A/N: Special thanks to Bebus for your lovely comments & edits! Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 13: Losses and Gains
Content with how his plans were unfolding, Krixo felt excitement at the future he was creating. The hiding and fear of the Reapers was fading into a distant memory, as more minds were open to him. It had been eons since he felt this alive and in control.
More, I want more… All of the species of this cycle will know me… Lesaro will destroy those that will not submit… Shepard will be mine… Soon… I can feel it… I will know her again and she will be mine…
Without warning, Krixo lost his ability to control the mind of the asari Councilor. The loss was not something that he was used to feeling, like suddenly being blinded. He had seen the other asari reach for the orb and then nothing.
No!... How dare that one tamper with what is mine… I will get her back and the other, Aria, will pay… Tevos will be mine to control again… I will have Tevos kill the meddler… Yes!
The thought coursed through the giant, as he tried to comfort himself and refocus on the others that he controlled. All those minds and bodies, for him to do with as he pleased; it filled him with a sense of power and purpose. The loss of one mind would ultimately be nothing to him.
She is nothing… Inconsequential… An insect that I do not need… She served her purpose and I will soon have all asari, thanks to my efforts…
Settling back into his routine and plotting his future moves, Krixo was not ready when he suddenly lost his connection to Ann and the rest at the laboratories. There was blackness in his mind and then a blinding loss. Something was wrong, something that he had not anticipated. The loss of Ann Bryson-Vega was especially crippling to the beast. She was one of his favorites and provided him with a wealth of information. Now, her mind was gone, no longer his to control and so were the others around her. He felt a sudden void.
No… How can this be? They are mine… How could they be gone?... That asari is to blame… She knows more than I thought she did… I will have my revenge upon her… Aria…
Rage filled Krixo as he realized the violation that occurred. He reached out again and tried to find those that had suddenly been stripped from him, but there was only silence. The face of his newest nemesis filled his thoughts as he aimed his anger at the thralls that were currently around him.
Those that would dare to interfere will pay… with their lives. All shall follow me and be grateful for my influence! Nothing will stand in my way!
The giant tried to focus himself and when he did, the face of Shepard replaced that of Aria T'Loak. The memory of their first union, when he tasted the strength and self-determination the woman possessed triggered something in him. A yearning ran through Leviathan, as he longed to touch her mind again and control her. He could see her clearly and knew that she would be his destiny.
Come to me, Shepard… I will know you again… I will wield your power and touch your mind… You will be my human form and together, we will know true power… I will rise from the unknown and take my place among the stars, again…
Krixo's thoughts became intensely focused on Shepard; she was all that he could picture and with his enormous power used it to reach out and attempt to touch the mind of the one he desired. For just the briefest moment, he felt her.
Shepard… Come to me… Open yourself up and you will know true power… All will be yours…
Feeling the presence of Shepard's strong will, Krixo was delighted. A desire unlike anything he knew surged through him, as he felt what the Commander was thinking… A beautiful blue face, with a swollen belly… Longing and melancholy… Then the link was severed, as Shepard pushed him out. A name formed in his thoughts, one that Shepard guarded more than any other…
Liara…
Pacing back-and-forth in her well-appointed cabin that was clearly made for 'important' passengers, Commander Shepard had not expected to feel sadness at her return to the Normandy. To her dismay, she could not shake the feeling that she no longer belonged on the ship that had once been her home. So much had changed since the Reaper War. People looked at her as some kind of hero or worse, a super human. Her friends had moved on with their lives and for the most part, so had she. She had found happiness in her new role as wife and soon to be father with Liara, but being back on the Normandy stirred up all sorts of unresolved feelings. There were ghosts that seemed to haunt her while she was onboard and none so much as the ship's new Commander.
How the hell am I going to fight Leviathan? We barely know anything about them except that they can control the minds of those around them and through those damn orbs and that they created the Reapers. Shit! They created the damn Reapers! And once again, everyone is looking to me to find a way to stop them. I promised Liara and I mean to keep that promise. Guess it's time to pull another rabbit out of my hat.
The thought of Liara, pregnant and alone added to the weight that Shepard was carrying with her. I miss you so much, Li. I hate being away from you; you're the best part of me. Melancholy started setting in and made the Commander feel even more isolated.
A sudden coldness crept across her body and her mind felt like something uninvited was watching her. A whisper seemed to push her thoughts away… Shepard… Come to me… Open yourself up and you will know true power… All will be yours…
"No! Get out…" Shepard grabbed her head tightly and pushed the invader from her thoughts. Fear ran through her and her only comfort and hope was what she focused on… Liara.
It was gone, but Shepard felt nausea as she realized that the voice had said her wife's name too. Have I put her in danger? I can't and won't let that thing hurt her! I will fight you with everything that I have in me!
Feeling unsettled and very vulnerable after the intrusion, Shepard's melancholy was replaced with fear. That thing will not threaten Liara… or anyone that I love. She brought up a mental image of her wife and remembered touching the mind of her daughter through Liara. A nervous and sickening feeling settled into the pit of her stomach at the thought of Leviathan controlling either of them. Never… That will never happen… Tears started filling Shepard's eyes and her body started to shake involuntarily. She desperately wanted to hold Liara and touch her mind, to find solace in their love for one another and know that she was safe.
Shepard crossed her room and stood before a mirror hanging on the wall. There were dark bags underneath her green eyes. The reflection staring back looked tired. Though her scars had faded, Shepard could still see them, an ever present reminder of the years of torture that her body had endured. Liara always made the past and the pain seem worthwhile. You've always believed in me, no matter what. Even when I died, you still did not lose faith in me. I will stop Leviathan, I will find a way. You and our child will be safe… So help me, Li… I will stop them and come home to you… both of you…
Fear was replaced with determination and a belief and knowing that she would find a way to face and stop Leviathan. Shepard's thoughts were interrupted, as an incoming call announced itself on the comms.
"Commander Shepard…" Ashley's voice sparked Shepard to attention, "There is a Ganar Drace of Kalros's Vengeance that is requesting to speak with you."
"Thanks, Williams" Shepard answered, while shaking herself out of her gloominess. She shook her head and smiled… Drace is one of Aria's people… "I know him and I think that he was sent by Aria to help us against Leviathan. I'll be right up."
When Shepard arrived at the CIC, Commander Williams was busy directing her crew. Shepard hung back for a moment to watch how Ash interacted with the members of the Normandy and more importantly, how they reacted to her. She looks confident and respected, I need to step back and let her lead. "Commander Williams, I'm ready to take the call from Ganar Drace."
"Hello Commander, please feel free to use my terminal," Ash pointed to a station to the left of the star map and directed her yeoman to connect the call and then went back to her work.
Shepard took her position at the Commander's terminal and waited for Drace.
"Commander Shepard, this is Ganar Drace of Kalros's Vengeance. I've got orders from Aria that I'm supposed to 'Kick some Leviathan ass and drive them to hell with the Reapers'. She was very clear about her instructions."
"I bet she was…" Shepard muted the comm and looked to Ash, "Is it okay to give him the coordinates? I think they could help us."
Ashley thought for a moment; she was no fan of Aria's but understood her motivation for wanting to fight Leviathan. "Yes… I'll have my pilot send them right away."
Shepard turned back to Drace, "We are sending you our coordinates, prepare to come along side us. And Drace, I'm going to hold you to Aria's orders too." Shepard laughed as she ended the call. Damn that Aria… you really don't want to fuck with her.
The Normandy's pilot's voice came over the comms, "Commander, we are entering Psi Tophet and 2181 Despoina is 4 hours away."
"Make sure that the stealth systems are fully engaged and that Drace's people are secured on board," Commander Williams directed back at the pilot.
"Yes ma'am."
Williams turned to Shepard, "Well Commander, looks like we're almost there. Shall we have Garrus and Tali join us in the conference room?"
"Sounds like a good idea. We should probably include Drace too." Adrenaline started pumping through Shepard at the realization that they were closing in on Leviathan. Four more hours…
Waiting for the arrival of Aria and Tevos, Liara had the chance to look over the Council's ship. The Midnight Star was nowhere near as impressive as the Destiny Ascension, but it was sleek and very luxurious. Based on the cushy aesthetics of the interior, it was obviously used by those that were deemed to be quite important. The accommodations all had staterooms, complete with top of the line communicators with priority comm buoy access in each room and state of the art computer terminals capable of almost anything the user could want. The ship was made to impress and bestow comfort to its passengers. Fighting and battle were far from Midnight Stars abilities, but it gave the feeling that it could out run just about anything. Liara hoped that the trip to Thessia would be quick and that their captain would use the ship's speed to its fullest advantage.
With the arrival of Aria and Tevos, the ship seemed to come alive; attendants were standing by suddenly to see to the needs of the asari couple. Liara watched how others reacted to the couple: some were in awe, some cowered or were disgusted, but all took notice of the two.
"Liara, I hope that you did not wait too long for us," Tevos approached the younger asari and greeted her with a light hug.
"No, Thea. I was able to get myself settled and ready for the trip." Liara returned the embrace and then turned her attention to Aria. "Aria, you do not look well…"
"Fuck you too…" Aria grumbled at Liara. "Don't fucking start with me T'Soni and keep your voice down, damn it."
Tevos smiled deviously and unsympathetically at her bondmate, "I am sorry Liara, but Aria decided to go on a bit of a binge last night." She squeezed Aria's arm and then playfully patted her lover's rear, "She was moving a bit slower than I expected."
Frowning and looking a shade lighter than normal, Aria was silent for a change. A group of krogan entered and quietly tried to blend in to the walls of the ship.
"I believe that we are ready to leave now," Thea said to the attendant closest to her.
"Yes, Councilor, I will inform the captain immediately." The attendant quickly headed towards the cockpit and almost seemed relieved to be leaving.
"We will get settled and then be back to join you," Thea locked arms with her very hung-over mate and started to lead her to their room. "Please make yourself comfortable, Liara. We will not be long."
"Speak for yourself… If you plan on entertaining Liara instead of me, then I'm taking a fucking nap." Aria held Thea tighter and shook her head. She almost seemed to be pouting, "I remembered your dinner…"
"And it made a delicious breakfast, Love. I would rather make good on my word when I will enjoy it too." Thea's expression lightened as she assumed the role of the politician, "I think some sleep for you sounds like an excellent plan." With that, Thea led her lover to their destination, leaving Liara alone with the krogan bodyguards.
Liara sat in one of the overstuffed chairs and tried to relax as she waited for Thea to come back. Time passed by and Liara started thinking about the asari in the other room. The image of Aria hung-over was not one too many were privy to and it brought a smile to her face. Who would have thought that Aria T'Loak would actually be the bondmate of Thea Tevos? And be such an influence in my life? Liara's thoughts went to their bond on Omega and what they had shared together in order to stop Petrovsky. She has such loyalty to those she lets in and such ferocity to everyone else. Part of Liara was comforted by the mere presence of Aria.
"I am sorry to keep you waiting," Thea entered the room looking a bit more relaxed now that her bondmate was resting and took a seat next to Liara. A serving tray containing tea and refreshments was placed at a table in front of the two asari.
"Is Aria actually resting?"
"I think the correct phrase is passed out. I have put her through much stress in the past week. I do not think that she is used to feeling helpless; it does not sit well with her." Sadness could be heard in Thea's voice at the mention of her possession.
Reaching out to comfort her friend, Liara fully understood what both asari were feeling. "You have both been through a lot." She turned her attention fully to Tevos and looked into her eyes, "Thea, how are you doing with everything? I know that you feel guilty for what has transpired, but it was not really you."
Letting her defenses down slightly, Thea embraced the opportunity to share with Liara, "It has been very hard… Feeling that thing inside of my mind and not being able to do anything to stop it." Tears started to form in Thea's eyes, "Leviathan is a monster, Liara. I have had nightmares about it and what it wants to do. It views us as pawns, possessions to control and a way to accumulate power. It still frightens me." Tevos looked away with her admission and tried to regain her composure.
Liara took Thea into her arms and held her, although the growing child in her belly made the hug somewhat awkward. "I too am worried for Shepard and what she is going to face. Leviathan is such an unknown and capable of powers that we have not seen."
"Fuck that…"
Both women turned their heads in the direction of the obscenity and were surprised to see Aria supporting herself in the doorway, fully dressed in her leather pants and infamous Omega jacket.
"Shepard is going to kill that damn beast and I will do everything in my power to help her!" A wicked and determined grin spread across Aria's face. Even hung-over, confidence filled her person and her words. Aria quickly assumed her position next to Tevos. "That thing will never hurt you again… I will not allow it." Aria touched her bondmate gently on the shoulder and then cupped her cheek. "Never again, Thea."
Tevos looked deeply into her lover's eyes; there was no question or doubt. She felt some of Aria's strength and resolve, "Thank you…"
Leaning in and lightly kissing Thea, Aria took in the sight of her lover to make sure that her words had landed with Thea. She then turned her attention to Liara, "Don't you fucking doubt Shepard… She's not going to let anything threaten you or that baby you're growing… By the way, what is her name anyway?"
The tension in the room was lifted and both Tevos and Aria were now staring at Liara, waiting for her answer.
"We have not yet told anyone…" Liara looked slightly uncomfortable with the inquiry.
"We are not just anyone, now are we?" Aria pressed. "If you are waiting until she is born to tell me that she's named Aria, then I guess I can live with that…" The devilish smile returned to Aria's lips.
"Really, Aria?" Tevos gave her bondmate a light swat, "I'm sure that they would not be that cruel to their child." Thea was now wearing an identical expression to the one Aria had.
Shaking her head at the pair, Liara thought for a moment, "Benezia… We've decided to name her after my mother."
The pair was quiet; both knew the fate of Liara's mother and the pain that her memory brought to their friend. Aria also had a memory from their bond of a younger Benezia wearing a yellow dress, speaking lovingly to her daughter and the happiness that Liara still felt towards her.
"She will have a very strong will and a bright future." Tevos was the first to speak and as she did, placed her hand on Liara's belly.
Aria gave her friend a cross between a warm smile and a pout, "Aria would still make a good name."
Feeling better and happy to be with Aria and Thea, Liara shook her head playfully, "Surely you would want to use that for your own daughter's name."
"Don't you even fucking start with those ideas, T'Soni!" Aria started to look pale again and couldn't help but notice the wheels spinning in her bondmate's mind.
"Excuse me," one of the attendants approached, "We have a meal prepared for you all and after, we should be arriving at Thessia."
The group followed the attendant and took their places at a comfortable and well-appointed table containing a variety of Thessian dishes. Liara looked around the table and then spoke to the attendant, "Do you have any tabasco sauce?"