Chapter 4. Read it, review it, and tell me what you people think. This is just here for people to enjoy. Enjoy! :)

NOTE: I don't own Mass Effect or Dragon Age games go to their respective company creators.

Chapter 4: Welcome Aboard the Normandy

The feelings of suspicion, fear, anxiety, adrenalin, and urges all went sinking in and replaced with calm collective feelings. These people whoever they are started out looking threatening. But somehow managed to calm Hawke and his friends down.

"Before you say anything, I want you to know that we're not your enemy." Liara spoke up modestly.

"Really?" Merrill asked shyly.

"Well, they sure aren't our friends! Not these strangers!" Varric turned to Hawke. Hawke nodded taking a note of that. He then stepped forth to speak with Shepard and Liara.

"We're here to pick some of the herbs off of this mountain. That's all." Hawke explained with reason. Both Liara and Shepard looked down at the tulip type flowers that Hawke was talking about. They then looked back at Hawke and the others with sad frowns on their faces.

"I should tell you that these herbs won't stop anyone from turning into stone." Liara said much too her dismay. Instantly and simultaneously the trio were struck in wide-eyed awe and shock.

"How… Who are you?" Hawke asked in awe.

"More interested in listening to us now?" Liara smirked. The trio then turned to one another to have any opinions on the matter. The all nodded in agreement at turned their attention back to the mysterious duo.

"All right. Go." Hawke said with all ears. Liara smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure you won't believe us at first, but we've come from a place far, far away to save all of you." Liara began.

"So why didn't you come sooner, then?" Hawke asked looking a little unconvinced.

"We can't make direct contact with civilizations in the early stages of development. It's part of the Third World Preservation Directive." Liara answered. Hawke immediately was confused by Liara's response.

"Early stages of development?"

"We came here from beyond the sky, from another planet. We're making something of a special exception to the rule, you see." Liara continued her explanation. Instantly and simultaneously the trio were confused at first, but were once again struck with awe.

"Beyond the sky? Another planet?" Hawke said in awe.

"Are you gods?" Merrill asked in awe struck curiosity.

"No, we're not gods. We're people, just like you. Well, except that I am known as an asari." Liara giggled. "You see I'm from planet Thessia. Commander Shepard here is human, but from planet Earth."

"Oh, wow!" Merrill gaped in amazement and awe. Liara then regained her posture and back to the serious matter.

"The Geth, a force opposing our own, broke the Third World Preservation Directive. recently and engaged in direct interference with this planet. As if that weren't bad enough, they also fired a biological weapon at you, releasing the contagion that's spread across this whole area." Liara explained in great detail.

"So we're turning into stone, and it's because of those Geth people?" Hawke asked in outraged shock.

"Correct." Liara nodded.

"I…I can't believe this." Merrill stammered in shock.

"We've been sent here to examine the disease and try to find a treatment for it." Liara continued. Shepard then stepped forth.

"So you see, we've come here to help you. Probably in ways you've never imagined." Shepard explained. The trio once again turned to one another to have any opinions on the matter. They then once again turned their attention back to the duo.

"I still can't believe any of this, but can you really help with a cure?" Merrill asked.

"I can't believe it either, but if you're able to save our friend here." Hawke said gesturing to Varric.

"If you come with us and help us in creating a vaccine, we should be able to cure him." Liara said with reassurance. Hawke was immediately confused once again.

"Vac…cine?" Hawke raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"Um, a miracle medicine, sort of." Liara tried to explain. Shepard then looked around to see if the are was clear of any one else.

"Well then." Shepard spoke up. "There's something you ought to know before we go any further. If you folks decide to come with us, you'll probably never see this planet again." He warned them with a heads up. Instantly and simultaneously the trio were once again struck shock.

"Why not?" Hawke asked with a paranoid look on his face.

"That's what the rules say. If you interact with us too much, we can't let you go back to your original life. That's another part of the Third World Preservation Directive." Shepard explained. "Now, if you'd like, we could go our separate ways and pretend this was all some kind of fever dream. There is still time for that." Shepard offered. There was a moment of silence between them. Until Varric stepped forth.

"Well, I'm going with these guys. All I've got waiting for me is life as a statue." Varric decided.

"You can't do that! You want me to choose between losing you forever, or losing my father and everyone else forever? Don't make me do that, Varric!" Merrill said in distraught. Hawke then turned to her with sadness in his eyes too.

"Merrill, let's go with Varric, too. I'm sorry to break this to you, but there's nothing we can do if we stay here." Hawke said. Merrill was still sad and distraught. Hawke then approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's hard leaving everyone you know in Lothering, but we've got a bigger job ahead. We're going to save everybody!" He said with determination.

"Well, it's settled, then. Might as well get going. Close your eyes for a moment, please." Liara informed them. Merrill was confused when she said that.

"Huh?" Merrill said. Suddenly five lights enveloped them. "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" Merrill screamed. Hawke and Varric were in wide-eyed shock. The very next instant they all disappeared from their current location.

The five lights actually transported them to another location. Hawke, Merrill, and Varric soon found themselves still in wide-eyed shock at their surroundings. They were surrounded in a room completely comprised of a metal alloy. They were all transported to a transport chamber.

"What was that!?" Merrill frantically looked around.

"Where are we!?" Hawke said still struck in shock and awe.

"This is our ship." Shepard answered, as he and Liara turned to them. "Welcome aboard the Systems Alliance Starship Normandy." He proudly announce.

"Y-you really are gods." Merrill stammered in awe. She almost looked like she was about to bow in respect and worship.

"We're not gods. We've just advanced a little sooner than you, that's all. You can have all of this for yourselves, too, someday." Liara smiled. Hawke was still at a loss for words just as his friends are. They were inside a starship and they were quite possibly the first medieval civilization to step into space.

"Well, let's get him over to sickbay." Shepard said gesturing to Varric. They all then proceeded out of the transport chamber and out to the ships hallways. On the outside it's big, but on the inside it was massive. The trio stared in awe at what they were seeing. People of different size, color, and shape moving to and fro, back and forth on their daily routine. Working around the ship and ship protocol. As they looked around everything that was new and unfamiliar too them put them in a state of absolute awe.

"The floor! It's moving!" Hawke stared down in a state of awe.

"And that door back there opened by itself!" Merrill looked behind in a state of awe.

"Incredible. I've never seen anything like this before." Hawke said in awe as he looked around. Not only had he never seen technology this advanced before, but he also never seen other alien races before. The five then decided to not wasn't anymore time and move forward towards the Normandy's sickbay.

"I just realized I haven't asked any of your names yet." Shepard spoke up.

"My name is Garrett Hawke."

"I'm Merrill."

"Varric Tethras…" Varric groaned in pain. Liara turned in wide-eyed shock and turned to Shepard.

"Commander, his condition's deteriorating." Liara quickly informed him.

"Better hurry, then." Shepard nodded in response.

In the Normandy sickbay, Varric was placed inside a large circular tube which was in fact a radiograph.

"What's this?" Hawke asked in curiosity.

"I guess this must be surprising to you, but this is how we treat sick people." Liara explained.

"See what you do for him, Doctor." Shepard said to Dr. Karin Chakwas.

"Yes, sir." She nodded in response. Immediately Dr. Karin went straight to work on analyzing the dwarf. Try and study the sorce of the disease and to help create a treatment.

"Well, no point in having you hang around here. How would you like a tour of the ship?" He said to the group.

"Commander, that would be a violation of the Preservation Directive." Liara strongly advised.

"Well, it's a little late for that, isn't it? I'll be on the bridge. You show them around for me, okay?" Shepard smiled and went off to the ship's bridge. Liara was in total shock by Shepard's order.

"Captain!" She tried to get his attention. But he was already gone and off to the ship's bridge. "Oh by the Goddess." Liara sighed.

Chapter 4 Complete! So far so good. Hawke and the others are now on board the Normandy. Tune in next time when we get a tour of the ship and possibly some thrilling suspense! Read it, review it, and tell me what you people think. This is just here for people to enjoy. :)