Convergence

They had met with the princess several days in a row and told her a lot. About their homeland, their and other peoples. The dark-haired woman had asked them many questions. She was curious. Liara liked that. And she showed an understanding for science. How they drove their ships had interested her. She had believed without hesitation that there was no air and no gravity in space. She was very open-minded and tried to understand everything. But it wasn't just a take from her side. She had told them what this place had shown her. At least partially. She could describe exactly what the protheans looked like. What the Reapers looked like. She had also told them that some Protheans had been transformed and were fighting against their own people. This information was completely new. They had never heard of it before and it was clearly a new problem. Their enemy could replenish their troops at will. If they could turn friends and family around... how many would hesitate? Many... She still reported about bunkers that the Protheans had built. Of course Liara immediately passed this on to her mother, who then sent other teams. But she did not tell them everything. That would also have been extremely stupid. Again they sat in that part of the garden and talked. Unfortunately this time they were interrupted by a soldier. Near the city, bandits would ambush the travellers. The princess apologized to them and immediately summoned some soldiers. She would take care of it.

"I will accompany her."

"Oh Garrus, are you worried?"

"Of course, Liara. If something happens to her, we will never find the place."

Meritamen smiled at him when he told her that he wanted to come with her. She and some of her soldiers wore simple clothes. A trick. She wanted to attract the bandits. And they went into her trap. The fight was short. The others did not have the slightest chance against the well-trained soldiers. One of the bandits was spared to get information. Shepard wanted to attack the camp at night. They wouldn't expect that. She left her men behind and crept up to the camp alone. But he accompanied her. Because of his camouflage he was better at stalking than she was. At least that's what Garrus thought. Shepard used every bush, no matter how small. Almost everything was enough to cover her. He would have loved to ask her about her plan. But that was not possible. She dragged the first guard behind a stone block and broke his neck. He died absolutely silent. So that's what she had in mind. She wanted to decimate her number. Quietly she sneaked from opponent to opponent. Either she broke their neck or stabbed them with her dagger. Some men died in their sleep. She protected her soldiers. Meritamen probably thought this fight was unnecessary. Only the leader of the bandits was left. He ran off in panic. The princess took her bow. The sniper reached for her spear and hurled it. Satisfied, he nodded as the other sank to the ground.

"You're very strong, Garrus."

"But you're much more flexible."

"I'd love to train with you sometime."

"Forget it, I have natural armor."

"But not everywhere."

"Please?"

"If you had those plates everywhere, you'd be immobile. But since you can move very well, there must be places where you have no plates. I would tap your joints and your waist. So those would be my points of attack."

"You forget that the reach is on my side."

"You're very sure of yourself."

"Maybe someday."

"Maybe if you finally dare to show me your face."

"I want to protect you and I'll be called a coward."

"I have seen Reaper and Protheaner. Do you think the sight of you knocks me out?"

"Probably not."

They were with the soldiers again. Meritamen gave them the order to search the camp and bring everything to the city. They already returned to their palace once. Liara was not there. She was probably back in the camp. Confused, he blinked. The princess stood close in front of him and looked at him calmly. She really wanted to see him. He hesitantly took off the hood. The Turian involuntarily lowered his gaze. A pleasantly cool hand lay on his left half of his face. The princess smiled at him. Her thumb stroked tenderly over his clan signs. Enjoying he began to purr. That felt damn good. The Turian regretted it when she pulled her hand away again. He hesitantly grabbed her full hair. It was very soft and so light. Quite different from his fringe. He didn't want to hurt her under any circumstances. Now she very carefully traced the contours of his skull.

"Your skin feels like leather."

"Your hair is very soft."

"Hair seems to fascinate you."

"Only humans have hair. You seem to be very resistant to pain."

"We have no feeling in our hair. Only when you pull on them it hurts."

"And I have always wondered..."

"You're hot. So your body temperature."

"You seem very cool to me and your skin is very soft."

Slowly he stepped back from her. With a short nod he said goodbye to her. It was already late and he still had to march a whole piece. In camp he could only shake his head. Liara slept in peace of mind. She hadn't even activated the security system yet. She was simply too naive. The next morning he set off alone to Memphis. The Asari absolutely wanted to revise her report further. The knowledge of the princess had to be shared. If it was really true. But why should she lie? Garrus caught himself accelerating his steps more and more. He was looking forward to talking to Meritamen. She was already waiting for him. This time not in the garden, but in the stables. Her light chariot, which she used for trips, was ready.

"I'd like to show you something."

Silently he climbed up. Surely she drove the wagon out of town. They followed the road for some time. Astonished, Garrus looked at the huge buildings they were slowly approaching. Those were the pyramids. He didn't know what they were for, but they were simply beautiful. This completely smooth surface, the shining white...

"The pyramids once served as tombs for the pharaohs."

"How many rest in a pyramid?"

"One."

"What?

"Each pharaoh had his own pyramid. There he was buried with riches."

"Does your father also have one built?"

"No. We don't build such graves anymore for a long time. The greed of people knows no boundaries. We better hide our dead now."

"Somehow a pity."

"Do you think so?

"Yes.

"So your people also strive for immortality?"

"Everyone must die."

"And yet we fear to be forgotten. We fight for our people. For glory and honour... actually, we only want people to remember us. That somebody knows that we were there. The builders of these pyramids made it."

"And it wasn't even their work.

"That's never it."

"For someone from a ruling family, you see it all very critically, Shepard."

"With us it's a big difference which sex you have."

"You'd rather be a man?"

"No. But it would be easier. Without my ancestry I would be much freer."

"But you would be more easily forgotten."

"I will now, Garrus."

"That's right... your people are strange."

"Have you ever had a female primary?"

"No."

"We've had female pharaohs before."

"Our two peoples are weird."

Laughing she looked at him. Finally she stopped the horses. They had driven up a mountain ridge. From here you had a breathtaking view. The lifeless desert and then the lush green of the plants on the Nile. Amazed, he just stood there. Of course he had already seen the land from above. The contrast it offered. But now he saw it for the first time with her eyes.

"This is my home, Garrus. My home. Not only the place where I live. I love this country. I love the barren desert. I love the rich country on the Nile. I love this people".

"And we put it all in danger."

"Yes... no... I knew about the danger. I just thought it was infinitely far away. You have shown me that it is not her. I look at all this here and wonder what I should do. What is the right thing to do."

"The right thing?"

"I think you're being honest with me, Garrus. That is why I ask you the question and not Liara. What are the chances that the Asari will come and help us?"

"In both our lifetimes? Bad. Does that scare you?"

"I sounded very convincing, didn't I? I don't know when this enemy will appear. But we develop. I won't experience it anymore that we fly... But someday we will do it. We will sail to the stars, just like you..."

"And that's what makes you the target."

"Exactly. My homeland will be drawn into this war."

"Yes... unfortunately. I'm sorry, Shepard."

"It's not your fault, Garrus."

"But why are you thinking about what's right?"

"The Asari do not want to help us. I can force them to. You want the place, I want your knowledge, your weapons, your technology. I want my home for the coming preparations. I just don't know if we are ready for it. Most still believe that the sea is pure chaos. That they will fall from the world when they no longer see the coast. How am I supposed to get someone into heaven if I can't even get them into the water? On the other hand, it might be the only chance my homeland has. This place is my only leverage..."

"And you mean forced help would be okay?"

"Do not be afraid to do this while feeling right... Do I not have the right to fight for the survival of my people?"

"Do you. And the choices are limited."

"Hmmm..."

"That's why you haven't made any demands yet."

"No... it was only about me..."

"Then what?"

"Can I fight in your eyes, Garrus?"

"Oh yes."

"Would you have liked to see me fight with your weapons?"

"Sure."

"I'd like to do it sometime too. Your guns, your pistols... how I would like to have such a weapon in my hand."

"That can be done."

"Really?

Laughing he pulled his pistol and passed it on to Meritamen. She examined the gun extensively and stroked it with interest. The sniper knew it was wrong. It was so wrong, but he couldn't help it. He showed her how to deal with it. He just explained everything to her and the rest of the day they stayed up here and he trained the princess. As Garrus had suspected, she was a natural. She just had a feeling for weapons. In the middle of the night she brought him back to town in the wagon. The next two days she had some duties to fulfill and unfortunately could not meet with them. When Liara heard this, she wanted to go back to the ship. She had to talk to her mother. He himself was contacted by the primary the next morning. He hurried quickly into the communication room.

"Commander Vakarian, your last report was very revealing."

"Thank you, Primarch."

"Is there anything else new?"

"I'd have to correct my first report."

"Was it wrong?"

"No. The princess..."

"The one who made the plan?"

"Yes. She was a child in the first battle."

"A child?"

"She would have reached adulthood only now. When she planned this battle, she would still have been too young for our military."

"Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Anything else?"

"People have a much higher birth rate than we do. Long not, like the Krogans, but nevertheless clearly higher than ours."

"So there would be great armies."

"Correct, sir."

"Further observations?"

"The princess destroyed a bandit camp."

"With how many soldiers?"

"Alone, sir. She sneaked from one man to another at night."

"Risky. Why?"

"She thought a direct fight was unnecessary."

"The Salarians would be impressed."

"Certainly, sir."

"Anything else?"

"Officially not, sir."

"Officially not... and unofficially, Garrus?"

"There's a clue to Prothean technology."

"Benezia must have kept this information to herself. And?"

"Apparently, only the princess knows where it's hidden."

"What does she want for it?"

"Sir?"

"You will have spoken to her. So, what does she want, Garrus?"

"She hesitates. She knows about the Reapers. She knows that the protheans have lost. She also knew something about the Asari. There was an exchange of information, but now she hesitates."

"She hesitates? Why?"

"On the one hand she fears that her people are not ready. On the other hand, she would bring the war to earth in any case. She weighs up her chances. But it is clear to her that she has a means of exerting pressure."

"She doesn't know what would be best for humanity."

"Right. So far she has not demanded anything."

"What's your personal opinion, Garrus?"

"The Reapers will attack the Earth, with or without our intervention. It would be an advantage to have the people on our side in their full strength."

"Do you think they would be militarily superior to us?"

"No. But they act differently. They use tactics that I would never come up with. They think... unconventionally. We need them and the knowledge of what the protheans have stored there. The princess said that the Reapers had changed some protheans and then they fought against their own people."

"We've never heard of that before."

"No. Who knows what else there is."

"What would you do, Garrus?"

"That decision is not mine to make, sir."

"Answer the question."

"I would assure her of the full cooperation of the Turians. Scientists, trainers, technicians, everything."

"Without consideration?"

"Aren't we asking the same thing? She should give us what we want. Only for our word. If we demand trust, we should also demand it."

"What about the Asari?"

"No one has said that they alone make the decisions."

"Make this woman survive, Garrus. That will be all, Commander."

"Yes, sir."

Tired, he rubbed his eyes. The conversation had exhausted him more than any combat operation. So he went back to his quarters. Liara had to send several reports and also wanted to contact some other scientists. So they would not return to Earth tomorrow. There he could now also treat himself to a day of rest. The Asari needed a few almost a week before she had finished everything. It was strange that this people still hesitated. They absolutely wanted the knowledge, but were not really willing to offer anything for it. Officially, they could not decide that on their own. The comets and the stars would probably discuss years again.

"And how long will it be before your people have made a decision?"

"Not so long."

"By my standards or by your own?"

"Well..."

"You should note in your next report that the human lifespan is very short. If they are lucky, they will be seventy, or eighty. I don't think Meritamen will reach that age."

"She must be more careful."

"She won't. She will continue to go to war and even if she stops... Many women die giving birth to their children."

"I should put my mother under pressure?"

"I thought rather, you give her a leverage in the hand. But if you say it like that... The Asari don't want to help the humans."

"They haven't decided yet."

"And if the princess demands help?"

"I am allowed to tell her help from us."

"And lie to her about it."

"I'm not lying, we would help."

"She won't get involved. She's too smart for that."

"She would have to trust us."

"And you would abuse that trust."

"We wouldn't."

"Liara... you live long. You live really long. It makes no difference to you whether you wait ten or a hundred years. For me it's a huge difference. I have more time than humans and yet I have damn little time. What you have 1000 years time for, I have 150. Even less for one human being."

"But..."

"I know it's hard for you to understand... She won't tell us if she sees no return. She has, from her perspective, no other choice."

"They always seem very restless because they have no other choice."

"Exactly."

"Then we should go back."

Garrus had a pale taste in his mouth. In her eyes, Liara would not fool Shepard. But the princess had to take it that way. She wouldn't trust them anymore. Sighing, he boarded the shuttle. What should he do now? If Liara and Meritamen should agree... would he be silent? Did he have to be silent? Should he be silent? With difficulty he pushed this thought aside. They had reached the palace. They went back into the garden. There the prince stormed towards them.

"Liara, Garrus my sister needs help!"

"What is going on?"

"The blue light... it gets worse. She's had these seizures before, but this time... please, you have to help her."

"Where is she?"

Directly the prince ran forward. He jumped on a wagon. As soon as they had climbed up, the horses started to rush off. They drove far into the desert. The sniper had expected the dark-haired girl to be somewhere in the palace. From a distance he heard a scream from which pure agony spoke. They were almost an hour away from the city. The prince jumped from the wagon. They were near a small waterhole. Meritamen lay bent together under a bush. Her whole body was glowing.

"STAY AWAY!"

The prince stopped immediately as he and Liara continued running. But he also kept some distance. Again and again biotic discharges occurred. The Asari scanned the other woman and looked at her anxiously.

"Her body is not made for it. Her Biotic is completely out of control."

"Can we do anything?"

"No... unless we can get her an implant."

"They're not for humans."

"Maybe our researchers can change them. I'll send them their data."

"Drawing..."

"What, Shepard?"

"Drawing... device... blue light... not understood."

"Amenhotep, what does she mean?"

"The place showed her pictures. They were strange devices we didn't know. One was somehow inserted into the body. She drew and kept all these plans."

"Liara, you get the shuttle. I'll get the drawing with Amenhotep."

"Garrus..."

"If she dies, we lose everything, Liara."

He pulled the prince back to the car. Her shuttle was not far away, the Asari would be able to do it alone. He would have loved to do it, but he didn't want the young woman to see all the plans. This knowledge did not belong to them. Arriving at the palace, the young man showed him his sister's library. He quickly pulled out some papyrus rolls. The sniper looked at the drawings. There were many of them. Finally he had found what he wanted. On his Omnitool he got the message that Liara had landed nearby. Quickly he took the desired papyrus and hurried off.

"We're trying to help her."

He ran out and boarded the shuttle. Shepard sat crouched on a seat. He sat next to her and looked at her anxiously. Despite the pain, she looked out the window. Her eyes grew bigger the higher they climbed. Hesitantly she put her hand on the glass.

"That is... beautiful..."

"Yes. That's how I reacted when I first saw my world."

"You feel so small. So insignificant."

"You can see the big picture."

"Yes... ah!"

"Is it okay?"

"This time it's worse."

"I'm going to sedate you now, Shepard. You'll sleep and you won't notice a thing."

"I may not allowed to see your ship..."

"No... I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

That's how he drugged her. There were still slight discharges. But the glow ebbed away a little. But after Liara it wouldn't stay that way. As soon as the shuttle arrived their people stormed to them. The young woman was put on a stretcher. He passed the drawing on to one of the doctors. Now it was time to wait. Liara wanted to know all the time what plans he had seen. He didn't want and couldn't answer. He was worried. Even though they could adjust the implants for this situation, it didn't mean it really helped her. At least it still had to grow with her. It was an operation... complications could occur... His people were talking about Meritamen in the background. She looked so soft. It was unimaginable that she could fight. They had no idea. Sighing, he went into the communication room and tried to reach the primary.

"Commander Vakarian?"

"There's an unforeseen situation, sir."

"Which one?"

"The princess had complications due to her biotic. Life threatening. We saw ourselves forced to intervene. Through the protheans she had access to an implant design. We are working on implementing this design. The doctors take care of the princess."

"Is she sedated?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. You did what was necessary to secure the information. Write a report to your superiors, Commander."

"Understood, sir."

He went into his quarters and wrote the necessary report. Then he went back to the infirmary and waited there. The operation lasted the whole day. The human anatomy also posed a great challenge to the Salerian doctors. Fortunately, Doctor Solus was an absolute genius. At last he was able to see the young woman. She lay in bed and slept. Supposedly she had survived the operation well. They just didn't know how her body could deal with such injuries. It took another few hours before Meritamen moved.

"Hey..."

"Garrus..."

"You got through it."

"It hurts like hell."

"You're overtaxing our means a little."

"Not attuned to humans, huh?"

"Right. We urgently need to research in this direction."

"Would be great."

"You have to stay here for a few more days. The doctors want to take care of you."

"Will I be sedated again?"

"Yes. Then you won't have any pain."

She smiled briefly before falling asleep again. The next days he looked after her again and again. After four days she felt much better. You could bring her back. Liara would follow. She wanted to look at the plans further and go over the training plan for the princess with her mother again. Of course they wanted to know what this technology could do. The protheans had developed something for the humans. Exactly for the Asari. They saw potential in this people. The dark-haired woman awoke in the shuttle. Confused, she looked around. Her gaze was immediately drawn back to Earth. Even if there was too much water there for him, he had to admit that there were few such beautiful planets. She touched the glass again.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes... it's just... you ever get used to it?"

"You blunt it, but you never really get used to it."

"Do all planets look like this?"

"No."

"Haven't you told me there's no gravity here?"

"The ship produces them artificially. The effect on the body would be fatal with longer stays."

"In what way?

"The bones become more porous and the muscles considerably weaker."

"Is gravity the same everywhere?"

"No. On some planets it's so high that you and I couldn't survive. On other planets it's very low."

"Hmm... Garrus, what are you doing?"

"I'm landing on your moon."

"Why?"

"I have something for you."

"You have what for me?"

"I've seen all your drawings."

"And?"

He went to the back and took out an armor made for her. He keeps her putting them on. The helmet was unusual for her. Together with the fresh operation scar this was surely also unpleasant. Nevertheless she did not complain. Slowly she took a few steps. She ran up and down the shuttle several times. Again and again she let her shoulder circle or made some dislocations which seemed very funny to him. But Garrus understood why she did that. Her fighting style was based on her agility. She was always close to her opponent and had to dodge him all the time. After some time she seemed satisfied and stepped next to him. Laughing he opened the door. Unbelieving she scrutinized the surroundings. Then, however, her gaze was drawn back to the earth.

"Come on, have a heart."

"I should go ahead?"

"It's not a pyramid... but your footprint won't disappear."

Laughing, she looked at him and took the first step. She never stopped laughing as she walked across the surface. She jumped up again and again. He had never seen her like that before and liked it immensely. He gave her time. She should simply be allowed to enjoy this freedom. Finally she came back to him and looked at what he was doing.

"What are you doing?"

"I try to write your name in the dust. But your writing is really complicated."

She squatted next to him and corrected his characters. Meritamen Shepard, that would stay here for a very long time now.

"Why are you writing Shepard to this?"

"My people see me that way. I don't know if I really am Amun's lover. I doubt that our gods ever existed... But I know that I can and will protect my people. Shepard is more fitting."

"That's right. I'll bring you back now."

"Okay. Thank you, Garrus."

They spent the way back in silence. Probably the princess was very exhausted. Which was all too understandable. Back on earth he brought her back to her palace. He thought her brother would wait impatiently for her arrival, but he was not there. Tired, she sank onto a chair. The sniper helped her take off the armor. Against her expectations, however, he put her in a chest instead of taking her back with him.

"I can keep it?"

"It's yours."

She jumped up and put her arms around his body. A hug. Completely overtaxed, the Turian just stood there. His heart hammered hard in his chest and he could hear his own blood rushing. He hardly felt anything through his armor, but what he felt turned his world upside down. When they heard voices, he quickly activated his camouflage and Meritamen quickly sat down again.

"I told you she was ill, brother."

"Sick as hell, she'll probably be hanging around somewhere again."

"No she needs a lot... Shepard!"

The younger brother rushed towards her and embraced her stormy. The dark-haired one gasped painfully, but returned the hug. Soothingly, she stroked her brother's cheek and smiled at him. That was her brother... yet a feeling spread through the Turian that he had seldom felt. Jealousy. A glowing hot ball that burned more and more. Slowly the siblings separated again.

"How are you?"

"Better. But I am still very weakened."

"You look really weakened."

"I was sick too, brother."

"And why has no servant seen you?"

"Because I wasn't here, but in the desert."

"In the desert? What... the light."

"Exactly. We know it can be dangerous. I'd rather be alone then."

"You should ask the gods for help. In the temple."

"You know what happens when it spreads. Would you like to be near me then?"

"You did the right thing... why did our brother know about it?"

"I have brought her food."

"I see... the gods sent you a sign."

"Only the question: What sign?"

"That you should finally stop going to war."

"Or that something mighty is coming towards us."

"You should finally accept your role."

"I am tired..."

"We're leaving you alone now, Shepard."

Roughly Amenhotep pulled his older brother outside. Garrus became visible again. Carefully he lifted the princess up and carried her to her bed. As soon as her head touched the soft surface she fell asleep. The next few months were hard for Shepard. She trained both with Liara and with him. In addition to her actual duties, she also trained with Amenhotep. She accepted all this without complaining. Garrus had no idea of Biotic, but it seemed to him that Shepard could keep up with the Asari. She also made an excellent figure at the weapons. On that day he went alone to the princess again. Liara absolutely wanted to get her reports ready. He also often wrote reports, but the Asari was really dependent on her mother. In a good mood he arrived in the garden and was confused. Meritamen was not there. So he activated his camouflage device and looked for the young woman in the palace. He finally found her in the card room, bent over a table. Her facial expression was very serious. Slowly the sniper stepped beside the dark-haired one.

"What's the matter?"

"Mitanni didn't understand our warning. They're attacking us."

"You're going back to war."

"Yes... I'm waiting for the scouts' reports. But so far... no trap, no feint... a brutal clash will take place. I cannot simplify it for my people. I cannot protect them. There is nothing I can do."

"No other possibilities?"

"No. It will be a material battle. Our charioteers, blacksmiths, bow makers and armorers are working at full speed."

"When does it start?

"In three days..."

"Shepard, this is gonna be fucking dangerous."

"War is always dangerous, Garrus. If anything happens to me, Amenhotep will give you all my plans."

"That's not what it's about."

"It's not as good as the Prothean hideout, but you won't go empty-handed anymore."

"Forget this stupid place, I'm worried about you."

"It's not the first war and it won't be the last."

"Only this time you are the defenders."

"Look positively, you can tell your people how we deal with an invasion."

"Are you so confident because you think we're helping you?"

"No, Garrus. You will not help me. I don't know what I am to you. A chance? An experiment? I know that Liara is still looking for this place. She was stupid enough to listen to my brother. She probably didn't expect me to tell him everything. He is loyal to me and our people. So when I die, you can negotiate with him."

"Shepard... you are important to me."

"And yet you will go without hesitation."

"It's my duty."

"I know. Duty is important. And it is my duty to go to this war. I am a soldier."

"More like a general."

"No. Your leaders are strange. I would be much lower in rank."

"Why?"

"Because I think it's a big difference how you give orders and how you act. Men move forward or men follow me... they do the same thing, but with a different attitude."

"That..."

"Do you have to report? Wait till after the war. Otherwise it's just the talk of a warrior."

"Understood, Commander Shepard."

"Sounds damn good."

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Death always wins. We live with it every day. It doesn't have much frightening."

"Is not weighed according to your faith? What have you achieved in life?"

"Rather what we have not done. I did not steal, I did not torture, I did not speak falsely... we list all this. And what we have not done is compared to what we have done."

"And?"

"I have killed and caused suffering. But on the other hand... my name is on the moon. So what the hell."

"Shepard..."

"I must prepare myself. Goodbye, Garrus."

With these words she just let him stand.