A/N – 2021 UPDATE:

Hello everyone. If you're reading this, then you must be on a journey deep into the bowels of ff net in search of F/F Mass Effect stories. Congratulations on being a person of culture. As you can see, this story, while very long, is also very old. In fact, it's been almost 10 years since I last updated it with new a proper new chapter. Nevertheless, I wanted to provide some more recent notes (it is currently 10/04/2021 when I am writing this) so that I can offer some insight for anyone still looking to read it. Feel free to skip the rest of these notes if you want, but I think they're worth a read, if for no other reason than to provide some context.

Firstly, a fair warning: this story is unfinished. In fact, despite its meandering length, it's not even close to finished. And to be honest, I doubt it ever will be. I started writing this story years ago as simply a fun and interesting thing to do, and also because I had (and still do have) a deep fondness for the Mass Effect games and the characters therein. As time went on it grew and grew, but I never had any particular plan for what I wanted to accomplish with it, or what the 'endgame' of various plot threads and relationships would be. I had a ton of ideas, many of which I incorporated as I went, but it was always a 'making it up as I went along' kind of approach.

As such, the plot, and the relationships contained within, are kind of all over the place. The story follows the established events of ME 1…mostly. It doesn't stray too far from canon, but it does make multiple detours along the way. And some aspects do conflict with information revealed in ME 2 and ME 3, simply because those parts were written before those games were released. It also sets up multiple questions and mysteries that, I'll be honest, don't have satisfying answers, because I never got around to deciding how they would be resolved (just call me JJ Abrams). My lazy, cop-out answer: feel free to assume things concluded in whatever way you think best.

Secondly (and I realise these notes are also getting kind of long, sorry), the quality of the writing reflects the abilities I had at the time. That's not to say it's bad, or to claim that I'm anything special as a writer now, but I definitely feel that my skills have improved since this story was written, which is hopefully evident in the more recent works I've published. Were I to write this story today, there are a lot of things I would do differently, both in terms of the plot, and in how certain scenes play out. I have considered attempting to go back and re-edit the text with a fresh eye, but the time investment such a task would take is, frankly, too daunting (any volunteers? lol). Instead, if/when I do write another longform Mass Effect fic, I'd probably prefer to start from scratch, maybe cannibalizing some of the better pieces from this story where appropriate. Hey, it's not plagiarism if it's your own work, right?

With all that being said, this story has received a lot of positive reviews over the years it's been uploaded, for which I am immensely grateful. Even though I am not happy with it in many ways, clearly there is enjoyment to be got from it, which is why I wanted to write this message and leave it up, rather than simply deleting it. If you've read this far and haven't been put off yet, I hope you enjoy :) And be assured, I do still actively read reviews and respond to PMs, so if you want to leave a comment, it's not a waste of time to do so.

Three Little Lovebirds

Chapter 1 – Trust Me, I'm A Doctor

Dr. Liara T'Soni pursed her lips and softly blew on the miniature figurine she held gingerly in her hands. A cloud of dust rose from the small, carved piece of stone and circled lazily into the cave air. Removing the tiny laser carver from her belt and setting it to the lowest setting, she proceeded to run it briefly over the statue's contours. More dust came away, stripping off in layers to reveal the surface beneath. The model was of a Prothean, or at least Liara assumed it was a Prothean, sitting on a small, stone dais. The figure's long, spindly arms rested on its knees and its head was in its hands, hiding the face. Liara pondered the sculpture's pose. Was it one of tiredness, or despair, or maybe even embarrassment? It was impossible to tell. She'd never been too good at reading people, let alone a small, eroded figurine.

Running her laser brush over it once more, she recorded the discovery on her datapad and then proceeded to place it carefully in a crate with the other artefacts. Most of what she'd found so far appeared to be simple, personal effects like one might expect to find in any household. Indeed, the structure they were excavating did appear to have many similarities to a high rise apartment building, only burrowed into the ground. However, if her hypothesis was correct, this cavern had formed in the centuries since the Prothean extinction.

There was certainly plenty of evidence to support her theory. A central lift system led to lots of small, tiled alcoves that honeycombed the walls. They appeared too small for anyone to comfortably live in, but it was possible that larger rooms lurked on the far side. A mining laser had been shipped down a few days ago, and the plan was to tunnel through to the unexplored caverns within the next week. If the penetrating scans of the mountain were correct, the section they had here was just the tip of the iceberg. It was enough to make Liara feel giddy with excitement, but she reeled herself in.

"A good scientist is passionate about her field, but maintains a clinical detachment so as to more clearly understand the evidence,"' she reminded herself, quoting an old undergrad professor. A second later, she realised she had said it aloud; most embarrassing had anyone been there to hear. It reminded her why she preferred the solitude of an archaeological dig.

"People can be so unpredictable, there's no logic to them at all," she mumbled out loud again, as if the rocks might nod their chiselled chins in agreement.

She knew that she should turn in for the night. The idea of snuggling down into a cosy camp-bed was appealing, but her scientific curiosity begged her to go and re-examine the structure beforehand. She strolled back to the entrance, her footsteps echoing loudly against the cavern walls. The most interesting thing about the structure was the fact that some of the technology still appeared to function. There were several old control panels that, whilst they were faulty and unreliable, appeared to control security devices in the main facility. She guessed that another panel in the central shaft activated the lift, although she had not yet been able to decipher the controls.

Suddenly, a clicking sound came from behind her, its position impossible to pinpoint thanks to the acoustics of the cave. Liara spun round, her biotics powering up out of instinct. They offered her little comfort as she fearfully crept forward a few paces. That had not sounded like any person or piece of machinery she could think of. For a few minutes, deathly silence reigned, broken only by Liara's heavy breathing as she strained to hear it again. Eventually, she began to relax. It was probably just her tired mind playing tricks on her; maybe it was time to get some sleep after all.

Then the noise sounded again, possibly closer though it was difficult to tell. This was no trick; someone or something else was in here with her.

"H-Hello?" Liara called, her voice wavering with uncertainty, before occurred to her it may not have been the wisest idea to announce her position to whoever it was.

Well, the damage is done now. Besides, it's probably just one of those young human males from the dig team having a joke at my expense.

It sounded unconvincing, even to her; she'd never heard a human make that sort of noise.

"If this is a joke, it's not funny!" she called out again, wincing at how loud her voice sounded in the still atmosphere.

Holding her breath and wishing she could stop her heart from pounding in her chest, Liara peered out of the entrance, up at the network of walkways above. A solitary figure stood several floors up. It was silhouetted in the dimness of the upper cavern, its black body broken up only by a single glow emanating from what appeared to be its head. Definitely not human.

The creature did not move, and Liara guessed it had not yet spotted her.

Makes sense. The same acoustics that prevented me from locating it would stop it from finding me by voice alone.

She took a moment to try and determine what it was. It was too bulky for a turian, too lithe for a krogan. Indeed, it looked a little bit like a quarian, save for the glowing head. Something clicked in the back of Liara's mind and a jolt of icy dread ran down her spine. Images from when she was little jostled with fear for a place in her minds eye. Her mother had taught her about these creatures. It was a geth.

That was the moment that the mechanical neck swivelled her way. The aperture of the light narrowed as the geth soldier focused on her. Its cold gaze was simultaneously baleful and completely incomprehensible. Immediately, the cavern was flooded with a metallic screech as the machine raised the alarm to its nearby companions. The noise grated at the base of Liara's skull, piercing her head and driving rational thought from her mind. She fell to her knees, trying to focus enough brainpower to bring up a biotic barrier to block whatever it was from entering her head. With a force of will that squeezed tears from between her scrunched up eyelids, she erected a biotic shield and cut off the cacophony.

There was no time to rest on her laurels; the cave was now alive with geth activity. Nimble hoppers scurried and leapt across the rock face like the grotesque sap-spiders of her homeworld, while their slower allies rushed headlong down the walkways, chattering and squealing to each other as they came. The whole din sounded like the most awful feedback imaginable.

Liara's mind was running, sweat trickling down the crevasses between the crests on her head. Escape was not an option; the geth blocked her only viable way out and it was clear their time in hiding had not made them any more friendly towards organics. She could try the Prothean elevator…no, there was no time to try and decipher the controls now. Her only option was to activate the ancient barrier curtain. Assuming it worked, that would at least offer some protection until she could figure out another, less temporary solution. She set off at a sprint, hoping she'd have the energy to beat the geth to her goal. Behind her, they were closing fast, their long, double jointed legs propelling them at a ruthlessly fast pace towards the young asari. Alarmed chittering filled the air; they'd evidently realised her intentions.

Panting, Liara careened into the ruins, grabbing at control panel to slow herself down.

Strange that they have not yet fired. she mused, before forcing her mind back to focus on what was in front of her. What did the symbols mean? She had left the datapad with their translations at the camp…her mind was blank! Think, Goddess…think!

The geth were only metres from the entrance, weapons raised but dormant. It didn't make sense; they had a clear shot and ample opportunity to take it, yet they still did not fire. There was only one logical conclusion: they wanted her alive. Liara didn't know whether that was more or less terrifying than them wanting her dead.

Digging deep into her memories of past studies, she remembered the combination just as the first geth crossed the threshold. If it had had lungs, she could have felt its breath on the nape of her neck. Liara's fingers blurred across the interface, fuelled more by panic than a confidence that she was right. It seemed luck was with her however, and with a low hum, the barrier curtain rose, slicing the leader of the pack cleanly in half as it did. The synthetic scanned the area momentarily, as if surprised or confused, before crumpling to the ground. Coolant and other mechanical fluids leaked across the tiled floor, sinking into the cracked grout and pooling at Liara's feet. She felt a small pang of regret for the robot which now lay twitching in front of her. It was most probably just following orders from a higher power and had no say in its actions.

Higher power? Liara felt shaken to her very core. Who could possibly want her, dead or captured? She was a humble scientist, nothing more.

"I guess I do have certain knowledge of the Protheans…but nothing that could help the geth or any other power hungry megalomaniac," she said aloud, still nervously looking at the fallen geth as if it would miraculously spring to life and attack once more.

Liara suddenly realised that the cavern was completely silent. The geth were not pounding at the shield or looking for a way to bypass it. Nor, however, had they left. They simply stood outside in perfectly ordered, military rows and stared. Their bodies were silent and still as the grave, no breathing, no shuffling, no blinking; just hard, cold, inhuman gazes. She squinted slightly against the combined brightness of their eyepieces. There was no way out; the barrier shield was enabled on all levels. Even if she could get the lift operational, she would be stuck as there was no way to open the barrier up above. No, best to stay near the commotion; someone was more likely to find her.

"Who though?" she said, the full severity of her situation washing over her. "If the geth are inside, the dig team is either dead or captured. No one else will miss my absence. I'm…alone." The ruins seemed to take great delight in proving her right, replying with nothing but an empty, damning silence.

It was tempting to give in to panic; she could feel it creeping up on her, like a hungry predator just waiting to pounce and devour her sanity. Of course, she knew all too well that with no way out, she would eventually go crazy. Assuming she didn't starve to death first.

"No," she said resolutely, trying to inject some confidence into her weak voice. "I'm still alive and I've still got my mind, there must be a way out…there has to be."

A woozy feeling swept over her, nearly sinking Liara to her knees again. She hadn't realised quite how tired she was. Maybe it was best to approach the problem anew after a bit of rest. Fortunately, she had her small pack with her that contained a few scraps of food and, most importantly right now, a micro thermal blanket. She opened it up, aware of the geth's stares as a tingling feeling on her spine. She hoped she'd be able to sleep with their unnerving presence.

"Perhaps that is their goal," she pondered as she took out the small blanket capsule. "Maybe they think I will crack and open the barrier myself." She laughed nervously.

"Oh Goddess, I'm going to die in here," Liara whispered as she opened the container, letting the blanket spill out onto the ground. Wrapping herself in its insulating, padded folds, she tried to get comfortable on the hard, ceramic floor. The malevolent geth presence loomed behind her like an unspeakable nightmare; dark silhouettes studded with pale lights.

Huddling as far into the blanket as possible, tiredness overcame her nerves and she soon fell into a restless, uncomfortable sleep.

Mechanical monsters, everywhere. They swarmed over her mother's home, killing all in their path. The lush greenery of the garden was strewn with corpses and asari bits. She saw her childhood friends butchered in front of her, their azure blood bathing her face and hands. Screams punctuated the crackling roar of burning buildings, the entire planet was burning. Cold, metal fingers reached forward, an insane chattering filling her ears. She cried for help, but there was none to be found anywhere.

Dark shadows closed in and she was falling, falling down…down…down, down the central shaft of the Prothean ruins. Only there was no end, just a constant blur of motion on all sides. A voice cackled in the background and the leering face of Benezia loomed from the turmoil, a sadistic grin pulling her lips into a snarl.

"My dear Liara, my poor sweet child," she cooed with mocking sarcasm "Whatever is the matter? Why do you cry so?"

"Mother!" Liara cried, sobs choking her voice "Help me…please help me!"

"Help you? My dear, what makes you think I could possibly care about a pureblood scum like you? You were never anything but a disgrace to me, an embarrassment."

"I…It's not true!" she yelled, tears of hurt streaming down her face. "You loved me, you…you…left me." Her mother's laughter filled the air, mocking her only daughter. Liara was curled in a ball, sobbing. "You're not real!" she whimpered over and over again.

A hand touched her back, gently, soothingly. She could feel a presence behind her, but dared not look up. Strong arms encircled her, lifting her body off the floor and into their powerful embrace. The stranger held her, stroking her back tenderly. Liara could no longer hear her mother's cruel words, it was as if the figure had blocked them from her mind. She tried to look up, to see the face of her enigmatic protector, but it was already slipping away. The scene dissolved, leaving Liara alone once again.

Liara awoke with the warmth of her guardian's embrace still lingering on her skin. She couldn't remember the dream, but the dried tear stains down her cheeks indicated it hadn't been good. Flexing her muscles to alleviate the stiffness, she rose to her feet and tucked the blanket back into her pack. Remembering the events of the previous day, her head whipped around sharply. The geth still stood there, immobile, but their pattern had changed. They now stood on either side, flanking the barrier and making a passage between their rows. It was as if a double door had been opened to admit entrance.

That was not all; there was a figure approaching. It sported the same flashlight head of all geth, but it was bigger by far, towering a head and shoulders above the others. It's polished white carapace glinted in the constant, artificial light and powerful legs flexed with each footfall, raising dust clouds from the cavern floor.

The...prime, for it seemed a fitting title, ascended the incline to the entrance, passing between the parallel rows of lower geth. Every robot stood rigidly at attention, giving no indication that anything had changed. The leader's gaze seemed to burn a hole right through Liara, as if its aperture was searching and cataloguing her every thought. The asari stood her ground; it was easy to feel defiant when there was an impervious barrier between her and her adversary.

A smaller, shadowy figure stepped from behind the Prime. Liara could not make out its features, but bits of its body were highlighted by tubing that glowed a faint blue. It had asari-like shape and proportions, but when it entered a puddle of light, she saw that it was most definitely not alive. Liara felt sick at the sight of the cybernetic, reanimated corpse before her. It had once been asari, but those days were long gone. The rich blue of her race's skin had been dulled to a mute grey and its withered frame was kept upright only by the mess of machinery that replaced organs and muscles. The face stared at her, empty pits of blue light shone where eyes should have been.

Liara stared, transfixed. She…she knew this asari. She recognized the tribal tattoo that was still visible on the head crests. It was Thormina, a disciple of Benezia and something childhood friend to Liara. She had not seen her in many years, but there was no mistaking the trademark pattern. Indeed, she was the only tattooed asari Liara had ever seen; the vast majority of her race had a violent allergic reaction to the inks and preferred to use temporary paint.

She stumbled forward to face the creature, where it stood just the other side of the barrier. Forcing herself to meet its gaze, Liara raised her hand, brushing the shield in front of her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, unsure of what else to say.

The undead asari stared blankly at her, its mouth hanging open to accommodate nutrient tubes. Then, with a rattling rasp, it began to speak. Its perished voice box was unable to produce the full range of sounds necessary, being replaced by synthesised noises when needed. The strange staccato speech pattern was utterly alien, holding no trace of the music or grace typical of the asari.

"Li-a-ra…it's…me."

She recoiled. This thing was addressing her by name!

"W…W…Who…What are you?"

"This one…remembers. She was a…servant of Benezia. She followed her when she joined the master. Her impertinence…she spoke out…rebelled against the master…for that…she was punished."

The words clearly caused the creature great effort. Liara didn't know what to do. Did the machine truly remember who it once was, or was this another trick?

"We did not wish to obey…" Thormina's body continued, "…the old machine and it's…organic puppet demanded servitude…in exchange for existence."

"You're speaking for the geth," Liara whispered, comprehension dawning.

"Please…let us in…let me in. It's…cold, so…cold."

Liara was wracked with uncertainty. Every logical fibre in her body screamed it was a trap, screamed that the geth were manipulating her. If her mother was working with 'The Master', they knew all her weaknesses, knew how to exploit them.

On the other hand, could she leave this poor wretch to her cruel, grisly fate? If there was still the slightest bit of her old friend left, was it not her duty to help her? What if it was true? What if the geth too were being manipulated? Could she turn down this offered alliance?

A war raged in her mind as her fingers hovered uncertainly above the control panel. Silence reigned supreme as she struggled with her conscience. She looked from the control panel to the lifeless eyes of what had once been her friend; she could almost swear they were pleading with her. Slowly, almost against her will, Liara's finger descended towards the button that would lower the barrier. It was nearly there, inching closer and closer.

"No!" she almost screamed at the last second, sliding her finger to the side as she pressed. The digit missed the release button and hit the adjoining symbol. Liara froze; she had not yet been able to figure out what that button did. This didn't bode well. A deep rumbling of ancient machinery told her something was happening. The ground began to shake slightly and suddenly the walls were sliding apart. Crackling filled the air as the chamber she was in flooded with dark energy. Sparks played off the control panel and the energy barrier, fizzing and dancing with bright bursts of light.

Liara tried to bring up a biotic shield to counteract the energy, but it was already inside her, flooding her neurones and damping her own powers. It felt like someone had enveloped her in a wet towel, smothering her senses. She felt her feet leave the floor as the field coagulated into a visible bubble of power around her. It pulled her helpless body into position a metre up in the air, arms and legs apart. Liara tried to struggle, straining her muscles against the force but it was like trying to swim through rubber. She could just about move, but the effort exhausted her before she could truly get anywhere.

The geth were moving, sensing that their way inside was now unable to aid them. The husk of Thormina simply collapsed to the ground, the blue light of life in her eyes extinguished. A dazzling flash later, only a pile of smouldering ash and sizzling sparks remained.

Liara had never felt so helpless. At least before, she had the pretence of formulating a plan to keep her mind off her incarceration. Now, any attempt to escape was thwarted before it had even begun. Her muscles ached from being held at such an awkward angle but there was no way to relieve them. There was nothing she could do now but offer prayers to the Goddess that someone knew where she was and would come looking. How long would it take? Days? Weeks? Months? She'd be dead if they did not come within a week.

"Please, Goddess," she begged. "Let someone find me before…before it's too late."

It wasn't until a few days later that something intruded upon the mind numbing monotony of Liara's current existence. She could hear muffled gunfire, and what may have been shouting. The young asari roused herself fully from her meditation, trying to suppress the flutter of anticipation in her chest. The last thing she needed was to have her hopes raised, only to be crushed by the appearance of more geth. It was hard not to be cynical when things had so far gone consistently from bad to worse. Still, the sounds of fighting were drawing closer. Whoever it was, it seemed like they were winning.

Commander Lucy Shepard sprinted down the inclined walkway, spraying the air before her with rounds. Behind, the report of Chief Williams' Avenger assault rifle sounded loudly above the chaotic din of battle. Their combined firepower scythed down the geth troopers ahead, coating the walls behind them with sickly white fluid.

Shepard dove behind a crate as a rocket went whistling past. She was quickly joined in cover by Tali, the shotgun she bore looking oddly out of place on her lithe frame.

"I'm gonna take this bastard," Shepard panted, gulping down air to quickly re-oxygenate her aching muscles. "Be ready to cover me."

The young quarian nodded, tensing in preparation. A few metres ahead, the blood-red geth soldier stalked forward, priming another missile. It was out of Ashley's firing arc…time to act.

Shepard charged her nervous system, the dark energy flowing freely to her call. The pulsing feeling at the base of her skull was comfortingly familiar, helping the Commander steel herself.

Rolling out from behind the crate, Shepard instantly located her adversary; a geth rocket trooper. A flick of the wrist and her biotic power was unleashed, exploding in a concussive blast behind the synthetic. A whirr of alarm emanated from the geth as it was thrown off its feet at bone-shattering speed, right at the Commander. Shepard drew back her fist, feeling the motorized exoskeleton move with her. Then, just before her enemy sent them both plummeting to their deaths, she smashed her armoured gauntlet into the trooper's glowing eyepiece. The exoskeleton enhanced her strength to the point where her fist passed right through the unlucky synthetic. The robot's head exploded in a spray of transmission liquid and flailing machinery, showering the walkway around her.

Steadying herself against her thighs and breathing heavily, Shepard motioned her two squadmates out of cover. Ashley made a point of stepping on the dead geth as they approached.

"Orders, Commander?" she asked, holstering her AR onto it's hard-point.

"The dig camp is at the base of this cavern," Shepard explained, taking a moment to shake geth viscera off her hand. "It's as good a place as any to start our search. There should be a…"

The Commander broke off, military senses overriding the conversation. A red mote of light, so small it was nearly invisible, was tracing its way lazily over the swell of Tali's chest. It hadn't been there a second ago, and clearly wasn't part of the suit. That could only mean...

"Er…Shepard?" the quarian inquired, shuffling her feet nervously under the intense scrutiny.

"Get down!" Lucy yelled, diving at her friend just as the loud crack of a sniper rifle broke the air.

The Spectre tackled Tali to the floor, but not fast enough to avoid getting hit herself. The high calibre round impacted her shoulder plate hard, ripping through her shields and body like a knife through butter. The sheer force blasted her off the quarian and sent her reeling into a nearby crate.

Ashley already had her own sniper rifle in hand and two quick shots later, the would-be assassin toppled over the railing and fell, with a mechanical rasp, to the cavern floor 50 metres below. Tali was already at Shepard's side, omni-tool primed and ready to administer first-aid. The Spectre clutched at her wound, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"You're okay, Commander," Tali said, not quite managing to hide the relief in her voice. "The shot passed right through and missed everything vital. All you need is a little medigel to keep you going."

Unclasping Shepard's shoulder plate, the young engineer smeared her shoulder with the healing salve. Shepard winced as the cool gel filled her wound, stinging intensely. The pain quickly subsided however and the Commander rose unsteadily to her feet.

"You scared me good there, Commander," Ashley said shakily, still scanning the area for any more snipers "You still mission-fit?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…thanks Tali," The Spectre replied, retrieving her rifle from the ground.

"It was my fault," the quarian began to apologize. "I should have been more observant."

"Nonsense. I should have moved quicker, that's all."

The Commander emphasised her point by clumsily drawing Tali in for a momentary hug with her good arm. Had she not been distracted by the mission, Lucy may have noticed how quickly and eagerly the engineer accepted the embrace, or possibly heard the small sigh that escaped through the young girl's air filter. As it was, it was over all too soon and before Tali could respond, the Spectre had broken off and disappeared down the walkways.

Liara could not help but be curious. The crumpled geth body plummeting to the floor had come as something of a shock, but not an unpleasant one. Someone was definitely on the attack and apparently they were no friend of the geth. A grinding of gears and screeching metal as one of the rusty lifts creaked into motion confirmed her hypothesis. The sound came to a stop a small way above the scientist's position. She could hear voices, conversing in what seemed to be a military fashion. It sounded like more humans. At this point though she didn't care who they were. For one of the few times in her life, she was simply glad she wasn't alone.

"H…Hello?" she shouted as loudly as she could, her voice weak and croaky from dehydration. Swallowing, and wincing at the pain it caused in her dry throat, she tried again."Anybody out there? I need help!"

Footsteps approached her position.

Lucy dropped off the broken platform, a whir of joints cushioning her fall. Behind, she heard twin grunts as her companions also descended. She quickly identified the voice she'd heard as coming from the young asari in front of her. She appeared to be trapped in some kind of energy bubble. Cautiously, Shepard stepped closer.

"Can you hear me out there? I'm trapped, I need help!" the scientist, presumably Dr. Liara T'Soni, called again. So this was the Prothean archaeologist they were looking for.

"I hear you," Lucy said, giving Liara a reassuring smile. She may be the daughter of a traitor, but until they knew more she'd do her best to be polite. The poor girls looked very scared. "I'm Commander Shepard. I'm a Spectre."

"Please, you've got to get me out of here!" the asari said, panic touching her voice.

"I'm here to help," Lucy replied quickly before Liara got carried away. "But first, you've got to tell me what to do. How do we get to you?"

"Oh…oh right, of course," Liara stammered. "The button to shut this off is on the console to my left, but you cannot access it from outside. You'll have to find some way past the barrier curtain."

"I understand," the Spectre said, sizing up the situation. "We'll be back for you as soon as possible. Don't go anywhere."

Lucy chuckled slightly at her own joke as she set off towards the camp. Ashley jogged up alongside her, uncertainty evident in her expression.

"Commander…sorry if I'm out of line but, can we really trust her? I mean, her mother's an ally of Saren."

Lucy looked at her like a parent may look at a naughty child. It was kind of patronizing, but Ashley had gotten used to it.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Chief. Besides, it's not like she can do anything until we release her."

Williams nodded, falling back into position behind Shepard. She sometimes wondered if the Commander trusted too easily. She always seemed ready to assume the best of anyone. It was an admirable trait but Ashley's cynicism prevented her from thinking the same. If people wanted her trust, they had to earn it first.

"What do you make of her Tali?" she asked, glancing at her quarian friend. The girl might be an alien, but Ashley had taken a tentative liking to her. Tali ,however, was staring fixatedly ahead, apparently lost in a daydream.

"She's breathtaking…" Tali whispered reverently, so quietly that Ashley barely caught more than a sigh.

"You okay? You seem a bit out of it," the Chief asked, giving the engineer a sidelong look. She'd been acting kinda funny the entire mission.

The young quarian jumped as if struck by lightening, apparently she hadn't realised how close Williams was.

"What? I…no, I'm fine," Tali blustered, suddenly becoming incredibly fascinated by a nearby packing container. Ashley smirked to herself; the pieces were slowly falling into place. If she was correct, the engineer had most definitely not been referring to miss so-called Prothean expert.

Liara nervously counted the seconds since her potential rescuers had left. How long would it take them to find a way inside? What if they couldn't? And what had the other woman had said as the group walked off? Something about Benezia! What if they didn't trust her? Would they just leave her here, simply for being a traitor's daughter?

"Your mother is no traitor," she chided herself. "You just don't have all the facts yet, that's all. You're jumping to conclusions."

It wasn't long before a huge explosion shook the ruin to its very roots. A sound of thunder rolled through the air, dislodging dust from the ceiling. It sprinkled on Liara's lab coat, forcing a sneeze from the young asari.

What, in the Goddesses' name, was that? More geth?!

The clatter of boots on the tiled floor sounded behind her. She craned her neck, trying to peer over her shoulder, and was relieved to see Commander Shepard and company emerging from a cloud of dust.

"How did you get in here?" Liara enquired.

"We blasted our way in with a mining laser." Lucy said, still bearing that warm smile she'd greeted her with.

"Oh. Yes, that makes sense," Liara fumbled over the words. That woman's smile was so disarming. Was she always this friendly, or was it intended sarcastically?

I know so little about these humans, I wonder if I shall ever understand them?

She certainly found their customs fascinating, but struggled to emulate them with the ease that came naturally to so many of her kind.

So much for the graceful, mysterious image of my race.

While her thoughts wandered, Lucy was busy trying to make sense of the Prothean control panel. The symbols were completely alien to her, and not arranged in any logical pattern she could decipher. Her brow furrowed in concentration; one wrong push and they could all be trapped.

"Perhaps I can help," Tali volunteered brightly. She shuffled up alongside Lucy, rubbing shoulders with her in order to get a better view. With a 'wharp', a holographic omni-tool enveloped her hand. Slow minutes passed as the two focused on the bizarre holographic interface.

"I think it's this one," the two of them said at the same time, both going for the same button. Lucy's five-fingered hand met Tali's three-fingered one a centimetre above the display. The engineer held it there for about a second longer than was strictly necessary. Then, with a furtive sideways glance at Lucy, she withdrew it quickly.

"Sorry, Shepard. Go ahead…I'm as certain as I can be that it's correct."

"What is the symbol?" Liara piped up from behind.

"Er…it's two overlapping semicircles with a dot in the centre," Lucy replied.

"Good, that is the right one…at least I think it is."

"Only one way to find out."

The Commander pushed the button, tensing and half expecting rotating blades to slice her in half or flames to burst from the walls. For a few long seconds, nothing happened. Then, with a quiet, low-pitched hum, the energy field dissipated. At the same time, Lucy realised that Liara was several feet above the ground, and turned just in time to catch the falling asari as gravity re-asserted itself over her. She felt so light, but that was probably the exoskeleton bearing some of the load.

For Liara's part, she hadn't been expecting Shepard to catch her fall. It was nice though; there was something hauntingly familiar about the feel of those strong arms on her body. Asari were naturally empathic, and Liara had learnt that her intuition was rarely wrong. She was almost sorry when the Commander lowered her onto her own feet.

"Are you okay? Can you walk?" Lucy asked, effortlessly supporting the asari maiden with one arm.

"My legs are a bit weak from my imprisonment, but I should be okay," Liara replied with a tentative smile.

No sooner had Shepard released her than a seismic tremor nearly sent them all sprawling onto the floor.

"We need to go!" Liara cried urgently. "That mining laser must have destabilised the ruins!"

"We'll go out the same way we got to you: via the central elevator!" Lucy shouted above the din of disintegrating masonry. Liara was about to tell them that she did not yet know how to operate it, when the circular platform began to accelerate upwards.

"How did you do that?" she asked, slightly incredulously.

"Just got lucky, I suppose," Shepard quipped with another cheeky smile. Liara couldn't help but smile meekly too; this human's good humour was infectious, even in the midst of a crisis situation.

"I-I suppose I should thank you," the asari continued. "If you hadn't come when you did…I owe you my life, Commander Shepard."

"You don't owe me anything." the Spectre said firmly.

Except maybe a drink sometime.

The rogue thought flashed through her head, threatening to spill onto her tongue. Where in god's name did that spring from? Lucy couldn't make sense of it; surely she wasn't...

The jolt of the pedestal locking firmly into position shook her from the stupor just in time. A krogan stood between them and their exit, with a big smile on his reptilian face and an even bigger gun hanging casually from one hand. Geth lackeys chirped behind him, lining up for a clear shot.

"Well now, what have we here?" he chuckled, effortlessly making himself heard over the rumbling. "It seems you girls are making off with Saren's prize…I'm afraid I can't allow that."

Shepard looked disbelievingly between the krogan and her allies. Who the hell would pick a fight at a time like this?

"In case you hadn't noticed, this place is falling apart!"

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" the mercenary returned, completely undeterred. "Now hand over the doctor!"

"You can't!" Liara pleaded. "You wouldn't, would you?"

"If you want her, you're gonna have to come through me!" Lucy snarled, summoning her biotic powers in preparation.

"I was hoping you'd say that," The krogan crowed. In a flash, he was charging with a speed quite incredible for a creature of his bulk. The geth opened fire as well, and the fight was on.

"Ashley, protect Dr. T'soni!" Shepard yelled, scooting to one side of the krogan as he trampled past. The Chief nodded, planting herself firmly in front of where Liara was crouched. Bullets impacted against her kinetic barrier, sending ripples of distortion blossoming over her torso. With expert precision, Williams downed several geth with short sharp assault rifle bursts.

Confident that Liara was in good hands and Tali had her back, Lucy turned her attention to the krogan. He was closing fast, this time blasting away with a shotgun as he came. The shots were inaccurate, but they forced the Spectre into cover behind a huge support beam. Trying to remain calm as the heavy footfalls pounded closer, Shepard began to swirl dark energy into her open palm, coagulating the raw psychic force into a visible orb of warped light. There was enough power contained in her hand to rip most creatures limb from limb.

Lucy slunk around the shadowy side of the pillar. The second it took the krogan to spot her was more than enough time to hurl the destructive orb at his exposed flank. A startled roar escaped his lips, but the attack proved less fatal than the Spectre had hoped. The krogan had managed to throw up a crude biotic shield that had just enough power to absorb the blast.

Shepard's composure slipped for a moment; she hadn't been expecting a krogan Battlemaster. They were few and far between. It was a disturbing reminder of Saren's influence that he had managed to recruit one to his cause. There was no time to dwell on that now, though.

The Battlemaster roared a challenge, unleashing another salvo of shells. Lucy gave ground readily, keeping out of the weapons effective range and letting her shields absorb any shots which found their mark. Perhaps if she could lure the krogan in…a plan began to form in her mind. She kept backpedalling, her shields beginning to deplete. Just as they were about to overload, a shrill whine signalled that his gun had overheated. Discarding it in disgust, the krogan continued to advance, biotics readying for a fatal shockwave. He was focused solely upon tearing the wiley human into meaty ribbons - perfect. With all his efforts focused on offence, he'd neglected his barrier's strength.

Shepard swept her arms upwards, her own power surging forward and enveloping the surprised reptile in a mass-effect field. Suddenly lighter than air, the helpless warrior was swept off his feet and borne aloft. Lucy grabbed him as he floated by like a grotesque balloon. Priming a disc-shaped grenade, the Commander latched it firmly to the Battlemaster's armour.

Lucy grunted, thrusting the krogan skywards. He flailed wildly, trying to remove the explosive, but it was too late. Shepard thumbed the detonator and was rewarded with a light shower of red mist...all that remained of the krogan. She couldn't help but let out a whoop of victory which was echoed by Ashley as she gunned down the last geth soldier.

A few moments passed as each member of the group collected themselves. Lucy wiped her hands against each other, removing the worst of the krogan's blood. The rush of elation that came with victory was dying away, and her face sobered a little. She looked over at Liara. At least they'd gained something worthwhile from this bloodbath.

"You okay?" Lucy asked, offering the asari her hand.

"I am unhurt…and in your debt once again Commander," Liara replied, gripping Shepard's outstretched glove tightly as she rose.

"There'll be time for tender moments later!" Ashley barked, temporarily forgetting the chain of command in her desire to escape the stony death-trap. Lucy was inclined to agree.

"Alright, everybody get moving," she shouted. "We're getting the hell off this planet!"

Liara felt awed by this mysterious woman. The grace with which she wielded her power in combat would put many of her own kind to shame. Shepard made the entire, desperate struggle into a dance, one in which she out-competed all her rivals.

Only an asari mind could wield that much power so…elegantly. The doctor pondered, as Lucy rolled more waves of energy off her fingertips. What if…what if she has joined in Union with another one of my people?

That thought was singularly unpleasant, although Liara couldn't identify why she felt that way.

You're jumping to conclusions again.

This was crazy. She barely knew this woman, and her private life was definitely none of her concern. It was lack of sleep…yes, a lack of sleep, drink, and food. Of course…that made sense.

The fighting had stopped. Lucy was striding over, her ever-present smile beaming in Liara's direction. She offered the asari her hand, which Liara accepted eagerly. It was so warm; her grip was strong without being tight. Her touch was distinctly…feminine, even through the skin-tight armour padding.

Liara could faintly sense the Commander's spirit, something of a surprise in itself. Asari philosophy was one of an inter-connected universe where it is possible, through meditation, to reach out and touch others, get a glimpse of their soul. If the Union was like immersing yourself in a bottomless lake, this was more akin to dipping your toes. It hinted at their character without being invasive. The fact Liara could feel Shepard's presence without even focussing spoke volumes. It was so confusing…she needed time to think, alone.

Something was wrong. Ashley and Liara were already running for the exit shaft, but there was no sign of their quarian.

"Tali!" Lucy shouted urgently. No reply.

Ahead, the doctor and the Gunnery Chief had slowed, beckoning to Shepard.

"Go, get to safety! I'll catch you up!" Lucy would never forgive herself if she abandoned the young girl. She had to find her.

"Tali, where are you?!" she yelled again, shielding her eyes from the dust that was now falling in sheets from the roof.

"Sh...Shepard?" a weak voice sounded close by. Lucy fought her way through the choking air and was horrified by what she saw. The engineer was lying propped against the wall, surrounded by deactivated geth. Her weapon lay discarded a few feet away from where she sat, hands clasped over multiple wounds to her stomach. Bright purple blood was trickling between her clenched fingers.

"Tali!" Lucy was at her friend's side immediately, fumbling with the catch on a vial of medi-gel. She'd seen her friends risk their lives plenty of times before, but somehow this was different; and not just because of the wounds severity. It surprised her to find that she was choking down a lump in her throat as she layered the salve copiously onto the young girl's belly, pressing it into the wounds as best she could. If something happened to her…don't think about that.

Tali raised a hand feebly and gripped Shepard's as tightly she could. "Don't leave me, Lucy…" she croaked, her voice choking with unseen tears.

"I never would Tali, I never ever would," the Spectre replied, trying to force all sorts of unpleasant images out of her mind. She had to remain focused.

Lucy lifted the barely conscious quarian in her exoskeletal arms, and began staggering to the exit. The dust made it impossible to see if Liara and Ash had truly gone on ahead or were still waiting for her.

"Lucy…" Tali whispered, her voice barely audible as she slipped into unconsciousness. "If I don't make it…there's something I…I…"

"You will make it." the Spectre ordered, cutting the girl off...she didn't want to hear any last words today. Still, she could feel her own strength beginning to fail. The suit motors were too choked with dirt to work properly, and were actually becoming a hindrance. Dredging up her last reserves of energy, she summoned a weak biotic shield over the prone quarian to keep the dirt from her wounds. The medigel would help, but in her haste, she wasn't sure she'd covered all the exposed flesh. Every fibre of her body was burning with the force of carrying her friend and maintaining the barrier. She felt ready to drop, ready to just collapse and let this blasted ruin become her tomb. It wasn't an option though; not as long as Tali still drew breath.

Lucy sensed rather than saw the two figures close in on either side. She was aware of her burden being lightened, and of a blue hand twining round her shoulders to aid her own unsteady legs. She returned the half-embrace that helped her stumble, coughing and choking from the doomed excavation. Then sunlight pierced her lids, harsh and unforgiving, but also the most welcome sight imaginable. At that moment, Lucy would have accepted support from anyone...somewhere in her addled mind however, she felt glad it was Liara.