The Beach

Aria couldn't remember what she was doing on the beach or where she was going. Looking around at the tall cliffs there didn't seem to be any way off the wide expanse of white sand on the landward side as far as her eyes could see. Turning her gaze out past the water's edge the horizon was clear and the deep azure of the ocean with its softly shifting surface only disrupted with occasional small white crests.

The sky was clear and a shade of blue that reminded her of somewhere she couldn't name. It was hot, the dry heat of a Thessian summer, but she didn't think this was her home planet. Overhead sea birds of some description wheeled and soared throwing out an occasional screech.

Her familiar leathers were uncomfortable in the heat and she thought briefly of stripping them off.

"I would very much enjoy seeing you strip Aria."

Aria spun around biotics flaring, the voice behind her was as familiar as her own, but it couldn't be true and she had been completely alone on the vast expanse of the beach only a moment ago.

"This is another dream… fuck… why is this happening," Aria let her biotics fade but her balled fists and scowl reinforced the tone of anger in her voice.

Benezia moved forward and raised a hand to Aria's face cupping a cheek, "if this is just a dream then let it be one and let us have time together," Benezia's voice was soft but as she continued her voice broke with emotion, "please Aria let me hold you, touch you, I have missed you so much."

Aria softened her face and reached for Benezia's hips with her hands, "so this is only a dream," her voice was soft as she locked eyes with the other Matriarch.

"I am here to try to wake you and the others but Goddess forgive me I just need to be with you Aria," Benezia leaned close, so close Aria could feel breath on her lips.

Aria pulled Benezia into her body placing one hand on her lover's butt and another to the soft sensitive folds at the back of Benezia's head. Then Aria crashed their lips together and pulled them into a meld.

The need, desire and raw lust of the two women crashed together with the force of a hurricane and their biotics sparked creating an aura of blue and green and white around them.

Aria's mind was filled with her beloveds presence and her body burned with the need to take Benezia, possess her, make Benezia her own again, she wanted them to fuck until the stars burned out in the heavens, she never wanted Benezia out of her arms ever again.

Without knowing how they were both naked and Aria became drunk on the sight of her lover's body, she wanted to worship it, attend to every inch, take pleasure and give pleasure to every part of Benezia's familiar form.

Benezia knew exactly how to touch her, where to touch her to make Aria come or keep her on the edge of release. Aria couldn't get enough of Benezia's mouth and kissed her all through their first orgasm.

Aria had no idea how long they had been together on the sand but she didn't feel sated, the more she and Benezia climaxed the more her desire built and she knew it was the same for her lover through the meld. They both felt the growing physical soreness from bites, hard worked nipples and clits. Muscles ached from their sustained workout but this physical awareness of their lovemaking merely heightened their sensitivity.

As they were building towards what felt as if it was going to be their most potent explosion of release and pleasure Aria reached for Benezia's hand and looked from their wrists to Benezia's face.

The flash of their bonding tattoo's confused her but she pushed it to one side as she drank in the sight of Benezia writhing under her in pleasure, wet and warm, willing and wanting.

Through the meld Aria felt her own desire reflected back and knew Benezia wanted the same thing.

"We will make another daughter," Aria said out loud her throat tight, breath coming in gasps, her voice gruff with need.

Benezia smiled and pulled Aria even deeper into the meld, 'you gave me everything I wanted… we should have had our lifetime my love… keep them safe…' she sounded breathless and Aria didn't know whether the words were spoken out loud or through the bond.

They were close to climax and just as the first surges of pleasure and release hit Aria she pushed away the confusion caused by Benezia's words. The orgasm ripped through their bodies and Aria let out a guttural cry, she heard another scream of ecstasy but it wasn't Benezia's voice.

Even before the spasms had finished rolling through her body she opened her eyes no longer on the beach but in her bed with Ne'aira beneath her flushed with arousal the flood of her own orgasm still coursing through her body.

Aria felt the matron's legs wrapped around her and the heat and wetness between Ne'aira's thighs a reflection of her own.

Confusion flooded Aria's mind as she pulled away from the younger Asari who was coming back to herself and looked at Aria with concern.

"Aria that was… it's ok… it's what I wanted…" Ne'aira faltered not really knowing how to put what had just happened.

Ne'aira had been asleep when Aria began making love to her, and yes that was how it had felt this time. It was also mind blowing sex like they had never had before although Ne'aira didn't feel in control of herself, rather that she was being drawn along with Aria's passion.

Ne'aira wondered if Aria was ever going to stop, not that she was complaining. And when she felt Aria deepen the meld and the call from Aria for a daughter she was disappointed that it had not happened and for some reason Aria had pulled back.

But now Aria was out of bed and making for the bathroom Ne'aira missed the Matriarch's presence in her mind. She laid back and tried to work through the sensations, the memory of the joining and the strong impression that there was another consciousness in the meld, although that was impossible.

She would have to visit the Consort to make sense of the confusion. But Ne'aira couldn't help allowing a smile to trace her lips feeling she had finally made a real connection with Aria and knew how much that would please the Consort.

T'Soni private residence -, guest wing- Thessia

Tash felt warm and comfortable as she stretched her body and took a deep relaxing breath. Still half asleep she realised she was alone in the bed and began to force her eyes open and her brain to focus.

"Leece," she said in a half whisper.

"I'm here," Liselle's voice came back from somewhere in the direction of the window.

Tash sat up in bed and for the first time heard the sound of rain through the open balcony windows.

"Is that rain," she said still a little sleepily.

Liselle laughed softly as she responded, "nothing gets past you does it my beautiful human."

Before Tash had a chance to respond Liselle had moved back to the bed and reached out her hands, "let's go outside, it's warm and this rain won't last long… I love summer rain on Thessia."

Tash took Liselle's hands and allowed herself to be pulled onto her feet as she spoke, "seriously, babe it's the middle of the night… or really early in the morning and…"

Liselle silenced Tash with a long, soft kiss as she pressed her naked body against her lover. They both revelled in the flash of heat and connection that so easily sparked to life between them.

Breaking the kiss and pulling back a little Liselle steadied her breathing and then said quietly, "I want to walk in the summer rain with you, kiss you," she reached up and ran her fingers through Tash's unruly hair, "we don't know when… if we'll get back to Thessia and…"

Tash spoke into her lover's unfinished thought, "whatever you need Leece you know that," she leaned in and kissed her young Asari gently then stepped away to throw on some clothes.

They moved silently through the sleeping house and onto the wide stone patio's that ran along the length of the rear of the house and bridging inside space to the lush formal gardens.

"Wow it's like having a warm shower but sexier," Tash said with a huge grin admiring her lover, "that vest is clinging in all the right places."

"One track mind," Liselle said with a smile and a small shake of the head, "come on I want to take you somewhere."

Holding hands and lacing their fingers together the couple walked slowly out across the grounds in the direction of the woods that flanked one side of the formal gardens and ran all the way to the edge of the beach. As they walked they talked about Liselle's most favourite memory of rain storms, about Tash's happy memories of her times on Earth with Shepard and the family.

As they walked Tash put her arm around Liselle as she usually did and Liselle leaned in and snaked her own arm around her lover's waist. The stopped occasionally and kissed and smiled at each other, completely in the moment.

"You know as casual as you're making this I sense we're on a mission," Tash said into what had been a stretch of companionable silence.

Liselle tensed a little then said quietly, "you know me far to well Mikhailovich, I might have to do my commando thing on you if you ever reveal my secrets," she looked up into her lover's steady grey eyes and smiled.

They were amongst the trees now but the moonlight was strong enough to find their way easily and as they came into a small clearing Liselle stopped and turned to face Tash.

"At home, where I grew up, we had woods just like these but we lived much further from the sea. So as soon as I was big enough I started to climb them. I wanted to get a view of the sea, after a while I stopped looking out towards the sea and looked up. Started to imagine what it was like out there," Liselle looked up as she spoke and gestured with her hand towards the night sky.

Tash was watching her intensely and they moved closer towards each other as Liselle continued, "I dreamed about the adventures I'd have, the places I'd see, the fun…" she put her arms around Tash's neck and pulled them close.

"I never thought about whether I would find love, if my mate would be waiting for me out there," Liselle spoke softly looking into Tash's eyes, "but I did… I found you. And I don't care that I'm still a maiden I know how I feel… about you," Liselle said a fierce look in her eyes.

Tash was spellbound by the moment, the warm rain more like a fine mist bathing them both in its warmth and intimacy, the gentle sound as the drops bounced off the leaves and the grass, and more than anything the look of such love in Liselle's eyes.

"When you said losing your aunt Hannah felt like you'd lost what was left of your family, apart from Shepard, that you didn't feel you belonged anywhere anymore… except with me," Liselle stroked Tash's face as she continued in a whisper, "I feel the same way… I belong with you Tash, you are my home… my bondmate… will you bond with me Tasha."

Tash felt tears spring to her eyes and her throat tighten with emotion as she fought to find words but nothing came, all she could do was nod her head and a few moments later managed, "yes… but…"

Liselle stopped her lover's words with a kiss. She knew Tasha well enough to understand her lover would be racked with feelings of doubt about her own worth and that she wouldn't deserve what Liselle was offering.

But Liselle knew how she felt about the human and knew without doubt how much Tasha loved her, was devoted to her. Perhaps if the world wasn't ending Liselle wouldn't be making this huge decision and commitment. But the world was ending, her own life expectancy was low even without the coming war and as the Siari teachings said 'in this moment is a lifetime, with this mate have a lifetime, all the time we have with those we love is a lifetime'.

Breaking apart from their kiss Liselle said in a teasing tone, "you think you might regain the power of speech and let me know just how amazing you feel considering you caught the most sought-after maiden on Omega."

Liselle warmed inside as a huge grin spread across her lover's face, "you chose me."

"I choose you," Liselle responded and pulled Tasha into a long, love filled kiss.

"When, I mean how. Isn't it frowned on with you being so young?"

"Yeah, a lot of temples just won't offer the rights to maiden's," Liselle pulled back a little in their embrace so that she could look into her lover's eyes, "I don't want a big ceremony, I was thinking we'd just sort of do it in secret. Not because I'm not proud of us."

Her last words were etched with defiance and brought another smile to Tash's lips, "how else would we do it, we're not conventional in any other part of our lives. When were you…,"

"Now," Liselle pulled away from her lover who was looking puzzled, "I know a priestess."

"Let's do this," Tash said after taking a deep steadying breath and matching Liselles' wide grin.

A little while later they were approaching the T'Soni temple buildings and about to walk up the wide cream stone steps when Tash stopped suddenly.

"What is it honey," Liselle turned and reached a hand to cup her lover's cheek.

"The ceremony… it needs a meld, a joining. I don't want you to… will it upset you that you can't…"

Liselle felt such a wave of feelings for this human who knew her so well and understood that the loss of her ability to join with another was devastating because it was so central to being Asari and therefore Liselles' own identity.

"I need to do this Tasha, one last time on my terms and with the only soul in the Galaxy I want to join with. I want to do this with you, for you, but most of all for me."

That settled the issue for Tash as with one quick nod of her head she took one of Liselle's hands and they continued up the steps and into the temple.

They waited in the large entrance hall. As was usual with Asari architecture the lighting seemed to be part of the creamy white stone walls so despite the lateness of the hour the wall decorations and statues were beautifully lit.

"Captain T'Loak," a voice caused them both to turn towards one of the corridors that radiated out from the hall, "this is an unusual time to visit the Temple," the priestess offered Siari greetings to both Liselle and Tash.

"The universe never truly sleeps Priestess Cofare," Liselle said returning the greeting, "but you know why I'm here, and I knew you had duties in the Temple tonight."

"I did ask you to consider your decision, Liselle, and I thought perhaps you would have allowed more than day to process such a…"

Liselle cut across the Priestess in a firm tone, "With respect I have given my decision more than a day's thought and I know this is the path I need to walk."

With a slight nod of her head the Priestess spoke as she began walking back the way she came, "then you had best come with me to the Temple where preparations have been made."

They walked in silence along the corridor and Tash knew they were leaving the main building and heading towards the formal Temple which was older than most of the buildings on the estate. It was older than most of the buildings on Thessia, the Asari built their Temples to last.

As Tash walked through the open double doors and into the Temple itself she such felt a rush of peace fill her mind that her breath caught in her chest. The she felt other emotions like joy and love wrap around her and turned to find Liselle watching with a smile lighting her face.

"They are performing Sar'harma," Liselle gestured to the twenty or so Asari sitting towards the front of the space perfectly still their eyes black in a joint meld.

Tash vaguely remembered something about one of the many Asari meditation rituals that were used to create psychic energy fields but as the thought arose, so it passed as she just leaned into Liselle and the peace she was feeling.

From the gallery that ran across the back wall of the Temple High Priestess El'Estrene watched as the young Asari and her Human lover walked towards the front of the Temple where the biotic fires burned behind the high alter.

"You didn't doubt she would go through with for a moment did you," Matriarch T'Joan moved a little further forward to join Nara El'Estrene.

"Of course not, she is certainly her Asams' daughter and you know this is exactly what Benezia did right at the beginning with Aria."

"Do you think that was their undoing? Why Benezia and Aria never let go, because they bonded at such a young age,"

The sound of singing drifted up from the service below as the two young lover's stood facing the Priestess in front of the alter.

El'Estrene looked at her friend and said with a sad smile, "they were connected even before they met. If you had been there Seninnth you would have seen it as clearly as anyone with senses could see it. The charge between them… it was almost visible in the air between them," she turned back to look at the scene below."

"Liara and Shepard have as strong a connection as any I've seen," Matriarch T'Joan stepped away from the balcony further into the shadows not wanting to intrude on the ceremony.

"Yes, and it has such a resonance of that bond between Benezia and Aria… it troubles me, but I cannot get to the reason why," El'Estrene focused herself then and joined the group meld adding her mind to the bonding connection.

On the Priestess's instruction Tash and Liselle turned to face each other and grasped each other's right forearm with their hands in a warrior's greeting so that their wrists were aligned.

Vibrant flashing violet blue eyes looking into warm steady grey ones and Tash felt the tingle of the biotic tattoo wrap itself around her wrist. Then she felt the familiar sensation of another mind gently brushing her own. An instant later she was no longer standing in the Temple but on some other plain surrounded by stars and a bright light on a faraway horizon.

Without words, without conscious thought Tash pulled Liselle into all the spaces in her soul, her mind, and her heart that belonged to her Asari lover. She felt Liselle do the same to her and they could not tell where one ended and the other began.

They told each other everything they needed to know, showed each other a lifetime of secrets, memories, joy's, heartache, hopes and fears. All wrapped in belonging and a connection so strong they knew it would withstand anything including death.

Holding each other in their minds and touching each other's souls, they would forever be one, have a part of the other's soul.

Words drifted gently into their minds, they needed to part now, but they were bonded in love and would always be able to find peace, belonging, contentment because they were joined across more than time and space.

Tash looked at the horizon and the light, a huge burning sol was growing brighter and brighter and its light was filling the darkness and blocking out the stars. She felt the floor under her feet once again and when she opened her eyes Liselle's were still closed, tears were staining her cheeks.

"Hey beautiful," Tash said pulling Liselle into an embrace, "are you ok?"

Liselle didn't reply but nodded her head a couple of times into Tash's neck.

"You are welcome to stay as long as you like," Priestess Cofare said softly indicating some seats off to one side.

Tash nodded her thanks and as they moved Liselle spoke quietly, "I'm not upset because of us you know… it was just… Goddess Tasha I miss being so close to you."

"I know, it's ok babe," they were sitting down now but Tash still wrapped Liselle in her arms, "if I'd just been quicker, or gone with you or…"

Liselle sat up straight and looked at her lover, "none of this was your fault Tasha, you saved my life…," she smiled then, "enough about what's lost, you can't get away from me now Mikhailovich we are bonded." And she brought up her wrist to show Tash the dancing bonding tattoo that circled her wrist.

Tash brought her own wrist up and saw how they were both the same and also an extension of each, "that is pretty cool," she said a grin lighting up her own face.

On the balcony High Priestess El'Estrene brought herself back from the meld and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"We will see many more maidens seeking to make early bonding's once the war starts," Seninnth T'Joan said from behind her, "it was the same in the Krogan wars."

"Yes, the coming of death does tend to focus the soul on what is most important," Nara El'Estrene knew that death was coming, not just death but an end to everything and she had no idea how Shepard was supposed to stop it.

T'Soni private residence - Thessia

After another day and night in the medical centre receiving treatment Shepard was ready to be released on strict instructions from both Doctor Chakwas and Miranda Lawson that she was to start her rehabilitation with only light exercise.

Shepard and Liara had not continued the conversation from their walk but it had cleared the air enough for them both to feel the comfort of their relationship filling the emptiness and softening the hard edges that had been between them.

"You look worn out Lee," Shepard said as they left the medical centre. Liara had brought Shepard a fresh set of clothes and they were on their way to have breakfast.

"I am perfectly fine my love," Liara said with a smile as she tucked herself into Shepard's body under her lover's arm which wrapped around the young Asari's shoulder.

"Do I need to go ask Lady Nara what you're supposed to be doing to heal or are you going to save me the journey," Shepard's voice was tender.

They reached the main staircase as Liara answered with a heavy sigh, "I am not allowed to work more than four hours a day and must take frequent rests. They are monitoring me daily for any further side effects from the collar."

Shepard stopped and turned Liara to face her, "what do you mean further side effects, what did that bitch and Cerberus do?" Shepard's voice was soft but held an edge of anger.

"Headaches, a little dizziness, some blurred vision with the headaches," Liara looked up at Shepard and felt the strong connection between them, "the symptoms will fade… our daughter is unharmed but we must find our son Shepard… you must bring him home."

Liara had been holding back all the pain and fear about her son but now standing with a recovering Shepard she could hold it to herself no longer.

"I could not protect him Shepard… I need you to make this right."

Shepard pulled Liara into an embrace and felt her lover's deep sighs turn into soft sobs.

"I didn't protect you and our children Lee, it was my job, I'm the one who failed," Shepard whispered in a soothing tone then pre-empted Liara's protestations, "no… no babe this is on me, all of it."

They stood in silence for a few moments and Shepard tried to put all her love into holding Liara, wanted to make the circle of her arms a place of comfort and safety for her bondmate and their daughter.

"I won't let anything happen to you ever again Lee, I can't… I'm not me without you… nothing makes sense…" Shepard pulled back a little so she could look into Liara's face, "I don't know who I'm supposed to be without the strength of your love."

Shepard kissed Liara's forehead as she continued to hold her tight but a sound from the bottom of the stairs drew her attention.

"I am sorry to disturb you," Matriarch T'Joan began walking up the stairs towards the couple as she spoke, "but there is an urgent call from Larissa, it is Councillor Tevos."

The older Asari and head of Liara's private household stopped and then spoke hesitantly directly to Liara, "and Aria has requested that she speak to you at your earliest convenience."

Shepard felt Liara stiffen as even though they had parted they still stood close.

"I will take the call from Councillor Tevos in my private office," Liara began walking back the way they had come towards their private quarters, "Aria will need to wait."

While they waited for the call from Tevos to be connected Shepard called for breakfast to be brought up and insisted that Liara sit on one of the more comfortable chairs in the office.

"I feel much better my love you do not need to worry," Liara said with a smile as she moved to accept the call, "Councillor Tevos how can I help you?"

Chandra Tevos appeared on the vid screen and smiled, "It is so good to see you back, both of you, and I am sorry that this is not a social call. I am afraid matters are time sensitive otherwise I would not be disturbing you so soon and while you are recovering from your ordeal."

"It is kind of you to be concerned Chandra but we are all aware that time is something we may not have much of before the coming storm," Liara was grateful to feel Shepard move closer. Despite her show of confidence Liara didn't feel as if she was ready to jump straight back into politics or Republic business.

"With everything else that has happened I'm not sure if you are both aware of the handful of other assassination's that occurred around the same time as the attack on the Systems Alliance and your kidnapping," Tevos threw some pictures up on the screen and Shepard felt Liara's sharp intake of breath.

We have no concrete proof that all these incidents were linked. However, our analysis would point towards an attempt at remove leaders from Council races who support close cooperation. And that these leaders were all members of our Shadow Council was either luck or our activity has been noticed."

There was silence in the room as Liara and Shepard looked at the faces of three of their closest allies. Together they read the short news reports that also accompanied the images.

'Matriarch B'Leana head of one of the one hundred first families and Thessia's highest level of leadership the T'Ara was killed in a shuttle crash on the Citadel. She was the leader of the Paranosos Republic and one of the most influential Asari in Council space. It is rumoured that she recently started guiding her Republic into investing heavily in joint projects with other Council races for increased security and the relief of poverty in the Terminus system.'

'Dalatrass Esheel a prominent member of the Salarian Union and head of one of the largest Salarian owned genetics and bio engineering companies was killed in an explosion during an inspection of one of the Companies factories on Noveria. The Dalatrass's loss will be keenly felt and her family are in deep mourning while they seek her replacement.

'Primark Quentius of the Aethon Cluster, who was third in line to be the Primark of Palavan and therefore the leader of the Turian Hierarchy, is reported to have been assassinated by Turian rebels while on a visit to one of the Turian forces frontier posts. The incident has been deemed highly classified so further information is limited. He will have a full military funeral on Palavan where he will be posthumously awarded the Shield of Service.

"There was also an attempt on Alexia's life but after her experience with those Batarian slavers," Councillor Tevos's usual calm composure slipped slightly as she spoke about her bondmate and daughters kidnap the previous year, "her security is as high as my own."

Shepard spoke into the silence, her tone sombre, "I missed this Chandra, I have a vague recollection of seeing a report about unusual activity, deaths, that might be linked to what happened on Arcturus… but… I was so focused on hunting down Cerberus…" her thoughts went once again to the nightmare that had been the aftermath of the bombing of the Systems Alliance government and military leadership.

"You did what you had to do Shepard and we all know how injured you were, your personal grief, but you stopped the coup. Restored order, we could not rebuild our alliance without that foundation," Chandra Tevos was acutely aware of how close they had come to losing the Systems Alliance to forces hostile to Thessia and the rest of the Council races.

Liara slipped her hand into Shepard's sensing her bondmate's grief and regret and asked the older Asari, "so are you saying this was all the work of Cerberus?"

"The targets are too widespread to find any other common link. But we are completely in the dark when it comes to Cerberus. For obvious reasons none of the usual Council intelligence gathering works, only Humans can infiltrate the organisation and from what I understand even that gives limited access to information."

"Cerberus operates like the Terrorist organisation it is when it comes to its black ops cells or better described as sections. They can be small with just two or three carefully chosen and groomed assassins or whole research stations but they are all isolated from each other and organised through a very tight command structure that always leads directly to Harper," Shepard paused and took a deep breath, "its also almost impossible to break any of their operatives if we do capture them. The organisation has tentacles into all areas of Earth and Systems government so our prisoners are either protected and end up free or they die in custody."

"They are not immune to being tracked by other means, I will focus more resources on following their credits and any communications between known or suspected members or sympathisers," Liara said knowing she had already put plans in place across her Broker network to do just that, "and Shepard has wrought havoc on a huge area of their operations destroying multiple bases and supply lines."

"It wasn't enough," Shepard said in a flat tone.

"Given the impact of our losses and the loss of time while we were in some disarray I have taken responsibility for calling a Shadow Council meeting," Chandra Tevos paused and received nods from Liara and Shepard, "we can meet this evening at 21:00, Thessia time."

"Thank you Councillor Tevos we will be in attendance," Liara returned the parting blessing and ended the call.

Liara moved to stand facing Shepard her hand reaching out to brush her lovers cheek, "you must find some time to rest today my love. You are meant to be taking your recovery slowly."

Shepard grinned and covered Liara's hand with her own then placed a kiss in the soft blue palm, "my thoughts exactly but about you, now where is our breakfast."

Liara's private study – late morning

Liara looked out over the grounds to the horizon, one hand reflectively on her stomach the other holding a data pad. She was trying to calm her mind but that was proving difficult given she was waiting for her father to arrive. The last time they were in the same room Liara had ended the huge argument between them by telling Aria to leave and not bother coming back.

A knock on the door brought her back to the present and she turned, "come in," pleased that her voice did not betray her jangled nerves.

"Liara we need to talk about what you experienced on that research station…" Aria moved past Liara's assistant who had escorted her and in a burst of energy stood in front of her daughter, "the experience you had of Benezia, your mother."

"I know who my mother is Aria and I believe the last time we spoke I told you I did not want to see you again until you were ready to apologise to me about what…"

Aria cut across her daughters' protestations, "Liara there is no time for this nonsense. I was right about Shepard putting her own agenda and loyalty to the human government over and above looking for you. And she would never have found you chasing across the Galaxy after Cerberus…"

Liara turned back towards the window as the overwhelming sense of grief over her son brought tears to her eyes and a weariness that made arguing with Aria feel both futile and a waste of time, "they have my son, Aria," she said softly the catch in her voice evident.

Aria felt the words as cold fist around her heart. Cerberus had also been the ones to put a control collar around her daughters' throat. They had done that to her blood, her beloved Benezia's daughter. Her own rage, grief and unbearable sense of impotence had destroyed any perspective she would usually have had on the situation. The sharp realisation that what Liara had said during their argument was not only accurate but more critically, when Aria pushed away her rage, she knew to be true. Shepard would go to the ends of space and time for Liara very much as she would do for Benezia.

The tall Matriarch moved towards her daughter and pulled her gently around and into a strong embrace and felt a small amount of relief when Liara wound her arms around Aria's waist.

"I'm sorry little wing… you are right and I will talk to Shepard. We will find him and bring him home whatever it takes, "Aria spoke softly and kissed the top of Liara's head as she gently drew circles with her fingers on her daughters back which for Asari was a comforting gesture.

"Do you mean that Rasam… I do not think I have the strength for fighting… and Shepard is not fit yet and I know she will… leave again before she is healed… to find him… and hunt Cerberus… for what they did," Liara said in between sobs.

"Of course I mean it, little wing, we'll work together and I'll make sure nothing happens to her," in reality Aria had no idea how she could do anything to protect Shepard or stop the human walk into the teeth of a storm. But she finally understood how much the human meant to her daughter, "come and sit down with me and we'll order some tea."

A little while later after more comforting and tea Aria broached the subject she had originally come to talk to her daughter about.

"You said something when we found you Liara, something about Benezia having been there with you," Aria was sitting on the sofa turned to face her daughter, "would you share the memory with me?"

Liara was a little taken aback, "I… yes… but I am not… I will need to show you how… when…"

Aria reached across for her daughters' hand, "you can never show my anything of yourself that I will not love and be proud of Liara."

With a nod Liara gave permission to her father to open up a joining of their minds and Liara guided her to the beginning of the memories where she had obviously reached out to her mother's memory for comfort.

As Aria witnessed Liara tricking Shiala into releasing her from the control collar and then Shiala's death. Waking up in bed with Benezia sitting with her, the sense of someone on the station, the idea or suggestion about rigging up a distress signal, Liara shared the whole sequence until she could remember no more until waking up back safe at home.

Aria was highly skilled in joining her consciousness to another being and her mental power was strong enough to destroy someone's mind, as she had done with Vasir, but her daughter had not had the training nor was her force of will strong enough to carry out the what had happened to Shiala. Liara's biotic fist had merely pinned the woman in place while her mind was reaved in a way only a Matriarch with extensive training could do. The act had been elegant, cold, personal.

"And you don't remember much about how Shiala died," Aria said gently after the meld was broken.

"No, it was as if I was just watching but I could feel my hate and rage at her for her betrayal."

"How do you feel about her now?"

"That is a strange question Rasam, I… hate her for nearly killing Shepard and giving my son to Cerberus… for bringing those murderers into my home and killing Jamie."

"Do you feel betrayed by her?"

"Perhaps a little. But she had become unstable after being held prisoner of the Shadow Broker and I did not see that. I did not listen to Shepard," Liara glanced guiltily at her father, "and others who told me she was dangerous."

"Tell me once more what Benezia said to you," Aria had seen what Liara saw but wanted to hear it one more time.

"She said 'you did what you had to do little wing you have nothing to be ashamed of. I came as soon as I could to help. Now you need to send a message so you can be found. Everyone is looking for you, Rasam will come for you.' Why?" Liara said sitting up realising this was something more that Aria just wanting to find out how deluded she had been that she had conjured up her mother to help her survive.

Aria was deep in thought, "I came as soon as I could to help… that's a very specific and odd thing to imagine don't you think? I need to talk to El'Estrene about this and Shepard," Aria stood and fired up her omni tool to make the necessary calls but felt a hand on her forearm.

"What is going on Aria why do you need to talk to Shepard about my dream," Liara was confused and worried.

"Because I'm beginning to think it wasn't a dream and neither was mine," Aria saw the confusion in her daughters' eyes, "let me get Nara and Shepard to join us and I'll explain." Without further explanation Aria focused back on her communication tool.

Liara's private sitting room – an hour later

Aria, Liara, Shepard and High Priestess Nara El'Estrene had been sitting in silence for some time. Aria had not offered any explanation about why she wanted them to share their experiences and had insisted that Shepard go through what had happened to her the night of the bonding ceremony.

When Shepard also said she had had an odd dream while presumably under anaesthetic and shared that 'dream' with everyone Aria seemed to be physically taken aback and had spent the last ten minutes asking for a detailed description of the beach.

While Shepard was irritated and a little pissed at being interrogated about a dream by Aria she was happy to play along if it meant she was helping heal the wound between the Pirate Queen and her daughter. Shepard could sense that Liara's falling out with her father had affected her deeply and after all Aria had been right and had been the one to find Liara while Shepard was chasing rage fuelled revenge.

"And you still have no memory parts of the bonding service, when you started speaking some defunct dialect of ancient Asari?" Aria's focus was laser sharp as she moved her attention to Nara.

"No, I do not. But Aria are you suggesting some kind of intrusive meld causing these… would you call them hallucinations? They would also need to take place over huge distances and we just don't have the capability to do that," Nara left the question hanging.

"It felt more real than a dream… than any dream I've ever had. I could feel every grain of sand under my hands, the smell of the ozone, the heat. And the memory hasn't faded or changed, it's like recalling a vid and even my nightmares don't work like that," Shepard spoke into the silence for the first time engaging in the discussion with interest.

"You haven't told us what your dream was Rasam?"

Aria took a deep breath and described her encounter with Benezia but kept their more personal interactions to herself.

"I sense there was more than a conversation, Aria, so if you want me to understand properly what has you so concerned you will need to share a little of what else happened," Nara leaned towards Aria and spoke softly.

"I have not allowed myself to think about Benezia for nearly one hundred years, and certainly not dreamt of her," Aria wondered how much she was willing to share in front of her daughter and Shepard. She had told Liselle almost everything about how they had met and fallen in love, that their duty to Thessia had come between them. Even her later knowledge of how the Matriarch's had manipulated them both to keep them apart because their individual work we deemed more important than their individual happiness. But Aria had shared none of this with Liara and now was not the time.

"It was not a dream Nara, it was not wish fulfilment, that is not my way you of all people should know that," Aria stood needing to change the focus in the room away from her and back to her agenda, "these are not dreams and since when does a Priestess of your experience and skill become unable to access her own consciousness for even a few minutes without having some explanation."

Liara sat on the edge of her chair still holding Shepard's hand but staring at Aria as she spoke in almost hushed tones, "are you saying Asam is still alive? She cannot be I saw her…"

Shepard folded her arm around Liara's shoulders and pulled her close to offer comfort to her increasingly upset bondmate, "Aria if you have a point perhaps you could get to it."

There was silence for a few moments and then Aria spoke with a hesitancy she was not used to feeling, "what if a part of her is still here. You said those creatures were using the essence of humans to make another of those sentient ships," Aria was looking directly at Shepard.

"How the hell do you know that, those reports were highly classified," Shepard felt anger rising but really didn't want to have another argument with Aria for Liara's sake.

Aria's lips curled into a wry smile and with raised brows said in a much more familiar sarcastic tone, "Really Shepard, you still have no idea how permeable your Alliance Systems Government is. And I feel a little insulted that you should even doubt that I would have access to information about anything that takes place in the Terminus systems."

"She was a powerful Matriarch perhaps she has just decided not to move on to her next life and by the will of Siari she has been granted leave to complete her work," Nara said into the tension.

"Really Nara I thought better of you. Please don't tell me you believe all that rubbish and daughter stories about Goddess's and the circle of fucking life," Aria was in no mood for spiritual clap trap she needed an explanation based in technology of some kind because to believe that there was, perhaps, some way for her to be with Benezia was just bullshit and she would not sign up to any form of hope. She'd lived on hope for far too much of her life already.

"We do have the essence of Siari herself locked in the biotic flame she created at the moment of her passing," Nara moved on quickly, "but as you say a more likely explanation is some form of technology or powerful mind meld."

"So, are you saying my mother is using some form of Reaper technology to reach us? Is she still indoctrinated?" Liara sounded desperate and Shepard held her a little tighter.

"Let's say these… communications for want of a better word, are coming to us from one source. What the hell is the point? My message seems to be pretty much I need to wake up, to Liara the message is help is coming, and I've no idea what your message was Aria because you obviously don't want to share it with us," Shepard finished with a sharp look in the tall Matriarch's direction.

"Benezia said she was here to wake me up as well," Aria said quietly.

"Then we need to think about how we can reach out to whoever, whatever, is trying to speak to all of you," Nara said a plan forming in her mind, "a group joining of our minds and…"

"No," Shepard said sharply making Liara jump, "not until we know if this is truly a benign presence or some Reaper sympathiser trying to manipulate us… perhaps even indoctrinate us at a distance."

"She has a point," Aria said the words but at the same time knew it had been Benezia in the dream or whatever it had been, and she did not want to believe she could be so easily manipulated.

"I do not want to think of my mother as being trapped by those things," Liara sounded close to tears and then said more angrily, "we have to do something to free her to help her find peace."

"And we will Liara, if it is Benezia and if she is trapped. For now, let's just be open to her spirit and share any further dreams that we may have," Lady Nara said gently but flashed a look at Aria to suggest the conversation was over.

The silence was acquiescence enough that the conversation was closed.

After Nara El'Estrene had left Aria sat down opposite Liara and Shepard and spoke.

"Liara, what I said about Shepard when we got you back from that mad bitch was…"

Shepard cut across Aria's words, "you were right Aria, I wouldn't listen to you or Aethyta and I was searching in the wrong place… for the wrong reasons."

"I was wrong to question your loyalty to Liara. We can all be blinded by rage and grief."

It was the first time Shepard felt acceptance of her relationship with Aria's daughter and decided to quit while she was ahead and just nodded.

"You were both trying to achieve the same thing so perhaps now we can focus all our energy on finding my son," Liara pinned both Aria and Shepard with a glare and received nods of agreement in return.