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Liara remained behind when everyone else left the War Room, holding onto the bar around the central console so tightly Garrus was afraid she would hurt her hands. Tears welled in her eyes. "How could they hold all this back? How could they hide it from us? From me! Even my mother. She—she used to take me to that temple when I was younger. She must have known what it was there for, why it was there. How could she not have told me?" She shook her head. "I've studied Protheans my entire life. If I'd been shown the beacon on Thessia earlier … we could have saved so many lives." The tears were rolling freely down her cheeks now, and she made no attempt to wipe them away.
From behind Garrus, EDI's voice, calm and certain, startled him. He hadn't been aware she was still in the room. "Your mother may have simply been shielding you. The penalties for withholding Prothean technology are among the harshest in Council space."
After giving some thought to that interpretation, Liara nodded at last, closing her eyes. "Perhaps. Yes, I had not considered that. Thank you, EDI."
The robot quietly left the room. She had become remarkably organic, Garrus thought, advancing in thoughtfulness and empathy. He had no doubt that was Shepard's influence. She made everyone around her a better person.
Taking a deep breath, Liara let go of the bar. "I … I need to speak to Javik."
"We'll come with you," Shepard said swiftly. Garrus glanced at her in question, and she lifted her eyebrows, repeating it more firmly.
"All right." Liara didn't seem to care that they trailed after her as she left the War Room and took the elevator down to the engineering deck. Once there, she all but broke down Javik's door demanding to be let in. "Tell me about Thessia!"
"Thessia?"
"Yes. The asari. Tell me what the Protheans did."
"I have no need to tell you," Javik pointed out. "You saw it with your own eyes." Liara stood there glaring at him and he sighed, spelling it out for her, giving her the confirmation she demanded. "The goddess Athame was Prothean. You wanted to know more about your history, asari." He shrugged. "Now you do."
Her biotics flared around her, the air crackling with energy as she advanced on their resident Prothean. "I have a name," she bit out between clenched teeth. "It's Liara T'Soni. And I'd appreciate you using it from now on!"
Shepard stepped between them, one hand gently on Liara's shoulder nudging her away from Javik. "This isn't helping."
"Nothing can help," Liara said bitterly. "My home was just destroyed—and all he can do is gloat."
"Javik?" Shepard looked up at him. "Perhaps given what she's endured today, you could see fit to ..."
"To what? To apologize? For the truth?"
"For not doing more! You're a Prothean! You were supposed to have all the answers! How could you not stop this from happening?" The tears were welling up in Liara's eyes again, her voice thick with them.
"We believed you would," Javik responded quietly. "Long ago we saw the potential in your people. Even then it was obvious. The wisdom. The patience. You were the best hope for this cycle. So you were … guided, when necessary."
"Well, it didn't work," Liara snapped.
"You're still alive, aren't you? Your world may have fallen, but as long as even one asari is left standing, the fight isn't over."
Liara stared at him, not having expected that, then swiped at her tears, nodding. "Maybe … maybe that goes for Protheans, too."
"Despair is the enemy's greatest weapon. Do not let them wield it … Liara T'Soni."
"No. No, I won't." Liara straightened, her head lifting proudly. "Shepard, I have much to do to help my people salvage what they can from today. I'll be in my quarters."
"I'll let you know when we get to Iera."
With a final nod of thanks at Javik, Liara left the room, leaving the three of them standing in silence.
"That was unexpected," Shepard said at last. "Thank you."
Javik shrugged, refusing the gratitude. "We still need her talents. If grief overcomes her, she will be lost to us."
"So, did you actually mean what you said?"
Garrus looked at Javik over Shepard's head. He very much doubted the Prothean had meant his words, but the last thing he wanted was for Shepard to know that. The memory of her blank face and staring eyes when he brought her away from Thessia would terrify him for a long time to come, he was sure, and he didn't want to see her dragged under by despair again.
Gently, Javik asked her, "Does it matter?"
"Liara's been a good friend to me. It matters."
"Then I will tell you what you want to hear: I meant what I said." He hesitated, then added, "I suffered many defeats in the last war, Commander. Let this loss be the fuel that powers your rage. If there is to be victory in this war, it will be for all cycles. The living will avenge the dead. And do not concern yourself with Thessia's fate. The loss of a planet is insignificant next to the loss of the galaxy."
"We're fighting to get our planets back," she reminded him.
"And to save the galaxy."
They looked at each other, idealism and pragmatism facing off, and at last Shepard gave a small smile. "And to save the galaxy."
Shepard's comm buzzed. "Commander? Admiral Anderson is available."
Her face brightened. Talking with Anderson always did her good. "I'll be right up."
Garrus and Javik were left alone, looking at one another. "Tell me, turian—does she have the strength to see this through?"
"She does," Garrus answered immediately, because there was no other option. And then, bleakly, he added, "She has to."
"Yes."
And there was nothing more to say. The fate of the galaxy, of all races current and future, and past, rested on the small shoulders of one human woman. Spirits help them all if she failed.
