Chapter 58
Citadel Security Exit – Zakera Ward – Citadel
Shepard walked out of the C-Sec station she normally went to after docking, her feet carrying her into the wards with Gunnery Chief Williams following behind her. She was in a foul mood at the moment and was at a loss for what to do about the entire situation. She could complain and rant all she wanted, but it wouldn't change Udina's or the Alliance's mind. In fact, she was pretty sure it would only make their gloating worse. And the only thing the Council could effectively do to the Alliance was threaten them with sanctions that wouldn't happen for at least a month.
Unable to fly the Normandy, unable to chase Saren, she sought a solution - any solution. But none came. No other ship short of a dreadnaught could survive out in the Terminus Systems. They'd be picked apart by raiders and pirates before they even made it to Ilos. There were other stealth prototype ships, but most of them were still in the making and hadn't even been tested yet. She was truly adrift on the waves of time as more of it was wasted with every second she was grounded.
The lost feeling had persisted ever since she had shown the Council the hidden secret buried before their very eyes. For a brief moment, however, it subsided when she saw a call from Anderson on her omni-tool. He wanted to meet her at Flux to talk to her about something. Not having much else to do, she headed that way, meeting Ash in C-Sec, who decided to join her. Unfortunately, her way to the captain was blocked by an unfamiliar face.
The man stood just above her height with short brown hair and a five o'clock shadow from hell. Despite his worn-down appearance, he actually had some muscle to him. Though that wouldn't help him when she kneed him in the gut for intentionally blocking her path, it was a decent balance to the weathered look of his face. Choosing to not take the violent path, she looked past the man and noticed protesters throwing things and screaming at the C-Sec entrance she had just left. "The hell is going on?" she asked.
The man held out his hand to her with a large, toothy grin. "It is an absolute honor to meet you, Spectre."
She reached forward and shook his hand. "You too… uhh…"
"Oh! Charles Saracino, Terra Firma party representative at your service," he responded, still holding her hand. Immediately Shepard heard Ash groan behind her.
Shepard immediately felt a chill down her spine when she spied the pin on his collar. It was a religious cross fashioned to look like a sword. Her brows furrowed as she pulled her hand free of his grip. "Is there something I can do for you Mister Saracino?"
He nodded happily. "Armistice Day is coming soon, Spectre. We're here making our voices heard by the alien appeasers on the Citadel."
Shepard looked over just as a glass bottle shattered against the C-Sec door. "Your voices huh?"
He looked over at the protestors and nodded with his hands up defensively. "Some of our supporters can get very passionate," he said, shrugging. "I don't think a little glass bottle is gonna hurt much after what they did on Shanxi."
Shepard's glare darkened as she eyed the man, but Ash took up the fight for her. "And what the hell do you know about Shanxi?" she asked, her face just as unamused as Shepard's.
"The First Contact War was horrifying, a terrible tragedy beset on us by those who wish to rule us," Saracino said in a flourishing manner. "That is why yours truly is running for office." He looked back up at her. "Can I expect your support during the election, Spectre?"
Shepard kept her face expressionless, unsure how this fundamentalist supporter didn't know who she was. Maybe he did know and was trying to turn her over to his side. Whatever the case, she wasn't about to break her moral compass right before the biggest fight of her life for some stuffed shirt bureaucrat with a chip on his shoulder. Shepard raised her omni-tool and began typing, much to the confusion of the man. Ash continued her snarky comments.
"Mister Saracino, you don't know the first damn thing about the First Contact War," she growled angrily.
He turned to Ash and raised his hands defensively once again. "I'll have you know my father fought in-"
"Princeton," Shepard interrupted as she stared at the data on her arm.
"Pardon me?" he asked curiously.
"Your father was attending Princeton University and getting a 1.3 to 1.7 grade point average during the First Contact War," she explained, before looking up at him. "Mister Saracino, I'd highly advise you to know who the hell you're talking to before you try to lie to someone."
Surprised by the uncomfortable situation he was now in, he nodded. "I'll… keep that in mind." He appeared to have shrugged it off, however. "So, about the election…"
"You're a bunch of xenophobic trash looking to gain power so you can piss all over the Citadel Treaties with the Alliance," Ash said, as she crossed her arms.
"Our party stands up for humanity. That's all. We do things the right way in order to affect change," he said, looking back and forth between the two. "We humans have to stick together! If we let the aliens split us apart, we'll be weak and helpless when they try to take over."
"Shanxi was just the first!" shouted a rioter as they hurled an unknown alien fruit at the door, splattering it.
Turning back to Saracino, she gave him a humorless look. "Shanxi was the first? Is that what you think? That they're waiting to strike again?"
He shrugged and smiled. "It's a possibility. Humans all over Alliance Space aren't safe. We've had to watch out for batarians and turians. Who's next, Spectre? How many human deaths are enough before something must be done?"
Suddenly, Liara's voice came from behind them as she exited the door, dodging a stale baguette that had been thrown. "Oh, Shepard!" she called as she jogged over. "They said you came out this way ten minutes ago. I didn't expect you to still be here." She was chipper as she turned and looked at the man who now had a sour expression on his face.
Shepard immediately reached over and gripped Liara's hip, pulling her intimately into her side with a smirk. "Liara, love of my life. Where have you been?" she asked as she turned to the doctor.
"Oh… I was… uh… I… I'm sorry, what was the question?" she asked, flustered and blushing madly at having been publicly called Shepard's love.
"Wait… are you?" Saracino asked, the smile now gone from his face.
Shepard turned her smirk back onto the bureaucrat. "Oh yeah. We're making treaties like you wouldn't believe," she quipped. Shepard then grabbed Ash by the hip as well and pulled her close. "She sometimes signs a few as well." Ash looked confused at first but rolled with it as she turned her glare back to the bureaucrat.
Immediately, all of Saracino's charm and wit left as he glowered at them. "Sorry to have wasted your time," he said before turning and walking back towards the rioters.
Once he was far enough out of earshot, Shepard began to release both women, but Liara reached down and kept the spectre's hand where it was, her small smile warming Shepard's heart again. Ash turned to her commander in confusion. "What was that about?"
Sighing, Shepard rubbed her forehead in frustration. "It appears the Terra Firma party has new reps from the Sons of Adam." She nodded in the direction Saracino headed in. "The pin on his collar, it was their symbol." She glared at the rioters. "The Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve are a religious extremist group under the encompassing name of Children of Eden. And they're responsible for many heinous acts of terrorism, Shanxi being one I know too well. They're not pro-human, they're anti-alien, and extremely homophobic and xenophobic."
A look of understanding dawned on Ash's face. "I see. So not only were you implying that you were 'writing treaties' with aliens, but also with other women." Ash then cocked an eyebrow curiously. "Wait… acts of terrorism on Shanxi? You mean during the reparations talks years ago? You were there?"
Shepard eyed her sternly. "I can neither confirm nor deny the validity of that statement. Instead, I'll just say that I've had more than one run in with these people."
"Homo… phobic," Liara said, tapping her chin. "Ah!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up. "Sexual dimorphism sometimes results in one sex being attracted to the same sex! So that makes homophobia…"
Shepard nodded. "An extreme bigotry towards same-sex couples." Liara nodded in return, still blushing at Shepard's hand on her hip in public. The spectre smiled at the woman. "Your English study is getting better."
"Thank you," the asari said, blushing wildly before looked ahead as she slowly guided her hand onto Shepard's. She earned a smile for her efforts. "So, where are we going?"
"Captain Anderson wanted to meet me at Flux," Shepard answered with a sigh.
Ash followed on the other side of her commander and shrugged. "Maybe he talked some sense into the assholes at High Command," she said optimistically.
Shepard glared as she spoke. "Someone better talk some sense into them before I demote every one of them into a rear admiral by shoving their heads up their asses," she growled, getting a gasp from Liara and a cackle from Ash. But the spectre shrugged lightly. "I appreciate the never say die attitude, Ash. I really do. But if Anderson had talked sense into them, I highly doubt he'd be telling me over martinis."
"Fair enough," the gunnery chief conceded as she followed Shepard past the border for C-Sec and into the club district. Flux was right up the staircase near the exit, making it very easy to access. As they stepped inside, Ash shook her head, the music pounding in her ears. "Do they ever play any good music?"
Shepard immediately spotted Anderson and began heading for him. "You two do as you please," she said, releasing Liara's hip and sitting down across from the captain, much to Liara's dismay. As the spectre sat down, she waved the waitress away with her omni-tool, forwarding her a generous tip. "Leave our table alone for a while."
The waitress nodded and Anderson watched her go. "You sure have a way with people," he said with a grin as he looked back towards her and leaned on the table.
She smirked back as she noticed this was the first time she had seen him in civilian clothing. His outfit was what the marines colloquially named 'Class C uniforms.' It shouldn't have surprised her that he even had civilian military style clothes. He was Alliance to the core.
He nodded to her. "Glad you could make it, Jane."
Shepard noticed he was nursing a glass of something already. Given his tastes, it was probably scotch. "I can always make time for you, Captain. So, what did you need?"
He swirled his drink around and looked down at the table. "I'm sorry Udina locked down the Normandy. I should have been more aware of his movements with the Alliance."
She shook her head. "It's not your fault, David. Seriously," she said, giving him a grave look.
He let out a sigh before taking a sip of his drink. "You need to get to Ilos, Jane."
She leaned her head into her hand as she responded. "I'm aware of that. But if I take any other ship out there, I'll have to fight off pirates, slavers, and raiders of every kind. I'll be lucky if I make it to the expanse with the hull intact."
"I know. The Normandy is the only way you can stop Saren. And you need to stop him. This key he's seeking, whatever it does, he cannot be allowed to use it," the captain said in a stern voice.
She shrugged at him. "So, what do we do?"
The captain took another drink before getting to his point. "Udina ordered the Citadel Traffic Control to lock down the Normandy. If we can override his orders, we can unlock the ship and get you back into space."
Her face now became a mask of seriousness. "And how exactly are we going to countermand Udina's orders? They sure as hell won't listen to me."
"They won't have to listen to you," he said as he finished his drink and set the glass aside. "Spectre Jane Shepard, I'm asking you to head directly to the Normandy. I'm going to go to Udina's office and use his terminal to send the unlock order."
She went wide-eyed at the statement. "David, you know that's treason against the Alliance…"
He nodded firmly. "I'm well aware of the consequences. But Saren is a threat greater than anything the Alliance could do to me. If you stop Saren from getting this key, then it'll be well worth the court martial."
She sighed heavily as she eyed him in exasperation. "And what if Udina is in his office?"
Anderson smirked playfully. "Then I'll improvise. Either way, they've already restocked the Normandy to send to the Fifth Fleet. So, you should have plenty of supplies to last you out there. Once I unlock the ship, you get the hell out of here and do whatever it takes to stop Saren. Do we have an understanding?"
She stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding, the weight of the galaxy feeling like it was falling off her shoulders. "Alright, David. We'll do it your way. But when I get back, I'm fighting the Alliance every inch of the way if they try to punish you."
He chuckled dryly. "I'd appreciate that," he said and stood to his feet. She stood as well. Holding out his hand, he said, "Spectre Shepard, you have a job to do."
She smiled, then reached forward and gripped his hand firmly. "Thank you, Captain, for everything." Finally, she released him, then flagged down her crew and left the club.
Citadel Security Exit – Zakera Ward – Citadel
Ash followed, quickening her pace to match Shepard's hurried gait. "So, what's the skinny, Skipper?" she asked curiously.
"We're taking the Normandy," she said.
Ash practically gasped. "Anderson talked them out of it?"
Stopping, she looked at the gunnery chief. "No."
She processed Shepard's answer for a moment before realizing the implications of it. "Well, I've already got an AWOL reprimand for telling Udina to kiss my ass. So, what's a stolen ship?"
Liara looked at them both worriedly. "Stolen ship? We're going to steal the Normandy?"
"Yes," Shepard said as she turned to Liara. "If you want to stay here, I'll understand. I don't want you taking the fall for my actions."
Liara stared at her for a moment before an irate expression bloomed across her face. "Goddess are you serious?" she asked, getting a raised eyebrow from Shepard. "Of course I'm going with you!"
Smiling, the spectre nodded. "Thank you Liara." She sighed heavily. "The Alliance has an extradition treaty with the Citadel, so unless the Council fights for me, then they'll have to give me to the Alliance."
"Don't worry Shepard. We've got your back," Ash said firmly as she placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder.
She turned and smiled at the brunette. "Thank you, Ash. For everything."
The gunnery chief nodded with a large smile. "Anything for you, Skipper. Now, let's get back to the Normandy so-" she started, but stopped as she saw a familiar figure approaching with a large smile on his face. "Shepard, nine o'clock!"
The spectre spun and looked in the direction Ash had instructed, her eyes widening. Letting out a groan, she placed her hands on her hips. "Hello, Conrad."
The excited man greeted her with a large smile as he held a datapad in his hands. "Spectre Shepard! I'm happy to see you again!"
She nodded and turned to him with a smile. She didn't dislike the man. In fact, she was rather flattered she had such a huge fan of her work. But she had to get back to the Normandy soon. "I'm a bit busy, Conrad. Can this wait until later?" she asked, wondering if he'd still be a fan after she stole the Normandy.
He nodded ecstatically. "I won't take much of your time, Shepard. I just had an idea I wanted to run across you."
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Idea? What idea?"
He leaned in close as if sharing a secret. "With so many human colonies in danger, and with the Alliance being spread thin across Alliance Space, I don't think one spectre is enough." Immediately, both Ash and Shepard's eyebrows shot up at the implication. "What if… you signed me on as another spectre or a potential recruit?"
Ash snorted, then covered her mouth and nose with a hand before turning and walking away to get some space. Shepard eyed Conrad and let out a sigh. "Conrad… even if I had the ability to just sign you on without the consent of the Council, I don't think that would be a good idea."
He looked crestfallen as he explained further. "But I'd make a great spectre! I'd be right there with you, showing the Council what humanity is capable of!" He lowered his arms to his sides and looked at her dejectedly. "I know you just lost one of your crew, and they would never be able to be replaced. But I would do my best to help you fight the good fight," he finished as he held up a clenched fist in triumph.
Shepard's brows furrowed. "How did you-" she started, but just shook her head, unsure if she even wanted to know. "What about your wife, Conrad?" As soon as the question left her mouth, his determined expression fell. "Shouldn't you be doing your best to help her?"
"I… but…" he mumbled as he looked at the ground.
She shook her head and reached up, placing her hands on his broad shoulders. "Conrad, you're trying to be something you're not."
He looked up at her, his shoulders sagging. "I… I am?"
She nodded and smiled at him. "You're Conrad Verner, fan and friend of Jane Shepard, the first human Spectre. You have a loving wife, and you're very smart and capable of representing humanity here on the Citadel."
His shocked expression was worth every word she said. "You? And me? Friends?"
She nodded with a grin. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be friends with one of my biggest supporters?"
The smile that split his face would have lit the inside of any black hole. "I'm friends with Spectre Shepard…" he said, clutching his datapad. Suddenly, he stood at attention and gave her a human salute. "At your request, Shepard. I'll work here to help humanity move forward."
"Good," she said as she patted his shoulders then released him. "Now, I have to go. I'm in a bit of a hurry to get somewhere."
"Oh! Sorry, Spectre," he said as he stepped aside. "I didn't mean to stall you. Good luck out there!" He held out his hand.
She smiled and shook it firmly. "Thank you, Conrad."
Human Embassy – Presidium – Citadel
Anderson's heart was pounding a thousand beats a minute as he walked through the Citadel Embassies and made his way towards the Human branch. He knew what he had to do, but he didn't know what the outcome would be. He would likely be arrested after the fact. But he had a plan to keep C-Sec off him until Shepard completed her mission.
Clenching his fists hard enough to crack his knuckles, he approached Tonya, Udina's receptionist. She smiled up at him, her dark painted lips and bronze skin shining in the light of the embassy. "Hey there, Captain," she said with a flirty grin.
"Hey Tonya," he responded, returning her smile. "Is the Ambassador in?" He was curious to know if he'd have to brute force his way in.
"Yeah, he's been cooped up in there all day; even skipped lunch," she said, cocking an eyebrow at him. "So, are you doing anything tonight?" she asked, her grin returning
He chuckled lightly, picturing himself in a prison cell. "Oh, I'll probably be pretty busy tonight," he said simply as he headed to the door, leaving her with a look of disappointment. The door slid open and Udina, looking as tired as ever, turned his gaze up to Anderson.
"Captain?" Udina asked as Anderson steeled his resolve and marched towards the desk. "I didn't call for you. What are you-" he started as the captain walked around the desk. Reaching down, Anderson yanked Udina up by his shirt, startling the politician. Cocking back his fist, Anderson slammed it across the other man's jaw, sending Udina spiraling to the ground unconscious as his chair rolled off to the side.
Eyeing the man to make sure he wasn't about to move anywhere; the captain reactivated the terminal and sealed the embassy door. He then accessed the Systems Alliance Network. Opening the program, he typed in Udina's credentials. The system accepted them. Smirking, he opened communications to the Citadel Control and ordered an immediate cease on the lockdown. Once he hit the confirm key, he stood back to his full height before walking over and pulling the chair back in front of the desk. Letting out a huge sigh, he sat in the chair, placed his elbows on the desk, and rested his hands together in front of his mouth as he waited; either for Citadel Security to come and kick the door in, or for Shepard's confirmation. Either way, his work was done.
"Good luck, Jane," he said as he furrowed his dark brows.
Council Reserved Docking Bay 117 – Presidium – Citadel
Shepard smirked as she stood behind Joker, hearing the clamps on the ship release and seeing the confirmation for departure turn green, before looking down at the serviceman she had in a headlock. "How about that Mister Security? Satisfied now?" she asked as he struggled to get free.
Joker turned and watched her as she kept the Alliance representative trapped. "Alright! I'll leave you be, now let go!" he shouted angrily.
Shepard released him, then spun him around and aimed him at the door. "Good, Serviceman. Now get the hell off my ship. I've got work to do," she growled from behind him.
He immediately took her advice and left as fast as the decontamination protocols would allow. Joker chuckled as he looked up at her. "Anyone tell you you're a monster?"
She smirked and raised her arm, patting her bicep in a very Rosie the Riveter way. "That's why they hired me," she said in good humor as Joker pulled the ship away from the dock and turned towards the relay. But that humor vanished in an instant as she spun around. "ATTENTION!" In an instant, every Alliance member aboard the ship stood up from their seats and stood at attention for her. "Alliance members, you know why you're here," she said as she looked down the line at them. "You know what we're about to do. You know the consequences. So, I'm giving you one last chance to leave the Normandy. Speak up now or forever hold your peace."
None of them moved an inch, most of them had smirks on their face or looks of no-nonsense. But Pressly near the CIC spoke for them with the turian fire team looming behind him. "Permission to speak?" She simply nodded to him. "We're no longer Alliance crew, Spectre. We're Normandy crew until the moment you bring Saren's hide back to the Council. Every one of us knows what we're doing, and that's why we're here."
Shepard couldn't help but smirk at the man's words before her eyes locked onto the towering heads in the back. "How about you all? You don't have any issue being here?"
Praetor Gavos spoke up for the rest of her team, her voice resolute. "The Hierarchy has given us no instructions not to continue our work," she said, her mandibles twitching lightly. "And probably won't given that our communicators are currently experiencing an unfortunate malfunction."
Shepard and most of the Alliance crew snickered at the comment. "You guys are too much," she said as she shook her head. "Dismissed back to your duty stations. Let's make Saren wish he died on Virmire."
Captain's Quarters – SSV Normandy SR1
Shepard sat at her desk, staring at her terminal. She had the spectre network open, wondering if the Council would consider her move to be worthy of the removal of her spectre status or not. Any moment she could be cut off from this program and thinking about it made her furious. She had to leave Anderson behind on the Citadel for C-Sec to grab and interrogate, and for the Alliance to strip of his honors.
But it was a decision she was forced to make. When she got back - if she got back - she would cold cock anyone who dared to try and punish him. But she remembered his last words to her before she left. She had a job to do. And she wasn't getting it done by lamenting about leaving the captain on the Citadel.
Sighing to herself, she scanned the notes left by other spectres. Apparently, there was a gang meetup in the Caleston Rift. A bunch of pirates planning to try and take a corporate-owned eezo mining operation. Spectre T'Laya left the message with coordinates to the meeting location. Her eyebrow raised slightly; she had hardly seen anything from the asari since they met on Thessia. Interesting that she'd pop up now. Shepard made a mental note to send the other spectre a message to check in, just as a courtesy. If this trip to Ilos went according to plan, she'd need as many friends as she could get. And although T'Laya might not be a close confidant, she was someone Shepard knew she could trust. And that went a long way in her eyes.
She was brought out of her musings by the ping of a message on her terminal from someone else in the spectre network. Her eyes widened as she saw who had signed it - [T.S.V.] Maybe it was someone toying with her, but those were the three councilors' initials. Looking down at the message body, she found a simple message. [Good luck.] She snorted and shook her head. Reaching forward, she typed back to them. [Have the fleet ready just in case, and make sure you're in a safe place.]
Comforted by the fact that she likely wasn't in danger of losing her status, she closed the network down. As soon as she did, she heard the alert for her door. "Come in!" she called through the door comm.
The door slid open, and only then did she realize how dark her room was, as she saw the silhouette of Liara standing there. Stepping inside, the door closed behind her. She moved to sit on the bed across from Shepard's desk, her hands resting on her knees with a nervous look. "H-Hello Jane."
"Hello, Liara," Shepard echoed curiously as she spun in her desk chair to face the other woman. "Is something the matter?"
"No, nothing is wrong," Liara answered with a sigh. "I… wanted to speak with you."
Shepard was slightly worried that she wanted to discuss something serious. "About what?"
Inhaling deeply, Liara let out a heavy breath. "I have been thinking about you. Thinking about us as a group, and what we are about to face."
Shepard's look turned grim as she nodded. "We're on a track we can't get off of now. No turning back," she said, half amused, half frustrated.
"Right…" Liara trailed off as she leaned on her knees and stared at the floor contemplatively. "I do not know what is going to happen on Ilos. Of course, I hope we will stop Saren. But… part of me fears we are already too late."
"I know the feeling," Shepard responded as she mimicked the doctor's pose and stared at her gravely. "Udina really ate up a lot of our time."
Liara nodded and sat up straight, looking Shepard directly in the eye. "Jane, there is something I must tell you in case we fail." The spectre again mimicked the doctor's body language as she gazed curiously at the other woman. "Jane, you…" Liara started, looking at the ground again in an apparent attempt to find her words. "You are everything to me," she blurted out as she looked back up at her.
Slightly surprised, Shepard tilted her head. "Liara, what are you-?"
"Please, let me get this out before I lose my courage," she commanded, getting a nod from Shepard. "Ever since you found me on Therum and brought me onto your ship, I've had the pleasure of knowing you… watching you. The way you lead, the way you help others, the way you fight… everything you do is impressive. So impressive, in fact, that I found myself wanting to mimic you in every way. For a while, I thought I was just a big fan of yours, like that Conrad person on the Citadel. But it was more than that. I didn't discover the truth of it until later, but now I know. I had fallen in love with you." Liara took a deep breath as she paused her monologue.
Shepard's eyebrows raised slightly at the admission. She had expected it of course. They had spent plenty of intimate time together, melding to share knowledge, sleeping next to each other as she helped with her dreams, and opening themselves to one another in times of distress. Even if nothing had ever turned sexual, their moments together had been special, unique to just the two of them. Liara's mere presence was comforting. As much as Shepard was hesitant to admit it, she saw the laughs and smiles, the extra glances and lingering looks the other woman would send her. Sometimes she wondered if they were given because she was the leader, or if Liara truly felt something deeper. So, Shepard was somewhat shocked to hear her say it out loud so blatantly. She felt a blush begin creeping up her neck at the words. "Go on," she urged.
Nodding, Liara locked eyes with Shepard again. "Jane… I love you. When I was younger, in university, I heard tales about love, but I always found them to be ridiculous. I didn't understand how one person could put so much energy into another being. Of course, I loved my family, but not in the way they described as romantic love. It was lost on me. Until you." Liara began to blush as the words came out. "All this is to say, I love you, Jane. And if the worst should happen on Ilos…"
Shepard could see Liara tearing up at the thought and immediately stopped her. Standing up, she pulled the other woman to her feet as well, squeezing her hands as she spoke. "Liara T'Soni, I love you, too." She watched Liara's eyes widen at the proclamation, her thoughts of potential doom now seemingly gone. Throwing her arms around Shepard, she squeezed tightly as she nuzzled the spectre's neck.
They stayed that way for a long moment, leaning into the embrace. Shepard's muscular arms wrapped around the doctor as she felt her listening to her heartbeat. Eventually Liara simply looked up at her, her crystal blue eyes showing a mix of happiness and worry. At that moment, nothing else mattered in the entire universe. It was gone. Shepard didn't have to worry about Saren, or the reapers, or the Alliance, or the fate of Anderson. No, in that moment, that one breath of time that she could take for herself, and just herself, the only thing that existed was the two of them. She and Liara, two sides of the same coin, two halves of a whole. There was nothing else that mattered except the woman who was standing in front of her, looking up at her with those big, gorgeous blue eyes. The entire universe faded away as she leaned down and pressed her lips to Liara's.
The doctor tensed up slightly, before relaxing into the embrace, wrapping her arms around Shepard's waist. She soon pressed deeper into the kiss, opening up for Shepard, giving her the access she so desperately craved. It was a move so passionate and loving that she - the special forces operative, the black ops specialist, the council spectre - the immutable and stoic Shepard, felt her heart rate skyrocket. They pulled apart for only a moment, both breathing heavily. Shepard rested her forehead against Liara's, their breaths mingling as she closed her eyes, her body tingling with sensations too complicated and intense to name. She soon opened them again, however, as Liara gently shoved her onto the bed, surprising her. Shepard looked up at the other woman, gazing at her intently as Liara reached down and gripped the hem of her shirt.
The spectre reached out and covered Liara's hands with her own. They were cold and shaking slightly, leading her to remember Liara had never had an encounter like this before. "We don't have to," Shepard murmured, standing up to hug the other woman to her. She placed gentle kisses on her face, starting with her forehead and working her way down the side of her cheek, paying extra attention to her temple, before finally settling against her lips again. "Don't feel like you have to."
"Jane," Liara said breathlessly as the spectre found that sweet spot behind her ear, "I want to. I've wanted this for a while. I just... did not know how to express myself properly."
"I think you found a pretty decent way to let me know what you want," Shepard answered, smiling against the smooth skin of the other woman's neck. She ran her hands around Liara's back, lightly tracing the contours of the muscles there and grazing her fingertips down her sides. She hovered along the hem of Liara's shirt, toying with it. "But just to make sure I understood correctly, is this what you want?" In response, Liara grabbed her shirt and pulled it above her head in one smooth motion. "I'll take that as a yes," Shepard snickered as she took in the form in front of her. "You're beautiful," she said breathlessly. Shoving the spectre onto the bed again, the asari crawled on top of her.
"As are you, Jane," Liara answered almost immediately. She leaned forward and brought her lips to the spectre's again, the want and desire emanating off her in waves. Shepard ran her hands along Liara's body again, though this time they settled on the doctor's waist, cupping her curves as she did so. Liara pressed herself more firmly into the other woman, grasping Shepard's face between her hands. Their gaze met again, and the love and affection Shepard found there was mixed with a level of desire that almost startled her.
"Liara…" Shepard began. Having skin to skin contact with the asari allowed Shepard to see her in a way unlike when they were apart. She could feel everything Liara felt, from her joy to her worries, even to her arousal. Prior to this encounter, Shepard had felt her emotional touch before. But it was so much more powerful now. Every kiss felt like a pebble causing ripples of emotion in a pond that flooded her with joy and love. Every caress of her fingers, an eruption of passion and need. It was exciting, and almost intoxicating.
"Shh, Jane," she said, taking the opportunity to press her own kisses against the spectre's neck.
"Liara," Shepard said on a moan, tilting her head back to give the doctor better access. "I need to hear you say it."
"Need to hear me say what?" she asked, pulling back to meet Shepard's eyes.
"I need to hear you say this is what you want. Not just for you, but for me too," she said desperately.
"Jane, I want you. I need you. And I want nothing more than to be one with you," she said, a look of sincerity now gracing her features.
"Alright then sayna," Shepard answered with a soft smile.
Liara's eyes widened, before she kissed the spectre once again, pressing herself fully against the other woman. She shed herself of the rest of her garments, before climbing back on top of Shepard with a sly smile. "Somebody's wearing too many clothes," she quipped, nipping at the other woman's jaw as she ran her own hands over Shepard's body.
But she was just staring at Liara, thrilled and dumbstruck to be seeing her beautiful body for the first time in real life. Although she didn't look much different from the visions they shared, there was something about her being right there in front of her, able to be felt, kissed, tasted in the real world, that made her all the more gorgeous.
"Liara, you're breathtaking," Shepard said, not bothering to answer the doctor's comment. "I know I've seen it before, but to have it here, where I can touch you…" she reached out tentatively and drew her fingers lightly up and down the back of Liara's neck, feeling the texture of her skin that was so unique to asari. "You're incredible."
"So are you, Jane," Liara said with a moan, her body shivering as Shepard continued to touch her in that sensitive spot. "Incredible, amazing, gorgeous, strong, resilient, and goddess so special. Don't stop."
"Wasn't planning on it," Shepard said as she continued her ministrations.
Liara tugged at the hem of the spectre's shirt, hoping to pull it off her.
"Something you care to see?" she asked, a smirk crossing her face.
"You," Liara answered immediately.
"I think that can be arranged," Shepard remarked, pulling back from Liara slightly to remove her own shirt. As she did so, the doctor reached for Shepard's pants, sliding them down quickly and efficiently. As soon as she tossed the garment across the room, the spectre pulled the asari toward herself, pressing their bodies against one another so that Liara was practically laying on top of her.
Shepard felt the heat inside her body radiate outwards as her hands gently ran over the doctor's hips and up her stomach, until they finally rested on her breasts. Liara leaned her head back and closed her eyes as she shivered lightly.
Liara kissed Shepard again, her lips brushing over the other woman's before nipping her bottom lip, causing the spectre's breath to hitch. Liara darted her tongue out, pressing against Shepard's lips as if asking permission to enter. She quickly complied, opening for the doctor, and gasping in pleasure as she felt Liara's tongue entwine with her own, beckoning it to explore her. Shepard took the opportunity and was rewarded with a pleasant yet heady sensation, tasting both sweet and somewhat sharp, an undercurrent of electricity buzzing through her entire body. She was elated, her pulse quickening as she lost herself in the sensation, the entirety of her focus trained on where the two connected. It was simultaneously overwhelming, yet not enough. She needed more.
Liara broke the kiss, breathing heavily as she placed her hands over Shepard's and pressed her forehead against hers. "Are you ready Jane?"
"I've been ready for a long time, Liara," she answered as she gently nuzzled the doctor nose to nose.
Liara smiled and placed a light kiss on the tip of Shepard's nose before closing her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, she had those mystical black sclera the spectre had seen several times before. Giving Shepard one last smile, she leaned down. "Embrace eternity," she whispered in her ear, before planting her lips firmly on Shepard's once again.
Jane opened her eyes in an unfamiliar place. Wait, no, not unfamiliar. It was actually all rather familiar. She recognized that she was floating in space, surrounded by galaxies, nebulae, stars, and planets. She was somehow seeing the Milky Way from beyond its borders, yet from within as well. It was infinite and eternal but felt strangely fleeting and unattainable. She felt like alpha and omega, both whole yet somehow broken. It was odd, though in a way that left her feeling... more.
She blinked for a few seconds, trying to bring her mind back into focus. She glanced around her and was suddenly hit with the recognition that she was surrounded by images of all the things she had grown to love as a spacer child - random space clouds that she thought were beautiful, the rings of planets that fascinated her imagination, and Kahje floating past her in an orbit that didn't make any sense. But the luminescent planet was easily recognizable.
Shepard began to reach out to it, but she pulled up short when she recognized another world off to the side - Palaven. Its presence intrigued her even more than the hanar home world, so she turned to investigate it as the world drifted past, its gorgeous emerald-green color a beacon in the black of space.
The spectre became so focused on the spirit of Palaven that she nearly didn't hear her name called softly from behind her. Twirling in midair, Shepard couldn't find the source, though she could have sworn…
Just then, Thessia drifted across her field of vision, its two green moons shining in the darkness. Alethira - the larger of the two - dominated the planet's silhouette, making Thessia look like a tiny jewel in comparison. And Kalesta, the smaller satellite that orbited closer to the world, creating the illusion that the two moons were the same size. But it was to Thessia that Shepard turned her full attention, as this was the world she had been so fascinated by as a child. The rich greens and dark browns of its small island continents surrounded by a shocking blue ocean attracted her attention, drawing her in once again. She reached out toward the globe, and it floated in her direction, hovering in front of her face. She held up her palm, expecting it to settle there, but a sudden flash of bright light emanated from it. When her eyes adjusted once more, she noticed all the things floating around her had disappeared.
"Jane," a lilting voice came from behind her. Shepard brightened as she heard the call of her lover. She spun around lightly and came face to face with a figure that could only be thought of as Liara, floating in front of her.
"Liara?" she wanted to clarify, peering into the other woman's face. But - she wasn't a woman. Not really. Shepard looked at the person she knew, both familiar and unfamiliar at once, like everything in this universe.
The doctor had transformed, no longer the humanoid blue asari Shepard had come to know and love. Her face was the same, but everything else had shifted into an ethereal creature of light and energy. Liara now had six silver wings extending from her back and a shining white halo behind her head. Her crest appeared to have melded together and split apart again, forming a floating spray of long silver hair as if she were drifting in water. Her entire being was lit up by Kalesta behind her.
"Yes," she replied, smiling at her.
"What… I don't understand," the spectre said, trying to make sense of the other woman's altered appearance.
Chuckling lightly, Liara drifted forward until she was close to Shepard. "What you see before you is how you see me. How your mind - that lovely, creative mind of yours - thinks of me."
"Oh…" Shepard responded, slightly surprised. It made sense, really, given she always thought Liara was some goddess hidden in an asari's body. The asari moved like water in combat and simply the sound of her voice was as soothing as a river. Curiously, she looked at her own form, wondering if perhaps her own body had changed as well, but saw nothing except her own naked form. "Guess there's only room for one angel around here," she joked, staring at herself.
Liara chuckled. "Hardly, Jane. Like I said, it's how you perceive me. It works in reverse as well. The way you look to me is not how you think you look. Here," she said, reaching out and cupping Shepard's cheek. She wanted to flinch at the searing energy that was now touching her, but Liara's hand was cool. In fact, her touch caused a sense of cool calm and relief to wash over her, like a serene aura just settled within her. She felt equal parts euphoric and secure - a dichotomy that somehow worked in tandem to make her feel relaxed and safe. "You must see through my eyes, Jane," Liara explained. The spectre blinked as a pulse of energy rushed through her, a pleasant tingling sensation that traveled from her heart all the way to her fingers and toes. She must have closed her eyes - though she didn't remember doing so - because when she opened them again, she saw herself from Liara's perspective.
Shepard gasped as she saw what Liara saw. Her body burned in flames that covered her entire form, her red hair a literal flaming mane that floated behind her. But the most impressive part of her was the massive billowing wings that extended from her shoulders, their bright light throwing Shepard's sharp features into stark relief, making her look both awesome and fearsome. She was covered in bright red light, the fire flickering over her whole body, but more densely covered in certain areas. And although she was seeing herself from Liara's point of view, Shepard felt a weight at her back, not too burdensome, but there was a heft there - beyond the wings - that she wasn't used to.
She concentrated her thoughts on that feeling and found herself seeing through her body, beyond the solid form floating in front of her, that eerie feeling of being in two places at once coming back to her. Shepard smiled as she beheld what was anchored there - a glaive wreathed in golden light. The weapon was beautifully lethal, the sharp edges honed to glinting perfection, the fire opal handle carved in a way that Shepard knew would fit her palm perfectly. It was gorgeous. Finally, she saw that instead of a moon like Liara, she had many suns orbiting around her form as if she were the center of the universe with everything moving and bending to her will.
As that thought passed through her mind, she felt a warmth trickle down her neck, as if Liara was nuzzling her, even though they still shared the same body. But the feeling trailed down her shoulder and settled in her chest, growing in intensity to the point where it almost overwhelmed her. The warmth coiled in her body and concentrated in her ribs, just waiting to burst free. She was a trap on the precipice of being released, the tension ramped up even further by the knowledge that her lover viewed her with equal admiration. Shepard stared at her form, unblinking, and it burned just a bit brighter, a slight pulse that matched her heartbeat running throughout it.
Gently, Liara released her from the view and Shepard stared at the other woman incredulously. "A phoenix?" she asked.
Despite freeing her from the vision, Liara still cupped Shepard's cheek, smiling at her lovingly, and that pleasant tingling sensation began to increase ever-so-slightly. "Always burning, a beacon for so many to follow. A powerful symbol that soars above all others and possesses a strength many do not believe to be possible. A form created from the ashes of those around her, who marks each person she touches, including me." She took Shepard's hand and placed it on her heart, her own covering that of the spectre's. "You have seared yourself here, Jane, and your soul has touched mine. You will be in my heart, forever and always, until the day I can no longer draw breath."
Shepard felt another pulse of energy, though this time it was concentrated on where their hands were touching, a shiver coursing through her. Shepard gazed into Liara's eyes, and the look of pure adoration there took her breath away. She pressed her hand more firmly against Liara's chest and drew herself closer to her.
"I love you," Jane said. "You have made your mark on my soul as well, and I will be yours for as long as you'll have me."
Liara smiled as she brought her lips to Shepard's again. "I am glad to hear that," she said as she pulled back for just a moment. "You will be mine, always."
Shepard pulled Liara close to her at that, hugging her to herself as she kissed her once again. She ran her left hand along the doctor's body, her right hand settled at the base of Liara's neck, anchoring them to each other. She grazed her fingernails along the ridges there, feeling the scales and rough skin of whatever creature Liara had become. The doctor moaned against Shepard's lips, the sensitive location causing her to shiver. Shepard pulled away just a little, ghosting her lips across Liara's forehead, working her way down her face, nibbling along her jawline. She kissed her way down the other woman's neck, drawing out beautiful, breathless sounds from her. The noise broke something in Shepard, and she decided she would do anything to hear that again. She sucked gently on Liara's neck, causing the doctor to throw her head back and give Shepard even more access. The spectre hummed greedily against the smooth skin, and continued her work, her own feeling of pleasure ramping up as she did so.
Shepard was so enamored with Liara and her reactions that she didn't notice the energy around them swirling and coiling. The silver and gold light intertwined with one another, the action mimicking those of the forms they belonged to. The colors danced with each other, one beckoning the other, as they twirled in synchronous harmony. They pushed and pulled, a tantalizing, teasing pirouette of color. The two blended together in such a way that it was impossible to tell where the gold ended, and the silver began. As time went on, the two energies melded into one unique form, a completely new entity that encompassed the two women. It enveloped them, creating a feeling of warmth and pleasure that brought her a sense of comfort as it settled within her. She was home.
Shepard's eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring at the ceiling of her room on the Normandy. Her body was covered in sweat, and she was breathing heavily still tingling from what she and Liara just did.
The other woman's eyes opened as well, though her own skin was dry, as asari did not perspire the way humans did. But she seemed to be extremely sensitive as Shepard ran the tips of her fingers over her gorgeous blue hip, causing her to shiver at the touch. "Goddess, Shepard. You were incredible," she murmured as she turned over and draped her arm over the spectre's rib cage and settled her cheek against her chest.
"As were you," Shepard spoke quietly as she felt herself returning to normal, her heartbeat finally settling and her breathing slowing. Though the tingling remained, along with that warmth that had started when they were together.
As Liara listened to Shepard's heart, she gently traced the spectre's skin with the tip of her finger, the sweat potentially interesting to her. "Jane…"
"Hmm?" Shepard asked, gazing down at the beautiful image of the blue crest against her own pale skin.
"Regardless of what happens on Ilos, I wanted to thank you. For everything," she said, tilting her head back to meet Shepard's eyes.
Jane pressed her forehead against Liara's as she stroked her cheek. "And thank you, Doctor T'Soni, for everything you've done to help me. I wouldn't have made it this far without you. And I'm glad to have you here with me, for this final push."
"I would not want it to be any different," Liara said, smiling as she closed her eyes. Shepard and Liara stayed there, basking in each other's presence as they sat quietly. Eventually, the doctor dozed off, and Shepard followed soon after with thoughts of her sayna floating through her mind.
CODEX ENTRIES
Class C Uniforms | Clothing | Human
Despite being created to integrate with armor in order to be more effective at combat in space, the Systems Alliance began manufacturing civilian class fatigues and shirts that resemble the same style of the military uniform, but do not require the same attention to detail of a service uniform as they are visually different without the usual digital camouflage patter of the Systems Alliance ACUs. The purchase of these clothes helps to fund the Systems Alliance's advancement in space.
AWOL | Terminology | Military
AWOL is a military acronym commonly used in the Alliance that stands for Absent Without Official Leave. Without Alliance sanctioned leave, the act of leaving one's post or not following orders to return to a post can be considered desertion, which carries with it a minimum of 5 years is military prison and a dishonorable discharge from the Alliance military.
Alethira/Kalesta | Planetology | Asari Space
Alethira is the larger of the two moons of Thessia, while Kalesta is smaller. Due to Alethira being further away from the planet than Kalesta, the optical illusion of them being the same size had them dubbed as twins in ancient times, and both given names of the twin goddesses of night. From the surface of Thessia, the two appear green in the sky due to the atmospheric composition mixed with high concentrations of Chlorite in the crust of each moon, leading asari scientists to believe that they were both one body billions of years ago before a high impact event split them in two.