Chapter 13

Jane took the last handful of flower petals and threw them on the bed. She took a moment to judge her romantic gesture and buried her face in her hands. It was all so cheesy. Flower petals, candles and wine; how could she think this would make it up to Liara? Jane had spent the last hour getting all of this together and now that she looked at it, it made her look like an idiot. She didn't know how to apologize beyond saying she was sorry and this "Grand" romantic gesture wasn't going to fix anything.

Jane sighed and began blowing out the candles. She had to make this right but she just didn't know how. Liara felt like she didn't trust her, Shepard trusted Liara more than anyone but she should have had more faith in the asari. How could she be so dumb? She hated Feron more than ever and wanted to give the drell more than a busted nose but she reminded herself that that is exactly what got her into this mess.

Panic struck her when she heard Liara on the other side of the door. Jane stumbeled across the bed taking handfuls of flower petals with her in a last ditch effort to mask this goofy attempt at an apology but it was too late. The door opened and Liara stepped inside. The asari stopped in her tracks when she saw what remained of Shepard's gesture.

"Shepard, what are you doing?" Liara said.

"Surprise." Shepard said weakly.

"What is all this?" Liara asked as she picked up a rose pedal.

"I was trying to apologize."

"By throwing flower petals on our bed?"

"I'm sorry." Shepard said.

Liara sighed and sat on the bed. "Listen Shepard I think we should talk."

Jane sat down next to her. "Alright."

"You know that I love you and that I trust you completely right?"

Jane took the asari's hand. "Of course."

"Then why would you think that Feron would have changed that?"

"I don't know." Shepard admitted. "I want to make this right. How can I make it up to you?"

Liara locked eyes with Shepard. "Shepard..." she began but was interrupted by her omni-tool. The asari reluctently opened it and was rewarded with Feron's voice.

"Liara, Galavorn Tykus is out of his room. We can grab the blackbox easy but we have to move now." Feron said.

"We'll be there as soon as possible. Send me your location." Liara said and closed the device.

Shepard groaned. "Screw it. Let Feron handel it. I found us some wine and..."

"No." Liara interjected. "We came here to do a job. Let's go do it."

"Do you forgive me?" Shepard asked with little faith.

"I'll work on it. Let's go." Liara said and headed back out into the hallway.

Jane took one last look at her failed apology before following the asari out.

Feron stood with a drink in hand leaning up against the wall outside the turian's room. His face lit up when he saw Liara round the corner first but his joy quickly soured when he saw Shepard following behind her.

"Boss." He nodded to Liara. "Shepard, here to get another sucker punch in?"

"Shut up, don't pretend like you didn't deserve it." Shepard spat back.

"Enough!" Liara shouted. "I do not want to hear you two argue again. Let us please just do what we came here to do. Feron, do you know where the device is kept?"

"Beyond in his room? No."

"Then we better hurry. Feron, why don't you stand guard? Tell us if Tykus is on his way." Shepard said.

Feron narrowed his black eyes. "Excuse me? If anyone is on look out it's you."

"I think that is a good idea. Feron you're on look out." Liara said ignoring the drell's complaint. The asari made quick work of the door and stepped inside.

Shepard followed her in and examined the turian's quarters. Everything was in order, she guessed Tykus hadn't spent much time in his cabin. "So where do we start?"

"The safe." Liara said plainly opening the closet door to reveal the built-in safe on the wall inside. "I am willing to bet out friend Galavorn isn't that creative."

"You're just going to try and guess the code?"

Liara shrugged and hit zero 4 times. To Shepard's amazement the same cracked open. "You have got to be kidding me. The password was all zeros."

Liara laughed. "Honestly I didn't expect that to work. He must not plan on being aboard for much longer."

"You think he's gonna jump ship before the meet?"

"Not likely. Tykus is the founding member of the ring. He'll be there."

"Well is the blackbox in there?" Shepard asked.

Liara answered her question by removing a tiny device that unsurprisingly closely resembled a graybox. "It is. And with this the Terminus Ring's days are numbered."

"You really think the intel on that thing will wipe them out."

"No, but the this combined with what we can hopefully learn tomorrow will provide me with a substantial advantage over the Terminus Systems."

"Great Let's..." Shepard began but they were interrupted yet again by Feron on Liara's omni-tool.

The asari opened the call. "He's on his way back. Get out of there now!" Feron said.

"By us some time if you have to Feron." Liara said before closing it and beginning an override on the safe.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm rewriting his password. If I can lock him out of the safe he won't know the device has been stolen."

"Just do it quickly." Shepard said as she watched the door.

"Done, let's go."

The pair made their way back outside and in the distance saw Feron speaking with Tykus. The turian did not look pleased and shoved the drell away from him and began storming towards his cabin. Liara and Shepard quickly ducked behind a corner and were thankfully not spotted by Galavorn as he made his way inside his room. They made their way over to Feron. Shepard offered her hand to help the drell off the ground, not to mend things between them but between her and Liara. She didn't give two shits about the drell but she figured the gesture would be one Liara appreciated.

Feron took Jane's hand and the Commander pulled him off the ground. "Did you try and steal his girlfriend too?" She joked.

Feron dusted himself off. "No, but he's pissed."

"You seem to have that effect on people." Shepard jabbed.

The drell shook his head and ignored the human. "Did you get it?"

"We go it. Now all we have to do is figure out a way to eavesdrop on the meeting." Liara answered.

"Should be simple enough. I brought a few listening devices with me. Just set one up somewhere in the conference room and we're good to go."

"Sounds like a plan." Shepard said.

Liara crossed her arms. "Until then can we please try and stay out trouble."

"You heard her Shepard."

"I was speaking to you Feron. I will make sure Shepard is well behaved. We'll see you tomorrow." Liara began walking away with Shepard when the drell caught her arm.

"Actually can we talk in private for a second." Feron said.

"Perhaps later." Liara said and left the drell behind.

They didn't return to their cabin. Instead Shepard and Liara found a place to eat aboard in a asari cafe. Liara had ordered for her because Jane didnt' understand how to even say the asari named dishes. And now they waited for their food.

"I believe you were trying to apologize earlier." Liara reminded her. "I'm listening if there is something you wish to say to me."

Jane nervously scratched at the label of her beer bottle. "Um...Liara, I haven't ever been in a long term relationship like this."

"Neither have I." Liara said.

"I know, sorry I'm making excuses. There's no excuse, I shouldn't have done what I did and I'm truly sorry. Forgive me?"

Liara ignored the question. "Tomorrow things might get dangerous. I don't know what Decker will do or if he'll even show up but if he does we should prepare for the worst. What I'm saying is, are you ready for this Shepard? Because we can still leave before it's too late."

"Liara, I'm not going anywhere."

Notes- Again sorry for the delay. We're almost done here and I'm beginning my early work on "Miranda and jack's First Christmas". Reviews are welcomed and adored. Thank you to all the followers of this story.