Three Little Lovebirds
Chapter 3 - Confusion
Commander Lucy Shepard disembarked from the Mako with a sickly squelch. The ground beneath her boots was soggy with mud and dead-leaf detritus. Welcome to Verdus.
"Well, we won't be taking that anywhere for a while." A familiar Turian voice said as its owner also slid from the tank. Garrus Vakarian set about checking his equipment, making more metallic noises than were strictly necessary.
Their vehicle was partially burrowed into the mushy soil. The descent angle from the Normandy had been steep to accommodate for the lack of open space to aim for. As a result, the Mako had ploughed itself a deep rut as it skidded to a halt.
"We should be able to free it with the thrusters." Lucy commented as Liara, the final member of her squad, picked her way through the mud towards them.
"The distress signal is about fifty metres to the North," Lucy explained when they were all present "Our scans indicate it's emanating from a small Prothean outpost."
"Who'd want to come here?" Garrus asked, looking sullenly at the overhanging tree canopy. For such a dense rainforest, it was eerily quiet with only the occasional animal call to break the silence.
"I don't know," Lucy admitted "but the distress signal was on a standard Alliance frequency. Whoever they are, and whatever they're doing, they need our help."
"I never heard mention of a Prothean presence on this world." Liara chimed in "It is likely to only be a small outpost, installed so scientists could monitor the developing ecosystem."
"That means it's going to be well hidden." Garrus said, his mandibles twitching slightly with anticipation.
"Right..." Lucy said, un-slinging her assault rifle "Liara with me. Garrus, you hang back with the sniper. I don't anticipate trouble, but it never hurts to be prepared."
Liara glanced nervously at the pistol she held. It felt strange and unsettling between her slender blue digits.
"Let's just hope I don't have to try and use this." she murmured, before setting off at a jog behind Shepard.
As the group advanced, the foliage became denser. Lucy went first, using her superior mechanical strength to force aside the clinging feelers and shrubs. Liara came behind, practicing lining up shots on nearby trees. It was very dingy, with only dappled patches of illumination to navigate by. Eventually though, the trio came to the edge of a sunbathed clearing.
Caked in mud and chlorophyll stains, Lucy and Liara struggled from the last plant vestiges that desperately clung to their legs and cautiously approached the structure that dominated the open ground. The stonework was barely visible under the masses of plants that had rushed in to reclaim the abandoned outpost. Shepard motioned for Garrus to remain in cover, completely invisible, save for the glint of his sniper scope.
The signal was strong now; Lucy could see the nav-marker indicating its location on her helmet HUD. It was coming from within the crumbling Prothean ruin.
"I've come across structures like this one before," Liara said, eyeing the weathered masonry with a mixture of awe and fear. "I should be able to remember the internal layout...if that would be useful to you Commander."
"You're not one of the crew, call be Lucy, or Shepard," the spectre replied, a smile creasing her lips as the focused down her sights.
"Sorry...Lucy" the Asari said, feeling an inordinate rush of pleasure at being granted first-name privileges.
Shepard approached the door. Unlike the rest of the structure, it had been cleared of invading vines. Someone had definitely been here.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." she muttered to nobody in particular. Just to be on the safe side, she willed her biotic implants into life. Pulsing ripples of energy danced microscopically across her skin. To the right, she felt her Asari friend powering up as well.
The spectre tried the control panel. Locked.
"Liara," she said in a hushed tone "Do you think you can bypass this lock?"
"The controls are familiar..." said the Asari, gently guiding the Commander aside to get a closer look.
That was when all hell broke loose...
Liara knew she'd made a terrible mistake even as her fingers punched in the last digits to open the door. With a grinding rumble of stone on stone, the doorway opened to reveal row upon row of dragon's teeth topped with gruesome Geth Husks. For the briefest of seconds, nothing happened. Then, with a grating screech, the spikes and their grisly kebabs descended.
At her side, Lucy had already opened fire. Streaks of intense heat blazed through the entrance as the inferno rounds tore into the shambling undead. Behind, the muted report of Garrus' sniper rifle sounded and one Husk's head simply disappeared in an explosion of coolant.
"Get back!" Shepard yelled, still managing to be somewhat gentle as she grabbed Liara's arm and pulled her away. The spectre's rifle had overheated, and she was busy readying for a biotic blast. Energy pooled over her body, rippling the air like a powerful electric storm. The Commander did not unleash; instead she let it continue to build up. There was enough dark energy jolting through the spectre to boil the blood in her veins.
"You're going to kill yourself," Liara cried, panicking in the heat of the moment "Let it go!"
"I'm...fine," Lucy lied through a clenched jaw, "Cover...me!"
The young Asari was unsure of Shepard's intentions, but she trusted the woman enough to leave her be. Ahead, the cyborgs were charging forward, oblivious to casualties inflicted by the Turian sniper. Withered feet trampled over the bodies of their fallen.
Liara didn't have time to ready her own biotics. Instead, she levelled her pistol as best she could, braced herself, and began to squeeze the trigger as fast as possible. Lucy had given the scientist a recoil-damper, but the kickback still took her by surprise. Struggling to control the sidearm, the Asari unloaded into the oncoming wave of flesh. More Husks fell, this time shredded by high-calibre hammerhead rounds. Liara tried to avoid looking too closely as the bullets ripped football sized holes in the cyborgs, coating the verdant ground with grimy arterial spray.
Lucy was ready. Her body convulsed with such untamed power that she actually hovered a few centimetres above the floor. The motors of her armour screeched as they struggled to prevent the spectre's joints popping apart. Lucy threw out her hand and dark energy surged forward like a deadly waterfall. The torrent sped past the charging Husks as they struggled to cram through the doorway. It impacted on the far wall and blossomed outwards, saturating the entire building.
Commander Shepard made a wrenching motion with her free hand, and the ruins collapsed. Rock smashed inwards, drawn inexplicably towards a central point. The destruction threw up plumes of dust and less savoury fluids as the assimilated science team was pounded into the dirt. By the time Lucy was done, nothing but pulverised stone and metal remained.
Liara simply stood there gaping. The image of Lucy, wreathed in dark energy and tempestuous might more resembled a vision of the Asari Goddess than the friendly, kind-hearted woman she knew. Such biotic power was unprecedented, even amongst her own kind.
The corona faded from the spectres body, and she fell heavily to the ground. Liara was immediately at her side, helping the drained woman to her feet.
"I...you...they..." she babbled, words deserting her altogether "That was...incredible...you're incredible!"
Garrus was sprinting from his hidey hole. His wide eyes and quivering mandibles betrayed his admiration.
"It was a trap!" he almost spat "The Geth set us up!
"He's right..." Lucy wheezed, wincing with unseen pain "There will be more, we have...we have to move...back to the trees."
Accepting an arm from Garrus and Liara, Shepard stumbled back towards the cover of the foliage. The doctor could tell the effort of containing so much dark energy had severely cost the Commander. Her normally rosy cheeks were pale, and her captivating green eyes had glazed over. The Asari reached out to Lucy's spirit as much as she dared, silently willing strength into her friend.
The trio crashed back into the dense undergrowth and collapsed heavily onto the mud.
"Are you okay Co...Lucy?" Liara asked. Her voice wasn't powerful enough to express the concern she felt. Instead, the Asari brushed a velvety smooth palm across Shepard's cheek. The moment was enchanting, but she felt incredibly self-conscious, and hastily ended the touch with a stroke of the fingertips that conveyed more than mere worry. Where her hand had been, the spectre's cheek had now returned to its original rosy hue.
"I'm...I'm fine..." Lucy stuttered between fresh gulps of air.
Garrus grabbed her hand and unceremoniously yanked her upright. A way off, bright beams of light pierced the darkness. They were arranged in a rough line and swept the ground in front of them with methodical precision. It looked like the Geth had already zeroed in on the disturbance
"On my mark, advance to the Mako," Shepard whispered, not trusting herself to move just yet. "Keep low and don't stop for any reason...even if someone falls behind."
The other two nodded grimly, determined faces masking barely restrained apprehension. Lucy held up three fingers, motioning with her head which direction they'd come in.
Three...
Two...
One...
The squad set off at a crouched run. It was impossible to see them in the dim light, surrounded by shrubbery as they were. It was definitely possible to hear them however; the rustling of branches and snapping of twigs seemed obscenely loud in the still jungle air.
Searching Geth eye-lights still scanned the darkness, casting eerie shadows whenever a tree broke up their field of view. Liara could faintly hear their agitated clicks and whirrs. The whole atmosphere was disorientating, it became harder and harder to know if she was heading in the right direction. The sound of her comrades' motion could have been coming from anywhere. Where were they?
Her preoccupied thought meant that Liara didn't see the protruding root until it was too late. Her foot caught underneath it and caused her to stumble. Desperately muffling a cry, she impacted the ground with a soft splat. Searing pain shot up her leg, nearly forcing a strained cry from her parched throat. She was no doctor of medicine, but it was clear that her ankle was twisted. Agony seared from every nerve in her leg, intensified by the realization that no one was there to help her. That was what Shepard had said.
'Don't stop for any reason.'
The dry rattle of dead leaves crunched underfoot emanated from nearby. Liara couldn't focus with the pain, couldn't raise a biotic shield to defend herself. Her hand went to her only option, the pistol.
It would be no use to defend herself with. She could barely aim, even without an injury to contend with, besides, there were just too many Geth. Just about all it was good for now, was taking here own life. Anything was better than being dragged off to Saren, being tortured and forced to betray those she held dear.
A figure emerged from the undergrowth nearby. Relief flooded Liara's body as she recognized Lucy.
"Oh...oh thank you Goddess, thank you!" she whispered as the spectre scuttled over.
"Liara...Liara we have to go!" Lucy said, panic drowning out her sympathy.
"I...my ankle is injured, I...I'm sorry." the Asari replied, gritting her teeth against fresh waves of fiery pain.
Shepard withdrew a combat knife from some unseen sheath. Within seconds, Liara had been cut free. Lucy simply dropped the weapon and scooped the incapacitated maiden off the leaf bed. She slung her over her shoulder, being as careful as possible to avoid touching the Asari's injury.
Stealth was pointless now. The Geth were practically on top of them, any second now the pair would be discovered.
"I've got no biotics," the spectre hissed "Do you think you can throw up a barrier."
Liara nodded, then realized Lucy couldn't see her head.
"I can try…" she muttered, beginning the focusing exercises in her mind. The pain had lessened slightly once the pressure had been taken off her ankle, making it easier to concentrate.
A pulsing blue disk of energy shimmered into life between Shepard and the approaching synthetics. At the same time, the Commander started sprinting as fast as she could. Motors whirred as she was propelled at an inhumanly fast pace over the lush jungle floor.
"I was so worried," Liara confessed as they ran "After what you said I…I feared you would not return for me."
"Yeah well, that kind of thing is easy to say," Lucy growled "It's much harder to do...I could never leave you behind Liara."
What did she mean by that?
Never mind, now was not the time for personal speculation. They were nearly there; Liara could just about make out an upside down image of the Mako through the dense foliage. It was difficult to tell, she was being jostled about like a rag-doll despite Lucy's best efforts. A brief break in the cluttered tree trunks revealed the vehicle ahead, still rutted in the sodden earth.
By this time, the Geth had let loose. Their firing arcs and manoeuvrability were severely hampered by the trees, as long as they stayed at this distance, there was no threat. The few bullets that did find their way were deflected harmlessly by the Asari's biotic barrier. Liara allowed herself a moment of exalted pride...it looked like they were going to make it.
Unfortunately, she'd spoken too soon. Shepard was no more than twenty metres from the Mako when a wave of force ripped her legs from beneath her. For a panicked second, the two were in freefall. Then they bit dirt. The impact sent new surges of agony from Liara's sprained ankle, this time she couldn't hold back a cry of pain.
Lucy was already struggling to her feet. Caked in mud and grime, the spectre defiantly raised her assault rifle at the encroaching enemy. Even in the face of imminent danger, her eyes were drawn downwards. Liara could not-did not want to avoid the gaze of stormy sapphire. She could see the determination in those eyes; she felt it, deep down. It was scary, overbearing and totally exhilarating.
"We're not done yet Liara," Lucy said, her soft voice tinged with steel. "The only way they'll get to you is through my lifeless corpse...and I don't intend to die any time soon."
With those words, Shepard planted her legs squarely either side of the overwhelmed doctor, and opened fire. Blazing red trails mowed down several surprised Geth before they could even react. The ferocity of the Commander appeared to startle the synthetics, but their mechanical minds were quick to respond. Before long, more and more gunfire found was hitting home.
Lucy wouldn't last long. She was outnumbered, outgunned and rooted to the spot by stubborn refusal to abandon her friend. It was time for some more creative thinking.
Shepard remembered a certain, desperate manoeuvre she'd pulled on Therum. Something similar may just work here. Unfortunately, the spectre's biotics were all but drained from their overuse earlier. She had just enough power for one last idea.
Focusing her will tightly, forcibly ignoring the audio warnings that her shields were about to fall, she reached out with a tendril of energy and lassoed a branch behind her adversaries. A slight push later, and it was coiled back on itself. The limb quivered with elastic tension...perfect.
Upon release, the branch sprung forward with enough force to wind an elephant. It slapped an unlucky Geth square in the back and sent it sprawling forward. Lucy was there immediately, drawing back her arms for a mighty lunge. With all the strength she could manage, the Commander forcibly rammed her assault rifle into the synthetic's stomach...and right out the other side.
The Geth trooper chirped in surprise before falling still, impaled on Shepard's gun. Lucy hefted the cumbersome body between herself and the direction of attack. It soaked up enemy rounds like a sponge but left the spectre free to return fire, albeit inaccurately. She limited herself to short, controlled bursts, and managed to down a few more robots. She still had not moved more than a foot from Liara.
The Asari was too transfixed to feel helpless. This beautiful woman was one surprise after another. The intensity with which she fought was exhausting to watch.
'Goddess...' she whispered, afraid that Lucy may hear 'I would give anything for her to be mine...'
Liara's sentiment surprised even her. It was true that the Commander had fascinated her immensely since the moment they'd met. The Asari had instant respect for the spectre, a feeling which had only grown in the short time they'd been together. Lucy's spirit was so tender, so rich. And those eyes...Liara could wander forever in their brilliant depths.
Before her thoughts could continue further, the daydream was shattered by a crystal clear voice that easily sounded over the din of battle.
"Enough!" it cried, in a tone that froze every muscle of Liara's body with ice cold dread. She knew it all too well.
Suddenly there were hands round her throat. The maiden looked down, only to see nothing but the familiar midnight blue of biotic power. Tendrils of the energy pressed forcefully against her windpipe, encircling the Asari's slender, blue neck. With a tug, the strangulating force hoisted the helpless woman into the air.
Liara tried calling for help. Lucy was just metres away, finishing off the last of the Geth. Nothing but a strangled gasp left her throat, however. Desperately, she clawed at the grip, both physically and mentally with her own power. No use, it was an inescapable vice.
By this time, Shepard had realised something was wrong. She'd heard the voice too, and immediately glanced back to where the doctor had lain a few moments previously. When the spectre saw Liara writhing in mid-air, she half-screamed with alarm. The sound almost broke the maiden's heart...she'd sooner die than hear Shepard in such pain ever again.
"Surrender spectre," the voice spat venomously "Or I'll crush the life from your little pet."
Lucy considered for less than a second before discarding her weapon.
"I'll come quietly!" she cried into the surrounding woods, not bothering to hide the anger she felt "I'll surrender, just put Liara down!"
A sinister chuckle rolled around the jungle as a black-clad figure stepped into a pool of light. There was not a single scrap of mud on Matriarch Benezia's skirt, even the plants feared to touch her.
"As you wish." she sneered, and released her limp daughter to a bone-shattering fall.
Garrus peered through his sniper scope from the shadowy recesses of the Mako's interior. He'd known something was wrong when neither Lucy nor Liara made it back. The Turain had been prepping their APC for extraction when the first gunshots sounded. Now, his allies were captured by Saren's forces. Garrus cursed his incompetence. He should have been more alert, should have reacted sooner.
The chillingly beautiful face of the Matriarch filled his crosshair. It would be so simple just to pull the trigger. One shot was all it would take...Saren's plans would be crippled. Just think how many lives he could save. Deep down however, he knew the second that shot was fired, the Geth reinforcements would slaughter the two trapped women.
The past Garrus would have done it without hesitation. It was a good trade...two lives for countless thousands further down the line. The new Garrus however, would not. Shepard had taught him many things, forced the hot-headed youngster to re-examine his notions of what made a good peacekeeper. If he killed Benezia, he'd be no better than the traitorous bastard they were hunting.
Instead, he just observed. Right now, secrecy was the only edge he had...it was vital to maintain it for as long as possible. Torturously, he sat by and watched as his friends were frozen in stasis by the powerful Asari and dragged away; this had better pay off. The envoy was proceeding on foot; chances were good that the Geth had a camp not too far from here. Silently, the Turian slipped from the Mako and stalked after the oblivious synthetics.
Lucy was forced into consciousness by the most skull-splitting headache she'd ever known. White hot agony seared through her brain, concentrating around the back of her neck. For several minutes, all she could do was desperately fight to stop herself blacking out again. With the small fragment of her mind that could still think clearly, she tried to address the problem. She knew something was causing it...something to do with...
Of course, her biotic implant! Shepard had conjured a biotic lift to prevent Liara from splattering on the ground. The force of using such a major ability must have burnt-out the already damaged microcircuit. Is she...could...just...
A pair of trembling hands brushed against the base of her skull. They clumsily parted her golden locks and went to the tiny metallic hole that housed the implant. A few seconds later, it slid free from its cradle.
Lucy's headache disappeared almost at once. Obviously, she was now without any powers...but at that moment it was a small price to pay.
"Are you hurt Shepard...please tell me you're all right!" said a familiar, breathless voice.
The Commander managed to force herself over onto her back. She gave a relieved grin as the lightly freckled face of Liara materialised above.
"I'm all right," Lucy smiled "Thank you..."
The spectre shuffled to an upright sitting position against a cold metallic wall. They were in a barren holding cell that looked a lot like a converted shipping crate, apparently the Geth were operating on a low budget. Never the less, the synthetics had taken the usual precautions. Both women had been stripped of their weapons and a power damping field suppressed the use of biotics, as well as Shepard's exoskeleton.
Absent mindedly, and from sheer exhaustion, Lucy draped an aching arm around her Asari friend. To her great surprise, Liara shuffled up to the Commander and rested her crested blue head on the spectre's shoulder. It was at that moment that it occurred to Lucy what this girl must be going through...Benezia was her mother and only known relation. If she needed a shoulder to cry on, Shepard was only too glad to let it be hers.
"What you did...back there," the maiden whispered, hugging her knees to her chest "You saved us all...saved me. I'm in your debt once again Shepard; how will I ever repay you for all the kindness you have shown me?"
Lucy honestly had no answer for that question.
"I'm sorry Liara..." she whispered, just as softly "I should never have dragged you into this. You're not a soldier...and now with Benezia...what was I thinking?"
This time, the Asari did start weeping. Sobs brought little pained cries to her throat, like the plaintive call of some lost animal. Thick pearly tears leaked down the maiden's cheeks, leaving shining trails on her flawless blue skin.
Lucy gathered Liara into a firm embrace, clinging possessively to the Prothean scientist. The doctor buried her face into the Commander's shoulder and continued to cry, shaking uncontrollably. Her arms had already encircled Lucy's waist, which she gripped with fierce desperation.
Minutes passed before the Asari managed to choke back her emotional stream. Gradually, the tears subsided and were replaced by faint whimpers. She remained curled on the spectre's lap, reluctant to conclude the heart-warming hug.
"I do not know why I should feel so distressed," she murmured eventually. "I have not seen B-B-Benezia for so long...yet I feel her betrayal as if she still kissed me goodnight."
Lucy shifted her arms to cradle Liara's head. Just like her cheeks, the Asari's contoured crests had flooded with deep purple as the maiden blushed. Not for the first time, Shepard felt a guilty tug at her heartstrings...Liara was painfully adorable.
"I don't pretend to understand what you're going through," Lucy soothed, tracing delicate fingertips along each windswept blue ridge, "But I can relate...I lost my parents too, when I was very small."
"Oh Shepard! I'm so sorry...I-I didn't..."
"Don't be." the Commander cut her off "I've put all that behind me...it still hurts sometimes, but I've got it under control."
More lazy minutes passed. There was no sound, nothing to indicate the passage of time in any way. The two women sat there, still softly twined together. Lucy thought she could feel the Asari gently nuzzling at her neck, although the motion was imperceptibly soft.
"You know Liara," she said after a long, long time "I dreamt about you last night..."
The Asari's lilac skin flushed a slightly deeper shade of azure.
"I...I-I don't really know what to say." she said breathlessly. Liara shifted her body minutely, she was afraid the rampaging beat of her heart would betray her more intimate feelings.
"I was in your room," Lucy began, not quite managing to suppress the slight embarrassments she also felt "and I was, er...looking at you."
Liara peeped up from her nestling place in the curve of Shepard's neck. The spectre was staring fixatedly at a point on the far wall, trying to hide the redness that crept up her cheeks. After an awkward second, she continued.
"Well...um, you woke up all of a sudden...like you'd had a really intense dream. You were breathing heavily and...and you opened your eyes, only...they weren't your eyes. They were pitch black...like when we melded after Therum."
It was impossible to miss Liara's sharp intake of breath.
"That was you..." the doctor said with hushed reverence "I-I remember that night too. I also dreamt...I-I saw you, for the briefest of moments...above me. This is all so surprising. From what you have told me, it sounds like we dream-joined."
Liara had to bite back her tongue to stop the rest gushing out. Amongst her people, dream-joining was a common experience...but only between couples who had already entered Union. The concept of it occurring between an un-paired couple was unheard of; it existed solely in the realm of trashy romance novels. It was the kind of thing wistful maiden's fantasized of...not dissimilar to 'love at first sight' between humans. Many people wished it were true, but in reality that was all it was; wishful thinking.
The Asari also failed to mention exactly what she'd been dreaming of before hand. At that moment, she was thankful she couldn't blush any more that she already was.
"Dream-joining...I've never heard of that before." Lucy was saying. Liara forced her romantic thoughts to one side.
"No doubt you've heard about the Asari's ability to join our mind with that of other beings. It is the way we reproduce...through Union. However, there are...um...less intimate forms of joining as well. We are able to join simply to exchange knowledge, or memories with another person. Dream-joining is merely a subconscious form of the same thing."
Liara longed to say more...to say that it was a sign from the Goddess...that they were meant for each other. This time though, she wouldn't let herself say something stupid and ruin everything. Her lips remained tightly sealed.
"You make it sound so...mystical," Lucy said, voice tinted with awe. "I want to know more about this 'Union'...how does it work?"
"It is...hard to describe," Liara replied, trying to come up with the right words, "When performed between an Asari and a hu-a member of another race, it can only be initiated by the Asari, and it will be the Asari who bears the child. Physical contact may be involved, but it is not required."
"So...there's no physical, erm...lovemaking?"
"Well, there can be..." Liara felt rather flustered, she hadn't been expecting the conversation to take this route "I-I'm afraid I wouldn't be the one to ask."
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, smiling cheekily "Don't you have any kind of...you know, sex education when you're young?"
"We are taught about the Union, yes..." Liara replied, avoiding Shepard's gaze...she didn't trust herself around that smile "However the physical aspects of intercourse are only touched on very briefly. Since we are encouraged to mate with other species, the process will be so widely diverse that education on the subject is redundant. Besides...amongst my people it is generally believed that it is the privilege of the partner who, erm...takes the maiden's flower to teach them how the act is...performed."
"So, you're a virgin?" Shepard winced; she hadn't meant to put it so bluntly. "Not that it's a bad thing..." she added hastily; that just sounded even worse.
"Yes I...I am," Liara whispered meekly. Her eyes were downcast and it struck Lucy how lonely she must be.
The spectre gently guided the Asari's head up until they're eyes met. She was mere inches from Liara's face, close enough to feel the warm exhalations of her ragged breathing. The scientist was entranced, unable to do anything but wait for Lucy's next move.
For her part...the Commander was torn. Her heart felt like it had tied itself in a knot and was trying to strangle her brain. Images of Tali...waiting patiently for her back on the Normandy invaded her mind's eye. She'd left the young Quarian sleeping, with a note that they would talk when she returned. What the hell would she do now?
The sound of movement outside was like a divine blessing. As this point in time, Lucy almost hoped for an interrogation. Nothing the Geth could do to her would be as bad as the emotional torture she was going through right now.
Fortunately, it was even better than that. The bony head of Garrus appeared outside the energy field that kept the two women trapped. His jaw split in the Turian equivalent of a smile when he saw his squad mates. Immediately, he set to work on the console outside with his omni-tool.
"Thank the Goddess!" Liara said in an excited stage whisper.
The barrier dropped and Lucy was immediately on her feet. Effortlessly, she tugged the Asari into a standing pose as well.
"Are either of you wounded?" Garrus asked, still conscious of the fact they could be discovered at any moment.
"We're fine...let's get out quickly before they realise we've escaped," Shepard hissed. On the way out, Garrus hacked open a nearby storage locker that contained the spectre's gear and Liara's pistol. After the two women were fully armed once again, minus the Commander's biotics, they were set to go.
Their prison had indeed been a modified cargo container. It resided in a pile of several others, all of them sealed. They were stacked to one side of a large clearing, apparently awaiting the arrival of a ship to take them away. Fortunately, their shipping crate had been pretty central and as such, hid them from any patrols.
Peering through a gap, Lucy was able to see several sniper towers as well as numerous barricades. All of them were fully garrisoned with Geth soldiers, instantly recognizable with their sinewy 'muscles' and glowing eyepieces. Beyond the perimeter, several prefab cabins littered the forest steppes. The largest, resembling a command centre/prison block had guards posted at the door. Although they were far off, Shepard could easily distinguish their blue skin...Asari commandos. No doubt Benezia lurked in there somewhere.
"How did you get to us so easily?" she murmured over her shoulder at their Turian rescuer "I can't even see any bodies."
"Benezia expected a rescue attempt," Garrus explained "That building over there, the one with guards, is set up to look like a prison block. It's not, that place is stocked to the gills with Asari biotics."
"I see..." Lucy caught on "That's why we were in a shipping crate; it's the last place any rescue party would look."
"Exactly. Fortunately, I was able to track the group that captured you and ascertain your location." Garrus' voice was touched with pride.
"You did well...now let's slip away quietly, back to the Mako."
The three silently crept from container to container, sticking to the shadows as best they could. After a few terrifying minutes, they at last reached the cover of the trees. The trio was about to continue when Lucy motioned for them all to stop. The spectre pricked up her ears, focusing intently on some far off noise.
"Can anyone else hear that?" she whispered.
Sure enough, a roaring sound like sea surf crashing against a cliff sounded off in the distance. It steadily built as whatever it was drew closer.
The hulking insectoid form of a Geth dropship filled the sky as the blast of its engines swamped the air. It hovered downwards in a lazy circle over the gap in the tree cover, large, metallic crab-legs emerging from the underside. Finally, its grey carapace came to rest in the clearing nearby. It couldn't have been more than thirty metres from the squad's hiding place.
A memory stirred in Lucy's mind...something Tali had once said to her. Yes, it was when the spectre had been asking the young Quarian about her pilgrimage.
"...We created them, but they've changed so much during their time beyond the veil. Perhaps if I could get something that detailed how they've evolved since they forced us from out home. I don't know if such a thing even exists...but if it does, it could be the first step towards reclaiming our homeworld."
Lucy had promised that if they found anything, Tali would be the first to know...now this was her chance. The Geth may fry their memory cores when destroyed, but a ship's computer would surely have a wealth of information.
It was a tricky decision...but that data may also help the Alliance. Hell, it could help every species who'd ever encountered problems from the rogue synthetics.
"Liara, Garrus..." she began, having no doubt they'd argue against her on this one "I'm going to say something totally insane. I need you to trust me...go to the Mako and start the final prep for extraction."
Liara and Garrus shared a glance. The Turian looked nervous, Liara looked terrified.
"What have you got planned?" Garrus asked, with a sceptical twitch.
"I'm going to board that Geth ship." the spectre replied, as calmly as if she was popping out to grab a coffee.
The Turian's mandibles stirred. For a second, it looked like he was about to object, but then swallowed and simply nodded.
"Are you crazy?" Liara fearfully hissed "You're going to...to get yourself killed!"
Instead of replying, Lucy grabbed the Asari and pulled her into a tender embrace. Red met blue as the spectre captured Liara's lips and heart with a passionate kiss. It lasted for a brief ten seconds, but to the young scientist it felt like an eternity of joy. She was far too surprised to react and by the time her brain had processed that Lucy...Lucy!...was kissing her, the moment had passed.
Garrus coughed awkwardly, feeling distinctly out of place. The sound brought Shepard back to reality and forced her to grudgingly, release the other woman. Liara was left slightly agape, her mind still trying to catch up with her body.
"That's one more reason I have to come back alive..." Lucy whispered, before breaking cover and sprinting in the direction of the Geth ship.
"Dr. T'soni! We have to go!" Garrus hissed, before adding in a softer voice "We'll see her again in a few minutes, mark my words."
Liara allowed herself to be led through the bushes towards their getaway vehicle. Although her brain took care of footing and other practicalities, her mind was on another plane. Lucy had kissed her...kissed her. The experience had been every bit as captivating as the Asari had dreamt. Languid warmth permeated every inch of her body, until she was sure her skin was physically glowing.
Lucy covered the distance back to the shipping crates in a matter of seconds. She slipped behind the nearest one and took a moment to gather her breath. The boarding ramp to the dropship was down, as were several other entrances for troops to use. Large, armature-like Geth were busy loading the crates on the far side of the pile. It would only be minutes before they discovered their special package was empty. That was if Benezia didn't come to gloat a bit first.
It was all a matter of timing. Most of the garrison still lingered near the main camp, maintaining the illusion of a prison block for as long as possible. Only the loaders and a few patrols were in the vicinity of the ship.
Lucy waited until the first patrol had passed her position, then dashed for another hiding place. After a few frantic seconds of exposure, she was hunkered down against one of the huge landing gear. No shots sounded...the run had been clean.
It was another minute until a window of oppourtunity opened up. Not many crates remained...she'd have to make it inside on this dash. Throwing caution to the wind, she sprinted for one of the smaller entrances. Time slowed, and suddenly the ramp seemed impossibly far away. For an agonizing moment, Shepard was sure she'd be seen. Then her boots clanged on metal and she was inside.
A Geth immediately looked up from its panel at the sound. Lucy froze...it was staring right at her. The pilot began to go for the alarm, but the spectre was faster. Covering the space between them in a single leap, she unceremoniously tackled the synthetic to the floor. There was a brief scuffle, Lucy was strong but the Geth was slippery...it was impossible to get a grip.
Eventually, the Commander simply punched the robot repeatedly in the head until it stopped moving. Breathing heavily, she flicked sticky green fluid off her hand and examined the room. Fortunately, there'd been no other Geth present...just a few control panels and plenty of doorways. It was by no means a secure location, so Lucy wasted no time in accessing the nearest console. It was written in some bizarre script that the spectre didn't have a hope of translating...fortunately, she didn't have to.
Shepard unclipped the military grade OSD from her utility belt. It was designed to be so basic that even the most braindead of grunts could use it. Simply slot it in, and it ripped as many files as it could store from whatever networks were available.
The process was done in seconds. Lucy slipped the drive away safely; making extra sure it was secure. Just then, a shrill whine sounded from the base outside...looks like their absence had finally been noticed. The time for stealth was past, now was the time for getting out as fast as she damn well could.
The dash back to the Mako passed in a blur. On her way from the dropship, Lucy literally ran headlong through a Geth patrol. The confusion was the only thing that spared her life. By the time weapons were brought to bare, the spectre had vanished into the undergrowth. Trees rushed by in a tangled mess of stinging branches.
Eventually, the white chassis of the APC shone through the greenery. It was free of the mud and looked about as ready as could be expected. The Commander bounded the last few metres and collapsed heavily on the hard floor of the vehicle.
Liara was there, helping Lucy into a seat and buckling a seat belt across her chest. Shepard gave her a victorious smile, still managing to look dashing despite being caked in grime and Geth juice.
"Thank you Goddess," Liara whispered, feeling about as tired as the Commander looked "Thank you..."