Notes:
AI - Artificial Intelligence
Gráim thú - I love you (Irish/Gaelic)
Ionúin álainn - beautiful beloved (Irish/Gaelic)
Nara - literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian)
Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian)
Cold Snap
SSV Normandy, Citadel
{Shepard!}
Liara sat bolt upright in bed and reached desperately to her left where Samantha should be. Her shoulder tweaked in protest with the abrupt motion, made even less worthwhile when Liara found the spot empty... and cold. Heart beating madly in her chest from a nightmare she couldn't recall, she glanced at the chrono beside the bed; 0230 hours. Goddess, Samantha. Where are you? Having gotten no response when she shouted the name through the link, Liara took a deep breath to calm herself and cleared her throat before asking, "Edi? Where is the commander?"
"Commander Shepard is currently located on the Hangar Deck, Liara." Edi hesitated before continuing. "She seems extremely... agitated."
Liara's face pinched in consternation as she slid carefully out of bed and slipped into the old set of N7 sweats Shepard had given her. "In what way?"
"She has been exercising... excessively." Liara thought Edi actually sounded concerned and her level of anxiety increased another notch as the AI continued. "She is currently wearing biotic suppressors and working the heavy bag at Lieutenant Vega's work station. Without protective gloves... or shoes."
Oh, Goddess. Why is she doing martial arts at two in the morning? Liara skipped putting on any type of footwear and left the room immediately at a fast jog. Edi must have anticipated her action, because the elevator was awaiting her entry with the doors open; the doors closed and it began to descend before Liara could touch the control pad. "Thank you, Edi. I appreciate your assistance."
Just as the doors opened on the lower level, Edi spoke again, striking fear into the Asari's heart. "Liara. Please hurry."
"You can take fucking anything else, but you will NOT. Take. Her!" Liara heard the enraged shout and bolted from the elevator as soon as the opening was wide enough to squeeze through. Shepard's last three words were punctuated with sharp punches and the unmistakable crackle of electricity as her biotics flared through the suppression cuffs.
Liara didn't have time to say anything as she sprinted across the floor; she could only watch in horror as Shepard lit up her full biotics with the suppression cuffs still on and literally ripped the bag from its metal alloy mounting and shredded it with a biotic blast as her body was engulfed in a ball of blue-tinged white. Shepard's body froze for only a moment and Liara wondered how anyone could remain standing through a full strength kickback from the suppression cuffs. The illusion was shattered when the white ball of power dissipated and Samantha crumpled to her hands and knees on the deck.
The nanosecond the ball of electrical discharge faded, Liara was at her lover's side, cradling the spent commander to her body. "By the Goddess! Shepard! Can you hear me?"
Shepard gasped, drawing in a deep breath, but did not respond so Liara tried to position her without letting go so that she could reach her omnitool to contact Karin Chakwas. Just as she managed to maneuver herself where she could reach it without wrenching her own shoulder, a firm hand grasped her wrist and quiet words penetrated the resounding silence. "Wait. Please."
"Shepard..." Liara's relief was evident, but her whispered word also carried extreme concern.
The commander drew another breath and exhaled in a raspy voice, "Fuck, that really hurt."
Shepard let go when Liara turned her wrist and the Asari immediately unclipped the cuffs and dropped them to the floor as she quietly asked, "What were you thinking, Samantha?"
Shepard let out a pained laugh and groaned. "I don't think I was... but I was desperate to drown out the voices."
"Voices?" Liara's forehead wrinkled in momentary confusion before exactly what had happened dawned on her. Her eyes opened wide as she blurted out, "That's what my nightmare was!"
Shepard finally rolled off her knees and sat on the deck, leaning lightly against Liara for balance. "Your nightmare?"
"Yes!" Liara wrapped her right arm around the commander in support. "I had forgotten that was even possible!" Shepard remained quiet, her head hanging and her eyes closed, knowing Liara would eventually get around to explaining. "Occasionally, when bonded partners are extremely close, they can share dreams... I realize we are not yet bonded, but the link most likely provides a similar avenue. I woke up calling your name, but couldn't remember what I had dreamt that had so distressed me."
"Gods, Liara. I'm so sorry." Shepard sighed and continued, "It's bad enough that I dream about that damned ashen forest... I don't need to be sharing it with you. Your call is what pushed me to...that." She waived her hand feebly at the scattered remains of the heavy bag and her voice dropped even lower in volume as she forced her words out. "I confused your call through the link with the rest of the voices I had heard in the forest. I... I felt like it was warning me you were going to die, Liara. I... I couldn't..." Shepard's flagging energy finally abandoned her and she collapsed fully into the Asari; had Liara not been there, she undoubtedly would have fallen to the deck.
Liara had no words as she shifted to sit behind Shepard and wrap both her arms even tighter around the commander, drawing her protectively to her chest. She ignored the ache in her own shoulder and rested her chin lightly on Samantha's as she closed her eyes; when she reopened them, they were obsidian. She whispered softly in Shepard's ear as she slipped fully into the commander's mind. "Don't speak, Siame. Show me."
By the time they were done, Shepard had relaxed, at ease with the knowledge Liara was alive and relatively well, and had thankfully fallen asleep in Liara's arms. Knowing the ship would come alive soon as the early risers began to stir, Liara simply lit with biotics and carried her exhausted lover back to the loft; she wanted no one to see the commander in her current state. Liara hadn't thought to ask, yet Edi must have kept the elevator ready and waiting; she stepped in and it moved upward on its own accord. As she stepped out onto the upper deck, Liara very quietly said, "Thank you, Edi."
Edi said nothing, but the lights flickered in response as the elevator doors closed behind them and the door to their quarters opened smoothly, awaiting their arrival.
Liara knew she shouldn't be using her biotics to carry Shepard, but she really didn't see any other option. Samantha was exhausted and they would be arriving at Noveria relatively soon; the only good thing was that the planet was currently at the far side of its orbit, so once they dropped out of the relay, it would still be close to five hours of FTL before they arrived. Plenty of time for Samantha to get some much needed rest, especially given her enhanced recovery rate, complements of Cerberus. Liara took no small amount of vengeful pleasure in the fact that Shepard now used those capabilities against the very organization that took it upon themselves to 'modify' her without her prior consent. Serves them right.
She placed the commander on the bed as softly as she could, but the minute she released her biotic cocoon, Shepard's eyes fluttered open. "Liara. We need to talk."
"That... sounds ominous." Liara's face reflected true trepidation; she was not saying those words as a joke. "Were you even truly sleeping?"
"Dozing would probably be more accurate," Shepard cast her a troubled smile and sat up, pushing herself up to lean against the headboard. "... but yes, until I felt you withdraw and..." Shepard's face picked up an odd expression Liara had never seen and she had no idea what it meant until the commander continued, "... and I need you right now. I need to feel you, to know you're real. To know... you're alive."
Liara's face reflected alarm and she immediately sat astraddle Shepard's lap before leaning in and placing their foreheads together. "Of course I'm real... and I'm alive and well, Siame. I thought we got through that before you fell asleep?"
Tears trickled down Samantha's cheeks as she hugged the Asari close and buried her face into the right side crest folds at the base of Liara's neck, taking in a deep breath of Thessian rose. "I know... but the possibility that something could happen to you so easily... It continues to haunt me. I can't help it."
Liara sat upright and gently wiped the highly unusual tears from Samantha's face. "Well. I suppose I could be grateful that you now fully understand how I feel about you on an almost daily basis. Watching you do the things you do in battle... it can be horribly frightening, Love. But knowing how frustratingly powerless I feel at times makes it impossible to feel thankful for such a thing. I wish you could have gone through this entire war without ever having to experience that fear."
Recognition dawned on Shepard's face as Liara's eyes glassed over with unshed tears. "Gods. Li. I..." The commander stopped talking and simply leaned forward and kissed her. Gently. Tenderly. With compassion versus their normal hot passion, and Liara reciprocated as she slowly enveloped the commander in a total embrace. Their minds slipped together effortlessly and words were no longer needed to understand the love and concern each felt for the other.
They finally broke their meld but remained sitting with foreheads touching, taking comfort purely from their togetherness. Shepard finally pulled back and looked down. "I'm sorry, Liara; I have been unfair to you. I grew up in the military and learned early what it meant to be a soldier and lose people in battle." Her eyes came up to meet the Asari's and she placed her fingertips over the soft blue lips that were about to give voice to a protest. "No. I need to say this. You are so capable and so... rock-solid in a fight, I forget. You're incredible, Liara, and I don't tell you that enough and I tend to take your natural talent for granted. I take you for granted, and it's wrong of me to do so. I forget you've only known war since I hauled you out of that damn confinement bubble on Therum."
"Well, I had a very good teacher and a natural leader to guide me; one who was able to instill confidence even in the most inexperienced... and you mustn't forget that I stayed aboard of my own free will after you gave me the option to depart." Liara's hand came up and ran back along the side of the commander's head, her fingers sifting through the auburn locks she loved so dearly. She smiled adoringly, reassured Shepard's psyche was back on track... at least for the time being. "All that has transpired is not solely your responsibility, Shepard... It is ours. And I have never forgotten how easily you accepted me onto your crew, even when no one else believed I was anyone but a traitor's daughter... and here we are, headed back to Noveria. It... makes all those memories fresh and reminds me how much I rely on both your mental fortitude and your physical presence by my side. You are my partner... in all things."
"You do know I'm going on this mission, even though you can't." Shepard's eyes looked pained, though the words were spoken in her 'commander' voice, leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, Ma'am. I do." Liara smirked and tapped her temple. "But I also know you don't truly go anywhere without me and, if necessary, I will do as I did on Illium and lend you my strength... as well as my First. I assume you plan on taking Riana to boost the squad's biotic strength?"
"Even if I had not previously planned on bringing her, I would do so now, if only to make you feel more comfortable since you cannot be with me. Also, don't forget Garrus brought Ashley back with him, so she's with us again as well." Shepard stated. "And, we don't have any scheduled tasks on the books at the moment, so I'm hoping we all have a couple of days to rest up before the next mission."
Liara grimaced. "Actually we do have a new task... from Miranda. I simply haven't told you about it yet. She found a lead on Leviathan's location."
"It never ends, does it?" Shepard let out a light huff and shook her head in disappointment. "So, you keeping me in suspense, or are you going to fill me in?"
"Triginta Petra," Liara sighed. "It's a small Turian colony in the Lenal System. It is a very... challenged... farming world, so they have extensive scans and surveys of the entire system. They were hoping to find minerals or other precious resources to use as trade to improve their situation."
Shepard sat up and frowned. "And they found Leviathan instead?"
"No." Liara shook her head. "On the contrary; they didn't find a thing. We had narrowed the search for Leviathan to either Lenal or Psi Tophet... and now the colonial scans by Triginta Petra have eliminated Lenal from that very short list."
"So Leviathan is somewhere in Psi Tophet... and that's where we're headed next." Shepard leaned in and kissed Liara gently on the lips. "But it's on the other side of the galaxy, so will take time to get there. So we'll have that short break anyway. And before that is Noveria... and before that is some more sleep."
"Then seeing as you are yet awake, you can get undressed so we can cuddle." Liara grinned mischievously at the look on Shepard's face. "I don't care if we're only sleeping. I still appreciate the feel of your skin against mine."
When they awoke the next morning, Liara sensed a shift in the link. A distance that made her both wary and concerned. She opened her eyes to find Shepard already up, dressed and putting on her armor. "Samantha? Why did you not wake me so we could breakfast together?" She immediately felt more warmth through the link as Shepard turned toward her and took the couple of steps to the bed.
Shepard leaned in and kissed her tenderly before answering. "Because you need sleep... especially after last night. We both do but, thanks to Cerberus, I don't need quite as much... and I have a mission to complete. Doesn't mean you need to be up; I figured I'd let you take advantage of it whenever you can."
Liara sat up and promptly blushed when the sheets fell away from her body and Shepard whistled quietly in appreciation. She reached out and cupped the commander's face, frowning slightly as she queried, "You wouldn't have left without saying goodbye, would you?"
"Absolutely, Dr T'Soni... because it's not goodbye. I'd be saying 'see you later' instead. And that, I would have woken you up for, Blue. I swear it." Samantha took the Asari's hand and pulled it gently away from her cheek and Liara felt that distance settling in again as Shepard continued, "Now, I need to finish getting ready."
"Samantha. Something's bothering you; tell me what's going on. Please." Liara's voice was not quite pleading, but it was close enough to garner Shepard's attention. "We agreed to no more secrets."
"You're right. We did." Shepard nodded and her voice was hard when she spoke. "The Illusive Man used Humanity's own councilor to attack the very heart of our current civilization and, had it not been for the Normandy's opportune arrival, most likely would have succeeded in killing all the councilors, including Tevos and Tenir."
She turned and looked at the troubled Asari. "And then a Cerberus assassin came much too close to killing you." Shepard's eyes flashed to a deep, cold green. "And now? We're headed to a Cerberus fighter base. I'm going to kill them, Liara. I'm going to kill them all."
The cold was replaced instantaneously with a warmth reserved only for her as Shepard leaned in and kissed her yet again. "Gráim thú, Liara T'Soni... and no one messes with my girl." Liara could only sit in stunned silence as Shepard stroked her cheek tenderly one last time before turning and leaving the loft without another word.
Shepard rolled into the shuttle bay like a storm, only to be met by a very pissed off James Vega. "Yo, Commander! Somebody ripped my bag all to Hell last night and Edi won't say who did it, when I know damn well she's got to know!"
"Stow it, James. She won't say anything... because I'm the one who did it." Shepard looked at Vega's shocked expression and felt more than a tad bit repentant. "Sorry, James. After that shit on the Citadel, I'm pissed. Royally. And I figured a shredded bag was better than a shredded hull. I'll get you a replacement as soon as I can."
Ashley cocked an eyebrow. "You also responsible for the ruined suppression cuffs we found burned out on the deck?"
Shepard didn't say a word, but her expression gave it away and Riana stared at her in awe. "Nara. In all my years, I have never seen anyone burn through cuffs like that; the circuitry was melted... destroyed beyond repair!"
Garrus chuckled and his voice flanged with humor. "That's because you've never seen Shepard truly angry. On the rare occasion when she is, she's a terrifying sight to behold, and I am definitely glad she's on our side."
Shepard looked at Garrus with a knowing smile on her face and shook her head. "Alright, load up. We've got a fighter base to take out of action."
While enroute, Shepard briefed the team on their mission. "Officially, all we need to do is take down the defenses, so the main Alliance force can get in without being turned to space dust. They want the facility and the fighter squadrons that come along with it." Shepard let her eyes wander across her squad. "Unofficially, we're also going to make Cerberus pay for setting up shop only one hop away from Sol and the Citadel... and for their attempted coup."
"And for their attack on Liara, no?" James had settled down after finding out it was Shepard who had blasted his bag into smithereens and she was planning to replace it, but that did not prepare him for the glacial green eyes that bored into his.
Shepard's initial fear had turned to a calculated fury and her tone of voice sent chills through the ground team. "You've all seen what TIM is turning his soldiers into... basically, Cerberus Husks which are most likely only one step away from indoctrination. So, we're going to do what we always do with Cerberus troops when we catch them doing something they shouldn't be doing." Her eyes locked on James as she continued, "Just like you told me before Eden Prime; we're going to kill the bastards and then let the Alliance take over."
The words themselves were not much different than other guidance they had been given, but even Garrus did a double-take at the way she spoke the words; the seething anger behind them. The only one in the group who didn't flinch was Javik, who actually nodded in agreement. "I approve, Commander. We had a similar group in our midst and they were our downfall. This... Cerberus..." his voice carried more venom than any of the Normandy crew had yet heard from the Prothean, "... must be eliminated."
The conversation was cut off by Cortez calling out from the cockpit. "I have visual contact. There's a small platform above the main landing pad."
Shepard smiled, "Drop us in, Cortez, then get clear of the guns until we call."
They split into their three groups as soon as they hit the deck; Ashley took Edi and Riana along the top rail while Garrus held Bethany and Sarah back as fire support. Shepard had Vega and Javik, and they moved quickly across the lower deck to the opposite side. Shepard pulled her shotgun and prepared to jump into her 'crash and blast' mode.
Shepard heard the bark of Garrus' sniper rifle and glanced up the ramp; Centurions were dropping from the upper level with the assistance of rocket boots and the minute she saw their shields spark and go down, she launched. As the first Centurion smashed into the wall behind him, Shepard leveled the group of three with a Nova shockwave and promptly added her shotgun to the firepower of the combined teams.
Standard Assault Troopers began to swarm and Sarah and Bethany lit them up with their Arc Projectors. Knowing exactly what would happen, Riana grinned and tossed a stasis on the foremost soldier; Shepard saw it and immediately charged, igniting the biotic explosion and destroying any chance the Cerberus troops had of surviving the surges of electricity coursing through their bodies.
Once again, Ashley watched the commander in awe as she thought back to Eden Prime and how Shepard had torn through the Husks there. It reminded her of exactly who Commander Shepard was and any remaining doubts concerning Shepard's loyalty were absolutely shattered along with the bodies of the dozens of Cerberus soldiers that laid dead at Shepard's feet.
Shepard rose from her standard finish position, down on one knee with one fist planted on the ground from having blasted out her last Nova shock wave, and glanced at her team. The deck was clear... as was their objective. "Alright, time to hit the control room." Shepard jerked her head to indicate the lower entrance to the facility as she looked at Ashley. "So, Williams. You want top or bottom?"
Vega coughed behind her and Ashley's face picked up a hue of pink as she responded. "You're such an ass, Shepard. Good to know some things never change... which means I'll take top."
"Oohhh, so dominant." Shepard laughed as Vega's cough changed to a strangling sound before she continued, "It's great to have you back, Ash."
The familiar banter was a balm on Shepard's soul as Ashley responded, "Roger that, Skipper. Meet you somewhere in the middle," and started into the upper hallway of the facility.
"Garrus. You guys hold the platform. Call if you get swamped." Shepard spun away and quickly slid down the ladder to the lower level, moving toward the far entrance with Javik and a recovering Vega in trail. The actual control center was not that well defended, most likely because most of the Cerberus troops had swarmed out to meet them.
Ashley's team ran into the lead Centurion as he moved toward the upper level and quickly removed him from the equation, while Shepard's trio found a squad of standard Assault Troopers, which they readily dispatched. Edi quickly brought down the defense grid as the rest of them either collected data from terminals or destroyed the occasional Cerberus troop who was stupid enough to stick a head in the door. As soon as the grid dropped, Garrus shouted on the comm, "A little help! I think you've finally managed to piss them off."
"On our way!" Shepard looked to Ashley, "Keep this control room secure, Spectre!"
Ashley grinned at the use of her new title as she answered, "We're on it, Shepard."
Shepard's team quickly departed the same way they had come in, through the lower entrance. Since Garrus was already up top, she decided that route would give them the greatest opportunity to flank the enemy... and it worked like a charm. The Turian's team was beleaguered by a full-on assault and faced a combination of Centurions, Troopers, Engineers and the occasional Nemesis, but Cerberus was completely unprepared for the approach of Shepard's crew from their rear.
They took down the Engineers first, to avoid any chance of them getting turrets set up, and then focused on the Centurions. A Nemesis dropped in and Garrus immediately slapped her with an overload, dropping her shields. Even though it would put her in the center of a pack of Cerberus Assault Troupers, Shepard pulled on her biotics and charged in.
Javik had started to get a good feel for the group's battle rhythm and surprised her. He reached out and hit the Nemesis with a biotic pull, lifting her slightly off her feet and priming a biotic explosion just as the commander arrived. Shepard had expected to smash into the Nemesis and then have to immediately execute a Nova shock wave to clear the Cerberus swarm from around her, but the resultant biotic blast took care of them and she was free to utilize her shotgun to kill off the downed Cerberus soldiers with much more conventional means.
As the gunfire fell silent, Cortez came on the comm, "Area clear, Shepard. I'm signaling all clear to the strike force... Wait! Shit! Sensors are picking up something coming your way... fast!"
The ground teams heard a klaxon blare followed by an announcement over the facility's loud-speaker system. "Proximity alert. Deploying armed response."
"Cover!" Shepard scrambled with her team to duck behind cargo boxes and short walls; anything they could find to provide them some shelter until they figured out what Cerberus was throwing at them next. Shepard was hoping it wasn't some type of anti-personnel guided missile system when an Atlas crashed down to the deck. The commander almost laughed in relief as the Normandy team lit it up with everything they had.
Garrus slapped it with an overload; combined with the fire from two Arc Projectors, its shields dropped immediately. The combined fire from Javik, Vega and the commander quickly ended the Atlas and it self-destructed before it managed to take five steps. Shepard stepped clear of her cover and docked her shotgun before rolling her shoulders to stretch the tense muscles. She slowly became aware of a presence in the back of her mind and it brought a light smile to her face. {How long have you been there, Dr T'Soni?}
{I told you I'd be monitoring the mission and I've been supporting you since the first bullet slipped your plates and embedded itself in your left thigh, Love.} Liara sounded concerned and chastising at the same time. With a surprised grunt from the commander, she continued. {You were so in the zone you didn't even notice it, did you?}
A very sheepish commander responded softly. {Actually, no. I didn't. Guess I'll be visiting Karin when I get back.}
{Yes, you will... and I'll meet you there, Siame.} Liara's voice was soft and caring, and most definitely tinged with a trace of unease. {I love you, Samantha. See you soon.}
Once Liara pointed it out, Shepard recognized the dull ache in her thigh as she boarded the shuttle with her crew to return to the Normandy; the pain was subdued thanks to her suit's medigel auto-dispensing system. Knowing Liara was awaiting her return, she proceeded directly to the Med Bay as soon as the shuttle settled into the Normandy's hangar and Karin greeted her at the doorway. "Hello, Commander. Liara warned me to expect you."
The commander grimaced as she limped to the nearest table; her leg had stiffened up significantly during the short ride on the shuttle and now that she was aware of it, she could feel the muscle grinding uncomfortably against the metal in her leg. Liara saw the expression and walked over to her, halting her in her tracks. She brushed the back of her fingers lovingly across Shepard's cheek before kneeling and unclipping the fasteners on Shepard's armor, removing only the cuisse which covered the commander's left thigh. She flinched and apologized when Shepard hissed; since the wound had not been properly treated and blood had caked in the armor lining, it had stuck to the commander's ragged skin. "I'm afraid you'll have to strip everything below the waist for Karin to see to this properly, Samantha."
Liara helped Shepard remove the remainder of her armor and her liner pants as Karin opaqued the Med Bay windows; the doctor frowned with displeasure. "Atypical for you to not treat your wounds immediately, Commander. Don't become inattentive, simply because you know you heal fast." Chakwas' tone was scathing as she continued, "Up on the table, please. I'm afraid your lack of care this time is going to give you a new scar."
Shepard frowned at the tone. "I didn't do it intentionally, Karin. I never even realized it had happened until Liara pointed it out to me."
Karin's eyebrows rose. "I'm not sure which of those two scenarios worries me more, Shepard."
Silence fell as Karin extracted the slug and set the stitcher to work. Shepard thought about Karin's comment while Liara stood next to the commander and maintained constant contact, as if afraid Shepard would vanish if she released her. The Asari's feelings of trepidation faded slightly when Samantha pulled her against the table and leaned into her hip, resting her head against the Asari's side and wrapping an arm around Liara as the medical device did its work.
Liara turned slightly so she could drape her arms across Shepard's broad shoulders. {You need to not be so angry, Siame. You lost yourself in the battle and your... coldness... frightened me.}
{Sorry, Li, but I can't NOT be angry that someone tried to kill you. You can't ask that of me.}
{I just did, and I will continue to do so, Commander. While the Normandy's Information Broker may not have the privilege to ask you for such a thing, your Promised most certainly does. I would ask that rather than hate that they tried, we need to take joy from their failure... and that we are yet together.}
Liara felt, more than heard, the resigned sigh followed by a light chuckle against her stomach. Shepard tipped her head back and peered up into a pair of deep blue pools filled with love and devotion. "You know it's impossible for me to say 'no' to you, don't you?"
"That is not true, Shepard and you know it." Liara smiled and gently pushed Samantha's hair back behind her ears. "You simply have a tendency to acquiesce more readily to my requests when you know I care deeply about the matter under discussion... and there is nothing in this galaxy that I care more deeply about than you."
They were distracted by Karin's chuckle as she walked up to turn off the stitcher and move it away from the commander's thigh. "Give it up, Sam. I won't even pretend to understand the context of the discussion I'm sure you both just had in your heads, but you can't possibly have any viable comeback to a declaration like that one."
Shepard's chuckle turned into outright laughter as she sat up, turned and hung her feet off the side of the table. She guided Liara in, between her knees, and hugged her tightly; she continued to laugh lightly as she released the Asari and pushed her back a step so she could slide off the treatment table. She stood and glanced back and forth between the two. "Thank you. Both of you." She slowly drew in a deep breath and blew it out as she redressed. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without either of you."
Karin smiled. "Well, without me, you would have bled to death at least five or six times by now."
As Shepard looked at Karin with an expression of shock at the doctor's blunt assessment, Liara smiled and took her lover's hand. "And I have no intention of ever finding out what could possibly become of you without me around, so you never need to worry about such a thing. It will make your life much easier if you simply accept my permanent presence as inevitable."
Shepard opened her mouth, but closed it again without saying anything. She finally shrugged and spoke, "I can certainly think of worse fates than having you forever by my side, Dr T'Soni." She gave Karin one last glance of appreciation as she and Liara walked out of the Med Bay. Shepard squeezed Liara's hand and gave her a tug toward the elevator. "Come on. I still need to contact Admiral Hackett and I'm not ready to let go of you yet."
Chiroquol SB-3
"By the tides, how can one man be so damned persistent?" Arlyna cursed as Barla Von confirmed the report. "So you're absolutely sure?"
"Unfortunately, there is no doubt." The Volus' speech was broken by the intermittent 'sshhk' sound of his rebreather. "Henry Lawson accepted a rather large sum from the Illusive Man, as well as a document that pointedly indicated Oriana Lawson's new location."
"Goddess be damned." Arlyna shook her head in disgust and made her way to the cockpit. She slid the door open and leaned in. "Niria. Emergency course change. We need to head to Demeter, just outside the Sol System... all speed. I think Oriana Lawson is about to find herself in an ocean of trouble without a lifeboat... assuming she's not already there."
Niria responded immediately, searching the navigation system and highlighting the new destination. "I assume you're going to call the Aletheia immediately about whatever is happening?"
"I am." Arlyna's voice grew quiet. "Henry Lawson has found Oriana."
As Arlyna turned and walked away, she heard Niria mutter familiar words under her breath. "Goddess be damned."
SSV Normandy, At Large
"Seeing as you have both the Aletheia and the Chiroquol enroute, we will proceed to our current destination in Psi Tophet." Liara worked to remain calm as she responded to Miranda's statement. "Unfortunately, the Rakhana is scoping the Far Rim, following up on a lead from Hackett concerning the Migrant Fleet... so we are both on the far side of the galaxy from where you need us. It is unlikely either one of us could reach you in time to assist, even if we tried."
"Understood, Dr T'Soni." Miranda's voice exuded tightly controlled professionalism. "I'll keep you posted on what we find there."
Liara nodded. "Good luck, Miranda, and know our thoughts are with you and Oriana."
It had been a quiet couple of days as the Normandy had worked her way toward Sigurd's Cradle, allowing everyone, especially Shepard, time for a deep breath and a chance to recover their balance. They had just completed the transit of the Omega Relay, which Shepard had insisted on, despite Liara's warnings to the contrary. Liara wanted to go via the Vallhallan Threshold to avoid the trouble spot, but the commander wanted to use it as a scouting mission. What they found, as they slipped through in full stealth mode, confirmed Aria's assertion that Cerberus was solidly in control of Omega Station. As they approached Psi Tophet, the Normandy's temporary tranquility was quickly coming to an end.
The communications network fell silent and Liara took a deep breath and steeled herself for the conversation ahead. Goddess. If the Illusive Man sold out Oriana to Henry Lawson and Miranda doesn't make it in time, Shepard will be positively livid, but there is nothing to be done. Knowing they only had a few hours of FTL to the Psi Tophet system, Liara didn't waste any time and called Shepard to the Broker office.
"Damn it!" Shepard growled at the news. "Though, if it's anything like Illium, Miranda and the commandos should be able to handle it."
Liara agreed. "Yes. For obvious reasons, they will be leaving both Falere and Aresia behind to keep the Aletheia in a geosynchronous orbit while the ground crew takes the Chiroquol down to the planet. Its registry is less likely to draw attention and can easily transport the eight of them. While the commandos go ashore, Barla Von will remain aboard with the core running in the event a... hasty departure... should become necessary."
Shepard's eyes softened as she saw the concern on her lover's face. "Hey. They'll be fine, Li." She stepped up and drew Liara into a tender embrace and swayed gently. "You need to focus on our upcoming mission with Leviathan; let Miranda worry about her own. She's a top operative... and all the commandos know what they're doing."
Liara's eyes slid shut as she reveled in the strong arms holding her safe and snug. They stood in quiet comfort for a long moment before Liara finally whispered into the silence. "I love you."
Shepard's arms squeezed her tight in reaction and then relaxed again as Shepard whispered back. "I love you too, Ionúin álainn."
Liara pushed back just enough to look Shepard in the eye, her soft blues melting into the deep green pools she so easily lost herself in. "Goddess, how did I ever get so lucky?"
"Lucky?" Shepard laughed quietly. "You've agreed to bond with a suicidal Vanguard who doesn't think the Reapers pose enough of a challenge so goes hunting for the Reaper killer, Leviathan. I don't think that's lucky, Dr T'Soni. I think that's insane!"
"Shepard," Liara growled playfully. "I'm being completely serious."
"Sorry, Blue." Shepard stopped her laughter but kept the crooked grin on her face. "I find it hard to imagine that I'm lucky enough to have found you, not the other way around." Shepard pulled her back in and set their lips together gently so Liara could offer no argument, to which the Asari happily acquiesced.
2181 Despoina, Psi Tophet
Edi had scanned the three planets within the system and quickly determined Despoina to be the sole planet with an energy signature that matched Leviathan's. "I'm done arguing, Garrus! I'm taking Liara, Riana, Edi and James. Period." Much to Garrus' displeasure, she had split the squad in two. "We have no idea what's down there. If anything happens, as the remaining Spectre, Ashley gets command of the Normandy and you guys have to continue the mission."
Garrus was getting ready to speak again when Ashley laid a hand firmly on his arm. "She's right, and you know it... but that doesn't mean we have to like it." Her eyes traveled to the commander. "Be careful down there, Skipper, and stay in touch. If you disappear off the scope, we'll give you twenty-four hours to reestablish contact."
"Thanks, Ashley. I imagine if we can't do it within twenty-four, we never will... because we most likely will be dead."
Shepard's head turned as Liara added, "Or enthralled. Either case is not the outcome I prefer for this mission."
Shepard started to chuckle. "Damn, T'Soni. You really are getting good at those deadpan deliveries."
Liara's lips quirked up into a smirk. "Who said I was joking, Shepard?"
The commander bit back a chuckle and pointed at the shuttle. "Alright, alright. Mount up, folks. Time to get this show on the road."
As the shuttle approached the surface, Cortez started reporting on the probe they had launched from the Normandy. "Commander. You're not going to like this, but there's nothing but water here."
"What the hell are we expecting to find then? Is Leviathan a whale, or what?" James sounded disappointed.
Liara raised her eyebrow markings as she responded, "Given what we know, if it's a waterborne creature, it will most likely be a member of the shark family... that doesn't want to be found."
Shepard turned from the cockpit and glanced through her ground crew, her eyes settling on Liara. "It doesn't have a choice. We're here."
Edi finally spoke up, weighing in with her analytical perspective. "And what if it is a rogue Reaper, Shepard? I do not imagine we can trust it enough to be allies."
Shepard scoffed, "We're not here to make friends... but if the Reapers are worried enough about it to try to find it, we need to find it first and see if it will help us."
"Commander. I've got new readings from the probe..." Cortez hesitated before he spoke again, "and while there are a lot of vessels floating on the surface, Leviathan is below... way below."
"We didn't come all this way for nothing." Shepard frowned. "Any way to contact it?"
Cortez smiled. "We can go knock on its door. Water isn't really any different than space. The shuttle is spec'd for nearly a thousand atmospheres." He glanced back over his shoulder as he continued, "Though I've never actually tested that."
Shepard raised her eyebrows. "I guess we're gonna find out."
Shepard turned to ask if anyone wanted to join them in the cockpit as they went swimming in the shuttle, but she never got the chance. Some form of electronic pulse slammed into the shuttle and the mass effect core hiccupped, tossing everyone from their seats.
Cortez yelled out, "Some kind of pulse hit us! Systems are shutting down! Brace for impact!"
Shepard's protective instincts kicked in and she scrambled back to her feet, searching out Liara. She staggered through the crew compartment as Cortez fought to bring the shuttle down on one of the floating structures rather than in the water. She had just reached Liara when another jolt tossed them all to the floor; she reached out and wrapped her arms defensively around the Asari as she shouted, "Stay down and bring up a..."
Shepard never spoke her last word, 'barrier,' because the shuttle slammed hard onto the deck of some unknown ship, skidded and careened off a bulkhead, tossing the occupants hard against the inner hull. Shepard grunted with the force of the impact and worked hard to not crush Liara between her own armored mass and the wall, keeping her arms stiff even as she felt a piece of jagged metal rip through her gauntlet and dig into her forearm.
The shuttle bounced off of something else, spinning the craft 180 degrees, and finally skidded to a halt... just before all the systems shut down completely, casting them into utter darkness.
