The first few planets are empty-not much to see or fight. Elena's not sure if it's a good thing or not. It's a long day of almost nothing until they hit Therum. It's another hot, dusty and dry planet-but one with promise. There are Prothean ruins that Liara might be in, along with the fact there are geth to fight when they land-good signs they're close. The Mako looks like it's in good shape, Caroline grins when she sees it.
"That's an M35 Mako. It's the new standard Alliance infantry fighting vehicle. Perfect to handle any world, but small enough that it fits in our cargo bay," Stefan says. Caroline rolls her eyes at him as Elijah and Tali walk up.
"I only need three people with me. Stefan, keep Joker company, stay on the radio," Elena says and he nods.
"The rest of you, suit up," Elena says.
Therum is rough terrain, rocks, jagged mountains, dirt and hot. Caroline drives the Mako, it's a few minutes until they reach the mine.
There's a few geth guarding the entrance to the mine, it takes a few careful shots with the main gun to take them out. They're a stone's throw away from the entrance, it almost looks like a short cement tube from their position.
"Should I get closer?" Caroline asks. Elena shakes her head.
"Park here," Elena says.
It's surprisingly well lit as they walk down to the dig site, mining lamps are placed every few feet as they walk down a metal ramp. Elena stops when Elijah stops walking.
"Geth, dead ahead," Elijah explains and Caroline raises an eyebrow.
"You can hear that?" Caroline asks and he nods as they lean to see the geth, mechanically patrolling. Their bright, silver bodies stand out against the red soil that makes up the walls and ground.
"What are they guarding?" Tali asks. Elijah looks through the scope of his rifle and shoots them, quick and accurate shots. Elena's heard of how fast triarri move, but she didn't know if was that quick-he did it all before she could blink.
"Let's go find out," Elijah says. Elena's almost sure she saw a grin, but the helmets they all have to wear makes it hard to tell. There are cells that look like someone scooped out part of the wall to make, glowing a dim blue. There's another that's electric blue, with an asari suspended in the air.
"I'm guessing they were guarding her," Caroline says.
"Um, hello? Can someone help me please?" the asari asks, voice echoing against the white tile of the cell. They walk closer, and the asari lets out a sigh of relief.
"Can you hear me out there? I'm trapped, I need help!" the asari calls, frantically.
"We hear you, loud and clear. Are you Doctor T'Soni?" Elena asks.
"Yes. This cell I'm in is a Prothean security device. I cannot move, I need your help to get out," Liara tells them.
"How'd you get trapped?" Caroline asks.
"I was exploring these ruins when the geth showed up. I hid in here. Can you believe that? Geth, beyond the Veil! I activated this cell's defenses, I knew that the barrier curtain would keep them out. But when I turned it on, I must have hit something. I wasn't supposed to. It must be turned off from the other side. I'm trapped in here, you must get me out, please," Liara insists.
"Your mother is working with Saren. Whose side are you on?" Elena asks and Liara's eyes widen.
"What? Saren's a Spectre- he's a good person. What's going on?" Liara asks.
"Saren killed another Spectre. I'm Commander Gilbert, the first human Spectre-I'm on a mission to hunt him down and stop whatever he's planning-he and the geth have already attacked a human colony," Elena explains.
"I miss one day of communication and news and miss everything," Liara mutters and Caroline stifles a laugh.
"I am not with my mother or Saren. I may be Benezia's daughter, but I'm nothing like her! I haven't spoken to her in years! You can interrogate me all you want, just please don't let me die in this cell," Liara pleads.
"We'll get you out. Just give us a few minutes," Elena promises and Liara nods.
"What are you thinking?" Caroline asks.
"There's a mining laser over there. If we can get under the cell, we can get to the button and deactivate the curtain," Elena says. Caroline raises an eyebrow.
"I can run it," Tali offers and Elena is thankful, she's not familiar with mining equipment.
"Really? We haven't even seen it yet," Caroline says, a little skepticism coloring her voice.
"I'm a quarian. I can make any technology work as long as it's working," Tali says. It doesn't sound like bragging, just truth.
"Caroline, Elijah, stay with Liara. I'll go with Tali," Elena says. Elijah nods and Liara watches them curiously. The laser is a stone's throw away from Liara and Elena watches Tali turn it on. The laser hums as it powers up and Tali fiddles with it before aiming under Liara's cell. Stone crumbles and they see Elijah and Caroline go investigate. Liara looks to the ceiling as dust falls onto their helmets.
"Any idea on how to get out of here? I think that laser caused a seismic event," Elijah says casually and they hear rocks shifting in the structures above them. Elena calls Joker and speaks before he can.
"Joker, get the Normandy airborne and lock in on my signal. We have Doctor T'soni," Elena orders and he makes a noise of agreement.
"ETA 8 minutes," Joker says and hangs up.
"This way," Liara says and they follow her into a new hallway, as they run into geth and a pleased looking turian. Elena moves in front of Liara, meeting the turian's gaze.
"Thank you for getting the doctor out, hand her over and we'll be on our way," the turian says.
"She'll stay with us, thanks," Elena says and Liara relaxes slightly.
"Not an option. Saren wants her. Saren gets what he wants," the turian says lightly, like they're discussing the weather. Elena moves her head slightly and Elijah gets the message.
The geth and the turian are on the floor before a minute passes and Caroline sighs.
"That's still super impressive," she admits. Liara covers her laugh with a cough as they run out, past gray stone and ancient structures. Boulders crash behind them, loud and echoing in the space.
"Why are the geth after me? Why is my mother with Saren? Who did Saren kill?" Liara fires off questions like Elijah fires with his sniper rifle.
"You're a prothean expert and they're looking for something called the Conduit, we can explain when we're on our ship and not buried in these ruins," Elena huffs as they finally see light, the exit. They're down the ramp and to the mako before the structure crumbles with a cacophony of noise and dust. The ground beneath their feet shakes violently and they wait for Joker.
Elena takes a few minutes to type her report of what just happened on Therum before she calls a few people for a meeting.
"That was too close, Commander. Another ten seconds and we would have been swimming in molten sulfur. The Normandy is cutting edge but it isn't equipped to land in active volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull, just for future reference," Joker says dryly over the communication device on the table. Caroline lets out a quiet laugh along with Stefan. Elijah looks amused at the comment while Tali tilts her head slightly.
"We almost died out there and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asks.
"It's a coping mechanism. It's a human thing. Some of us use them under times of stress," Elena explains. Understanding is plain on Liara's pretty blue face.
"Ah. I'm not used to dealing with your species. Thank you for saving me from the geth and that barrier curtain and Saren. I've spent the last 50 years trying to figure out exactly what wiped out the protheans, and I'm still not a leading expert on them. I don't know why Saren wanted me," Liara admits.
"Maybe your mom thought you'd work with her? Or he thought he'd use you as leverage," Stefan offers.
"Wait, how old are you exactly?" Elena asks, she doesn't remember seeing an age on anything she read about the asari.
"I hate to say it, but I am only 106," Liara admits.
"Damn. I hope I look that good when I'm your age," Caroline says and Liara blushes a blue a little darker than her skin.
"A century might seem long compared to a short lived species like yours. But among my people, the asari, I am considered barely older than a child," Liara sighs.
"That is why my research has not received the attention it deserves. Because I am so young, other asari scholars tend to dismiss my theories on what happened to the protheans. There is little evidence to support any theory, actually. It is almost like someone did not want the mystery of their disappearance solved-like someone came along after the Protheans and cleansed the galaxy of clues. But here is the incredible part-according to my findings, the protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously disappear. The cycle came long before them," Liara informs them.
Elena can't help the dread she feels at the thought-part of her knows that Liara is right-the others in the room look like they know it must be true too. Otherwise the galaxy would be advanced much farther than it is, and there would be records of those who came before them.
"How'd you come up with your theory? I thought there wasn't any evidence to prove anything," Elena asks.
"I've been working on finding any and every piece of evidence I could for the last 50 years. Patterns began to emerge and hinted at the truth. It's difficult to explain. I cannot point to one specific piece of evidence to prove my case-I just know from half a century of dedicated research. I am right and one day I'll prove it. This cycle has repeated many times over. There's not much evidence on those who became the protheans either-someone does not want this mystery solved," Liara says.
"Or something," Elijah adds quietly.
"Our galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction. Each time a great civilization rises up, it is swiftly and violently cast down. Nothing remains but ruins. The protheans came from a single world and they grew to have an empire over the entire galaxy. Yet even they climbed to the top on the remains of those who came before them-their greatest achievements were mass relays and the Citadel-both based on the technology of those who came before them. Then, like all other forgotten civilizations throughout galactic history, the protheans disappeared. I have dedicated my life to finding out why," Liara informs them.
"We have our own theory, if you're interested in hearing it," Elena says and Liara nods.
"Tali, do you want to do the honors?" Elena asks and Tali nods.
"I managed to isolate a single geth and extract the memory core from it. It had evidence your mother is working with Saren and interesting data. The geth believe that the reapers were an advanced machine race that existed when the protheans did-and hunted the protheans to extinction. The geth think of the reapers like gods and think Saren knows how to bring them back," Tali says. Liara's eyes widen. It's been about fifty thousand years-if the reapers come back-they'll kill everyone in the galaxy.
"Can I hear your evidence against my mother?" Liara asks. Tali hits a button on her omnitool. It's going to take a few minutes to get her caught up with the rest of the group.
"I don't have any information on the Conduit. I'm afraid I cannot help you," Liara admits.
"We don't know why Saren wanted to kidnap you, but I think we'll be better off if we bring you along," Elena says and Liara gives her a relieved smile.
"Thank you, Commander. Saren might come after me again. I cannot think of anywhere safer than here on your ship. My knowledge of the protheans might come in handy later on. Along with my biotics, if it comes to that," Liara smiles gratefully.
"Good to have you on the team, Liara," Elena smiles back.
"Hey Commander, I've got a transmission from the Council coming in," Joker says.
"Patch it in, the rest of you are dismissed," Elena says. The others leave, Tali talks to Liara about setting up somewhere, and Elijah lingers before he goes, last one out of the room.
"Commander, I understand Dr. T'soni is on the Normandy. Is she safe there?" the asari councilor asks.
"She is," Elena confirms.
"I assume you're taking the proper security measures? The turian councilor asks.
"Liara is on our side. The geth were trying to kill her," Elena tells him. The asari councilor shakes her head and Elena waits.
"Benezia would never allow Saren to hurt or harm her daughter," the asari says, voice sure and strong.
"Maybe Benezia doesn't know. Maybe he planned to kidnap Liara as leverage," the triarri councilor offers.
"Maybe you didn't know Benezia as well as you thought you did," the turian councilor remarks. There are a few more questions about the ruins and the fact there was a turian with the geth that attacked on Therum before the call ends.
