5 years later: Liara T'Soni: Asari Colony on Dathos
I brace myself for the coming assault as I open the door. The only warning I receive are cries of attack before they come barrelling towards me. Small arms wrapping tightly around my legs. That's got to be a new record. Not even one step into our home before they've pounced on me.
Round, happy blue and green eyes look up at me with bright smiles. Marie tugs at my trousers. "Come see what I built Mama!" Isabel abandons my leg and starts pulling at my hand instead. "No mummy, come look at my paintings!"
Before I can do much more than sigh my daughters start arguing. Pushing and pulling at each other's clothes while telling the other, as their voices get higher and higher how I should see what they did first.
This happens every time I return from one of my 'trips' to Illuim. To contact some of my old friends from my time there when I was tracking down the Shadow Broker. To see if the Alliance or the Council have any clue as to where we are. I then leave them to spread a lot of false chatter about my location so that we are safe for another few months. We've already had to move a couple of times when Ashley got close to finding us.
3 years we have been here on Dathos. A new asari colony set up to deal with the population explosion from after the war. Not that the Matriarchy is complaining. For the first time in generations they are encouraging maidens to find partners and settle down. Though of course this is only for asari who mate with members of other species. Don't want too many pureblood babies in case any Aradt-Yakshi's are produced.
Dathos is currently home to 30,000 adult asari, 10,000 humans, 7,000 turians, 3,000 hanar, 500 krogan, 200 drell, 180 volus, 100 salarians and finally 60 quarians (with 30 Geth visitors). A place that's quite remote but still has plenty of exposure to different kinds of life. Something that I think is very important for the girls' development.
Before the argument devolves into punching I lower myself to their level and hug them. Kissing them all other their faces. Causing them to burst out into giggles as they try to get away. Back in my archaeology days I never would've thought of becoming a mother. No that would just cause me to miss the latest prothean finds. But now? Now I can't believe my mother waited so long before having me. Spending my days with the girls. Watching them learn new things, playing with one another. Pranking their grandfather. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I pull back slightly, putting my hands on the small of their backs. Making sure that I keep eye contact with both of them. "I hope you two have been behaving?"
They glance at one another before nodding their heads enthusiastically. Leaving me in no doubt that they haven't. So I ask them again. More nods of their heads. "Hmm. Okay. Guess you get your presents." I know I will have to tell them off for whatever they have done later. But I always like to keep things positive with them when I first walk back in.
I give Isabel her paints. Which as soon as she has said "Thank you!" for has run off to use them. Even though from the state her hands are in she must have already spent most of today painting. My father was against me getting her anything that she enjoyed in her previous life but I couldn't resist. Whenever we talked about her life before the attack on Mindoir she would always tell me how much she loved painting. Would spend hours doing it. Afterwards she never painted again. Too interested in getting revenge on the batarians. Becoming the best soldier she could.
For Marie I give her an asari justicar action figure from the latest kids series dedicated to them. Both of them love it so much.
With the girls sated for the moment I go off in search of my father. I find her hunched over my desk staring intently at some pictures that I would have to guess were painted by Isabel. Taking deep gulps of what I can only assume is ryncol. Does she ever drink anything else?
Hesitantly I walk up beside her. "Hello father. Have the girls been good the last couple of days?"
Instead of answering she gives me a one-armed hug and points to the paintings she is looking at with her drink. Worried that she hasn't said anything yet I look down at them.
My hand flies to my mouth as I gasp in shock. On the left is an image of an asari in a dark blue ball. At least it is my assumption that is what the stick figure in the ball is. On the right is a red-haired human painted in black clothing with N-7 painted in white across her chest. Underneath the first picture in yellow paint are the word. 'Mummy Ther'. I guess it is meant to say Therum. Underneath the other picture 'Shepard' is painted in red.
I have told the girls as little as possible about Shepard so that they don't talk about her with their friends. Isabel understands that her human mother is Marie's father. That we loved each other and were bondmates and that she died shortly after giving birth to Isabel. I've shown them pictures of Shepard. Making sure that they only see pictures of her in civilian clothing. I make sure that they don't watch anything that relates to the war. Not until they are older and I can explain everything to them and they can understand it.
"How? DId you tell her!" I round angrily at my father. She always said that I should be honest with them. Pushing myself away from her. Picking up the painting of myself to look at it closer. Hoping that somehow that will make it change.
She grabs my arm, turning me around so that I am facing her. When I refuse to meet her eyes she lifts my chin gently. Voice rough from the drink. "Do you really think I would do that to you?"
Ashamed I drop my eyes to the floor and shake my head. Of course she wouldn't. I apologise to her. I keep letting my emotions get the better of me when it comes to them. Most of the other parents avoid me at the park, preschool or in the street. The crazy protective mother who snaps at the parents of children who snatch her kids toys, makes them cry or isn't friendly enough. Causing Aethyta to have to take them to their playdates.
My father puts her drink down and takes my hand in both of hers. "Isabel said that Shepard told her to paint them."
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