Last Chance: Chapter 4
She sits in the darkness of Shepard's ruined cabin in the wreck of the Normandy with her shotgun by her side drunk and silently crying. Outside in the intense light of the jungle the crew, defeated, broken and leaderless lay lifeless in the heat waiting for the coming of the Reapers. All they can talk about is Liara and the child she is carrying, Shepard's child, as if it somehow it meant he hadn't really left them. All she can think of is Shepard melding with Liara on the eve of the final assault. That he betrayed her. As she betrayed him now with Garrus, poor broken burned Garrus with his Turian brandy confessing his secret love for her. "Mother" she whispers into the darkness, "Father... Shepard". She raises her shotgun and fires.
"Shepard, Tali" came Liara's voice at the door. "I'm sorry. Please wake up and get dressed. We have something of an emergency"
Shepard is instantly awake and reflexively reachs out for a non existent weapon "Damn!" he grunted. He scanned the room for threats. Nothing. He moved quickly to the door and opened it a crack. Liara stood alone in the corridor crying silently.
"Liara?" he said, opening the door fully now, "are you alright?, whats happening?"
Startled, the asari turned to him and ran into his arms "My daughter" she said simply.
"What happened Liara?" said Shepard gently, "What can I do?"
"What is the matter?" Tali said appearing at the door in her hospital gown "Whats going on " she added coldly to Liara.
Liara released Shepard "I'm sorry Tali, Shepard. Grunt has just informed me that a Federation ship has just arrived in orbit. They intend to ask for my extradition back to Thessia on grounds of treason" she said more calmly.
"Does this have to do with what you did... about us?" Shepard said.
"I'm afraid so, cloning is highly illegal in Federation space. We are outside Federation space of course but I was under given express orders not to do this." Liara said quietly "I understood and accepted the consequences"
"Damn it! You should have told us Liara!" Shepard yelled
"I know but you are safe. There is nothing they can do us. This is the Krogan Empire and Wrex is hardly likely to hand his worst enemies over to the Federation never mind his friends. There will be a formal hearing though "
Shepard pondered for a moment "OK, we need to get dressed and see we can do about this. Liara, do you have any combat armor? A weapon?"
"Shepard, it wont ..." Liara began
"Damn it! do you have any or not?
She sighed "Yes, we some suits of standard light armor worn by asari commando's in the ship. It a highly flexible material so it should fit. We also have some pistols."
"That will have to do... What about Tali?"
"The quarian envirosuit in locker of you room has shields which are much stronger than the commando armour" She said.
"Right. Tali suit up, Liara get me that armor, two pistols and as many thermal clips you can carry, now Liara!"
...
"Hows the suit, Tali?" Shepard asked slipping into the close-fitting black commando armor .
"Similar to my old one, stronger shields" she said quietly.
"Good, grab a pistol and some clips, hopefully this will all come to nothing but..."
"With us, trouble always comes knocking" her smile unseen behind her mask.
"Thats usually the way of it" Shepard grinned "shame there's no shotgun here, you used to be a unholy terror with it I remember"
Her smile faded "Its OK Shepard i'm not so fond of shotguns any more" she said. She reached out and picked up a pistol and fitted it to her belt along with spare thermal clips
"Shepard, Tali" Liari said walking into the room "Ah, I see you are both properly equipped to start a minor war" she said darkly.
"Liara!" Shepard said angerly, "If you remember anything about me, you know I always look for a peaceful solution but only a fool goes into a situation like this with no backup plan and no way out if things turn ugly"
Liara sighed "Of course you are right Shepard but you should know that the person they sent here to take me back... its my daughter."
"Your daughter?" Shepard exclaimed "Damn I'm sorry Liara"
"And I'm sorry to both of you .. to you Tali especially, I'm so sorry it came to this" Liara said quietly
Tali said nothing. Behind the jet-black opaque visor of her quarian helmet, her expression was unreadable
...
Shepard Tali and Liara entered a vast dark stone chamber, virtually empty apart from a dias towards the back with a heavy stone throne containing a ancient krogan and three other stone chairs to the left and to right of it with each a fearsome looking krogan warrior. In front of the dais below a short series of steps were a series stone benches. A tall women in dressed in the now familiar black armour of a asari commando was standing a little off to one side. As Shepard got closer he reconsigned a highly amused Wrex sitting on the throne and Grunt sitting with the other Krogan grinning. Wrex's Krantt no doubt he thought.
As he approached the dias, Wrex stood up, and walked down the steps. He approached Shepard, looked at him deep in the eyes for a long moment and sniffed him cautiously, the way the Urdnot Shaman once inspected Grunt. I wonder if Wrex remembers that Grunt was also tank born, a clone, that he allowed him to take the Right of Passage and join Clan Urdnot regardless.. he though.
Finally Wrex made up his mind "Shepard, my battle brother, my friend its good to see you again after so long" he shouted embracing him.
Shepard sighed "Thanks Wrex, its good to see a friend right about now"
"Because of Liaras daughter?" chuckled Wrex returning to his throne "Granted she is a good fighter, one of the best - she gets that from her father, but shes only one women"
"Ah Uncle Wrex" you say the nicest things, the beautiful young asari grinned back at him
She turned to him, relaxed, confident, focused "Commander Salisa T'Soni " she grinned at him
"Commander John Shepard" he replied finding her grin infectious
"Shepard" she gasped.
Liara came forward and touched her arm "Yes daughter this is Shepard, your father."
Wrex exploded into a good natured roar of laughter closely followed by Grunt and the rest of the Krantt.
"Shepard my friend, there's never a dull moment around you" bellowed the ancient Krogan merrily wiping his eyes
"You look more terrified of your daughter than the Collecters Shepard" roared Grunt. Salisa caught his eye, the shock gone to be replaced with her seemingly irrepressible smirk and started to laugh Well i guess I know where she got that from Shepard thought weakly giving into the laughter himself . Salisa approached him with a shy smile and put her arms around him drawing him into a hug "Good to get the chance to meet you father" she said simply. Wrex and Grunt laughing came down from the dais and joined in the reunion
Liaria went over to Tali who stood apart form the general mirth silent and unnoticed.
"I'm so sorry Tali" Liaria said quietly "its all my fault, my selfishness."
"Look how happy he is" Tali said wistfully
Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. All comments and reviews welcome
