Chapter Nineteen: Strangers and Loneliness

Two Days Later

"Liara, I have to leave today," Hannah said quietly. She and Liara were sitting in the Captain's Cabin. They were mostly silent. What was there to say?

"What do you mean?" Liara asked. She was truly puzzled.

"Admiral Hackett contacted me a few days ago. I've been promoted to Executive Officer of the Kilimanjaro. That duty starts early tomorrow, so I've arranged to be transported back to the Citadel. There the Marathon will be transferred to someone else and I can meet up with the Kilimanjaro," Hannah said carefully. Her voice was emotionless. Fake even.

"When will we be at the Citadel?" The asari asked.

"One hour," the Captain said back. Her voice was quiet and she broke eye contact for a bit.

"One hour? Why didn't you say anything earlier?" Liara demanded. She wasn't prepared to say goodbye.

"I know I should've told you earlier but...Anyways, I'm sorry," Hannah muttered. Her eyes were focused on her feet. The human was bound and determined to burn a hole through the floor.

"What am I supposed to do with Colt? Should I contact that woman or let him…you know…let him be?" She said, with more of a bite than she intended.

What was she supposed to do? Hannah knew what she was doing, a trait Liara seemed to lack. She needed that guiding force. There was no way that she could navigate life alone. Not now. Maybe in a few months. Or years.

Hannah was now scrubbing at her forehead, something Liara did herself. She opened her mouth to say something before promptly closing it again. Her jaw muscles twinged relentlessly, but she kept silent.

Liara had been debating whether or not to contact the woman who had given them the information in the first place. Was it really the right thing to hand him over? Was it really fair to him? She hadn't made up her mind because she assumed that Hannah already had.

Finally, the Captain said quietly, "Liara, I know you'll do what you think is right. Whatever choice you make is probably the same choice I would make."

…

One Hour Later

In a short hour, Liara and Hannah were able to pack what few belongings they had. No words were exchanged despite the fact that their lockers were right next to eachother. It wasn't awkward, just gloomy.

Now they stood on the ship docks located on the Citadel. The Marathon was already gone with a new commanding officer. The Kilimanjaro loomed in front of the pair, waiting for Hannah. It was a beautiful dreadnought. Certainly one of the Alliance's finest. If she could've managed it, Liara would've been happy for her new friend.

"Do you think we'll see each other again?" Liara asked suddenly, panic was starting to seize her at the thought of being utterly alone again.

"I have no doubt in my mind, my dear. We'll cross paths again," Hannah said, turning to face Liara. Her hair seemed grayer than ever before, but her kind eyes were bright. A warm smile spread across her face and she opened her arms for a hug. Liara accepted the human's touch more out of politeness than anything else. Much to her surprise, the asari found the hug to be comforting. Hannah whispered in Liara's ear, "I'm glad that Colt met you." They stayed like that for a moment longer before the human broke the hug.

Liara stepped back reluctantly, all the while keeping her gaze downwards. When she finally looked up, she saw nothing but strangers and the dreadnought Kilimanjaro.

…

Being alone was something that Liara should've been used to, but between her adventures on the Normandy and her time spent with Hannah, she was out of practice. Even Doctor Chakwas had left the little apartment, explaining to Liara in a quick message that she had been reassigned. Leaving her alone was almost unforgivable.

Of course people had their own lives, but would it kill them to stick around a bit longer? No one from the Normandy had visited. They hadn't even called. Maybe they were dealing with his death in their own ways. Still, she needed them.

She needed someone to tell her what to do with him.

Leaving him be was the morally correct thing to do. She just didn't want to. Maybe the mysterious woman could work a miracle. Maybe Liara could see him again. There were too many possibilities to ignore.

For days, Liara contemplated contacting the woman. The idea pressed against her skull every second. It wasn't a suggestion, it was a demand. Maybe it was hope, maybe it was something more painful.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon when she finally dialed up the number. It was a Thursday.

She sat in the same chair she had almost blown her brains out in. It really was the comfiest piece of furniture in the apartment.

"Hello?" A voice came over from Liara's omni-tool.

"I have something from Alchera that you said you could help with," Liara said back. She hoped her voice sounded uninterested and detached.

"Oh yes, meet me by the Krogan monument," was all the voice said back before their connection cut out.

Liara had never gotten ready faster in her life. In seven minutes flat, she was acceptable in public. The way she flew out the door would've impressed even the fastest asari runners.

Thankfully the Krogan monument was not too far from Liara's apartment. She was there in five minutes.

Even with her impressive speed, the woman was still waiting for her. "Doctor T'Soni?" She asked, extending her hand in a polite handshake.

"That is correct," Liara replied, while gripping her hand and shaking it.

"Let's get down to business. I'm here to tell you that my organization can restore Commander Shepard. All you have to do is hand over the body and we'll do the rest," the human woman said in an accent Liara couldn't quite place.

This is what Liara wanted. She wanted him back. Badly. So why did handing him over feel so wrong?

"I-I don't know. I mean...it, it just seems kind of wrong to do that," Liara replied. Shepard deserved to be buried a hero. He deserved to rest. What was that old human saying? Something about letting the dead go or something.

"Do you honestly believe that? Don't you think Commander Shepard would rather be alive? Besides, the galaxy needs a hero. It needs him," she said, managing to sound reassuring when her voice hadn't even changed.

"He deserves to be left alone. It just seems selfish to make him come back," Liara answered.

"If he had committed suicide, that would be different. He would want to be left alone, but he didn't; he was basically murdered. Don't you think the right thing would be giving him a second chance? This is a great opportunity - don't throw it away. Billions of people would give anything to have their significant others revived. Let us have him. Let us save him," the woman's voice was growing more intense. She probably couldn't believe that Liara was having doubts. Liara couldn't even believe she was having doubts.

The realization of her offer was finally dawning on Liara. She would be able to see Colt again. Talk to him. He would be real. He would be alive. All her grief would be forgotten. All her pain filled.

"He's in my apartment, come on."