The waves of Collector forces has been intense on the human colony of Horizon where Shepard and her squad were initially investigating but then fighting broke out as they caught the Collectors in the act. The final creature that the Collectors sent to combat her squad, like a massive squid made of husk technology, took a lot to bring down. With his tech and her biotic attacks, Mordin and Shepard threw all they had at the thing while Garrus used up clip after clip. Once the beast finally fell and the Collector ship made its escape having captured the colony, a calm silence falls across the bright grassy colony.
A joy comes across Verity when Ashley appears, showering her with praise to explain who the commander is to a disgruntled engineer. But this soon changes to words of anger as Ashley cannot understand why Verity has chosen to join Cerberus, admonishing Garrus in the process. She will not listen that Cerberus is the only organization actively trying to bring an end to these mass kidnappings, with even Mordin chipping in to explain why they would join such a dark organization. It hurts Verity deeply that her best friend is so harsh with her, unwilling to trust her like she once did. She can understand that Ashley would stay loyal to the Alliance, but to be so personal about Verity's choice is too much for her.
As Ashley turns and walks away, Verity calls after her.
"Ash!"
"What? What more do we have to say? You're with the organization that caused the deaths of countless innocents with their sick experiments, murdered a high ranking Alliance official and you want me to just 'deal'. I get it."
"No wait."
"What?"
"Liara."
"Sorry. But no."
"What?"
"I'm not putting you near her while you're with Cerberus. She's been through enough."
"Is she okay? Chakwas said she was in a bad way."
"Yea she was, all the more reason why I don't want you near her. She was just about okay last I saw her."
"Is she... does she...?"
"As far as I know, she's not with anyone else. She really missed you."
"Please Ash, this has nothing to do with Cerberus, or the Alliance, or the Collectors, or anything else, you know that."
"Ah damn it." Asley places her hands on her hips and squints at Shepard, assessing her sincerity. "Nos Astra on Illium. But if you or your Cerberus buddies mess with her head, god help me..."
"Thank you Ash, you won't regret it, I promise."
Verity jogs back to her squad with a grin on her face. Ashley calls back after her.
"I'm still pissed off with you, ma'am! But good luck!"
Upon returning to the Normandy, Verity goes to set a course to Illium to see she has new unread messages on her terminal. A mail from Illusive man. Unbelievable. He wants her to travel to the planet of Illium to pass on information about the Shadow Broker to Liara T'Soni. Well to Verity, this sounds like a mission of the utmost importance, to be executed without delay.
"Doctor T'Soni?"
"Yes, Nyxeris?"
"A call from the port concierge."
"Put it through."
"Doctor T'Soni?"
"Yes, Careena?"
"You wanted to be notified if a particular ship arrived in our sector?"
"The Normandy SR-2, yes?"
"Well, we currently have them in a holding pattern while we find them a bay right here at Nos Astra. My apologies that we could not inform you earlier. It was most odd. We did not pick them up until they were right on us."
"Excellent. Thank you, Careena. Please forward all docking and administration fees to my account."
"Of course, doctor. Then I shall greet them personally for you. Shall I direct them to your office?"
"Oh. Yes. Thank you. How kind."
"Thank you, Doctor T'Soni. Have a good day."
"Goodbye."
In her relatively short time on Illium, Liara has built the respect of the local authorities and businesses, and quite a reputation. Most are aware of her past with the Normandy and involvement in the Battle of the Citadel. The docking authorities were more than happy to assist her with her request.
Liara's heart is racing. To see Shepard alive again, will it be too hard? She does not think she can go through losing Verity again and does not intend to make such advances. Friendship. That's enough. Even if she doesn't ever love another that's all she wants to offer to Shepard right now. She has her work to do, bringing down the Shadow Broker and freeing Feron. She cannot join the squad right now as she knows Verity will ask, there is too much to do.
"Doctor T'Soni?"
"Nyxeris?"
"I have further information on the Shadow Broker spy."
"Excellent. Please, come through."
Nyxeris thinks she has been clever this time. She has dispersed data incriminating the 'spy' around Nos Astra but will inform Liara that she happened across this information from a source. It will certainly confirm the spy's presence but will, she thinks be indeterminable, enough that it looks like Nyxeris is genuinely doing her work but vague enough to misdirect Liara from the truth. Unfortunately for Nyxeris, in her enthusiasm to set this ruse up she overlooked one glaring anomaly that points right back in her direction. Nyxeris has had plenty of time to ponder her current lot. Had she known that Liara was so amiable, the work so interesting, the location ideal, and so many other things that she enjoys about this work, she would have declined the Shadow Broker's offer and just taken this job for real. It's the first regular wage she's ever had and Liara pays well, knowing this is difficult and dangerous work. Then she wonders if that would have just made her another target on the Broker's list. She never thought her life would be this complicated but she is beginning to realise that she is neck deep in it and rising.
"Come on." Shepard hovers her hand over the button to open the Normandy's airlock to the outside.
"You know how long it takes for the walkways to extend. Can you calm down?" Garrus says.
"So this is your girlfriend we're seeing eh?" Jack asks.
"Yep. Well, I hope so. You know, that she... It's been two years, for most of which I was dead apparently."
"Ha! This should be interesting then." Jack laughs.
"Come on, Jack, don't be an ass."
"Hey!" Jack points an aggressive finger at Verity, "Fuck you."
"Jack, I'm just saying I don't want this to be a spectator sport, alright?"
"Well if it gets a little intense, I know when to give people space and get the fuck out. Good enough?"
Verity hits the door button the moment the the clunk of the walkway sounds and marches quickly down the corridor.
"Okay Shepard!" Garrus calls after her. "We understand that you're eager to get there, but please, chill."
"Yea," Jack joins in, "it ain't a fucking race."
Verity keeps walking, dismissively waving her hand at the pair, only to be confronted by an asari accompanied by two mechs. There's always something, Verity thinks, expecting the worst. Happily, it is only the port concierge greeting them most cordially and informing them that Liara has taken care of any fees due, prompting Verity to ask for more specific information on her current status and location. Verity is not sure either way what she thinks of Liara becoming a well respected information broker, it certainly seems like a big departure from her previous vocation. And a vocation is was, not just a career. Liara adored discovering the secrets of the protheans, talking at length with Verity about the digs she would conduct if she only had the time. She has had the time, so what went wrong?
The squad walk through the busy trading area towards Liara's office, the large window now visible overlooking the trading floor. There are various species making purchases, trading in stock and generally milling around. Jack comments that despite this city looking so beautiful and seemingly civil, it is only one bad day away from becoming like Omega.
"Do you have to?" Verity says.
"What?"
"Always trying to shock with crap like that. There's no need."
"It's true."
"Yea, but you're giving no-one the heebie-jeebies, you know."
"Whatever. You fuck off and see your girlfriend, I'm gonna hang here."
"Stay out of trouble."
"As long as it doesn't come looking for me."
"I'll stay with Jack." Garrus says.
"I don't need babysitting."
"I'm not. I'm watching your back."
"I can look after myself."
"I don't recall saying that you couldn't."
Garrus likes a little banter at the best of times and Jack is quite the challenge. Verity shakes her head as she ascends the stairs, finding Nyxeris manning reception. She nervously introduces herself to the asari, discovering more about Liara's influence in her new trade in information and Nyxeris' role. Verity opens the door to the office to find Liara making threats to a man on vid-com, her back to the door.
"Have you ever faced an asari commando unit before?" Liara says. "Few humans have."