter had found and compared to her thesis. They had explored several of her theories and ruled most of them out, but seemed fascinated with the idea of the Reapers. Interesting. She closed her thesis and continued to examine the Eden Prime file.

A half an hour later she found what she was looking for; proof. The Shadow Broker had, apparently, sent a team of researchers to Eden Prime who had found a working Prothean beacon! This was incredible! The Broker had one of his most trusted agents use it (no name listed) and they must have found something serious to make them search so fervently for the Shepard. Liara continued to read, learning that the beacon had burned a series of blurred images into the agent's mind then exploded. So the agent was the only one with the information left behind.

The beacon, according to the files, had pointed the way to other beacons on other worlds to piece together the messages left behind. Which would explain why the Broker sent agents to get my work. She closed the Eden Prime folders and examined the others.

The other files were named after planets with Ancients' colonies; most of them searched and revealed nothing. The majority of those planets were on the list Liara had complied weeks before. The Manswell colony was on there as well, but when she opened the file, it was empty, other than the basic information of the planet.

Well, at least the Broker hasn't beaten us there yet. Using the information Tali had given her, Liara began the long process of updating her information files. It'd be a long night.

"Doctor," Tinara's voice came over the intercom and Liara felt herself jerk awake.

"Yes?"

"Sornia say's we are ten minutes out from the Manswell colony. Would you like me to ready the shore party?"

"Yes, please. You and I are going to the ground as well."

"Yes ma'am."

"And tell Garrus to suit up as well."

"Ma'am – "

"He could be useful Captain."

"Yes ma'am." The conversation ended with a resounding click and Liara felt her shoulders drop. Goddess she was tired. She was too young to be feeling this tired. Maybe it was time for her to consider another career choice. Liara snorted to herself. Yeah right. She'd go insane with in the first hour.

Liara forced herself away from her desk and to her armor case, slipping out of her lab coat. She got into the tight evo suit before clasping the battle armor into place. Better safe than sorry. Opening her weapon's case, Liara quickly grabbed her heavy pistol and SMG, clipped them to her mag belt and made her way to the airlock.

When she got there, she was greeted with the sight of Tinara and Tali arguing again and Garrus attempting to look innocent as he polished his sniper. The other three members of the shore party, a krogan, salarain and another asari, were avoiding looking at their captain or anyone else. They were shifting uncomfortably as Liara approached. Seriously? Again?

"Captain Tinara!" The turain snapped to attention. "Ma'am!"

"I expected better of you! You're a professional, not some maiden to be bickering with anyone who comes within shouting distance!" The turain remained in at attention, looking past Liara.

"Yes ma'am!" Liara turned to the quarian, preparing to rip her a new one as well, only to stop in shock for a moment. Tali had procured a shotgun and pistol from somewhere and had modified and added to her suit so that it looked like a battle suit of sorts.

"Uh… what… where did you get those?" Liara pointed to the guns in question. Tali shrugged and said simply; "Garrus." Liara gave him a look.

"What? She said she was good in a fight and I wanted proof."

"Who said we were going to get in a fight?" Garrus gave her a look like; oh, please, with you?

"Fine. Tali what makes you think you're coming?"

"Well, like I said I'm good in a fight and you'll need my help with any tech that we come across."

"Oh really? Implying that we are not smart enough to handle some simple tech ourselves?"

"I… uh... I – I didn't mean that! I – uh meant that-"Liara held up a hand, cutting off her stuttering.

"You can come, only because I want to keep an eye on you. And while we are on the ground, you will follow any order given to you by anyone of us. Yes, even Tinara." Liara didn't miss the resigned droop of Tali's shoulders nor the gleeful look on Tinara's face.

"Now, are we done with all of this childish bickering? Yes? Good. Now let's go find out why the Shadow Broker is so interested in the Ancients all of the sudden."

Leading the shore party, Liara exited her ship and hit the dirt ground, the thuds of her comrades boots hitting the ground around her. She straightened, and headed west, into the jungle where the lost colony's dig site was located.

A/N: So Chapter 3 now up and ready. Sorry if it's a bit boring and all but I've got to set up a history for the characters and the way they act and the likes. Also don't worry! They'll find Shepard! Eventually… not in the next chapter but soon! It's a hunt after all! Anyways let me know what you think and I am open for suggestions. Have a good day/night!

-Namelessgal