Chapter 25:
"Do svidaniya, Akademik Markova, do sleduyushchego raza," Liara managed in broken, yet intelligible, Russian.
"Vydayushchimisya, doktor T'Soni!" Svetlana Markov replied, "That's excellent, you're a very quick study." She smiled at the Asari through the video conferencing unit.
"Thank you Doctor," Liara smiled, "but I think my translator implants should get most of the credit." Loading the Russian language onto them had proven trivial. Glyph had already infiltrated Earth's primitive internet to a substantial degree, pirating translation software from some outfit called Rosetta Stone happened on a whim.
It wasn't quite the 'Shadow Broker Network', but Liara had already secretly gained access to the computer systems of all of the 'Fortune 500' companies, all levels of the US government and military, the majority of the European Union and NATO networks, and an increasing fraction of the People's Republic of China's computer systems. Cracking into Russia's communications channels was trivial, as was penetrating Japanese corporate security. Glyph hacked new networks daily; soon she would effectively be the Shadow Broker once more. She smiled at the thought.
With a few discreet commands on her omni-tool Liara could bring entire militaries to their knees, financial ruin to corporations, or utter chaos to governments. She had at her fingertips enough blackmail material to make any political/military/corporate official think long and hard if they really wanted to mess with her or her family, which will hopefully grow very soon, or anyone whom she decided she wanted to help or protect. She had acquired enough wealth to buy a small country on which to found an Asari colony if she chose; or at least for her, her beloved, and their descendants to live in financial security wherever they wished. She even set Shepard up with something the locals called a 'day trading' account to make some legitimate money with her Navy pay. And if the people at the FTC ever get it in their mind to investigate Shepard for insider trading she had enough dirt on them to ruin a lot of lives, or at least marriages.
"I've monopolized enough of your time, Liara," Markov said, "Please give my regards to Commander Shepard. I hope we can chat again sometime in the near future."
"Of course, Doctor," Liara replied pleasantly. Samantha leaned in from off-camera and deactivated the video unit. Liara looked at the human woman and smiled, "Doctor Markov seems like a nice woman. Very smart, no wonder she likes you."
Carter's eyebrows jumped a bit at that comment. "Our stargate program and theirs do have a bit of a rivalry. Though, I'm glad that we've been able to maintain a cordial working relationship." Samantha continued, seemingly ignoring Liara's observation, "I'm glad that you could warm up to her as well. Still, that must have been awkward for you."
Liara sighed, "That, as Shepard would say, is a monumental understatement."
"Tell me about her?"
Liara sighed again. Adapt as she did to Markov's resemblance to her mother, Lady Benezia's death still weighed heavily upon her heart. Despite their estranged relationship towards the end of her life, Liara truly did love her mother. She was proud of her for having the strength of will to overcome Sovereign's indoctrination at the end, we wouldn't have stopped Saren without her help.
Liara remembered that night on the Normandy after they left Noveria. She cried into Shepard's shoulder for what seemed like hours. Shepard cried too, she felt her pain, she accepted it unto herself. As if she needed any more confirmation, she knew she loved Shepard; consummating their relationship en route to Ilos merely cemented their bond. She wished Benezia had lived. She wanted her to know Shepard, to see the amazing woman who had won her heart, who would be the father of her grandchildren. She wished Benezia could have met little Victoria, even if she didn't really remember much about her daughter from the other place.
"She was strong willed, and powerful. We did not get along when I was an adult, but I could always tell she loved me; in her own way. She was swept up in Sovereign's indoctrination while she tried to turn Saren away from the path of destruction."
Liara frowned, "Shepard met her once. She actually overcame indoctrination for a moment to give us the intelligence we needed to get to Ilos, she had that strength of character." She paused, "Then we had to kill her," she said flatly. She closed her eyes. Liara was filled with a sudden need to hold Shepard in her arms. She needed the comfort of her presence.
Samantha saw the pain in Liara's face. Debriefing with Doctor Markov had been an ordeal for her; that much was obvious. But she stuck with it. As she pointed out, knowledge was power, and Earth needed whatever advantages it could get against the goa'uld; even if it was mostly discussing Asari biology. Still, while she didn't quite see the resemblance herself, Samantha didn't know if she would have been able to spend a few days talking with a doppelganger of her dead mother. The Lady Benezia apparently wasn't the only T'soni with a strong will, she thought to herself.
Liara closed her eyes. Carter was certain Liara was reliving the death of her mother in her mind, right before her eyes. Sam's heart ached for her. A combat veteran herself, she often relived unpleasant experiences. But this was worse. To have your own mother brainwashed by the enemy? To have no choice but to kill her? To have you future wife, the woman you love, be the one who does it? She didn't know if she could have dealt with that level of pain, or stayed in love with Shepard. Carter racked her brain for ideas on how she could help her.
Daniel Jackson entered her lab and interrupted her introspection. One glance at Liara's face and he had a fairly good idea what was happening. He smiled, "I'm not interrupting, am I?"
To Samantha's surprise Liara recomposed instantly. Strength definitely runs in the T'soni family. "Of course not Doctor Jackson," Liara actually smiled, "We were just finishing a meeting with Doctor Markov.
Carter smiled herself. Liara was obviously very fond of Daniel. A fellow archeologist turned soldier, he was a kindred spirit. From what Carter had heard form Shepard, and gleaned from Shepard and Liara's debriefing materials, Liara was once a shy bookish, well, nerd. Just like Daniel. Meek and socially awkward, Liara preferred to spend her time alone at her dig sites. Just like Daniel. She held beliefs about an ancient culture that were widely derided by the academic community. Just like Daniel. Then, her life took a turn. Suddenly, her theories were vindicated and she found herself as part of the vanguard defending the galaxy from destruction. Also, just like Daniel.
"Oh good," he said with a smile. He clasped his hands together and looked at the two women, "I just got the go ahead from Hammond. How would you like to take a little trip to a dig site we've got set up offworld?"
Carter had never seen Liara smile so broadly.
Goddess! That light show was amazing! Liara stumbled as she exited the stargate and looked around; hot, sandy, and desolate except for the ruins Doctor Jackson described. This place reminds me of Therum. She smiled. Not only was she reminded of meeting Shepard on Therum, despite the ensuing violence one of her happiest memories, but the ruins themselves spoke to the archeologist within her. Years as an information broker, and a brief stint as an honest-to-goddess war hero, had prevented her from pursuing her original passion, but the desire had never truly gone away. And now I may have an opportunity to revisit old interests with the scientific members of the SGC, she thought happily.
Daniel Jackson bounded through the stargate behind her and wormhole disengaged. "Pretty cool, huh?" he asked. Liara smiled in response. "Let me show you around." They walked down the stone steps from the stargate's pad and towards a series of weathered stone walls and tan colored tents. "The ruins are scattered about the stargate," Daniel motioned with his hand, "out to about 20 kilometers in every direction. We don't know for sure who they were, but their technology level was pre-industrial. There is an oasis fed by an underground spring about 15 kilometers north of here, and we're seeing remains of a stone aqueduct. They were also fairly adept road builders. We figure it was roughly analogous to ancient Rome on Earth." Daniel paused, "Are you familiar with old Earth history at all?"
Liara nodded, "Very little, but I am familiar with the Romans. Many of the scientific words in your language are based on something called Latin?" Daniel nodded. "When I was researching the etymology of some terms I came across history books about the Roman Empire. It made for an interesting night's reading." Daniel winced. Liara could tell he was a bit bothered by how cavalierly she had dismissed one of Earth's greatest civilizations.
"Anyway, we've had a fairly constant presence here for the past few months; between 6 and 10 scientists, with a SG-team's worth of security. We could commute back and forth each day through the gate, but we rather just set up a few tents and keep the gate free for other exploration or tactical missions. We rotate personnel and refresh supplies about every week."
Liara smiled, "This really does remind me of some of my dig sites when I was a doctoral candidate." Daniel smiled back. "May I join this expedition in some way? I am afraid I would be coming to this survey a bit cold. Is that the right expression?"
Daniel smiled, "Yes, that's the right expression. Don't worry about that. You know the basics, and we're pretty much coming at this whole thing cold ourselves. We need trained archeologists who are cleared on the stargate program, and you're an archeologist. One of the best, so I hear," he smiled.
"Someone likes to brag" Liara responded with a smile. Jackson watched Liara's demeanor change as she powered up her omni-tool. The Asari was all business now, and Jackson liked what he saw. The omni-tool's scanner produced a three-dimensional representation of the dig site in the air above her hand. A few tapped out commands and a grid overlay appeared, it coincided with the wood stake and twine grid the SGC personnel had laid out. Liara scrutinized the display.
Jackson's smile widened as Liara's nose scrunched up in thought. It was, in a word, adorable. He sighed, and remembered how Sha're had that look about her sometimes, usually when he had become so absorbed in his work that he'd forgotten eat. He wasn't above being jealous of Shepard and Liara's relationship. They had defied death at least twice to remain together. By all rights they could look forward to a long life together, something he would never get with Sha're. Still, he was above letting it sour his relationship with them. He was content to be happy for what Shepard and Liara had rather than be sad for what he had lost. Thankfully, Shepard realizes just how lucky she is, he thought.
"Is something wrong, Daniel?" Liara asked. She had powered off her omni-tool and was looking at him.
"Oh, just remembering something." How long has she been looking at me? The alarm on his wrist watch beeped, saved by the bell. "Looks like we've had enough for one day. We're due back at the SGC."
"Oh? I have only just started," Liara cocked her head to the side and placed a fist on her hip.
"Sorry, this was just a show and tell. Hammond couldn't get clearance for you to remain offworld for extended missions. Plus we've got a whole lot of background information you should probably take a look at before you get too deep into the minutiae." He shrugged, "Sorry."
Liara smirked. "It is ok, Doctor Jackson. I need some time to go over the readings I have taken with my omni-tool." Jackson's eyebrows arched. "Oh, the scans I have taken are probably more sensitive than what your instruments are capable of. Did you know there is a large crypt 10 meters directly beneath us?"
Daniel's jaw dropped, "No, I was not aware of that," he said flatly.
Liara smiled, "Then I think we both have some data to review back at Stargate Command."
Lord Ba'al, Goa'uld System Lord, leaned forward in his throne, what is that? He had commanded Nerus and his Jaffa to bring a large display for the long-range communications device into his throne room; it sounded its unknown event warning moments ago. The stealthed transport ship in low orbit above the target chappa'ai was relaying real-time video surveillance. Since the shuttle's arrival after the original alert many days ago, they had monitored nothing more than mundane tau'ri activity on the arid world; until now. The creature in the center of the frame speaking with the Tau'ri known as Daniel Jackson was something Ba'al had never seen before.
"It would appear that the Tau'ri have made a new friend," Ba'al observed.
"And she is quite the beauty," Nerus responded unbidden.
Ba'al shot him a look and he looked at the floor. In the strictest sense, as a goa'ul, Ba'al was asexual. He tended to take male human hosts, however, and millennia of that habit had instilled in him a certain affinity for the female form. Also, like any goa'uld he was a hedonist and occasionally took human slaves to his bed to experience the pleasure his host body could provide him. But, this… This blue creature on the display piqued his curiosity in more than just a sexual way; and he had to admit, he found the shapely blue figure more alluring than he normally found females.
The blue woman on the display represented something new. A new ally for the Tau'ri, perhaps? Ba'al didn't believe in coincidences; the emergence of the new Tau'ri weapon, if it even was a weapon, the new unknown events recorded by the chappa'ai computers, and now a new species of alien, that was too much happening all at once. They must be connected. But how?
"My Lord," his First Prime asked respectfully from one knee, "Shall we capture this creature for interrogation?"
Ba'al looked at his Jaffa. He admired his aggressiveness, but now was not the time to act. Not yet. "No, Jaffa. The time is not yet right." He pondered for a moment, "Do the Tau'ri have any devices which could detect my ship's presence?"
"We have detected no such sensors, my Lord," the Jaffa responded.
Ba'al was about to say something when he observed the blue creature's right hand light up with a faint orange glow.
"Now that's new," observed Nerus.
Ba'al didn't respond. He was too engrossed in the image. The video, recorded from low orbit, carried no sound but he could see them conversing. What manner of technology has their new blue friend provided them with? The orange glow dissipated, they spoke some more. Then the Tau'ri Jackson dialed the chappa'ai and, presumably, opened a wormhole back to his home. They stepped through the gate and disappeared. The stealth shuttle wouldn't have been able to deorbit and capture her quickly enough anyway.
A small instrument strapped to Nerus' ample waist beeped loudly. He consulted it. "Low-energy event detected, m'lord." He looked at the display, "At that gate."
There are no such things as coincidences. Ba'al made a decision. "Order the stealth ship to maintain its vigil, and prepare a ha'tak for immediate sortie to that world. Have it lay in wait behind the planet's moon and stand by for orders."
"At once my Lord."