Sur'Kesh
Brenon, Orieste

Six white figures trudged through the light drizzle of falling snow and melting slushy ice. They blended perfectly with the surroundings. None made an effort to talk. The figure in the lead swiped at the streak of ice crystals that covered the helmet visor before his hand fell back on the barrel of the assault rifle. Tolus kept a sharp eye for any strange movement. The trees and flora might not offer much cover in winter but a canny foe would make use of any screen available, especially the snow. The sensors in his helmet would pick up any heat signatures but he preferred not to rely on it too much. The TI had proven to be very cunning.

The beacon signal grew stronger on his helmet visor. He stopped when it chimed several times. Looking around, he noted that they were near the edge of the overhang of a mountain plateau. Gesturing to the group to stop, he stepped carefully as he searched. The gleam of metal a few metres away caught his eye. As he went nearer, he could see the transmitting wand of the spy probe. He turned and waved to the group to come forward. He made a gesture to the two soldiers at the back to take up defense positions.

Tolus set himself a distance away from the three researchers and kept one eye on them as they gathered around the probe. The youngest, Nabro, set down the pack he was carrying. His colleagues, Anor and Reysi, unstrapped the small shovels clipped to their belts and bent to dig away the snow that covered most of the probe. The top most layer was soft and shifted easily but the bottom was hard-pack snow. It required careful excavating. The spades were switched over for ice picks. They struck with gentle taps to avoid damaging the probe as they tried to break up the hard ice.

"It's taking too long," said Anor when they made no substantial inroads to cracking the ice.

Rummaging in the pack, Nabro took out several heating stakes and handed them over. Anor activated one, careful to keep the sharp end away from himself. It glowed red hot. Swiftly and precisely, the two researchers planted several of the stakes along the body of the probe. The ice began to crack. White lines striated and spread before the ice shattered and turned slushy. Turning off the heating stakes, they cleared away the equipment and mushy ice. From his own pack, Anor took out a portable console he put on top of the probe. He sat down to work more comfortably.

"Signal is coming clear," he said as he entered the command code to link with the probe. "Systems are sound, time stamp of operating failure correspond with the last data dump received three days prior to the blizzard."

"Any collection in the cache?" asked Reysi as he plucked a datastick from one of the pouches around his belt and held it out.

"Intact and substantial. Surveillance data continued to accrue after signal failure and then ceased when temperatures fell." Anor plugged the datastick into the probe. "Downloading."

"What is the status of the monitoring eyes?" Reysi asked.

Tapping carefully, the thick gloves made movement over the keys a little awkward, Anor glanced through the data directory as it sprang up.

"Everything looks nominal." He called up another column. "Audio and visual devices in the base have failed, exterior monitors are functioning. Perimeter sensors are still online. Minimal heat radiation. They could be trying to conserve fuel. Movements were registered during the blizzard before tapering off yesterday. No air traffic," he added, though that was a extraneous statement in other circumstances.

No one in his right mind would be roaming around in a snow storm. But then the people they were observing was hardly normal.

"Let's take a look of the site."

Reysi brought up his omni-tool. Better to link in to the console than to try looking over Anor's shoulder, he was more likely to whack his colleague's helmet with his own. An image of a small complex sprang up. A place he was familiar with after more than a month of surveillance. It was one of several intact structures in a small ancient outlying town outside the city of Brenon. Most of the ancient habitats on Sur'Kesh were long been abandoned and declared heritage sites. No one could have foreseen that they would be used for an ominous purpose.

Although the Reapers did not advance into the Pranas System, their scouts, indoctrinated spies and saboteurs, had gone on ahead to lay the groundwork for their invasion. Mingling with the influx of refugees, they infiltrated every major city on Sur'Kesh. They then spread outwards, carrying out their insidious programming, bidding their time to strike when it was right. When the Reapers fell instead of arriving, what happened after was inevitable. They struck back. Mines and bombs that were secretly planted were set off, destroying vital civilian and military infrastructures.

Subversive subroutines that laid dormant in V.I. controlled systems were kicked into drive, wreaking planet-wide havoc and bringing most systems to a standstill. Worst of all, assassination attempts were made at several Dalatrasses and prominent commanders in STG, killing the most number of leaders within a day. The grimmest and blackest notation in history to date. As if that was not enough, the hatcheries were targeted. Retaliation would have been swift if the culprits were not so obscure. Amid rising fears and hysterical calls for wide employment of intensive inquisition, came the means of corralling the TI. When they realised they could no longer hide among the masses, the TI threw themselves single-mindedly into taking down as many of their foes with them as possible.

Those who were in the rural zones either congregated, fortifying small towns they had taken over or took to the lush forests. The latter put up the fiercest fight and were the most difficult to eliminate. Accordingly, STG forces concentrated on them to prevent long term entrenchment, cutting off and bypassing enemy towns to secure safe zones. Slowly and methodically, they whittled down the numbers but pockets of TI still remained. After five years, the TI continued to pose a serious threat to hatcheries, carrying out suicide bombings with captured victims.

Compared to the other Allied homeworlds, Sur'kesh had far fewer problems to deal with. No Reaper hulks to dispose off, no contamination to deal with. The salarians were lucky, most would say. The salarians would be happier to get rid of every TI. When word came of the signal scrambler, the campaign against the TI was altered slightly. The town they were now looking at had been a TI stronghold. One of the few to hold a indoctrination mechanism. The TI were forced to withdraw due to the sustained onslaught by STG who then pretended to retreat from a TI retaliation assault. But not before they planted as many spy devices as possible in the complex along with the prototype prothean scrambler.

For more than a month, the researchers observed TI activities, taking note of any atypical behaviour. It was difficult to not interfere when the TI returned with prisoners. Reysi and the others knew it was necessary which was why they forced themselves to distance their feelings when they wrote the reports. They concentrated instead on new developments, hoping for signs that the Prothean scrambler was working.

Reysi noted the snow covered mounds that lay outside the complex. "Bodies."

"Prisoners?" Anor wondered and then corrected himself. "But that is unlikely. Why kill prisoners and dispose of them in such a manner?"

"Might they be running out of supplies?" Nabro offered, peering over Anor's shoulder. "Perhaps it is more convenient to shove them out."

"Very inconvenient if they have intentions to stay in optimal operation," said Reysi. "Note that the bodies do not lay in a pattern that correspond with disposal."

"No," agreed Anor. "Careless disposal amount to accumulation that will draw undesirable results. These bodies do not conform. I would suggest that they came out by themselves and then died. The question is, of what?"

"Part of it has to be the cold." Reysi tried to enhance the image. "Is there any eye close to the bodies?"

"Here, at twenty metres." Anor put up the new image. "Not that it helps," he said in disappointment for too much snow covered the corpse. All that could be seen was the lower part of a leg and boot.

"We'll call in retrieval drones," Reysi's tone echoed his colleague's sentiment. "I count twelve bodies. There could be more inside the complex."

"A drone takes too long," Nabro objected, "let me go down there to take a look. Think about it," he continued when the two turned to look at him in astonishment. "It will take at least several hours to get back to base and another several to get retrieval drones here."

"Your point, other than offering yourself up as a prisoner?" Reysi said with some curiosity. He didn't think the younger salarian was that suicidal.

"The bodies have been exposed for more than a day. Whatever it was that killed them could be degraded by now. If we continue to wait, there may be no samples to collect," Nabro pointed out. "The best examination is often hands-on," he said persuasively, "we can have accurate and new data today than having to work with vague intermediate scannings tomorrow. Consider," he added quickly before either could speak. "The blizzard ended more than a day, why leave the bodies as they are?"

"For a myriad of reasons." Reysi jerked a shoulder in a shrug. "But you are correct, they should have removed the bodies by now."

"You do realise by going down there, the exposure to the Reaper signal is significantly stronger?" Anor warned.

"It will not be long and indoctrination is not instantaneous." Nabro thought the reminder immaterial at best but appreciated the thought behind it. "There is a path nearby that will take me down to the complex in half an hour. I can be back within an hour or so."

"That is, if captain Tolus is agreeable to the trip." Reysi looked to the STG captain who was listening quietly.

The young researcher's argument was valid in Tolus's point of view. However, the risks were just as great. For all they knew, those bodies could have been deliberately left there as bait or a false trail. In which case, leaving them there would not tip any changes on either side for the moment. But if those bodies were incidental, then vital information could be lost if they delayed. A situation he was very well acquainted with. Looking at the images relayed to his omni-tool, he was inclined to deny the request. But based on what the researchers were saying about the scanned readings within the complex, his instincts was saying something else.

"I'll send one of the soldiers down with you." He spoke briefly into his comm.

Nabro immediately checked the equipment he was going to take.

"He'll station himself outside the perimeter. You're on your own in there." Talus waited to see if Nabro would change his mind but the young researcher continued with his preparations. If he was that determined, there wasn't much to add. The soldier who was to escort Nabro came trudging up. Tolus took him aside, speaking softly.

After checking his pistol, Nabro indicated he was ready and stepped out swiftly with the soldier, almost quivering with eagerness. They followed the edge of the plateau and followed a narrow path down to the floor of the valley. The two gradually merged with the white snowscape as they moved farther and farther away. Above them, Anor removed the datastick once the download was completed and input new detection parameters to the spy eyes. If there was any suspicious movement, an alarm would be sent immediately to the two making their way down to the town. Not much help if the TI were already training weapons on them or waiting to grab them but better than nothing.

From their vantage point, they could not see the pair so Anor searched for the spy-eye that was trained on their approximate entry point. He enlarged the image once they came into sight. They waited and kept close watch for any signs of suspicious activity. Off to one side, Tolus listened as the soldier updated their progress, half his attention focused on the terrain around the small group and the other on the two approaching the wide open breech in the old defense stone wall of the complex.

Leaving Nabro to peer nervously past the broken wall, the soldier carefully climbed up the broken stones. They were nicely tumbled stair-like, to the top. Inhaling several times to settle his nerves, Nabro stepped past the wall once the soldier had settled down at his chosen spot. He hoped the soldier couldn't see the pistol trembling in his hand as he advanced slowly, alert for any movement. The nearest corpse was twenty metres away. A short distance but it felt like a long treacherous stretch to him. He felt as if hostile eyes were trained on him. He imagined fingers tightening on triggers. The TI wouldn't kill him of course, but he didn't relish the thought of injuries. He tried to step lightly. It was pointless since the snow was pristine, evidence that no one had traversed the area so his footprints showed up starkly.

He arrived at the body without incident. Crouching down, he swept the snow away. To his relief, the body of the human male was not encased in hard ice. Putting away his pistol, he briskly cleared away all the snow and was astonished to see that the human was half-dressed. He enabled his scanning tool.

"No mask, no helmet," he murmured, knowing the others were listening in. "Dressed in shirt, pants. No footwear. Slight abrasions, contusions on the face. Self inflicted injuries or otherwise, unable to determine. Skin colour is blue." He bent to check the limbs. "Bruises on arm, broken skin and nails." He looked at the readings. "Scan indicates that he died from hypothermia, no other physical anomaly, brain atrophy is in the latter stages. Death occurred twenty-six hours ago."

Taking several probes from a pouch at his belt, he inserted them into the body and removed tissues for later analyses. He swabbed at the visible injuries and labeled the packets carefully before tucking them securely in the pouch. Standing up, he made his way to the next body. This brought him nearer to the entrance of the complex. After a searching look at the windows, he cleared away the snow from the corpse. The body was that of a salarian. It was obvious how he died.

"Deceased is in hardsuit but is not wearing his helmet. Stab wounds to face and throat. Indicative of violence." He bent closer to examine the green stained snow under the body. "From the amount of blood, the injuries were inflicted right where he died." Something gleamed at him from the left hand of the dead salarian. He turned over the hand to have a better look.

"Serrated blade, self-inflicted injuries? No other physical wounds or anomalies, brain atrophy in latter stages. Time of death is twenty-six hours ago." He took another set of swaps and tissue samples.

Prudently avoiding the entrance, he examined the other ten corpses and collected tissue samples from them. All of them were without headgear, all had varying injuries. All had died at the same time. It was as if the desire to run out into the blizzard hit them all at once. He stood up after examining the last body and eyed the entrance. The doors were half-open and there was no sigh of movement at all in the duration of his trudging around. If there was anyone in the complex, they would know by now there was someone outside. There should have been some response.

"You're done. Return to the beacon," said Tulos, watching him through his helmet visor magnifier. His eyes crinkled slightly when Nabro hesitated.

"I think-," came Nabro's reply, "perhaps the scrambler has succeeded. They did not die from fighting others."

"That has to be confirmed," said Reysi, wondering if Nabro was going to do something foolish. "You have done the physical examination, taken scans and bio-samples. That is enough."

"I'd like to take a look inside."

"Negative," Tulos said sharply, "return to the beacon at once."

"This is a chance to confirm.." Nabro took a step towards the entrance.

"Your next step is your last," Tulos warned.

"What?" Nabro said in confusion.

"You know too much, doctor. I cannot risk having that information in the wrong hands," Tulos said coldly. "Turn around and return to the soldier at the wall or he will shoot you."

Disbelieving silence. Anor sighed and shook his head. The foolishness of the young. Nabro was good in his field but still wet around the gills, at times making redundant observations and statements that everyone kindly ignored. He would learn and advance quickly enough, if he obeyed Tulos. Otherwise, his journey would end right there. Tension hung in the air as they waited for Nabro's response.

"He's returning." Tulos looked at the two researchers. "Be ready to move out."


Thessia
Kelice Medical Centre

The first thing that came to Shepard was the feeling of comforting sleepiness. The kind that said all was well and that she could go back to sleep. She basked in it dreamily. Sensations began to filter in slowly. The softness beneath her head, the smooth covers around her. In bed, of course. She could hear the soft strains of music. The lyrics sounded strange to her ears until she identified it as asari. There was something else too. A familiar scent mixed with something like pine. Someone was holding her hand. She opened her eyes to a cream colour ceiling.

Her eyes felt slightly gritty to her. How long was she asleep? A breeze stroked her cheek. She turned her head. Crimson and white drapes flapped lightly in the cool breeze sweeping in from the open windows. Branches of amber green leaves swayed. A indigo-yellow lizard sprang into view to snap on a tiny insect she couldn't see. Its colour shifted into orange briefly before it floated down out of sight. To a lower branch she supposed. Such lizards could not jump more than a few feet and usually deployed their natural biotic abilities to enhance the skill during hunting or escaping from predators.

That brief glimpse confirmed the place where she was at. Thessia. But where precisely? She raised her head and looked at the person holding her hand. Her heart melted at the sight of a sleeping Liara. Her smile faded away to a frown. Liara's eyes were shadowed. Why did she look so tired? Pushing herself up with an elbow, Shepard sat up and glanced down at herself. Hospital attire. But why? She struggled to remember. Wasn't she with Aria on Omega? No, that wasn't it. It was something else. Ilos. She was on Ilos, talking to Vigil. No, she was not talking to the Prothean V.I. What was she doing? She grimaced and exhaled. The expelled breath that escaped her mouth was so sour she nearly gagged. How terrible. She hadn't brushed her teeth for how long?

She slowly extricated her hand from Liara's grasp, flipped back the blankets and shifted over to the edge of the bed. The cold surface of the floor beneath her feet brought a shiver that swept through her to the top of her head. She gingerly stood up, bracing herself against the headboard. After a glance around the room, she made her way over to the door nearest the bed, certain it was the toilet. Step by step, with limbs and muscles that felt creaky and strange. She peeped behind the door. It was a bathroom. She stepped in, planted herself at the washbasin and stared into the wall mirror.

If Liara look tired, I definitely look like a sad sack.

She searched for a toothbrush and toothpaste in the wall cabinet. Liara would have brought toiletries, she was certain. Otherwise, she would have to settle for rinsing out her mouth until she could clean out the sour pit of her mouth. Ah voila! Her eyes lit up when she spied the items. Feeling better after a good scrub, she stripped off the hospital garb and stepped under the shower. The hot water was bliss. She luxuriated under the downpour. It was too bad there was no tub in which she could soak in. She wasn't sure what had happened after she lost consciousness but it felt like she had been cocooned in bed for a long time. A good long immersion in water was the thing to get revitalised.

When fingers and toes threatened to turn into prunes, she turned off the shower and realised there was no fresh clothing. Grabbing a large towel from the towel rack, she wrapped it around herself. She used the smaller towel to dry her face and hair. If there were toiletries, there should be clothing. Liara wouldn't have forgotten. Wet footprints trailed after her in the misty bathroom as she headed for the room. Steam bellowed out after her through the open door. She sneezed in the cooler air. When her eyes cleared, she could only gap in astonishment at the newcomer.

" ..mom?" she stuttered, staring at the woman standing beside a sleeping Liara. "What...how?" she said, caught between the desire to throw questions and the automatic response that was beginning to kick into gear. She restrained the urge to salute, not difficult to do since she was in a towel. Water began to pool around her feet as she struggled to come up with a suitable response to her mother's presence. Hannah remained silent and only looked at her. A stirring at the bed drew her attention. Liara was waking up. Faint panic began to set in. What would her mother say to Liara?

Alarm leaped to Liara's eyes when she saw the empty bed. Pushing herself up quickly, she bumped against someone beside her. She looked up startled and realised it was Hannah. The look on Hannah's face was odd. A mixture of relief, elation and amusement. Following her gaze, Liara realised why. A relieved giggle began to form when she took in her bondmate's discomfiture but she forced it down and hurriedly stood up.

"You are awake," she said, "how do you feel?"

"I..feel fine."

"Good. Just in time too for the Wane festivity. You will be joining us, of course?" Liana turned to Hannah.

Clearing her throat, Hannah nodded. "Yes, I'll just wait outside while you get dressed," she said, visibly suppressing some emotion Shepard couldn't fathom and left.

While Shepard stood staring dumbfounded after the retreating woman, Liara went to the wardrobe beside the bed and took out the clothes she brought. "You are going to catch a chill, standing there," she scolded gently. She went to her bondmate and pulled her unresisting to the bed before rubbing a dry towel through her wet hair.

Still in shock, Shepard meekly submitted to Liara's ministrations. "What...what is she doing here?"

"She came to see you. Right now, I want you to not think about anything else but of the festivities we are going to partake in." Brushing back the partially dry hair, Liara stared into Shepard's eyes. "I never thought..." She almost sobbed with joy at the feel of Shepard's mind. She broke off and threw her arms around her bondmate in a crushing hug.

"What?" Shepard returned the pressure, confused that Liara was trembling. "Liara, what happened on Ilos?"

Telienos said you would temporarily forget what happened.

I remember talking to Vigil and nothing after that. {puzzlement}

You spoke to Vigil and someone else. Leave it for another day. Director's orders.

What is it you're not telling me?

All I can tell you now is that you have been unconscious for two weeks.

What?! {shock amazement} How'd that happen?

Please, it had been a difficult time. Telienos said it is better that the matter be left alone for a few days after you awaken. Everything will be discussed later. I promised.

"Right now," Liara said, pulling away slightly, smiling when she saw the dissatisfaction on Shepard's face. "Get dress and we will go to the festival plazas. There will be food and drinks," she said persuasively when the frown did not go away. "Music..dancing." She rested her forehead against Shepard's. Oh, the joy of feeling her mind again. Vibrant and warm. "I really miss you."

From the flow of emotions, Shepard could taste the the residues of the distress that Liara had endured. "It's that bad?" she muttered. "I'm sorry, love."

"Whatever are you sorry for?" chided Liara. "I am just glad you are back."

"Just glad?" asked Shepard.

"Happy. Estatic. Delirious with joy. I could sing..-" her next words vanished when Shepard kissed her. Somehow or other, they ended up on the bed, minds and bodies hungrily reaching for each other. "I do not think this a good idea," Liara gasped when she was able to speak, fingers digging into Shepard's shoulders. "Your mother is waiting for us."

The reminder was as effective as a splash of ice cold water. "Damn." Shepard ceased her movements and pushed herself up to stare down at Liara who giggled at her sad expression. "I guess we can't keep her waiting huh." Her tone suggested she wouldn't mind doing so.

"No." Liara sat up and pulled the clothes, lying forgotten on the bed, towards her. "Here." She watched as Shepard ran the towel one last time through her hair, dried herself thoroughly and began to dress.

"This is new." Shepard pulled on a cream colour rolled collar shirt, dark teal trousers and a mid-thigh dark teal tunic with white, red and cyan swirling designs on the sealing seam. "So is yours." She ran her eyes down Liara's one piece dress suit, purple with white, black and teal patterns on the seam and a cream colour rolled collar.

"They are specially made for the Wane Festival. Didn't you notice what Hannah was wearing?"

Shepard blinked at Liara's easy use of her mother's name. Not Admiral Shepard. Hannah. What had happened when she was unconscious?

"Well...no, I was looking at her face...I mean." She shrugged as she took the comb Liara held out to her and combed her hair. "What else other than the uniform would she be wearing?"

"Is that all you see of her? A uniform?" Liara asked as she flicked off a speck of dust from her bondmate's shoulder

Shepard stared at Liara in astonishment as she picked up socks and her boots from under the bed. Moving over to an armchair by the window, she sat down and began to pull them on. "Is there something else I should see?" she muttered as Liara went over to the window.

"What is that human saying." Liara turned and smoothed her hands over Shepard's shoulders. "One cannot see the wood for the trees?" she paused. "Or is it the other way around?"

"How am I suppose to see the trees when the wood is constantly at a distance?" Shepard retorted. "I find it hard to believe that she would just drop everything and come here because she thought I was in a situation." She sat back and drummed her fingers on the armrests. "That's what you're saying, isn't it? Her conscience happens to yell too loudly for her to ignore. You can't expect me to believe that, not after all these years."

"Beloved, please." Liara crouched down so she could look into Shepard's eyes. "Can you just forget the past for a moment. No, please, listen," she pleaded softly when her bondmate looked away impatiently. "Forget she is your mother, forget that she is an admiral in the Alliance. Pretend that she is someone you have just met. Please?"

"I can't promise anything," Shepard said reluctantly, a little unhappy that Liara was apparently pitching in Hannah's court but since she asked, she couldn't say no. "I'll try."

Knowing that she could only push so far, Liara smiled and handed over an omni-tool. "Good, then let us proceed. The day is slipping away and you must be hungry."

"Too right," Shepard said, slipping on the omni-tool. "Are we at the medical center?"

"The new recuperation wing by the gardens. The Asmier Rejuv Ward." Taking hold of Shepard's hand, Liara pulled her to the door.

Instead of a corridor, they entered a small sitting room to find Hannah and Aethyta sitting on the couch. Their conversation died when they saw the pair. Shepard eyed her mother and saw that Liara wasn't pulling her leg. Hannah was in civvies. In a outfit much like her own, except that the tunic and trousers were burgundy with black, white and light blue designs on the seal. A white tasseled scarf was draped around her neck. Aethyta was dressed in a soft silky red-cream one piece suit with an intricately woven long blue tasseled scarf around her neck and flowing down her body.

"There you are," Aethyta said when she saw them. She gathered up the folded scarfs beside her and stood up. "Here." She moved towards them and pulled one of the scarfs, a blue coloured scarf with complex tiny tassels woven along the edges and draped it around Shepard's neck. "Shartes've'le." She hugged her warmly before turning to Liara and doing the same with a red scarf.

"Shartes've'le, Dad." Liara waited expectantly when Hannah stood up.

Not entirely familiar with the asari language, Hannah tried her best in pronouncing it as best she could when she gave Liara a hug. Shepard froze when Hannah paused before her but did not resist the embrace though her body was held stiffly.

"Live and renew with the blessings of the Wane, April."

"Shartes've'le...mom," she said in a stammer, struggling to deal with the unusual situation and couldn't read whatever it was glimmering in Hannah's eyes.

"Come, come," Aethyta said gaily, "time slips away whilst we stand here." She gestured politely towards the exit and waited for Hannah to lead the way. Turning back for a moment, she winked at Liara and Shepard.

Almost in a daze, Shepard followed, Liara's hand in her own. In an attempt to distract herself, she looked around as they walked along the corridors. There was an air and smell of newness to the place. The doors of several rooms were open. She glanced into each room to see colourful streamers, flowers and decorations hanging from walls and ceiling to mark the festival. Out in the gaily decorated lobby, medical personnel also sported shorter versions of the scarf with many variations of tassels with their uniforms. People streamed by, carrying scarfs and containers of food. She could smell the aroma. It made her stomach rumble.

I know. You are hungry. {laughter}

Haven't you been feeding me while I was out? {mock outrage}

How could I do that if you were out?

Didn't you swear to succor your spouse in times of need?

I tell you what, you drive. It will get you faster to your food.

Liara waved to the skycar waiting for them at the entrance. Snorting under her breath, Shepard waited for Liara to get into the skycar before settling herself in the driver's seat. Murmurs of conversation drifted from the back seat as Aethyta and Hannah made themselves comfortable. She switched car mode to manual control. Better to have something to concentrate on than to eavesdrop. Less temptation too to look in the backview mirror. It was hard to believe her mother was there. Really there, talking to Aethyta. Whatever it was that brought Hannah to Tessia, she could deal with it. As long as she didn't look sideways at her and Liara.