Revelation
"She's not using her biotic again. Not in the battle before either. She knows how strong this power is. I just don't understand it."
"It's not her primary weapon, Liara. She can only use Biotic for a few months. She's untrained."
"Still, that's illogical."
"Not for her. She trained with sword and spear for years. It's become flesh and blood, like a reflex."
"Can you explain it in such a way that I understand? I always try to explain my discoveries in an understandable way".
"I'm sorry, Liara. You grew up with your Biotic. When I attack an Asari, she just throws me back. If you attack me, I will hit you or shoot you. The first months or even years a Turian biotic will react like me. We were trained on it, downright drilled. There are weapons for which I would kill to get my hands on them. Nevertheless, I would only take them with me on the next mission if there was another sniper with me."
"Because you wouldn't be familiar with the new weapon?"
"Exactly."
"If she had a rifle down there, would she fight with it?"
"Probably."
"Why?"
"It's closer to their weapons. She called it: a damn fast bow. I also did some combat training with her."
"You want to say, I'm not a good teacher."
"No. I think there are few Asari who can explain all this as well as you can. I admire your patience. I just find it very complicated to assess action and reaction in Biotic. I pull the trigger and on the other side of the gun barrel my enemy goes down. She lets the arrow shoot from the string, stabs with her spear or strikes with her sword and her opponent is out of action. You activate your Biotic and I have no idea what will happen. If the enemy flies through the air, is he unable to move, do you weaken his defense?"
"Okay... there are too many possibilities. She has to think about what she needs and then use it properly. She doesn't think she can do it in such a short time."
"Yes."
"Why don't you say that right away?"
"You also love to give me clues until I can figure it out myself."
"Am I really that annoying?"
"Meanwhile I find it quite practical. It may take longer, but if you come up with the solution yourself..."
"Do you feel proud. And why are you staring through your scope all the time? Do you want to shoot anyone who gets too close?"
"No. I want to shoot anyone who could kill her. When she goes down..."
" Her brother also knows where the place is."
"I know."
"Thou shalt observe the battles."
"I know!"
"Garrus..."
"What?!"
"Don't let her die."
"All new sounds, Liara."
"Unofficially?"
"Sure."
"I like her. She is smart, she is inquisitive, she cares for her people. She has a great sense of humor and she's just... kind of nice."
"Nice?"
"We just talked for a day. About our lives. She comforted me when she realized that I was afraid for my home."
"I didn't think you'd try that."
"What?"
"To get to know her. You as a person.
"I..."
"The enemy retreats. Why do they not accursed him?"
"The Egyptians have won?"
"Yes. They could destroy the others... let's wait. Perhaps they will gather."
But that didn't happen. The Egyptians returned to the camp. That was completely illogical. The enemy was weakened. All they had to do was give him the death blow. What, with the spirits, was Meritamen thinking? Liara landed the shuttle and they ran to the camp. The princess helped to care for the wounded. Only towards late evening did she go into her tent. She looked exhausted and also wore some bandages. She greedily emptied a whole carafe of water before she sank onto a stool. But she didn't take off her armour.
"Liara, Garrus, it's really rude to just watch me."
"Sorry, Meritamen. Power of habit."
"Not getting good data, Garrus? You look unhappy. Regular right angry."
"He doesn't understand why you don't go after the enemy."
"You could destroy them. Once and for all. You give away victory. This is stupid. You should know better!"
"Don't hold it against him. There just the turian in him breaks through."
"Damn it! My people would now win a final victory. Now mobilize your army. Destroy them."
"Garrus..."
"This is stupid, Liara."
"I will not be told how to lead my army. Especially not from someone whose people have only been playing war for years!"
"What?"
"You have already understood me, Garrus! You may be excellent soldiers, but you have no idea of the war."
"We..."
"Oh shut up! What have you fought against in the last generations? Mercenaries, bandits? That was hardly a war! I should pursue the enemy? Destroy him? And then? I would win. At what price? My men are exhausted. Many are hurt or dead. I would have to leave the injured to their fate. I would be thrown into enemy territory, lose more men in battle and those who were left would hardly be able to defend my homeland. In war you rarely have only one front! Other enemies lurk in the shadows and wait only for their chance. I would win this battle and lose the next one for sure. You can throw everything you have into a fight. Because you only lead this one. That's not how the war works, Garrus. I will need my army. If these Reapers come and you use everything to keep them away from your home... let's say it works. What happens when they attack in waves? You don't win a war by a battle. Resources are limited and you have to know how to use them. A war is not beautiful, Garrus. It is not clean. There is not always a clear conclusion. Go out and see how my people are suffering. Not only the soldiers but also the population. If we want to survive, my country doesn't need soldiers now. The battle is over. They need their men and sons. The harvest must be collected, otherwise my people will starve to death. War is not just about fighting, Garrus. I hope that the Turians have not forgotten that, otherwise you need us more urgently than you suspect. And now, leave me alone. I still have some things to take care of."
If she had hit him in the face with a hammer, it wouldn't have been as effective as her words. Silently he went back to the shuttle. The young Asari said nothing, looked at him only briefly. He started the shuttle. With the camouflage mode activated, he flew deep over the destroyed settlements. Also in the middle of the night and at some height they heard the lamentation of the people. Saw the destruction, the dead... so far he hadn't been interested. He wanted to know how the people fought. The suffering...
"We made a mistake, Liara."
"Yes. You shouldn't have talked to her like that."
"That's right... but I don't mean that."
"But?"
"We really don't know what war means anymore. I look for soldiers, you look for culture."
"We are actually looking for knowledge."
"For all I care... but look at this. We already lose a few soldiers. A few civilians too... but what a war really means... I wasn't particularly interested in it. The thing was nevertheless clear. Army against army. The stronger one wins".
"We can learn here that it is not so. We did not think about the consequences. We always think of the fight... the fight around it... I send down drones. They should take that up. Our preparations are inadequate."
"That is still nicely expressed."
"We are idiots. Better?"
"Better. But it's still too nice."
The next two days they flew over the entire area and recorded data. Afterwards they returned to their ship and sent the recordings directly. Unfiltered, without comment. Just the truth. For the reports they had both taken longer this time. Almost two weeks. They both had probably hoped for some reaction. In vain He was not surprised that he was called into the communication room one hour after he had sent the reports on the battles. They had probably just been waiting for that...
"Commander Vakarian."
"Primarch."
"The reports were good. Only what should these recordings be?"
"The war, sir."
"What nonsense. This is not a war."
"Unfortunately it is, sir."
"Explain yourself."
"You've read the reports, sir?"
"Of course. They gave away the victory. That was stupid."
"I told her that too, sir. I wanted her to destroy the enemy."
"And?"
"She told me she wouldn't take advice from anyone whose people were only playing war."
"HOW PLEASE?"
"She's right... we forgot what war means."
"And what does war mean, Vakarian?"
"Did you see the pictures?"
"Yes."
"He means suffering, sir. Not only dead soldiers. Dead children, people starving to death, dying of disease... civilians losing everything, sir. She said there's not just one front in war. There are many... a battle does not decide a war. It could destroy the enemy and still lose. We forgot that, sir."
"Vakarian, this is..."
"No, father! Look at these videos. And then imagine they were Turians! We are building fleets, weapons, training soldiers... we are preparing for a fight, not a war. When the Reapers come, our homeland will burn. We can't protect everyone and we're not prepared for that. We see comrades die, not our family. Not little children... if we throw everything we have at them, we can still lose. We think only of the struggle. But if we forget the rest, we don't have to fight, then we have already lost. She made that clear to me."
"We will burn... a clear statement, Garrus."
"Excuse me, sir. It's just... I really didn't know what war was... it's... it's reaching a level of cruelty I couldn't even imagine."
"You've given us something to think about."
"Yes, sir."
"Take care of yourself, Garrus."
He went to Mass and saw Liara sitting there with a drink. She had never looked so sad before.
"Problems, Liara?"
"I've never seen my mother cry before. These pictures shocked her, Garrus. They threw the comets off the track."
"We have no idea."
"No. We certainly grew up. Well protected. I even more than you. My people have accumulated so much knowledge... and so much we have repressed."
"She has given us a very instructive lesson."
"I am so naive."
"Me too, Liara. Me too."
"Any new orders from your... primary?"
"No. And that sucks."
"What do you want to do?
"If it were up to me... I would set everything in motion to get Turians on earth. Teach people, give them everything we have and hope that they will share their knowledge with us".
"The Prothean technology..."
"No. Whatever it is, it would be nice to have it. But she has already given us the most valuable lesson."
"What does war mean?"
"I'm afraid... that was just a foretaste, Liara."
"A foretaste?"
"We have seen settlements... small. Imagine an army invading a city."
"With the goddess... alone the imagination..."
"What's your mother going to do now?"
"She wants to show it to the stars. I don't know if it will help them in their decision. What do we do now?"
"We fly back to earth and I hope that she will still talk to me."
"She will."
"You are really a romantic... but first..."
He had his entire crew on the line. Everyone should look at these pictures. First there were still some stupid comments, but then it became very quiet on the ship. He scrutinized the faces of his crew. So he wasn't the only one who was so naive. It wasn't even his people that suffered there. But it was not particularly difficult to imagine. What he did here was not harmless. Should the hierarchy decide to keep the recordings under lock and key... but they had to know. Everyone had to know what to expect. The sniper was surprised that there were no questions. Not even from the Salarians. He and the Asari returned to earth again. They first went to Thebes. Like after every battle they would appear here first. They had spent a lot of time on the ship. The princess was in her father's palace. The whole family sat together. She really had six siblings. It was strange... only her eldest brother sat closer to Pharaoh... He would never understand this man. The eldest brother spoke all the time. Meritamen and Amenhotep just kept twisting their eyes.
"...and so we could increase production."
"And forget our army."
"Our army has always succeeded, sister."
"It did not. Our empire grows and shrinks again and again. We have rested too long on the old reinforced one. The other peoples are changing. If I order a peasant to fight, he will try. He will not be good, but he has no choice. We are trying to change the military. A soldier is like a craftsman. He trains his whole life and we pay him for it."
"Like a mercenary."
"You can buy the sword of a mercenary, but not his loyalty. If the other side pays more, you can't rely on him. On our soldiers already. They don't fight for money."
"But they cost us a lot. If they were farmers again..."
"If we hadn't won this war."
"Your sister is right, Amenemhet. Without her soldiers we would not have won. They cost us a lot, but they bring us even more."
"Yes, my pharaoh."
"How do you intend to lead this kingdom if you are Pharaoh, my son."
"With a stern hand."
"By the gods..."
"What was that, Amenhotep?"
"Forgive me, Pharaoh. That answer is ridiculous."
"In what way?"
"With a strict hand? How do you want the enforcement brother?"
"With my officials."
"And what shall they do if the people refuse?"
"Why should they refuse?
"No one likes to pay higher taxes. Especially not if they see no reason for it. So what if they refuse?"
"Then my soldiers..."
"The one you were just about to abolish?"
"The arguments convinced me of the opposite. So: then my soldiers will..."
"Who follow you, because?"
"Because then I will be the pharaoh!"
"And you think that's enough?"
"What are you getting at, Amenhotep?"
"To nothing, my pharaoh. As a priest, I see myself only in the duty to ask."
"What are you trying to achieve with this, brother?"
"As I said, I only ask."
"I will become a good Pharaoh."
"Whatever you say, brother."
"Are you just trying to distract him from wanting to marry your sisters?"
"No, my pharaoh."
"Suppose you ask because you really care, what are they based on?"
"I think Meritamen can explain that better than I can."
"Daughter?
"The people pray desperately to Amun, may he give Amenemhet strength and wisdom."
"What do you mean by that?"
"They doubt him. The soldiers laugh at him and most priests do not respect him. Many speak of an evil joke."
"That's an insolence!"
"Quiet, son! You wanted to know. Now listen. Go on, daughter."
"The people never see him because he's always in the study. If he is never there, for most people it can only mean that he is constantly ill. That is, he is weak. Nobody wants a weak ruler. The soldiers... he never trains. He has no fighting experience. And if he does take a weapon in his hand, then in such a way that many see him doing it. Many men have made bets. They were sure that his training goal would win. Why should they follow someone into battle who can't fight? Why should they fight for someone who prefers to stay behind thick walls? All this is brought to the priests. They don't see him as your heir, but as a weak, sick man. No matter what Amenhotep and I say, he won't listen to us. The people are stupid and the soldiers are expendable."
"She says this only because I want to find her a man who will finally show her where her place is."
"A Hittite would be nice. Then I'll be far enough away and I won't have to see you ruin our people."
"You can do that..."
"SILENCE! Hear the wisdom in her words. I appointed her God's Wife of Amun for you to listen to. She will certainly not leave our kingdom. You think about how you can change your appearance. If everyone sees you like this, then you have no good prospects. Now go. Meritamen, you stay."
Garrus slowly relaxed. When he had heard that the princess should marry... everything in him had become cramped. The king's children quickly left the hall. Shepard seemed to take it all very calmly.
"Is it so bad, Meritamen?"
"Worse, my pharaoh. Much worse. Not only the soldiers laugh at him. The priests of Amun are desperate. They ask me how he can allow such a thing. The only answer I have is that he thinks longer than we do."
"You're putting her off on his heirs?"
"What other choice do I have?"
"I wanted to appoint him my co-regent. That now seems unwise to me. Can you train him?"
"There are lions and there are lambs, my pharaoh. No matter what I do, I cannot make a lion out of him".
"And on top of that you are a thorn in his flesh anyway... What would you do?"
"We cannot make him strong, but perhaps clever. If he would realize that Amenhotep is not his enemy... he needs him, my Pharaoh. He needs all the strength he can get. Amenemhet can't fight, his brother can."
"What about you?"
"As soon as he wears the crown, he will banish me to a dark room, marry me or chain me up in the temple."
"Unless you were his wife."
"I swear, my Pharaoh... I'd rather throw myself in the mouth of a crocodile and walk through the Durat forever than do that."
"I understand. Now go."
"Yes, my pharaoh."
There it was again. This feeling that almost drove him crazy. Garrus tried to breathe deeply, but there was a heavy weight on his chest. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think clearly... Liara pulled him with her and he just followed her. In the princess's room she knocked against a column and became visible.
"Greetings, Meritamen."
"Hello, Liara."
"We wanted to thank you."
"For what?"
"We had no idea what war meant. Our peoples had no idea."
"Your people must be very happy..."
"Why?"
"There are very few who can forget the war. Does Garrus not dare to come back?"
"He... it hit him hard."
"I see. It was probably a bit much. Especially since his people believed they knew what they were talking about."
"You could put it that way..."
"Other topic, you need to put some pressure on your people."
"Why?"
"If you want to work with us, you need the Pharaoh at least here. I can talk to my father. Not with my brother. Once he wears the crown, Egypt has died for you."
"But you are the princess."
"Under my brother I am at most still decoration. With luck I could still act as God's Wife of Amun, but I don't believe that. He will put me cold, Liara. Then you would not be allies, but enemies. The only possibility I would have then still as his wife... Yuck! Already alone at the thought I get nauseous."
"I talk to my mother."
"Is there any way to speed this up?"
"I'm afraid not."
"What if I had the plans for a weapon the Protheans were building?"
"We also have plans."
"And is the weapon big enough to destroy the Reapers in one fell swoop?"
"No. Do you have such a plan?"
"Yes. They didn't get to finish them anymore, but they thought that would bring them victory."
"Why didn't you say that until now?"
"Because I don't know if it works. And because time is running out for us."
"I understand. We inform the others. Are you traveling to Memphis again?"
"Tomorrow."
"See you there."
Again they returned to the ship. He contacted his superior, Liara her mother. As always, the peoples had to discuss it first. The young Asari wanted to wait for the decision, so he returned to earth alone. He found Meritamen in her library. She seemed to coordinate part of the reconstruction. Silently, he just watched her. He saw all the numbers and the masses of aid that had to be moved. All this had never interested him, now he looked very closely at everything. Sighing, she sank back and stared.
"And that is only a small part..."
He became visible and looked at her apologetically.
"I didn't want to disturb you, Shepard. What betrayed me?"
"Your breath. You don't disturb. I just can't do more anyway."
"And that is only one part?"
"Yes. My brothers also work on it. Not to forget their own officials."
"They are specialized in it?"
"Yes. You'll need those, too."
"We have supply officers."
"It's not the same. Troops to supply and refugees is a big difference, Garrus. The discipline alone is already different. Apart from the circumstances. These people have lost everything. Their fields, their supplies, their home. Their morale is gone. Then there are the lootings... I don't just have to send food and building materials there. They need soldiers to defend them and priests to comfort them. And all this over a long period of time. Even when that is done, they often lack the men."
"The men?"
"Kidnap, or kill, every man of procreative age. So you keep the number of your enemies under control. This region is weakened for years."
"You didn't do that."
"Not on such a large scale. We wanted to conquer the territories. They were to become our subjects. Every ruler needs a certain amount of cruelty. I give them the choice and so far it has always worked."
"I have always accused Liara of being naive. Now I feel like a child. I'm sorry, Shepard. I was so stupid."
"Inexperienced, Garrus. Not stupid. What we're doing here is a very different war than the one we're all facing."
"Why?"
"If I lose here, my soldiers, my father, my brothers, a part of my people will die, but many will survive. With a different leader, different laws and perhaps under worse conditions. But only for a while. A few generations. That is a luxury. Some will always survive. With the Reapers this will not happen. No retreat, no negotiations, victory or extinction, nothing else."
"With you that sounds like an advantage."
"No... and yes... I don't know how your peoples work. What I know is that there is no dangerous predator than the one that has been cornered. And that is exactly the human being, Garrus. A wild animal. I saw a mother kill five soldiers to defend her children. I saw a man who set himself on fire and ran among his enemies to protect his village... My people were at the end after the first battle..."
"That's what I wanted to ask you. You rode up and down before them and yelled. It must have been very inspiring. Unfortunately I was too far away."
The princess laughed dryly.
"They will come. They will come into your houses, ravishing your mothers, sisters, women and daughters. They will come and kill your fathers, brothers and sons. They will come and take everything they want if you do not stop them here today. We will bleed and we will die, but we will never allow them to do this to our families. No inspiration, Garrus. The cold, naked truth."
"They were the cornered animals..."
"Yes. We can do the impossible if we have no choice."
"Our leaders talk to each other..."
"You don't believe in an offer?"
"No... I wish it were different. You could demand it."
"So nevertheless forced help."
"The last time you seemed to have no problems with that."
"Oh, Garrus... if help is forced, is it as good as the voluntary one?"
"You mean there is resistance?"
"Because not? Is a trainer who has to train as good as someone who wants to train?"
"No."
"Do you see..."
"What's the matter, Shepard?"
"I'm exhausted. It's all a little too much. I'd love to just throw all that shit down and run away."
"You wouldn't."
"No... but the thought is beautiful."
"He is. And what are you planning to do now?"
"I think I just rest today. Maybe I'll even take a nap at noon."
"Or you make a sightseeing flight with a naive Turian."
"I'll get my armor."
Laughing, he looked after her. It only took a few minutes before she came back. Together they went to the shuttle and took off. Meritamen hung the whole time over at the window and looked out. Soon they had left Africa behind. Garrus didn't really have a goal. He just wanted to distract them once. All the water and all the trees she found unbelievable. Just like snow or glaciers.
"I have seen that my world is big, but so big... and so different."
"And people live everywhere. Your people can adapt better than anyone I know. Heat, cold... you don't care."
"Look at this planet, we had no other choice."
"That's right. My home is friendlier there. Although... you couldn't survive there."
"Give us a few generations, then we can do that."
"Bad joke, Shepard."
"Just look at this expanse..."
"Ah, change of subject."
"Better?"
"Yes."
"I wish we could land."
"I'm afraid I can't. Just remember how your brother reacted when he saw Liara."
"Goddess Shepard... no sounds like shit."
Laughing he flew on. In the late afternoon they had reached Egypt again. Surprised he looked at the landscape in front of him.
"Um... Shepard?"
"Ah, the black desert. That's because of the rock here. It seems almost uncanny, doesn't it? Basalt is found here in rough quantities. There is also a white desert. Limestone... there are really strange shapes."
"Okay. Which way?"
It shows him the direction and this time it was him who was amazed. He brought the princess home. Early the next morning, he visited her again. Surprised, he looked up as he recognized all the jewels on her table.
"Do you have to play priestess again?"
"No. They are gifts from or for queens."
"Why that?"
"Peace gifts, friendship gifts ... you don't know that ... you exchange your knowledge, we exchange material things. It's common among queens."
"You are not a queen."
"All my father's royal wives are dead. Since he has not appointed a new one, I come closest to the matter. At some point my brother's wife will take over."
"I understand. I thought already..."
"Gifts from kings are also included. With marriage proposals. Peace through marriage."
"And your father thinks about it?"
"With my sisters. I have... another destiny."
"Which one?"
"It is not unusual for the pharaoh to marry his sister... so the line remains pure..."
"This is absurd."
"Tell me something new."
"Are you thinking about it?"
"I always thought I had a different destiny. But that's a longer story."
"I have time".
"The place you are looking for... it has been known to my people for a long time. Supposedly it contains the knowledge of the gods. Every pharaoh makes a pilgrimage to this place and hopes that this knowledge will be revealed to him. Usually the door remains locked. Every pharaoh tries it more often in his life... as if something would change. For my father the door remained locked. When he went there again it opened. Probably for my mother... he received no knowledge, but my mother always returned to this place to pray there. When he entered this place for the last time Amenemhet and I were with him. Again my father saw nothing. When my brother came too close to the centre... it was like a weak bionic field surrounding him. Not long... just a blink of an eye. He went to the ground. I, not yet five years old, ran laughing towards him to help him up. I thought he had been blessed by the gods... When I came too close to this thing... I don't remember it. My mother told me that I had shone blue and screamed in pain. I was in a... coma for months, that's what I think you call it. When I woke up again, everyone wanted to know what I had seen. I told them about the Asari, the Protheans, the Reapers... everything. Everyone was convinced that the gods speak to us in pictures. Some priests today still try to reconcile that somehow with our faith... I was convinced that something was coming. Something big. I had to learn to fight. That was the only thought that drove me. I watched my brother train and imitated the movements. At some point we argued again... I stole the blessing of the gods from him... He hit me with a training sword. I also grabbed one and... well, I had clearly won. My father saw that and spoke with some priests. Somehow my visions made them think that the gods had created me as a warrior. I was born to fight and win. My whole life has been directed towards this. Training and getting better, at any price. At some point I believed that, too. Now honestly, what I had seen could not be true."
"Until we came. But you returned to the place more often."
"I wanted to understand it. Amenemhet accompanied me every time, but he didn't see anything. When my biotic showed up... he's damn jealous."
"And your other brother?"
"Amenhotep is my half brother. He has another mother. That's why my mother never took him to this place."
"You are very close to him."
"He is only one year younger. His mother died giving birth to him. That's how we were together most of the time".
"And he's not jealous."
"No. He's also the only one who always believed me."
"I know him from my sister."
They talked all day long. Suddenly he noticed a tremendous rumbling. Thunderstorms were very rare here. Meritamen stepped on the balcony. She looked dreamily at the distant thunderstorm. Most people fled to their dwellings or even to the temples. The princess did not seem to be afraid of it. She sighed only quietly.
"What's the matter?
"The priests will interpret that as an omen."
"For what?"
" Not even the gods know. "
Weeks went by again. Liara had given up waiting for a message from the Asari and had come back to earth. At the moment they both took lessons from Shepard. They were shown how to organize relief supplies. Everything was there. All the things that were needed in everyday life. At first it had only been fast food supplies, but it became more and more. Hold everything you needed to live. Then there were soldiers for protection, who also had to be cared for. Meritamen usually sent unmarried men to the region as protection. She wanted to establish a permanent garrison there. So she tried to solve two problems at once. Amenhotep mostly took care of the transport. Something else they hadn't thought about. If the supply routes were interrupted, then one had to plan completely new. For a long time they had been sitting bent over the table that day, looking at the numbers. Well, the two women did. He was more caught by Meritamen's hand, which rested so close to his that he felt the coolness of her skin. He took a deep breath. Her smell almost clouded his senses. He behaved like a teenager. The smile on Liara's face made it even clearer to him. Quickly he tried to concentrate again. His gaze glided over the numbers to the small, strong hand, her arm up, to the slight flexion of her neck... With the spirits! He quickly lowered his gaze. That had been going on all day. In the evening they returned to their shuttle. Exhausted, the Turian let himself sink into his nest. He should absolutely sleep. But his thoughts drifted back to her. Her bronze-coloured, soft skin stretched over her strong muscles. Her long, black hair felt like silk. Those dark eyes, the... ARGH!
"Garrus?"
"Yes, Liara?"
"You really like her a lot, don't you?"
"This... is ridiculous."
"You still don't admit it?"
"Even if it were... it would be hopeless."
"Why hopeless? You have much in common."
"And yet they are so different."
"Well. But those are only outward appearances."
"Liara, I am more like a crocodile than a human being. Turians and humans don't have anything in common at all."
"So what? If you like her so much."
"And if the Asari decide not to act on earth? Will I take her with me then? To Palaven, where the sun burns her and she can't eat? Or I stay here and starve slowly."
"Many Turians live on Illium."
"Why should she leave her homeland because of me?"
"Because she likes you."
"Does she?"
"So much hope in her voice, Garrus."
"Argh... good night."
Again much time passed in which nothing happened. But something in the city changed. The people were suddenly very happy. In a really festive mood. So much hope and a good mood... there was another party ahead? Laughing children ran past them. They shouted something, but he did not understand. Many people had gathered in front of the palace. They brought flowers and small gifts. Also in the palace the mood was excellent. The euphoria almost killed them both. When they came to the part where Meritamen lived, the mood changed. She received a grave silence. All the guards looked dark. The servants looked sad. They all moved as slowly as if they were carrying barrels. What had happened? In the garden they found Amenhotep, who signaled to them to follow him. The princess just had her big car ready. With a nod of the head she told them to climb up. She stood in front, next to her brother who was driving the wagon. They remained silent the whole time. Soon they had left Memphis and drove past the pyramids. He knew this way. But this time they didn't go up, but further along the rocks. Finally they reached a big cave. The princess descended and took a big bag with her.
"We meet tomorrow at the Sphinx, brother..."
"Shepard..."
"Okay, what's going on here?"
"At the Pharaoh's behest, my brother will be co-regent in a few weeks and Meritamen will be his wife."
"WHAT?"
"See you tomorrow, brother."
Amenhotep got back on the wagon and drove away. The dark-haired woman lit a torch and continued into the cave. Garrus had forgotten to breathe. He felt as if he was falling into a deep, endless hole. He wanted to yell at her. He wanted to grab her and run away with her. He just wanted to break into his knees and scream. The sniper did none of that. He just followed her deeper under the earth. The glow of the fire did not reach very far. She was surrounded by complete darkness. How fitting.
"I am sorry, Meritamen."
"Hmmm."
"Can we... I mean..."
"There's nothing you can do, Liara. My father has decided. Unless you testify to him and tell him that he cannot do that. He would think you were gods."
"That..."
"It's impossible, I know."
"Where are you taking us?"
"Where you always wanted to go."
"But..."
"Leave it alone, Liara. Don't ask me why."
Feel like they've been running through the darkness forever. Finally they had reached their goal. A gigantic door. It was immediately obvious that she didn't belong here. It was made of metal. Liara tried to open it directly, but whatever she did, nothing happened. Shaking her head, Shepard stepped up to the door and laid her hand on it. Symbols he didn't recognize flared up and the door opened. Liara hurried into the darkness. He pulled out his gun, turned on the light and followed her. They saw nothing. Nothing at all. It wasn't until Shepard stepped into the room with them that it became bright.
"A BEACON! GARRUS, THAT'S A BEACON! WITH THE GODDESS!"
Immediately the Asari ran towards the structure. Together they examined it, but it remained silent. For hours the young Asari ran around the device like possessed and tried to get it to run. As before, nothing happened. The Turian examined the console, which was also in the room. Even though she had energy, he couldn't draw any secrets from it. No matter what they tried.
"He must be defective."
Shepard laughed quietly. She had just let them do it and probably had a good time.
"I have it for you prophecy."
As soon as she touched the beacon it started to glow. The princess closed her eyes. When the glow disappeared she breathed a sigh of relief.
"He only reacts to certain individuals. Maybe you'll have more luck with Vigil."
"Who is Vigil?"
"Vigil, are you there?"
"Greetings, Meritamen."
"A Prothean VI Garrus, that's... that's... Vigil, tell me about your people."
"Negative. This information is not accessible to you. Meritamen, my sensors show that there are two other species here besides you."
"An Asari and a Turian, Vigil."
"Is it time?"
"No. There's still time."
"Good."
"Vigil, do only humans have access to your data?"
"Yes, Meritamen. The Asari have vendetta."
"But he holds back knowledge. Why?"
"No access."
"Vigil, why does Vendetta hold back knowledge?"
"The Asari cannot finish the crucible alone. It would be too risky to disclose all plans if it is not certain that it will be completed."
"You have the plans for the crucible and Vendetta the missing component?"
"That's correct, Meritamen."
"So the protheans wanted the humans and the Asari to work together?"
"Cultivating the Asari was the easiest. They would continue the work and cultivate other species. Cultivating humans was harder. They didn't want to submit. Some scientists saw the potential in this behavior. As primitive as man was, he never gave up."
"The animal that was cornered."
"No access, but correct from the Turian."
"But then why are you here, Vigil? Oh, damn... Meritamen?"
"Please answer Liara's question, Vigil."
"The Asari are slow. Their long life span causes them to do so. With such a controversial people as the humans to work together they are reluctant. Humans do not share the same opinion, not the same ideas, they disagree. Often selfish. Anything the Asari repels. They differ from most peoples. Humans are hungry. They want..."
"More and more, faster and faster. We would never accept the Asari as the sole leading authority. Even if they help us with the development, there would be a dispute at some point".
"Correct."
"That's why you are here and Vendetta is there. Your people wanted to force us to work together."
"Correct again. You are very clever, Meritamen."
"After all a progress. At that time I did not understand you. Thank you, Vigil."
The VI disappeared. Well... if the Asari didn't move now, then there was probably no hope. He had to give all this to the primary... what for? His gaze glided longingly towards the princess. She would be married and imprisoned. But... maybe he could free her. Certainly even. Not everything was lost. He could do something. He would do something. He had to... It became dark around him. The dark-haired woman had left the room. She lit a torch again. This time she went into another hallway. Liara grabbed the torch and proceeded slowly. The Turian walked silently beside the princess. He hesitantly grabbed her hand. She didn't look at him, but she crossed her fingers with his. It felt good. Right. At the end of the corridor another door was waiting. The dark-haired one opened it. Surprised, Garrus looked around. They came to the surface between the paws of the Sphinx. Laughing, Amenhotep rushed towards them and lifted up his sister.
"Shepard! Mitanni has allied himself with Tenep! Father pulls towards them. You should get the army ready immediately. He wants you to move to Simyra with him."
"I should..."
"We're going into battle, sister. There is no wedding!"
"Oh, Gods! Thank you..."
