Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any Mass Effect or Bioware intellectual property.
Please also note that this story contains some profanity and sexuality. Spoilers present for the games, DLC, and comics.
A/N: Check out fishbone76's Non est ad astra mollis e terris via on Deviantart for one of the scenes :)
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Chapter 14: Bondmates II
Feron paced outside the medbay. While Liara was under, he'd decided to manage the Shadow Broker intel, but with Liara's efficiency, little needed to be done other than checking in at various points in a day through Glyph, his least favorite VI. If he didn't know better, the insufferable thing had taken a liking to him. He'd had to force it back into Liara's office after it tried following him out.
It seemed some of the crew and squad knew Liara's secret while others didn't. Feron knew from his experience as a double, hell a triple agent, that the less people knew the better. Hence his guilt that Xen's system had tricked him into giving Liara away to the matriarch Board Member. Shepard had purged all her data and killed the commando who'd interrogated him as Liara in the system and Feron had purged the records at the abandoned factory they'd kept him in.
Feron frowned to himself. How had they found out about him? Apparently not all of his bases had been covered—they'd known. For how long, he could only guess. He'd been balancing on the high wire of internal espionage since it had been chosen for him under the compact on Kahje. He'd flourished at it, but he'd also learned that at some point, someone always found out or at least finally acted on a suspicion they'd had all along. He suspected the latter had occurred with the Board.
He felt someone halt his pacing. He was a tall—well all turians are tall—turian that he immediately recognized as the Tertiarch and more importantly, one of Liara's closest friends.
"Hey, I uh…" the man began, holding a small glass out toward Feron. "Thought you could use this. Thane Krios liked it while he was aboard and left some behind. Not sure what you're partial to, but…"
Feron took the glass and sniffed. It was a rare drell alcohol. Rare because it originated from the drell homeworld, rather than Kahje. His inner lid blinked and he took a savoring swig, letting out his breath in a satisfied sigh. "Thank you. Garrus Vakarian?" He said the name questioningly to be polite.
"That's right. We're all waiting at the mess if you want to join us. Sometimes it helps to wait with others—distract yourself. I hear she's completely fine, by the way. Just resting."
"Yes, that's what the doctor told me as well," he nodded. A memory purchased his consciousness. It was all he could do to live it internally and not announce it to the Tertiarch before him.
"How is she, Doctor?" he asked the older human. Shepard had insisted he be looked at as well as soon as Liara was taken care of.
"She'll be just fine. She overtaxed her system while it was depleted. Naturally, she'll need a couple days' rest." The doctor flashed a light to the side of each eye, making sure his inner lid performed normally. "You seem physically normal, but I wonder how you are coping mentally with what happened, Mr. Lathnewol."
"Call me Feron."
"Very well, tell me about what happened when you were in the system, Feron."
"I…" he started and quickly pulled on a mask. "It was nothing."
"Feron, human doctors are required to keep patient-doctor confidentiality. You can talk to me."
"To be honest, doctor," he sighed. "It was…heavenly."
The woman looked puzzled for a second. "How do you mean?"
"The system works by allowing the prisoner's mind to make its own sort of reality. Mine was…pleasant." He fought the eidetic memory that was forcing its way to the surface, but couldn't stop it. "Liara coming to me, telling me she hadn't known how I felt. She touched an arm, her warm touch an encouragement and asked me how long I'd felt this way." His inner lids blinked and he closed his outer ones, taking his forehead in his hands as he concentrated on the present, forcing the memory down.
When he lifted his shamed gaze, the doctor's eyes were wide. Maintaining her professionalism, she didn't pry on the details, but asked "I assume that was the famous drell eidetic memory?"
"Yes."
"So tell me about coming out of the system. Our own Kasumi Goto had a bit of trouble dealing with breaking with the reality her mind had set up."
"I think I knew, somehow, somewhere it wasn't real. I knew, at least, that Liara was…off. She wouldn't have…"
"I see," the doctor nodded, her eyes warm with understanding.
Feron swished the contents of the glass handed to him by Garrus and gestured with it for them to go to the mess table with the others. The turian sat next to a quarian. Tali'Zorah vas Normandy nar Rayya, Feron knew. His eyes flew from one crew member or squadmate to the next, his internal data implant immediately recognizing each of them, though it was unnecessary. He took it upon himself to familiarize himself intimately with any aboard the Normandy for Liara's sake and to ensure Shepard's mission—first the Reapers, now the Board. This over-familiarity would have made any discussion difficult, as he already knew the answers new acquaintances often asked each other, but he wasn't new to this by any means. "You said something about a distraction? I've got an idea, if you'd like."
"Shoot," Garrus nodded.
"Favorite Liara story."
Most of the people around the table perked up and most smiled or smirked.
"No problemo," Vega began, grinning. "Chica nearly sent me over Shepard's balcony at the party we had before London back on the Citadel just to prove a point. Woman has cojones."
"Damn it, Vega!" Jack slammed her arm on the table. "That was gonna be mine." She pointed a peeved finger in his face. "Wait," she paused. "No I changed my mind. I punched Shepard one time in front of her and Liara slammed me into a wall. She got all apologetic and shit, saying it was reflex until I told her to get her ass down to the shuttle bay. We went a good ten rounds and I didn't have to tell her to go all out. That's fucking class," Jack smiled as she played with a barrette of Miranda's, keeping it away from her with her biotics while the other attempted to retrieve it through her own. They claimed it was 'a bit of practice'.
"Mine's way better." Quoyle leaned in. "We were diving to some Prothean ruins—only because she bribed the hanar in charge of them by the way." A few brows quirked at that. "We get hit by two torpedos sent by one of Cerberus's assholes. Water's rushing in, we're going to drown, and Liara says 'Give me some room'." He motioned as Liara had, spreading his arms wide. "Surges of biotics push out the water and she puts the entire diver in a barrier, keeping us from flooding and protecting us from torpedos at the same time. First time I ever gave someone a refund for my work."
Quoyle and Jack began to argue. Garrus sounded over them to interrupt. "Pathetic, all of you," he sneered as he began his story.
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Liara felt warm… no hot. She opened her eyes a little painfully due to the brightness of the med-bay and saw why. Shepard had put nearly every blanket available on top of her. She chuckled lightly, reminding herself to tell Shepard about asari homeostasis sometime, not that she imagined it would have mattered. The sound of her soft laugh stirred Shepard, a light sleeper by training. Her head bolted up from the top of the blankets, her hands pushing away from the bed and she stood from Chakwas' chair all in the same second. The doctor immediately retrieved it, muttering 'thief' and rolled it back to her desk before pushing Shepard aside to scan Liara.
"Young lady," she told Liara when she was done. "If I ever hear of you using your biotics after losing liters of blood again—"
"Technically, she's almost 110," Shepard stepped in to save Liara with a yawn.
Liara smiled up at Shepard, wanting to laugh again at her wife's hair, pressed in awkward directions, not to mention the waffle pattern on her face from the top blanket.
"Which if I remember correctly, Captain, is rather young for an asari. I'm in my prime however and will scold a 110 year old if I have to."
"Shepard," Liara interrupted. "You are too kind, but it is rather difficult to breathe under all these blankets. Can you help me lift them?"
"I told her you didn't need them. You will need to rest a bit more, though." She smiled down at one of her favorites on the Normandy. They had been close on the SR1, bonding over their mutual love of science and Liara had had an overly curious mind for human female anatomy that made the doctor chuckle to this day. "Alright, now, out of my med-bay you two. Liara, you're a doctor. Act like it next time."
"Technically—" Shepard began to correct the doctor again before Chakwas gave her a challenging glanced and she swallowed the rest. She fell to helping Liara remove the mountain of blankets instead. "Sorry, Li. You were just so cold on the way up here from Thessia…"
Liara began to sit up when she was free, but Shepard laid a hand on her shoulder, keeping her down. She looked up confused until she felt Shepard slip an arm beneath her rib cage and another under her knees, raising her from the bed. Shepard tisked, pressing her forehead to Liara's. "No, no. Doctor's orders are for you to rest, my wife. They're my orders as well."
"Am I to be confined to quarters, Captain?" Liara purred before pulling her collar down for a kiss.
"None of that." Chakwas warned from her seat as she typed her report.
Shepard turned around so they were facing the doctor, fixing an accusing glare on Liara, undermined by an amused smirk. "No worries, Doc. She won't be getting away with anything under my watch."
"I'm not as reassured as you might hope, Captain," Chakwas shook her head, skeptical, but smiled.
"Ah, have a little faith in an N7's discipline, Doc."
Chakwas didn't even acknowledge the comment, but continued to shake her head.
Liara ignored them both, nuzzling into Shepard's neck. She would be content to rest there for any number of days, doctor's orders or not. As soon as the door swooshed open to the crewdeck, she pulled Shepard's collar down again smiling up at her wife's narrowed eyes of accusation before she heard a scuffle from the mess. She tapped Shepard's arm to release her to a standing position. Shepard reluctantly obliged, the crowd rushing for them. To Liara's relief, Feron was among them, safe with no harm done to him on her account. He stood aloof with a reserved smile.
Garrus and Tali were the first to reach them. Tali gave her a few reproaches, tossing in a couple of bosh'tets and Garrus countered her with an approving grin and chuck to the shoulder that Shepard and Tali both scolded.
Shepard watched Liara with all the attentiveness she brought to a firefight as her crew and squad welcomed Liara back. At the first sign of fatigue, she shooed them away and made for the lift, picking Liara up again. "Stingy!" Kasumi called out, making Liara laugh.
Shepard pressed the key for the shuttle bay rather than the loft. Liara tilted her head up at her in confusion.
Shepard answered the unspoken question. "We're staying at your dad's…well, your place…well, I guess it was your mom's, but she left it to you and Aethyta's been taking care of it?"
"Ah," Liara nodded. "Yes. Good. I'd like you to see it, but do we have time, Shepard? Shouldn't we leave for Palaven now?"
"I still have some business I'd like to take care of for the Council while we're here." Shepard half fibbed. Then she chuckled.
"What?" Liara grinned up at her in anticipation.
"You're in trouble with Aethtya too."
Liara pursed her lips. "Too? Who else am I in trouble with?"
"Me, of course."
"Oh," Liara waved the threat away dismissively.
"Oh?" Shepard raised a brow.
"Yes, 'Oh'." Liara grinned. "You don't scare me, Shepard."
Shepard lifted the Kodiak's hatch with the hand holding Liara's knees and waited as it opened for them before ducking inside. She laid Liara on a med cot that hovered with mass effect fields beneath it. Liara wouldn't be bounced around even if Shepard was driving, though luckily a crewmember would be. "Is that right?" Shepard's voice was cocky as she strapped Liara in snuggly at the waist.
She looked up at Liara who merely raised and lowered her eyebrows playfully and bit her lip just as cockily.
"Minx." Shepard accused and tugged on the straps a bit tighter before commanding the hatch to close. She crawled on top of Liara, propping herself up, her weight off of her. "Do you have any idea what I'm capable of?"
Liara grinned again. "I do, in fact, yes."
"I don't think you do…" Shepard teased Liara's neck with her lips. She kissed Liara's collar bone then trailed her tongue to the curve of her neck again, biting down, earning a gasp from Liara. "I could so easily stop this, for instance." Shepard chuckled and raised herself off the cot, heading for the cockpit as a crewman entered to take them down.
Liara laid down staring up at the ceiling, panting before she raised her head and let it fall back down, disappointed Shepard had really meant what she said. "Evil." Liara chided.
Shepard laughed as the engines came on. "Serves you right."
Liara groaned softly, but finding the drugs still affecting her, she let her lids close and drifted to sleep once more.
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Liara woke in a soft, familiar bed. Her first bed, in fact, at her mother's estate now strangely hers but cared for by Aethyta after the war. What humans would assume was silk created a sheen curtain around the bed that blew lightly with a breeze. She rolled her neck to the right to look toward the window and smiled. Shepard sat in the bay window's nook, her legs stretched out and crossed in front of her and her hair caught in the same breeze as the curtains. One foot tapped the air to an inaudible rhythm.
Liara took it all in. She'd never tire of the sight of her beloved. More than her beauty, there was an aura about her—an aura she had recognized on Therum before she knew she would love this woman with all her soul. She still hadn't solved the mystery behind that aura, but would gladly devote herself to adoring it for the years to come.
Shepard raised a mug to her lips, still watching Armali and the sea. She let out a soft satisfied sigh after swallowing and said, "You going to stay in bed all day, Beautiful?" She turned her brilliant eyes on Liara sweetly. "Not that I'd stop you. Sounds like a good day to me," she gave Liara a soft wink before peering out again.
Liara sat up, dipping her toes into a pair of slippers. She looked down at herself and noticed Shepard must have at some point put her in the set loungewear she now wore and smiled at the thought. She joined Shepard who propped up a pillow up next to her, then wrapped a lazy arm around her before taking another sip of tea and handing it to her wife. Liara accepted it gladly and kissed Shepard's shoulder. As soon as Shepard had learned Liara's love of tea, she went out of her way if necessary to be sure Liara had it each morning. Liara let out her own satisfied sigh after a drink and gave it back to Shepard who took another swig as she watched a small ocean ship come into the bay. She leaned her head on Shepard's shoulder. "How long was I asleep?"
"'Good sixteen hours, I'd say. You were a log. I couldn't believe you didn't wake up when Aethyta let the mass effect fields die on the cot. Heh," Shepard chuckled softly. "She caught you with her biotics then growled something about how humans use mass effect fields for everything ever since they discovered them. Had to remind her not everyone oozes eezo. Even when I changed you, you barely made a noise." She glanced down at Liara with a smile and glare. "You really overdid it this time."
"I was wondering myself how I managed to sleep through some things," Liara smiled down, ignoring the last comment and looking at her changed attire then smirked up at Shepard.
"What?" Shepard gave a small shrug. "You wanted to be in your dirty under-armor clothes when you woke up?"
"I'm surprised I woke up in something this comfortable. I would have thought you'd take advantage."
"Oh I took advantage," Shepard teased. Liara gently slapped her thigh, earning a chuckle. "Just a little." Shepard pinched the air. "But nothing you'd be upset about missing."
"How can you be sure?" Liara's voice took on a confident cadence Shepard knew was an invitation.
Shepard quirked a brow, looking down at Liara on her shoulder out of the corner of her eye. "Oh no, you don't."
"Oh no I don't ,what?" Liara titled her head on the shoulder slightly to peer up at her.
"You're still in trouble. I saw you going crazy with your biotics while you bled all over the place. And Aethyta told on you. Said you kept stealing her hits and had to threaten you with a stasis."
Liara averted her eyes innocently. "I did nothing you wouldn't have done."
"But I'm an idiot. You're not."
"You're not an idiot. I've seen your school and Alliance records. You're well on the other side of the spectrum of intellect, in fact. Even better, you're smart enough to feign the simple soldier when you need to, but you can't fool me, love." She lifted herself from Shepard's shoulder and stroked her cheek.
"Flattery won't get you out of this."
"Then what will?" she purred into Shepard's ear. Shepard remained staunch, but Liara saw goosebumps form on her arms despite her resolve. She stroked an arm, encouraged, enjoying the soft hair that she hadn't noticed until the first time she'd felt it on the night before Ilos. It had been a night of so many firsts. She picked up the hand that followed the arm and brought it to her lips, kissing Shepard's war-torn knuckles, turning them over to kiss the muscle of her thumb tenderly.
Shepard turned the hand slightly so that it cupped Liara's cheek. "That's a start," Shepard brought her forward, bringing their lips together. Liara felt Shepard holding back and frowned, urging more from her.
"Shhh," Shepard hushed Liara's urging. She took Liara's lower lip between hers, brushing her tongue there gently. "Let me savor this. Slow." And she did, concentrating on the magnetic pull she felt in her lips for Liara's. She lowered herself eventually so that Liara lay down and hovered above her in the kiss. She brought a leg around, straddling Liara and pinned her arms just above her head. "What to do with you…" Shepard pondered threateningly as she kissed Liara's throat.
Liara shivered. "Anything."
"Anything?" Shepard asked, the threat lingering in her voice as she trailed her lips down the center of Liara's chest.
"Anything," Liara repeated desperately in a breathed whisper.
"I wondered who was top," another voice interrupted.
The pair froze, the biotics that had started to surround them dissolving instantly. Shepard hid in the crook of Liara's neck and mock sobbed as she spoke, "Damn it, Aethyta." She sat up and released Liara, stepping down from the bay window's nook to sit on its edge. She combed her hair through her fingers, rested her forehead on her palm, elbow on knee, looking down. Liara sat up as well, averting her eyes from either of them, pulling up a strap that had fallen over her shoulder and blushed.
Aethyta laughed. "Athame's tits, you'd think I'd caught you pushing red sand. You're married. I know you fuck."
Shepard looked up and glared. "We would if—"
"Shepard!" Liara whispered, embarrassed.
"And for the record," Shepard ignored her. "We trade top and bottom pretty often."
"Shepard!" Liara scolded louder this time.
Aethyta grinned. "I'm so proud. Come on, Shepard. We need to talk."
Liara frowned. "Just Shepard?"
"Did I say Little Miss Steals Kills from Dad could come?" Aethyta glared. "Stay in your room."
Liara's eyes widened and she barely stifled her laughter though it came out in her voice. "Or what?"
Shepard groaned, but agreed to meet her downstairs in a minute. Liara leaned back in the nook, taking up the tea once more with a grin, wondering what Aethyta was up to.
Shepard tortured Liara a bit before leaving her in her old bedroom, commanding her to rest up. Liara sent a stasis for her in frustration of being denied once again, but Shepard closed the door and stepped aside in time. She dared to peek back in. "Rest!" She closed the door quickly again when Liara sent a singularity. From the outside she shouted again: "Rest!" She set up two spy drones outside Liara's room so she'd know if she left.
She jogged down the corridor, coming to the stairs. She trailed her fingers on the banister then jumped to slide on it and whooped as she glided down the five or so stories, she hadn't counted. Normally the N7 Captain of the Normandy, savoir of the galaxy, knew better, but Aethtya had greeted her and an unconscious Liara that way coming in the door and told Shepard she had to try it. Aethtya had bellowed, remembering the first time she'd done it and the look on Benezia's face. Shepard met what she imagined to be a similar look from a severe matriarch waiting at the foot of the stairs.
Shepard allowed the momentum to land her gracefully with a respectable distance from the matriarch. She nodded her head, stifling a grin until Aethtya came in clapping. "What'd I tell ya, Kid?" She threw an arm around Shepard. "Matriarch Aleena." Aethyta nodded to her, now in full matriarch get up herself.
Shepard's head snapped toward the matriarch she'd never met. "Wait. Matriarch Aleena?"
The first matriarch's stiff gaze broke and the two matriarch's burst out laughing. "Yes, Captain," Aleena held out her hand and Shepard clasped it.
"Wrex's Aleena?" She grinned.
"I never considered myself 'Wrex's', but yes. Aethyta and I go back a long ways. I was happy to assist with arranging the ritual for you and her daughter, Captain."
"Oh, this is too good," Shepard was grinning ear to ear. "He's coming."
Aleena's face fell. "What?"
"You didn't know?"
"I haven't seen him for centuries. We don't exactly keep tabs on each other." Then she grinned as well. "You're his battlemaster, right?" she took hold of Shepard's hands in a familiar way Shepard was unused to, even from an asari.
"Yes…sort of. I was." She shrugged.
Aleena squeezed Shepard's hands excitedly. "The hit on me died when that old volus sucked the last of his air in. We need another excuse to continue the fight, Shepard. Order him to take me down or at least honor the old contract."
Shepard looked at her bewildered and stepped back to cross her arms. "What the—You're half krogan arent' you? That's how you and Aethyta know each other? Your fathers were pals or something?"
Aethtya looked offended, a first in Shepard's book. "Her father was a drell, Shepard. And what? All krogan daughters know all other krogan daughters?"
"Did you just call me a racist?" Shepard grinned. "Come on! She was begging for a battle. That's a stereotype that's hard to get around." She winked at Aleena who laughed.
"You're lucky you're about to bond with my daughter, Shepard, or I'd—"
Shepard smiled and cut her off. "Speaking of, you're daughter nearly bloodraged on me up there. She's fine and knows it. How soon can the ritual start?"
"I just came in to tell you, Captain, that everything is ready when you are." Aleena smiled.
Shepard felt a knot in her stomach—a flit of nervousness she found difficult to comprehend. This was just sealing the deal, right? She was married to Liara for the Goddess's sake. Still…this was the asari bonding ritual. They'd be recognized bondmates and wives soon and her stomach flit again in anticipation and excitement. She'd been waiting for this and planning for what seemed like ages thanks to having to hide it from Liara. She had to fight bounding up the stairs to grab Liara by the hand and march her straight to the ritual. She won the fight, determined to stick to the plan.
"Great," she finally nodded. "We should be there shortly then. Aethyta, I'll leave it to you to make sure Aleena and Wrex wait to kill each other until after the ritual."
Aethyta turned on her sharply. "Now, Shepard. I'm Liara's father. I have to tell you—"
"Ah man, Aethyta, can't you threaten me later?"
"You hurt one eyelash on Liara—"
"I'm dying. I'm literally dying, Aethyta. You killed me. There. I'm dead. No more need for threats."
"You joke, Shepard, but this isn't just some ceremony. A part of Liara will forever be a part of you after the ritual. With you being a shorter lived species, a part of her will die much earlier than—"
She was cut off once again when Shepard enveloped her in a forceful embrace. Aethyta struggled in vain as Shepard held her and finally let her go, throwing her head back in a laugh. "Aethyta," she said as seriously as she could. "I'm the happiest woman in the galaxy because you helped bring Liara into this world. I'll treasure her well beyond my short lifetime and I'll protect her for as long as my soul exists. You have my word, my pledge, my solemn vow. I love her more than anything in existence." She stepped closer and whispered to the side of Aethyta's head so only she could hear. "If I'd had to choose that day (the day the Reapers fell) my death for Liara's life. I would have. But if I'd had choose between ending the Reapers and saving Liara?" She let the words hang chillingly. "No," she stepped back a little, a determined gaze fixed on her father-in-law. "I did. I called the Normandy for an evac and made Liara get the hell out of there, knowing it might cost us the time to beat the Reapers. When I ran for the beam, I didn't doubt for a second I would die, but I also knew that I would succeed and you know why?"
Aethyta was unresponsive, so Shepard continued, stepping closer again and spoke so only she could hear once more: "I went up there ready to kill the entire galaxy if it would save Liara. Even if she would hate me for it. Ready to hate myself for it. Lucky for the galaxy, following orders let me save her too. I didn't save everyone because I'm some fucking hero. I'm weak. I would have done anything for her, been anything for her: hero or devil. Paragon or renegade."
Shepard trembled slightly at her own words. She'd never allowed those thoughts to fully form in her mind, let alone speak them aloud to someone. Even having saved the galaxy, she hated herself, knowing they were true. Would Liara really bond herself to such a creature, a monster capable of such selfishness? Then it dawned on her that Liara knew what she'd not acknowledged herself until now. Anderson had guessed it: "You were staring at what you were fighting for. It's no wonder you won." She hadn't fought for the galaxy, even when she was going after the Collectors. Nor had she fought for her own survival. She'd fought for Liara's. And miracle upon miracle Liara didn't think less of her for it. A nearly audible click sounded as something else connected in Shepard's mind. Liara would have done the same. She would be the angel or devil Shepard needed her to be. She looked away though she didn't move otherwise, a little aghast at the realization. Hell, she had known that the geth might die and her heart had ached as her mind tortured itself with the sight of EDI's strangely fitting smile flashing across her vision as she pulled the trigger. She hadn't hesitated even still. It was the only way she knew Liara would be safe. Love could be so…terrifying. It could change you without you even realizing it.
Aethyta had remained motionless as Shepard told her all. She brought her arms up slowly and then forcefully encircled Shepard, holding her fast before she parted them, her arms straightened with her hands on Shepard's shoulders as she stared at her daughter-in-law in wonder. "Shepard…" She couldn't even think of an appropriate expletive despite knowing them all. "Call me 'Dad.'"
Shepard shook her head, incredulous at the response, knitting her brows. "Um…What?"
Aleena broke the mood with a laugh. "I don't know what that was, but it was fun to watch. Come on, Thyta. Let's go make sure the other matriarch's haven't keeled over, waiting for this to start."
Aethyta looked down, still stirred, but patted one of Shepard's shoulder and held her hand there, pausing before she followed Aleena, finally saying "Fuck," still in awe.
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"Shepard?" Liara stopped them on their walk along the beach. "What's wrong? You seem more than a little distracted this evening. I'm fine, I promise." She lifted Shepard's chin and met her wife's eyes, determined to convince her.
Shepard couldn't help the small smile. "I just finally realized today that I would quite literally do anything for you, Liara. I'm a little surprised you're with me, knowing that."
"Love," Liara breathed, bringing them closer together and kissing her wife's cheeks one at a time tenderly. "I…can't help it. And neither can you. It's just who we are together. Please tell me you can live with that." Liara held her close, terrified Shepard was coming to a realization that she couldn't accept of herself. She'd battled those demons when Shepard was dead, striking a deal with the devil—Cerberus—to bring her back.
"As long as you're here." Shepard breathed her in. "This wasn't exactly the mood I planned for this evening."
"Oh?" Liara leaned away slightly to meet her wife's gaze. "What did you have in mind?" She trailed her wife's spine gently with her index finger, up and down to relax Shepard.
"Bliss."
Liara smiled. "Easy." She brought Shepard's lips to hers and kissed her to distraction. Shepard held her tight, not as gently as earlier and Liara embraced it. She kissed her forehead to warn Shepard she was going to meld with her. Love. She didn't speak in or out of the meld any further. She didn't have to. Shepard showed her what she could from her conversation with Aethyta as Liara soothed her, easing her mind, letting her come to peace with who she was, what she was capable of.
Liara ended the meld eventually, kissing Shepard's forehead again. "I know you know this, but I have to say it aloud for you anyway. Even if we're monsters for loving each other as we do, the circumstance you torture yourself with—the hypothetical circumstance where you have to choose me or the galaxy?" She kissed Shepard's lips slowly before she continued. "It will never happen. I'm a part of this galaxy. You separate me from it in an attempt to battle the idea that as you fight enemy after enemy of the galaxy, you are fighting for me, for my very survival. I believe it's a very circumstantial, very specific coping mechanism unique to our situation."
"It's still messed up." Shepard smiled, having already gathered this argument from Liara's mind and having already told her as much (in a sense) in response. She kissed her again, letting her mind be selfish. Maybe Liara was right. It was probably all moot anyway. As ridiculous as the Catalyst's offered choices had been, one where the boy would have asked her to destroy the Reapers or destroy Liara seemed even more ridiculous. Still, she knew the choice she would have made. Goddess, Shepard thought and felt a pang of sympathy for Samara and her bondmate. She couldn't imagine what she would do for their daughters someday if this was what she felt for Liara.
To the brim with self-loathing for the evening, Shepard decided to change gears. She knocked on Liara's forehead gently with a small grin. "May I come in?"
Liara laughed, stealing her previous thoughts away instantly. The meld was sweeter this time as Shepard remembered the first time they'd visited this beach in mind only while she lay in the recompression chamber on Kahje. She'd realized at the time that this was where they would be bonded officially someday. Was today someday? She couldn't doubt it and she was elated.
"My surprise?" Liara looked up at her in the meld and out. "You're thinking about it again…and you're….excited, nervous. What is it?"
Shepard felt Liara absorb her excitement, but ignore the nervousness. "Well…" Shepard smiled and kissed Liara's shoulder.
"Answer something for me first. No meld." Shepard stroked her cheek with the back of a hand tenderly as Liara ended the meld once again. "Why haven't we become official bondmates?"
Liara was stricken by the sudden question. "I supposed we would be someday if you…wanted it too. Perhaps when we wanted children…"
"So you're saying someday, it may be something that you want?"
"I suppose," Liara answered wearily, not wanting Shepard to misunderstand. "Shepard, we're married, which I assure you means just as much to me." She stopped them both to stroke Shepard's cheek in reassurance.
"I know, Love," Shepard smiled. "And I know it would take a lot of preparation we don't have time for right now, but if we could…"
"If we could, of course I would want it Shepard."
Shepard smiled warmly in triumph. "Anything you want, Liara, anything I can give, is yours." She sighed happily. "And I'm so happy I can give you this."
Liara's mind was flooded with Shepard's with no further warning. Liara staggered inwardly, not knowing how it was possible that Shepard had initiated a meld before she felt where the biotics were coming from as they rounded the corner of the beach and came to a gathering she hadn't expected. She felt a pulse of energy that could only be described as multiple and ancient and knew at once it was the martriarchy. It had to have taken weeks of planning to assemble enough of the matriarchs together, and she knew of course, from how long Shepard had been planning her 'surprise'—a word that seemed inadequate at this moment—that it had taken weeks. She felt her father, Jack, Miranda, Javik, and…Wrex?
"Shepard, when did you...? How?"
"I had help, my love. Will you bond with me, my wife?"
"Shepard…" Liara stared at her. The thought that she could respond with anything other than 'yes' would never, could never, occur to her. She was Shepard's already. "I am yours. Every single part of me is yours in every way. I already am your bondmate Shepard."
Shepard felt Liara completely surrender herself and ask in return "Be mine?"
"Always. I already am your bondmate Liara." Shepard repeated, fully surrendering herself to Liara.
Shepard led them the rest of the way to the very spot on the beach they had visited once in mind. Their squad was waiting for them, all smiles. The matriarchs, standing in a circle that opened for Liara and Shepard were channeling the meld for the bonding ritual, their purpose being to maintain it and witness it.
Shepard and Liara's admittance and acceptance of each other witnessed by the matriarchy was the first part of the ritual. That so quickly given, they were at the part Shepard had been nervous for. They would join together in a true joining with the matriarchy bearing witness to this as well. Shepard had accused Aethyta of any number of things when she'd first told her about it until she'd done her own research and found it to be true. The asari didn't think of the joining as sex, per se, as Liara had once explained. It was two souls, minds, and yes, often bodies, becoming one. Some called it metaphysical; others spiritual. Shepard had long decided it didn't matter. It was her and Liara, one. She steeled herself in courage and felt Liara do the same.
They joined. It was strange at the start to be in the mental presence of so many others, but when Shepard lost herself in Liara and took Liara in return, little else took residence in their shared thoughts. Their breathing and heartbeats synced. They reveled in each other and sighed at the wholeness they felt. This being witnessed by the matriarchy, the ritual was furthered by the matriarchs this time with a pulse of biotics many there had never witnessed before. Shepard and Liara felt as if a part of themselves broke off. A piece of their souls, their consciousness, their nervous systems dissolved and reformed in the other, nestling itself there for eternity and they embraced it together. They gasped in unison in awe at the piece of the other that would forever more be theirs. Time, space, nor death could separate them any longer. They were bondmates.
The matriarchy's presence faded, but Shepard and Liara remained joined, intoxicated in their new, eternal connection. They held each other, unaware of time or circumstance. Their breathing and heartbeats had slowed in the calming bliss and one of them began to kiss the other again. Somewhere in the back of their shared consciousness, they knew there were others; they knew that they couldn't have each other fully, but it was a distant and faint corner of their minds that argued the point and it would have lost if like at their wedding, Garrus and Tali hadn't been there to stop them. They parted perhaps more reluctantly than they ever had before, that piece of one another calling to be reconnected with its original owner, but Liara eventually let the meld fade.
As her vision began to better take in reality once again, Shepard blinked and her gaze locked onto Liara's. A smile spread across her lips, matched by Liara's and she stepped forward, taking her in her arms once again. "I love you," she whispered, though it was unnecessary. The squad whooped and cheered, breaking the circle to come congratulate them, though their gaze remained locked.
A sharp, literally breathtaking slap hit Shepard's back and Wrex barked a laugh in congratulations, breaking their trance. He turned to Liara "looks like we're officially clan, Liara. You're krogan one way or the other."
Liara smiled at him as her father joined them. "It would seem so."
Aethyta punched Shepard's shoulder less gently than Shepard was expecting, but the sheen of Aethyta's eyes as she refused tears made Shepard smile warmly at her. "Ah, Kid. I'm so happy for you," Aethyta regarded Liara and in a rare show of affection, brought her in for a hug and kissed the top of Liara's crest. "Your mom would be too."
Liara's eyes widened for a second and Shepard saw a matched battle of wills between Liara's self and tears as she returned her father's embrace. "Thank you, Dad. I know. Love you." She smiled with an accusing glare when they parted. "How long have you known about this?"
Aethyta laughed. "Shepard told me just after you two got hitched that she also wanted a bonding ritual. Then when you asked—"
"Wait, what?" Shepard looked from one to the other.
Aethyta smirked. "Yeah, she calls me up the other day, Shepard and asks if you two should be bonded. Had to steer her away so she wouldn't find out—that's when you came in and I played that recording of her saying "I'll fu—"
"Yes!" Liara interrupted. "We're all caught up now."
Aethtya smirked and looked up at Shepard, nodded in approval, holding her shoulder and squeezing it. "And Shepard?"
"Yeah?"
"Two words: varen meat."
"Yep," Shepard chuckled. "Got it."
"Got it…" Aethyta made a motion with her index finger for her to continue with a grin.
"Got it…Dad?" Shepard struggled with it, but got it out.
Aethyta laughed. "Shit, that was awkward. You can call me 'Thyta, if you'd rather Shepard. I know you humans have a stick up your asses about weird gender issues."
"Well…we just…you know, have gender. But no, it's more that I've never called anyone Dad. I called my own father 'Sir'. But I'll work on it," she smiled at her father-in-law. "Or maybe I'll call you 'Ma'am.'" Shepard wiggled her eyebrows at her in sarcasm. Aethyta's fists began to glow threateningly, but she left them when another matriarch called her.
Liara laced her arms around Shepard's waist, having been released from Tali's vice-like hug. The squad had quickly dissipated to lounging, swimming, or joining an impromptu biota ball game on the beach, their laughter making Shepard smile. With everyone taking care to entertain themselves, Liara purred into Shepard's ear. "I want you to myself, bondmate."
Shepard felt blood rush to her extremities, her hands tingling to touch Liara instantly and her head foggy with want. She turned in her arms and took her lips into hers. The only thing that stopped them was a loud roar. "ALEENA!" Wrex yelled after the matriarch as she flew off with her biotics, too fast for Wrex who lumbered after her. He tried sending his own biotics after her and even shot at her a few times, though with a lack of precision Shepard raised an eyebrow at. Apparently he was content to let her escape again.
"Guess I didn't need to make it an order," Shepard smirked.
"Make what an order?" Liara looked up at her puzzled then back at the spectacle.
"Tell ya later," Shepard chuckled as Tevos approached, apparently as unfazed as Shepard by the scene.
"Congratulations, Captain, Dr. T'Soni." Tevos nodded at them both.
"Thank you, Councilor. And thank you for being a witness," she gestured toward the headdress Tevos wore.
"My pleasure, Captain. I won't 'talk shop', as Anderson used to put it, on your bonding day, but when you have a chance, we should discuss Matriarch T'Cora while we are both on Thessia."
"Of course, Councilor." Shepard nodded.
"Good." Tevos smiled. "And congratulations again." She turned to Liara. "I knew your mother, Doctor. I have no doubt she would be happy for you on this day."
Liara smiled and nodded. Shepard rubbed her arms up and down in comfort and returned her wife's, now also her bondmate's, earlier tantalizing sentiment. "Shall we?"
Liara melted into her and nodded. The others seemed content to themselves, so they stole off without a word toward the Kodiak, Shepard starting the engines.
Kasumi saw them leaving and gave a flippant salute. Shepard winked.
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"Funny, there's nothing like looking at them from a new planet," Shepard gazed at the stars. They sat on the Kodiak's rooftop, their legs swung over the sides, parked on a secluded beach in their bathing suits. Shepard's hand lay on top of Liara's as they stared together. "But I guess you're used to this angle on the galaxy, having grown up here."
"Mmm" Liara hummed and leaned her head on Shepard's shoulder.
"Beautiful." Shepard whispered.
"They are." Liara agreed.
Shepard raised Liara's chin for their eyes to meet. "You," she corrected.
Liara gave her a small smile. "You as well, my love."
"Ready for round two, yet?" Shepard grinned.
"Shepard!" Liara laughed and pushed her a little, nearly knocking her off the Kodiak they had just christened inside before climbing up. She caught her, overcompensating and making them fall on their backs on the rooftop. They landed, turned their heads to look at one another and started laughing.
"So graceful, my love." Shepard teased Liara, bringing herself on top of her.
Liara rolled her eyes a little. "I blame you for that one."
Shepard leaned over to kiss her, hovering just over her lips. "Since I was your first and your only, I know you've never made love under the stars. Me either. I'd like to rectify that now," she kissed Liara's neck.
"Technically, your cabin is under the stars," Liara breathed heavily.
"Doesn't count," Shepard grazed her lips across a collar bone and kissed the apex of a shoulder.
Liara's mind entrenched itself in Shepard without warning. Shepard grinned and welcomed her, kissing her without reserve. She rocked against Liara before releasing her from her straddled hold and lay beside her. She caressed the blue skin above muscle on Liara's abdomen and didn't have to answer the unspoken question, the plea. This time she would let Liara follow her passions. There was no bittersweet appeal, no part of Liara that wanted it so that she would have a part of Shepard forever. As bondmates, she had that now. This was out of pure, all-consuming love and Shepard responded to it the only way she knew how. She kissed Liara with all the love she held for her. She lowered her hand that had rested on Liara's abdomen and gently trailed for her center, kissing her fervently and encouragingly. She hadn't realized how much she wanted this too.
"Goddess! Shepard!" Liara reveled in Shepard's embrace and want. She'd wanted this for so many reasons. They'd fought it until now—those reasons forgotten. Liara tensed under Shepard's touch, the rhythm excruciatingly blissful.
Shh. Not yet. Shepard slowed down, trying to keep Liara just on the edge.
Shepard, don't stop. The urgency, the need encouraged Shepard to quicken her pace once again and Shepard complied, content knowing she wouldn't stop even after Liara climaxed. That stray thought was enough for Liara to fall over the edge and Shepard made well on her promise. She didn't stop. She couldn't stop. What had begun in a sort of cycle of waves between them came crashing down at once. They no longer fed off of one another, but became one another. Their passion became euphoria in the deepest and truest sense. Their bodies clung to each other desperately, but it was their very essence that demanded they remain one.
When it began, it wasn't how Shepard had imagined it would be. It wasn't Liara simply taking from her or Shepard giving. A single mind and spirit began to mold into a physical form. As one, they gave it shape and life. None of the physical senses could explain what they experienced. There was warmth, there was brightness, and there was beauty of every kind. Time stopped existing for them as their shared selves created another. As one, they marveled at it, their breathing stopped in awe and the only sound they observed was their shared heartbeat.
Hours or minutes later, Shepard looked up at Liara's once more blue eyes. When they locked gazes, Shepard placed a tender kiss on Liara's stomach hovering there with a smile before letting her head rest and she drifted into sleep.
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"So how different is this for asari, Doc?"
"Liara hasn't told you—no, better yet, Captain—you didn't bother doing a bit of research before you impregnated your nonhuman wife?"
"Uh…I mean I know the basics, but…"
Liara smiled at Shepard and kissed her cheek. Shepard reached for her lips with hers and was lost, taking Liara with her.
"Chm," Chakwas gave a slight cough and Liara pushed Shepard away slightly, barely able.
"I'll explain everything to her, Karin. Are the preliminary tests fine?"
"Yes, everything looks exactly as we'd expect. Your biotic levels are already increasing."
"What was that?" Shepard emerged from Liara's neck with a puzzled look.
Liara turned to face her, smiling again when Shepard seemed to lose her train of thought so soon after asking the question. She wasn't sure if it was the bonding or last night that had made Shepard even more…insatiable.
Before she lost her patient as well as her bondmate to each other again, Karin interrupted. "Unlike human females who generally are drained of their energy and bodily resources during pregnancy, asari physiology evolved to better strengthen the mother while she is carrying a child. Makes much more sense, in a lot of ways. For one, the mother is better capable of protecting herself and vis à vis her child. Without a 'male' in the species, sexual selection ventured for the mother to take care of herself as well as the baby, it seems."
"So Liara's going to be…Super Liara for a while?" Shepard gave the doctor a puzzled look though a giddy grin lay behind it.
"In some respects, Captain." The doctor couldn't help a chuckle.
Shepard's eyes grew a little wider than normal as she met Liara's. "Uh oh."
Liara grinned at that. She raised a cocky eyebrow. "Yes, we'll have to have a rematch soon, Shepard."
Shepard watched Liara's lips move and bit her own, entranced. She leaned forward into her neck again, breathing her in. "Wow, you were addictive before, but now…"
Karin pulled up a hand to her mouth, studying the pair. "Yes, I've read studies that suggest pregnant asari produce pheromones at higher levels than they normally do."
"I'd bet my life on it," Shepard kissed Liara's shoulder a little too sensually.
"Out—the pair of you. The med bay's no place for that. You have two perfectly large quarters, though I would think the Captain of this ship had duties to look to."
Shepard grinned up at her. "Nah. Garrus's got the guns. Tali's got the engines. EDI's got everything else. Vega's on armor and handgun duty…aside from a few reports, I'm…" she breathed Liara in again, "free. Got a meeting with Tevos sometime, but that can…wait."
Karin rolled her eyes. "Some of us do have work, Captain. Liara, I've never monitored an asari pregnancy throughout its course. I'll want to make close observations for my own purposes, if you don't mind."
"I'll be interested in your notes, Karin."
"Means you'll get to see me even more often, Doc," Shepard grinned at Karin.
"You needn't be present, Captain. Although," she paused as Shepard took possessive hold of Liara's shoulders, "your reaction to Liara's pheromones is…quite interesting. You seem worse than ever."
"No cure needed, Doc. Alright, let's get out of her hair, Liara."
"You just want to go smell me in one of our rooms," Liara teased.
"Smell…and—"
"Don't want to know, Captain!" Karin stopped her with a raised palm. "Out, out!"
They obeyed. Shepard took hold of Liara's wrist and bounded for the other side of the crew deck. She flipped on the scrambler when they got inside the office and told Glyph to go into hibernation mode. She turned to Liara, scanning her entire visage hungrily. Liara nodded just as eagerly and Shepard dove for a kiss. She wrapped her fingers around the back of Liara's neck while the other hand took Liara's hip. She parted them briefly to pick Liara up, resting her on her hips and walking them to the bed in the back of the room. "Do you know how sexy you are?" she breathed heavily.
Liara smiled on her lips as Shepard laid her down, but her lips were taken again by Shepard's before she could answer. They made their way further up the bed, Shepard crawling over Liara as Liara crab walked back, neither willing to part lips. Shepard began undressing Liara, her fingers working dexterously so that Liara's chest lay bare before her in a breath. She reached down, cupping a breast before bending down to it, taking it into her mouth, trailing her tongue to the point.
"Goddess, Shepard." Liara breathed. "Come back here," she cupped Shepard's jaw with both hands and brought her up again for a kiss. Shepard left her hand in her mouth's stead and Liara matched her with her own hand on one of Shepard's breasts, gently squeezing as the other travelled to the small of Shepard's back and pressed down. Shepard obeyed the touch, pressing against Liara and groaning. Biotic pulses surrounded them and Shepard marveled as always at the at once warmth and cold that accompanied the swirling, tingling sensations. She kissed Liara's forehead, a silent beg for the meld, and was rewarded instantly.
Liara grew dizzy experiencing Shepard's heightened arousal for herself now. They grew more desperate and Liara frowned at Shepard's inaccessibility. A surge of biotics remedied the situation, the rip of fabric sounding in Shepard's ear, making her smile on Liara's lips. Their bodies finally making contact, they sighed happily together and Shepard's haze became a thick fog. Liara nearly lost herself in it, but grasped onto what she thought was once herself, concentrating on the feel of Shepard's hair and the feeling of her own fingers running through it. Shepard went to work on Liara's trousers, leaning up to rip them off with little restraint. She hitched Liara's legs on top of her shoulders, trailing her tongue on an inner thigh, reveling in the pleasure she felt Liara experiencing from it. Reaching the top, she licked the space between Liara's thigh and azure, moaning at the scent of her center so near and the slight quiver of Liara's legs.
Liara's breath was more of a pant as Shepard trailed her lips to her azure. She felt her eyes roll back in ecstasy when her tongue met her core. Shepard's hands reached up to massage Liara's breasts, sliding down her waist, finding their way underneath Liara's back to lift her slightly as her mouth worked Liara to the edge. Liara deepened the meld, arching into Shepard's mouth, intoxicated by Shepard's want and need for more. Shepard's high pitched moans against her made her nearly collapse in pleasure and she accentuated them with her own gentle pleas in the form of her bondmate's name in and out of the meld "Shepard!" Shepard pressed deeper into her, convinced she'd never have enough, caressing Liara's thighs on her shoulders. Liara's tensed muscles suddenly collapsed as she gave in to their shared pleasure. It was all Shepard could do to continue, experiencing everything through Liara in unison. The waves became shallower and at last Shepard lay Liara's legs back down on the bed, resting her head on Liara's thigh. Liara tugged on her shoulder, silently calling Shepard to her. Shepard crawled her way up, letting her weight sink onto Liara in exhaustion, knowing it was what Liara wanted. She rested in the crook of Liara's neck, a hand cradling Liara's face that travelled and began stroking Liara's crest.
Shepard's omni-tool broke their content silence. Tevos was calling. It took everything in her power to stand up and open the recorded message waiting. Unsurprisingly, Tevos wanted to meet before she left Thessia for the Destiny Ascension. Shepard groaned and opened a drawer of Liara's she kept some blues in, dressing.
Liara groaned as well, understanding that Shepard wasn't coming back to bed. She reached for her clothes and began dressing as well.
Shepard sighed. "I suppose it's back to the grind."
"The opposite, I'd say," Liara chuckled.
Shepard matched her chuckle. "Well…" she closed the gap between them, still buttoning her epaulets. "Later, then."
"Always later," Liara sighed. "I'm starting to seriously consider Jack's suggestion of piracy."
"Ha!" Shepard laughed. "Well, you wouldn't be the first." She finished with her blues. "I look ok?"
"You look like you've just ravished me, Shepard." Liara laughed at her bondmate's hair before reaching for a brush, turning Shepard away and helping her with it.
Shepard melted a little. "Well..."
"Yes, well, Tevos needn't know," Liara's mirth was audible.
Shepard matched it. "You think she has anyone? I saw a particularly interesting exchange between her and Aria on the Citadel during the war."
Liara smirked. "Do you want your wife's and bondmate's answer, or the Shadow Broker's?"
"I'd like to keep the mystery alive on that one, so wife slash bondmate, please."
"Then…you are…perceptive."
Shepard rolled her eyes. "So much for the mystery." She turned to face Liara, stopping the brush. "How long has that been going on?"
"Who knows, Shepard." Liara pondered. "As long as I've had my resources, but they've known each other for centuries. Still, nothing suggests there's anything permanent there. They both have other dalliances. Hardly surprising with Aria. Tevos is discreet, but she enjoys Sha'ira's company quite often."
"So? That doesn't have to be sex." Shepard frowned.
Liara gave her a pitiful smile. "Sometimes you are naïve, my love. Not everyone has your willpower. She would have seduced a weaker mind than yours that day you visited her for the final time."
"The nerve," Shepard shook her head, smirking at Liara. "I was already taken with you. No way I was going to let another asari have me." She wrapped her arms around Liara. "Tevos is waiting. I should go."
Liara chuckled at her bondmate's catchphrase. "Ok. Is Samara joining you?"
"Yeah, she's waiting too."
"Should I join you?" Liara pecked Shepard's neck.
"If you'd like. Should be a short one. Tevos has to jump and she wants to speak with the matriarch with mine and Samara's presence. Don't blame her. Lady has some powerful biotics."
"I'll come too." Liara narrowed her eyes.
"Isn't it supposed to be me who gets overprotective with a pregnant bondmate?" Shepard smirked. "But fine. It won't hurt to have Super Liara along."
Liara flicked her wrist to gently chide her wife with a swat when the office door swooshed open.
"Do asari not knock?" Shepard questioned Liara as Aethyta bounded for them, thinking of the position they had been in not a minute ago.
"I got your high priority message, Liara. What is it?"
Liara smiled at her father's assumption that it meant trouble. "Everything's fine, Dad. Well…perfect, really." She looked at Shepard entranced.
"So…"Aethyta tapped a foot. "What's up then?"
Shepard took Liara's hand, squeezing it in encouragement.
Liara parted her gaze from Shepard's to smile at her father. "I'm pregnant."
Aethyta's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. She looked from Shepard to Liara, back and forth then grinned. "Well that didn't take long."
Shepard chuckled. "You'd be surprised. We've been fighting it for a while."
"Don't see why," Aethyta mused. "Liara will be better equipped than ever to fight the Board and it's not like they pop out overnight. You've got quite the wait."
"How long will it be?" Shepard asked Liara.
"Twenty standard months, Shepard."
"Woah!" Shepard staggered a little. "I could have two in that time!"
Liara chuckled and swatted her again. "You're a short lived species, love. Of course you breed faster."
"Think of any names yet?" Aethyta asked. "Aethyta has a nice ring to it, just saying."
They laughed. Shepard shook her head. "Apparently we have plenty of time to discuss it. We'll take your suggestion under advisement."
"Shit, Kid, you've been hanging out with Tevos too much. Just say 'no' and get it over with. Speaking of, I've gotta go meet with the old broad."
"Us too." Liara nodded. "Well…Shepard, too, but…"
Aethyta grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Then let's go. We'll take my shuttle. Hell of a lot more comfortable than that Kodiak from the looks of it."
"Fine," Shepard nodded and gestured for them to leave.
"Oh and Shepard," Aethyta paused before they exited to the crewdeck. "I think a human tradition is called for," she held up her hand in the air. Shepard gave her a high five. Liara looked at her puzzled.
"She's congratulating me for 'knocking you up' as we humans say."
Liara rolled her eyes. "You two. Come on. Tevos is fairly important. We should not keep her waiting."