She walked into the medical bay, Karin looked up from her computer and motioned towards the room at the back. Indicating that Liara was in there.
"How's she doing doc?"
"See for yourself Cassie, she came straight here when you returned. Liara assures me she is alright but well..." The docs voice trailed a little before she continued "She hasn't seen as much death as you and I Cassie and certainly not like this"
Shepard nodded and knocking on the door, waited until she heard a come in and walked into the Asari's room.
The lights were dimmed down, and on the computer was an image of Matriarch Benezia, in her youth Shepard supposed. She had been a beautiful woman there was no doubt about it. The data-stick Benezia had given her gave them the location of the MU Relay, right in the heart of the Terminus systems and no one was sure where it would take them, plus the fact an Alliance vessel, or council one for that matter would spark a war that in reality no one wanted, except maybe Udina.
So for now until they had a definite destination, they were once again chasing shadows.
"We are heading to Thessia and then onto the Citadel to restock" Cassie sat on the edge of Liara's bed. She was laid on her back, one arm across her eyes. "Liara, I am so sorry..."
"If you are concerned about my mental state, do not be Shepard, I would prefer to remember my mother as she was, not what that bastard turned her into."
Cassie nodded and getting up she crossed to the computer "How old was she here?"
Liara moved her arm and gave the Commander a quizzical look then swinging her legs over the edge of the bed she got up and joined the Commanders side. "She was four hundred years old there. She was finishing her tenure aboard the Destiny Ascension and was going to settle on the family estate in Amarli. My mother had been a consummate warrior as well as a politician"
"I can believe it" Shepard smiled a little "Tell me about her."
"Oh you don't want to hear about my mother"
"If I didn't want to know Liara, I would not have asked."
"Only if you tell me about your brother" Liara retorted.
Cassie nodded a little, it seemed fair, so she did. She told Liara about how her brother would get them both into trouble with the schools they were at, sometimes the military officials on board a ship they lived on and how they only really settled down when they had a permanent home on the Arcturus Station.
She told her how they met Joker and how they adopted him, although their mother and Jokers parents knew each other long before that. She told her how Alan and Joker would get into all sorts of mischief together and how it was that she always ended up getting them out of it and how Alan was a hit with the ladies and only settled down when he met his wife Islay.
Hearing the Commander talk about her late twin made Liara discuss her mother. She told Shepard how gentle a woman she was, how she never judged anyone until she had the full facts at her disposal and even before her Matriarch Years there were rumours that she would be someone special, a force to be reckoned with, which she was. Liara's family had been quite prominent in Asari Command and as such Liara was often addressed as Lady T'Soni.
Cassie rested a hand on Liaras upper arm "She was proud of you Liara, she loved you right until the end. Remember her for what she was and what she had accomplished, the woman that raised you and gave you the values you hold.
Everything I am and Alan was, that's down to my mother, neither of us could remember our father so to us our mum was our mother and father. I don't pretend to know about how Asari parenthood works but your mum did a great job with you Liara, don't ever forget that and when Saren is dealt with, you might find that you want to return to wherever she is laid to rest and sit and talk with her for a long while. I know that I will go to Horizon when this is over and go and chat to my brother."
"You humans believe in an afterlife too?"
"Yes. I don't particularly believe in God, but there is something more to death than emptiness, and I believe that those we love come back to visit us sometimes, even if we don't remember it." Cassie lowered her head and kissed Liara's forehead "Take however long you need Liara, don't feel pressured into letting it go until you are ready, but by the same token don't hold it in, it'll make you ill and make you something you are not."
Liara watched her leave and looked back at the frozen image of her mother. She went to touch it, but stopped suddenly, she returned to the bed and lay down again. Mentally and emotionally preparing herself for the arrival at Thessia.
Ashley looked up from her lunch as the Skipper came out of the med bay "How is Liara doing?" Tali asked the Commander as she saw herself next to Wrex.
"As well as she can under the circumstances."
"Rachni" Wrex rumbeled "Binary Helix found a Rachni ship and took an egg from it?" he shook his head "I hope you did the right thing Shepard"
"So do I Wrex" Cassie admitted and took the coffee that Garrus gave her "I have been thinking. Cerberus had Rachni when we dealt with them, its my guess that either a) they had a stake in Binary Helix or b) they had someone steal two eggs and bred their own army. What a fucking mess."
"Will the council do anything about Noveria?" Ash asked.
"Councillor Teevos said to leave it up to her, she'll see what she can do about sanctioning them for their actions, but in the long run I doubt anything will be done about them. They do not fall under the jurisdiction of the council"
"So they are going to get away with it" Garrus snorted.
"Council justice yeah, but only after the council investigators have found nothing." Wrex sighed "Then the board will hang Binary Helix out to dry in their own way for bringing unwanted attention to the Noveria board of investors. Come on Vakarian, you know how it works as well as I do"
"Well whatever they do, we still have a job to do" Shepard swallowed some Coffee "So, we do it but um keep an eye on Liara in the meantime. Kaidan, you seem to have built a bond with her, just check on her every now and then"
"Will do Commander"
"Skipper what do we say about Ben...Lady Benezia's involvement?" Ash wanted to know "If Udina or Anderson ask"
"I'm not telling Udina anything, but if Anderson asks I will tell him that that she was Indoctrinated but she came good in the end"
"What do we know about this Indoctrination?" Tali asked.
"According to Benezia it was like a scratching at the back of your head. It worked its way into her head until her thoughts became mired with the thoughts of Saren and his ship." Shepard replied "Much the same as Shalia mentioned when she told us about the Thorian"
"Sounds dangerous" Kaidan mused.
"Yeah it does doesn't it." Shepard got to her feet "I better let Thessia know that we are on route. Carry on people"
Ashley watched her leave and returned her attention to the table, then getting up she headed into sick bay and went to see Liara. Emerging a little later with her arm round the Archaeologists shoulders. No matter what Ashley might have thought about Liara's crush on her Skipper, she had decided that Liara should not be alone and it didn't take a lot of persuading to tell her that either.