Hello there, you beautiful people.
I'm really sorry about how long it's taking me to update this fic. I'm eternally grateful that people still come on here to read this. I've been bogged down by HUGE exams and now that it's finally all over, I'm hoping that I'll be able to update more frequently... HOPEFULLY... I might be adding a new story soon concerning the Dragonborn from Skyrim but don't fret, this story will NOT be forgotten. I already lost one fic and I don't want to lose another.
Anyway, sit back, relax, and I hope you all enjoy the next chapter.
Forever grateful,
EndlessExplorer.
In a single swift movement, Liara dragged Shepard inside of the tent so that she could explain their new problem. With Miranda and Javik close behind, Liara paced back and forth while Shepard readjusted his armour.
"Hackett said you needed help. What's the problem? Everything around here seems normal. It's been quite a while since I've been on Ilos. Hasn't changed much." Shepard said, as he briefly embraced Javik. Liara stopped pacing and then shut the tent flap after making sure that there was no one in earshot. Liara was obviously both stressed and worried.
"Ok. Can you both please just tell me what happened. It's obviously gotten you stressed and I'm pretty sure that's not good for the baby.." Shepard asked.
Liara took a deep breath and just as she was about to start explaining, she began to feel light headed and fell to the ground. While Shepard took her arms and Javik took her feet, they carried Liara over onto the bed while Miranda went to get some medicine for her from Barnaby. Javik caressed Liara's cheek gently while Shepard laid his guns out on the table beside him. Leaning on the side of the table, Shepard crossed his arms and stared at Javik.
"We found a creature in a stasis pod down deep in the tunnels. It was a war bred Vorcha. Extensive genetic remodelling and incredibly violent. There were quakes before you got here and during them, the pod was opened when crates fell against it. Using some sort of high pitched screech, it incapacitated both Liara and myself before running off into the wild. We tried to send a message off world to quarantine Ilos, but our communication equipment was destroyed during the quake as well. As you can see, we've been quite lucky down here." Javik explained, sarcastically. Looking up at Shepard, Javik could see in his eyes that he was thinking. A couple of minutes later, he brought up his Omni-tool.
"Joker? I want Edi, Chakwas, troopers, and as much supplies as we can spare down here on the next shuttle. After that Shuttle has landed, this planet will be on lockdown. Under my order, there is to be an armada of Alliance ships encircling this planet. No one in or out without my permission. Do you understand?" Shepard ordered.
"Roger that Shepard... but just keep Edi safe ok?" Joker said.
"Joker, you have my word." Shepard replied before ending the vid-call.
"Thank you, Admiral." Javik said, just as Miranda came back holding various bottles.
"William? What is this I hear about a planetary lockdown? I'm the Normandy's executive officer. You do realise that when you place an order like that, I hear about it too." Miranda asked while tending to Liara.
"Honestly I didn't think that you would have heard it already. I just placed it. Edi works fast." Shepard said as he walked over and crouched down beside Miranda and Liara. "Anything else you need?"
"Could you get an ice pack or something. She seems to be heating up. It could be a fever but really we just need to keep her stable until Karen arrives. I'd rather a second opinion before I administer anything drastic. Thank you." Miranda asked. Shepard quickly vanished.
"What about that Doctor Barnaby? He has been looking after us here since this operation started.." Javik enquired.
"I suppose a third opinion wouldn't hurt. It's just that Karen knows more about Liara and I trust her judgement wholeheartedly. Could you please go and get him. Karen should be here soon." Miranda said. Javik simply nodded and quickly vanished as well.
Miranda gently held a bottle up to Liara's lips, and encouraged her to drink.
"Should help with the headache." Miranda explained. Finally getting a chance to ask, Miranda asked "How far along are you?"
"About five months... I'm quite scared. I never had the best role model of a mother and I really don't ever plan on going off with some rogue spectre to go and bring about the apocalypse." Liara said, laughing slightly. Miranda laughed as well.
"Well you can't go off in some Reaper anyway, William destroyed them all and plus, I'm pretty sure that Javik would kill anyone you ever tried to cheat on him with." Miranda continued.
"I suppose you're right... How are you and William getting along? I heard that you and him are now engaged? Any idea on the date yet?" Liara asked.
" Not yet but we have most of it planned. I think William wants to get the old crew back together for the wedding. He wants everyone there to share in the good memories. I can't believe it though. I really did think that when he brought you on board back at London, that it would be the last time I saw him. It broke my heart.. Now I'm his fiancée. It caught me off guard, but I don't care as long as William is there to catch me." Miranda explained. Wiping a tear away from her cheek, she looked at Liara who was staring back at her, slightly in awe.
"The two of you really are good for each other. You bring out the best in one another and William really needed that kind of support after the war..." Liara said, laying back again.
"Yeah.. He was there for me when I needed him and now I'll be there for him when he needs me, forever and always." Miranda said, leaning in close, she whispered.
"Between you and me though, Ori is taking care of the whole wedding planning thing for me. She said that it would lessen the stress. She told me though that she's planning it soon, especially with all the business that William seems to be stuck in. I swear the day that man takes a vacation, hell will either freeze over or it'll be for our honeymoon. He will regret it if he thinks he's bringing the work phone with him for those few days.."
Liara laughed softly.
"You do realise that even if you do manage to pry it from his hands, either his mother or Admiral Hackett will send rescue teams after their star soldier." Liara explained.
"Hell hath no fury like a scorned newlywed..."
Suddenly the flap was thrown open and Shepard walked in, shadowed by a familiar and welcomed sight. Doctor Chakwas dropped her supply bag on the nearby table and then went and checked on Liara. Handing the ice pack to Miranda, Shepard shrug his shoulders when she asked him why he had handed it to her.
"What? You asked me to get it for you. A good soldier does as he's told."
Miranda laughed. After a short while, she put it on a table. Shepard stood beside Javik.
"How are things around here? You know aside from a 50,000 year old, war bred Vorcha." Shepard asked.
"Good. How are things with you and Miranda?" Javik asked, not looking away from Liara.
"Things are good with us too. I don't know if you heard but we're going to be getting married. I'm not entirely sure when yet, but I hope to do it soon." Shepard replied.
"I do believe that Liara mentioned it to me recently. I hear that congratulations are in order. Back in my time, we never made a pompous ceremony out of our proclamations of love. We simply told each other our feelings and then if the feeling was mutual, we both gained a mate for life. It was far more simple." Javik said.
"I guess, but I've always been a fan of weddings. It's just that having your friends and family all around while you profess your innermost feelings for the person you love. I've heard that it can be magical.." Shepard said, daydreaming.
Shepard snapped out of his daydream when Miranda walked over.
"William? Javik? We need to go somewhere private and discuss this 'problem'."
Walking outside, the increase in security was obvious. Generators and shield barriers were set up. Security checkpoints were established in a perimeter around the camp. Edi was checking out the shuttle's thrusters as Miranda, Shepard and Javik all walked over.
"Hi Edi. We're holding a meeting inside the shuttle. Meet us inside in twenty. I, for one, am going for a walk around here. Do you wish to join me, Specialist Lawson?" Shepard said, extending his hand in a poor excuse of chivalry.
Miranda left out a long and heavy sigh before placing her own hand in Shepard's.
"I guess that I will see you both in twenty minutes then..." Miranda said, as Shepard led them off into the rather lush jungle.
The jungle landscape had a captivating beauty, one that Shepard didn't notice three years ago due to having to try and stop Armageddon. Shepard could see some evidence of the fight. Either the researchers were purely searching underground or left the Geth corpses here as a battle monument, but Shepard and Miranda had to be mindful. They were walking through a graveyard.
"Why did you drag us both out here William? I know that this place is beautiful in it's own right, but we have a potential security risk and we need to address it quickly. You'd think an Admiral would at least understand that.." Miranda teased.
"Maybe I just wanted some alone time with you?.. Did that ever cross your mind? Maybe I just wanted to take a little break before the eventual fighting begins? Maybe this secluded trip is for more physical means? Sure who the hell knows?" Shepard said, shrugging his shoulders. Miranda gave him a playful slap across the face.
"You dirty-minded ass! I'm not having sex with you in the middle of the jungle! If you want to spend time together, you could have just told me but we are not doing anything 'physical' until our wedding day... How about you think about that?!" Miranda said, turning away.
"If that is what you want, I will abide by your wishes." Shepard said. Walking closer, Shepard put a gentle hand on Miranda's chin. She turned and stared him into his eyes. Cupping her cheeks, Shepard leaned in and gave Miranda a gentle, yet emotional kiss on the lips. It lasted for about a minute and both of them were left breathless. Wrapping his arms around her, Shepard said,
"You don't realise just how happy I am that we're going to be married soon. Or at least I hope it'll be soon. How far along is Oriana with the planning anyway? Handing the reins of your wedding over to your little sister.. Risky move but it shows how much you trust her.. Usually you're one for planning every thing out, ruling out every possibility..." Shepard laughed as Miranda stared at him, dead in the eye.
"How did you know?" Miranda asked.
"The walls of the Normandy told me..." Shepard replied.
"I need to tal-" Miranda began. Hearing a wailing sound coming from beside them, they quickly left go of one another and ran towards the source of the noise.
After a short time they came across someone leaning over a fallen tree trunk that lay in the centre of a small opening in the dense foliage. Miranda ran over to check on the victim while Shepard went to do a perimeter search to see what could have caused whatever had happened. Shepard internally chastised himself for having forgotten his guns back at the camp and now had only his Omni-blade to rely on.
Miranda scanned the victim who upon closer inspection looked just like one of the scientists back at base camp. This confused her because there were no dig sites near them, which suggested that these particular wounds may have been inflicted due to someone sticking their nose where they shouldn't. Looking back at the scan, there were a few anomalies that didn't make sense. The scientist that was bent over the tree was human and yet the scanner said that whoever this was, was as far from human as someone could be. Miranda's instincts kicked in and told her to take a few steps back. The victim began to groan and stuck their hand up, looking as though they were trying to reach for Miranda, to ask her for help. It was then that Miranda was able to look into their eyes. They were as dark as a starless night. As Miranda was distracted, it suddenly slashed at her and left a set of five deep wounds that travelled across her right wrist. Holding her wounded arm against her chest, she pulled back as her attacker stood up and attempted to pounce on her. Rolling to one side, she broke into a sprint, shouting out for Shepard, hoping to find him.
Shepard slowly walked around the forest opening, in a one and a half kilometre radius. The situation was strange. The scientist didn't belong where he was, so that could mean a multiple of things. Pirates, private collectors or even people looking to buy the corpse of a Prothean for their collection. It obviously wasn't the shadow Broker because if there was one thing that Shepard could always count on, was that Liara's love of history and archeology would always trump her lust for personal gain. With his Omni-blade extended, he listened for anything around him. A whimper, whisper, cough or sneeze could be covered up by everything going on around him, so Shepard knew that he had to be quiet. The underbrush was especially thick and due to this, Shepard never saw an extended tree root and after getting his foot stuck, Shepard fell and hit the ground hard. Groaning due to the pain, Shepard was lucky that he hadn't broken anything and had just twisted his ankle. As he stood up, Shepard felt a liquid under his hand. Turning his hand, he could see that it had the distinct look and metallic scent of blood. Looking around, Shepard didn't see a corpse around, but the blood did travel in a trail. Following closely, Shepard soon came across a mutilated corpse that looked as though it had been torn apart by a feral animal. While the torso was the only piece still in-tact, the ribs were pulled open and it lay empty against a nearby tree trunk with the innards scattered around it. It was horrifying. Finding the head thrown in a bush, Shepard almost jumped when he saw that it looked the exact same as the scientist that was laid across the trunk over with Miranda. Then it hit him. The scientist really was a victim, just a dead one. Whoever the imposter was, they were alone with Miranda. Shepard had no fear of Miranda not being able to protect herself, but Shepard wouldn't be able to forgive himself if the bastard dealt a fatal wound to Miranda as she was only trying to help him. Turning in what he was sure was the right direction, Shepard broke into a sprint, his heart pounding in his ears.
"I'm coming, Miri." He thought to himself.