Shepard

We're four hours away from Illium, the asari's trading post planet in the Terminus. From what I understand, Nos Astra is as beautiful as one would expect from the ancient race. Intel suggested that Liara had set up shop there not long after my death. Should be an interesting visit, to say the least. In the meantime, I have an appointment with a thief, a criminal, and encrypted Cerberus files.

"Y'know Kasumi, between you flickering around all over the place, Miranda's 'no more bugs' policy, and EDI's constant awareness of the entire ship, I feel like I'm surrounded by voyeurs," I look around scandalously. "I guess privacy is old-fashioned these days."

I can't quite make her out, but the benefits of cybernetic eyes are slightly outweighing her crazy-enhanced cloak. She's gonna be damn useful at covert shit. Which might be sooner rather than later.

"Shep, there's a subtle difference between spying on people, and not wanting to be spied on. You should know that." The tiny Japanese woman shimmers into view.

"You do both," I point out.

"Yeah, but there's still a difference."

I snort in response. We pile in the lift to pay a visit to our favorite psychotic biotic. Jack said she found something, but too many of the files were encrypted. Hell if I could crack all of them, and with Tali still off the grid, I turned to Kasumi more and more for the heavy stuff.

And with the hood, the bright eyes, and cheerfully impsh demeanor... well. Good enough. That or maybe techlords in general had kind of a way about them.

We make our way down to the engineering hold. Jack is pacing around like a captive varren. When she sees us her eyes light up dangerously.

"This is fucked, Shepard. Fucked. Yo thief, you think you can crack it?"

"I can crack anything, sister. What do you have?"

"This." Jack hands over a datapad displaying lines and lines of encrypted text. Kasumi sits on one of the crates, eyes not leaving the screen as she pulls up her omni-tool. Jack's eyes dart to her then at me, and starts pacing again.

"Cerberus covered their tracks well," Kasumi finally says. "We're looking at records from over ten years ago. One of their cells; a facility that held biotic children. Nothing like BAaT or the Ascension program, though. Tons of funding, test subjects coming in at steady intervals. None with any recorded family."

"That's where those bastards held me," Jack glares. "Those motherfuckers tortured me, damn near killed me." She turns to me. "I wanna plant a huge fucking bomb in that place, turn it into nothing but ash."

I shrug. "Alright. You know I'm always game for blowing up a Cerberus lab. Are there still people running the place?"

"Doesn't look like it. All the records and activity go dark after your," Kasumi eyes Jack warily, "departure. It should be safe, relatively speaking."

"Well, boring can be good in this case. Jack, you sure this'll bring you closure? You don't want to track down the people that did this?"

"As far as I know, everyone back there is dead. I know it's not high on your list of bullshit missions, Shepard, but it's important to me, ok? I keep going back to that place. I don't want to go back to that place. I need this."

"Alright, alright. Was just hoping to drop a child-killer or two is all. Here's to hoping, right?" I say, shrugging nonchalantly.

"You're hoping for trouble?" Kasumi titters. "I worry that's not a first."

"Not exactly hoping. But I mean, Jack you're pretty fucked in the head." She flips me off in response. "Whoever did this, whoever authorized this, they have to be pretty fucking sick. And when I imagine how a gal like you could've turned out, I see red."

"...Thanks." Jack says. "Look whatever. Kasumi, did you get the coordinates off of that or not?"

"Of course. Take a look." She pulls up a hologram of the Dakka star system. Some remote, unassuming garden planet blinks on the screen.

"Unsettled by any of the big players out there, which means it's a potential merc-haven. Alright. We'll go after these pick-ups first. Building the crew up is still top priority. After that we drop off the goodbye package, and put the bad shit behind us. Clean and simple."

Jack nods. "Sounds good."

Kasumi shoots a look my way before closing her omni-tool. "Alright ladies, it sounds like my work is done. If you'll excuse me, Jacob should be doing crunches in the shuttle bay and it's unbecoming to be late for a show."

I shake my head just as my omni-tool pings. "This. This is exactly what I mean with the voyeur thing. Whatever, I'm out too."

I trot up the stairs and check my message, only to find another encrypted file. Easier to crack since it follows Alliance protocols. When I open it, I see a list of Cerberus operatives that worked on 'Subject Zero.' Many of whom I know are currently under the Alliance Biotics Division.

My heart sinks. Below the list is a sentence as simple as it is foreboding.

"Looks like the Alliance has gone to the dogs."


The arrival to Nos Astra went surprisingly well, and about a thousand credits cheaper than I expected. After talking with the welcome committee, I take in the sight of the beautiful sloping skyscrapers against the blazingly hot sun. It's breathtaking, and calls to mind a very feminine and frivolous sort of beauty.

Grumpy Garrus appears to disagree. "This place is no better than Omega if you consider their shady practices and lack of common decency. It's just as lawless here, only they make you sign your life away in a contract rather than bleed you out in the open."

"Christ Garrus, you say that about every place! Sure, you could haul some bodies into C-SEC if those rules applied. But this," I outstretch my arms and face him. "There's still beauty to it, y'know? It may be another Omega, or Noveria, or whatever, but at least it's warm. No burning bodies, no freezing cold. And there's all kinds of shopping and antics we can get up to around here. It's perfect for a quick bit of shore leave. No wonder Liara picked it."

He rolls his eyes and follows me through the crowded market. "Since when did you start getting so optimistic?" He grumbles.

"Since I got an opportunity to see an old friend from my team, and instead of refusing to see me, they pay my way to land on this rock," I respond. "Friends are getting to be a rare thing these days, Garrus. Sometimes you gotta take what you can get."

And oh boy, did I say too much just now. I can feel the sting beating at the back of my eyes, and I find myself slightly annoyed that that particular functionality was deemed important enough for Cerberus to restore. I pinch the bridge of my nose to steady myself, and march on through the markets. Meeting up with Liara is gonna be tough as it is, and there's no need for me to start the waterworks early.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. "Hey. You're right. I can let this count as you taking me somewhere nice for a change."

At that I laugh, and shrug him off. "And don't forget it."

Just then I hear my name through the din. I look around until I see an asari off to the side, beckoning me to her. I look over at Garrus, who just shrugs back. Utterly confused, I head over to her.

"You're Commander Shepard? I saw your… I guess you would say your aura. I'd recognize you anywhere."

A…fan?

"Um, thanks I guess?"

"Thanks are not required," the asari intones. "I was asked to give you a message if I saw you. It's from a friend you made on Noveria."

Friend? I think back on the experience I had on Noveria. The place was a cold corrupt shithole, littered with self-interested business owners, geth, and asari commandos. It was also the place where I killed Liara's mother, Saren's top lieutenant, right in front of her. On that frigid night I learned in the worst way that asari cry like humans do. No, friends were absolutely in short supply on Noveria.

"Listen, you're gonna have to be a little more specific," I start. "Who sent you? What's the message?"

"The message itself should make it clear," she responds. The asari steps towards me, a little too close, and her demeanor and presence change drastically. She shutters briefly, and her eyes roll back in her head.

…The hell?

She speaks, and the voice is distinctly hers and not hers. "Shepard. We hide. We burrow. We build. But we know that you seek those who soured the songs of our mothers. When the time comes, our voice will join with yours, and our crescendo will burn the darkness clean. Thank you Shepard. The rachni will sing again because of you."

And just as quickly, the asari is back to normal.

This is... pretty good news. The rachni were rebuilding from the sound of it, and willing to believe the Reaper threat. More than that, they were willing to help in the fight against them. That's absolutely more than what the Council or the Alliance was offering right now.

"How did you come across the rachni queen? She promised to remain in hiding," Garrus asks. Ever the cop.

"I encountered her on an uncharted world. She saved my life. More than that she gave me purpose. They are an amazing people. The galaxy owes Shepard a great debt for giving them a second chance."

"Alright," I say. "It's good to hear that. What's your purpose now these days?"

"The queen shared her song with me as I recovered." She looks downward, as though recalling a fond memory and smiles. "I saw the rachni as only an asari could. They are so beautiful. And so vulnerable."

I exchange a glance with Garrus, who immediately looks the other way, mandible flared. Dammit he caught that too. "Ok. And the purpose?" I prod.

"Ah, yes. They needed someone to purchase things they cannot make themselves. Someone to work within the system. An agent if you will. And I am happy to help. My life as a courier was empty and shallow. Now I'm helping a great race rebuild itself." She smiles brightly.

"Well uh…" I clear my throat. "Well I'm glad that my friend on Noveria is doing well. If you ever encounter her again, send her my regards."

"Be well, Commander Shepard. And again, thank you."

As she turns to walk away I hear a distinct chuff beside me. "No, don't even start," I say. "I don't want to think about it and we're running behind anyway." I stalk through the marketplace.

"Shepard," Garrus laughs, rushing to catch up. "You can't tell me…" He chuckles. "As only an asari could? C'mon, Shepard."

"Nope."

"You know that rachni have that hive-mind thing going. You don't think that… Shepard, it's a little funny."

"Dammit, Garrus! I didn't wanna think about it and you're right here making me think about it." We stop at the administration building stairs. So this is where Liara works. Very snazzy. I look back over at Garrus, who's stifling another chuckle. "Since when did your mind go straight to the gutter anyway?"

"Maybe you rubbed off on me. But still, it's good to know that the rachni are embracing eternity."

"Oh of all the…" And finally I laugh. "Ok fine. I'm happy, ecstatic even, that I saved an entire race of people just for them to get some asari strange. Save a life and they get laid. Story of my life there."

"It's not the worst policy," he responds, his tone a little more serious.

"Yeah, yeah. C'mon, let's go see our friend."

Garrus

We walk into the office just in time to hear Liara arguing with a human male via hologram. She doesn't notice us and continues her tirade.

"Have you faced an asari commando unit before? Few humans have. I'll make it simple. Either you pay me, or I'll flay you alive. With my mind." She cuts off the feed abruptly.

Wow. Don't know when little Liara started borrowing death threats from Benezia, but this is not like her at all. I guess the past couple of years have changed all of us.

She turns and finally sees us. "Shepard!" She exclaims. "Nyxeris, hold my calls." She looks at Shepard for a second, then grabs her into a long hug. Asari were always a bit touchy-feely, but this gesture seems oddly human. "My sources said you were alive, but… it's so very good to see you, Shepard."

"It's good to see you too, Liara. Truly. But uh…you. Wow. Flaying people with your mind? That's a new one."

Liara looks a little bashful. "Oh that. Just another unhappy customer. He'll come around. They always do."

She flashes a menacing smile at that, and in that second she looks a little too much like Shepard before getting ready for battle. It's jarring, not just because this was Liara, but because I wouldn't have expected that many people to adopt Shepard's cutthroat attitude.

"Ever since you saved the Council," she continues, "people have wanted to get on my good side. With a bit of coercion, and a lot of luck I've set up here as an information broker. It's paid the bills since you… well, for the past two years. And now you're back, gunning for the Collectors with Cerberus."

She heads toward her desk and motions for us to sit. Paid the bills, alright. I look around the office, and it's every bit as decorated as some of the better parts of the Presidium. Liara herself is looking well, too. She's clad in a respectable, well-tailored gown, and while still young for an asari, her voice and demeanor feels a little less Maiden.

"That's not public knowledge," Shepard retorts, and it looks as though she's prepared for another fight.

"Neither is you being alive," Liara smiles craftily. "Information is my domain now. If you need intel, I'm happy to help."

"What about you, Liara? Come with me," Shepard says. "If you know that much, you know what I'm up against. I could use all the help I can get."

"I can't, Shepard. I'm sorry." She frowns, and paces behind her desk. "I have commitments here. Things I need to take care of."

"Oh Christ, what kind of commitments? Hopefully good enough to bail out on a friend," Shepard snaps.

"By the goddess Shepard, you can't just waltz in after two years and expect people to drop everything they're doing! I have debts I need to repay. I'm not going to rest until I see this done." She sighs. "Shepard I apologize, and I know the timing isn't ideal, but I could use your help."

"Really? You're right, the timing is poor to say the least. Why should I help you with anything?" Shepard asks, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes. Well this is marginally better than Horizon.

"Shepard, you don't mean that," I say. "Hear her out."

She glares at me. "Why should I, Garrus?" I glare back, not letting up. She lets out a breath, and tilts her head toward the ceiling. "Whatever. I still need to know why, Liara."

"Because it's that important to me. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't."

"But you mentioned debts," Shepard presses. "What's the full story? You're not telling me something, and I'm getting damn tired of being in the dark."

And at that moment, Liara looks every bit as young, scared, and vulnerable as the first day she came aboard the Normandy. She fidgets for a bit, then turns and stares out the window. "You'll kill me," she says softly.

"I won't."

"You don't know that."

"I won't. Liara, level with me, will ya? What happened?"

Liara takes a deep breath and sits at her desk, looking tired and haggard in a matter of seconds. "We… all of us took your death very hard. I wanted so very much to believe you were alive, that you could be saved. But by the time I learned the truth... Shepard, I'm sorry. You'll have to wait on the explanation. I can't trust anyone given the circumstances right now. I trust you two, but this is…big."

Liara looks at both of us, pleading with her eyes that we believe her. And it's a tough situation. But she wouldn't upset Shepard like this without a damn good reason. She's still Liara. Still the same girl who tried to cheer us up even when her mother died.

Shepard looks at me, eyes still full of hurt and rage. I shake my head at her. Don't. You can still trust her. She sighs again, and seems to agree with me. "Ours not to make reply," she starts.

"Ours not to reason why," I respond.

"Ours but to do and die," Liara finishes bitterly. "To Ashley."

"Fine, Liara. I'll help you. But this is bullshit. The only reason I'm even thinking about it is because I'm in the same goddamn situation right now." She pinches her nose. "But just…fuck! At least you're not calling me a traitor or anything. Hell, for whatever reason that you're not telling me, I should be pissed at you, more than I am right now."

"In the meantime, can you give us some intel on some people we're looking for?" I ask. "We originally came here for a couple of pick-ups."

"Of course! It's the very least I can do. Who are you looking for?"

"First person we're looking for is a Thane Krios," I say, pulling up his dossier. "He's supposed to be here."

"The assassin. Yes, he arrived here a few days ago. My sources tell me he may be targeting a corporate executive, Nassana Dantius."

"The name rings a bell," Shepard says.

"She lied to have you take out her sister, Shepard. You were…unhappy about her deception. Regarding Thane, he contacted a woman named Seryna. She has an office in the cargo transfer levels. She may be able to help make contact with him."

She's good. In another life, I could see someone like her doing well in C-SEC. And if that was just intel she knew at a glance, then just maybe…

"So you just knew that?" Shepard asks. "You didn't even pull up a file."

"I'm very good at my job, Shepard. The world of intrigue isn't that different from a dig site. Except that the dead bodies still smell," she says with a wry smile.

"Alright, I'll bite. We're looking for another person here. An asari named Samara."

"The…justicar. Shepard, are you sure about that?

"Yeah. Why, are justicars a bad thing? When I saw the dossier it just seemed like she was a well-seasoned commando."

"There's more to it than that. In asari culture, justicars follow a very strict moral code. A very binary moral code. One wrong move, any hint of injustice, and she will be compelled by that code to kill."

"So…you're saying she might kill me," Shepard says narrowing her eyes.

"Your past deeds are…the human phrase would be 'checkered,' as I understand it."

"We'll be cautious," I say in the most reassuring tone I can muster. "We're working with a strange enough set that Shepard would be the least of her worries."

"Garrus, that doesn't make that any better," Liara responds. "If they're under her comman–"

"Can you tell me where I can find her or not?" Shepard says, and the tone she's using offers no room for debate.

"Check with Officer Dara at the transportation hub. She'll have more information on why Samara is here."

"Thanks. I'll talk to you later, Liara." Shepard walks out the office without a second look back.

I turn back to Liara, who's obviously distraught. "It's that bad, huh?" I ask.

"She'd kill me if she knew, Garrus. Honestly, you might too."

"Never," I say. "She'll come around, Liara. I'll make damn sure of it."

"You've gotten closer these past few months." She's saying it, as though it's a declaration of fact rather than speculation.

"We've all been friends a long time, Liara."

"Which makes it all the less surprising," she states, a crafty smile forming on her lips. "Like I said, I'm a very good information broker. Intrigue isn't just about gathering information from hacked terminals and dead bodies. People themselves give information, whether through force, coercion, or whether they know it or not."

"Don't know what you're talking about T'soni, and I'm not quite sure if it matters anyway."

"So you're saying it's one-sided, and you don't feel the same for her?"

At her words I feel my chest falling drastically, rapidly. The way she worded that. Just what the hell is she getting at? But that's not why I'm here. "I'm saying she'll come around with you. I'll make sure of it. But I have one more person that I'm hoping you can help me find."

"Another potential teammate?"

"Something like that. I need you to find a turian. Used to go by Lantar Sidonis."

"I'll see what I can do."