Notes: Thanks to my co-writer, Old_Gamer, who has contributed significantly to the last few chapters… including this one. Also, wanted to ensure you all saw the 'Character Reference' document I posted up as an addendum to the series. Should help keep track of the multitude of OCs who seem to be showing up in my stories! Enjoy!

Amantia - lover (Thessian)

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Chandra - insect resembling a honeybee, same name as sweetening nectar it produces (Asari)

Kena sa'ki - literally "the heart of evil" (Thessian); refers to Feron after his second betrayal

Maglev - Magnetic Levitation transportation

SA - Systems Alliance

Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Sim're - "sister of my sister", a dear friend's loved one (Thessian/Source: CDN)

QEC - Quantum Entanglement Communicator

Back to Business

Vancouver B.C., Earth, Sol System – 28 Aug 2188

Leigh Maxwell – Max to his friends within the Atlas organization – did not need to use his considerable skills as a cryptanalyst for the task assigned to him. After being asked to look over a list of scheduled upcoming events, he felt he had discerned the one special occasion that would provide the greatest opportunity for an assassination attempt on one or more extremely important people. He certainly held no deluded expectations of a clean operation, knowing an assassin's options were endless. LEAP blew up an entire wing of a building to kill just one man… no reason to think that anyone sympathetic to that group would hesitate to do the same thing again.

He had very easily discovered that Councilor Dominic Osoba would be joining Admiral Steven Hackett and Prime Minister Reuben Trost for a special ceremony scheduled for a month hence, on 28 September; the three of them would return to Earth for the dedication of the recently rebuilt Systems Alliance Naval Headquarters. Coincidentally, the new structure was also designed to serve as the main headquarters for the SA Defense Committee. Max took special note of the date planned for the event; it held special significance for humanity, as it would mark the two-year anniversary of the initial Reaper attack on Earth. It promised to be a solemn event, with ceremonies dedicated to the memories of the hundreds of thousands of lives obliterated worldwide in the first hours of the deliberate attacks by the merciless machine race.

Though not on the program, Max knew the explosion that had leveled the western wing of the building, violently ending the lives of nine military policemen and three prisoners – among them LEAP sympathizer Alliance Major Josiah Pickett – would not be far from anyone's mind. Max was certain the ceremonies would go forward as planned, even if an active threat of an encore performance existed. Gotta make sure that doesn't happen. It would be incumbent on Atlas to provide security assistance from the shadows as a backstop for Alliance security.

Upon studying the list of invitees, Max had not been surprised to discover any number of potential targets among the guests scheduled to attend the dedication; besides Hackett, Trost and Osoba, Spectre Samantha Shepard and Lady Liara T'Soni, while not yet confirmed, were also among those invited to the dedication, as well as any number of pro-integration civic leaders. Security for this event is going to be a top priority… and a damned nightmare!

Max didn't even bother getting up from his chair, choosing instead to send what he had to the leadership – Zoë, Jana Cantrell and Tim Stafford – and return straight to work. He immediately began to hunt through older message traffic, in a comprehensive search for any indications that someone already confirmed to be in attendance on the 28th had even been hinted at as a possible target. The morning immediately following the day filled with celebration and remembrance, the three men were scheduled to depart together for Palaven to meet with the Turian Hierarchy; their purpose being to commence negotiations – in a likely successful attempt – to formalize existing trade arrangements that had been in place since the end of the war. That particular conference was one for which Max intended to do everything in his power to ensure that all three of the Alliance leaders would be able to attend.

Aletheia, The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves – 29 Aug 2188

In what she was beginning to realize was an increasingly futile attempt to get caught up, Riana was still parsing the multitude of messages that had virtually choked the electronic inbox of the Aletheia's comm suite when a flashing light, accompanied by a low volume, alternating high/low trill, intruded on her efforts to winnow down the massive backlog for her mistress.

Some vacation… the galaxy cannot leave my mistress or my Sim're alone for a miserly fifteen days. With a heavy sigh, she moved to the small terminal and palmed the ACCEPT control on the device; she was really not surprised to see the image of Councilor Raesia Tevos appear above the console. Riana addressed the diplomat with a genuine smile, "Councilor Tevos."

The councilor replied with a smile of her own. "Riana… I realize I am intruding yet again and apologize for needing to do so, but…" Tevos paused, glancing to the side before returning her gaze to the screen, "… is it possible for me to steal a few minutes of Lady T'Soni's time?"

Riana had used her omnitool to send a request to Liara as Tevos was apologizing. "No apology needed, Councilor," the commando responded smoothly. "My mistress will be here shortly."

Liara appeared at the hatch and entered the small compartment as Riana finished speaking; with a gentle touch of her fingers on the shoulder of her First, the Shadow Broker slid into the chair as Riana rose and moved out of camera range. "Good afternoon, Councilor. What may I do for you?"

Tevos smiled. "I apologize for this second intrusion into your personal time, Liara. It seems the galaxy will simply not cease coming up with new problems to replace the old ones. I would expect you have been attempting to catch up on everything that has been happening?"

"That would be very true," came the slightly worried response. "Our personal time became somewhat limited the moment we heard the news from Matriarch Marisha; what happened in Serrice is almost beyond belief, Councilor. Would you think me to be incredibly naïve in believing the Defense Minister could never be so cruel… so coldly calculating… as to order the Serrice Guard commanders to use any means necessary to break up a peaceful demonstration?" Liara closed her eyes and shook her head slightly before returning her gaze to the counselor. "Three people… dead? Others injured so severely as to require hospitalization? What in the galaxy was she thinking? Or, was this simply a small piece of a much larger plan?" Liara rubbed a hand across her crests in irritation.

"If it was, that plan will never come to fruition now." Tevos' smile dimmed only slightly as she responded, "I expect the Justicars will soon get to the heart of that matter, Liara, so I am not concerned about the resolution of that issue… at least not at the present time. Unfortunately, this call is dictated by an entirely separate, though no less serious matter." Tevos looked a bit nervous, an unusual display of emotion that indicated she was quite troubled by what she needed to say next. "Alliance Prime Minister Reuben Trost and Admiral Steven Hackett will be on Earth, in Vancouver, to participate in the dedication ceremonies for the recently rebuilt Systems Alliance Naval and Defense Committee Headquarters. Councilor Osoba, along with Earth's Ambassador to Palaven, Arthur Hoffman, also plan to be in attendance for the ceremonies."

Liara could see that the councilor was holding something back; Raesia obviously had something additional to discuss, no doubt related to the information concerning the building dedication. "Councilor, it is obvious to me there is more on your mind… something else regarding the ceremony must be bothering you. Please… tell me."

Tevos sighed in resignation. "Immediately following the reception, all four of them will depart for Palaven… as the Human delegation to the first-ever, official, council-sanctioned trade conference between the two races. This is an immensely important 'next step' in Human involvement in Council affairs, Liara." The councilor looked down for a moment, shaking her head in disbelief… and near despair, before returning her gaze to Liara's image in front of her. "Unfortunately, Osoba has received a few worrisome intelligence reports. He just informed me the latest reports infer that at least one of them… if not all… may not be available to make that journey; apparently, they have been targeted for assassination for their… alien leanings."

"By the Goddess, Liara exclaimed angrily. "It is barely a year since the war ended! Don't people have enough to do… simply putting their lives back together after the Reapers? What possible reason could anyone have to wish any of those men dead? Perhaps whoever is responsible honestly only wants to disrupt the conference… dissuade the Earth representatives from attending… or even get the entire event cancelled, simply with an implied threat?"

"We have absolutely no idea." Tevos shrugged slightly and continued, "I would love for you to discover that is the case, Liara, but it seems that no matter how great our joint successes, there are still those who mistrust anyone different from themselves… enough to the point they are willing to murder good people over it. For obvious reasons, we are currently looking at either Earth First or Terra Firma but, as of this moment, we have no details… no specifics regarding targets, plans or motive, but… it has become painfully obvious to all of us that the upcoming dedication and reception, will provide ample opportunity for such an attack."

Liara looked down at the console for several moments before bringing her bead back up. "Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Councilor. Shepard and I will certainly look into this immediately… and take whatever action is appropriate."

"Thank you, Liara." Mirroring Liara's response, Tevos briefly hung her head in disappointment before looking back up and continuing, "I hope you and Shepard will have enough time to determine the source of this threat and put an end to it. And, should it prove necessary, I am positive a bit of extra planning on our part can prevent either of these events from becoming another tragedy. All of our peoples have suffered enough misery." Tevos cast her friend a final, grateful smile. "I truly am sorry for interrupting your honeymoon, no matter how close it is to completion. May the Goddess protect you and Shepard."

The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves, Ialessa System – 29 Aug 2188

As soon as her conversation with Tevos ended, Liara directed Riana to change the focus of her efforts. She then terminated her own afternoon work session in order to immediately return to the resort compound and seek out her siame. Having felt the disturbance through the link, Shepard was standing at the top of the ramp as Liara walked out of the maglev vehicle. The Spectre had a scowl on her face as she asked, "Liara. What's happened?"

"We need to pack up and prepare for an early morning departure, Samantha." Liara looped her arm through Shepard's, spinning her about and practically dragging her toward the house as she said, "I'll explain as we walk."

Once Liara relayed the information, Shepard shook her head in disbelief as she angrily exclaimed, "What the fuck? Are Humans truly that ignorant?" She looked at Liara and forced a smile as she added, "Don't answer that question. It's purely rhetorical… though, sometimes, I have to admit I am embarrassed by humanity's incredible intolerance for other races." With a snort, she turned away and spoke back over her shoulder. "Start packing, Blue, and I'll go find Livos. I'll have her tell everyone to say their goodbyes and prep for an early morning departure. I'll also contact Matriarch Marisha to coordinate the timing for our exit corridor. I'm suddenly very thankful she gave us her direct contact information… I'd hate to have to try explaining this to anyone else."

"An assassination? What in the galaxy would that gain them?" Livos stared at the bearer of the news for a moment, finding it difficult to find the right words. "Of all the ridiculous…" Her voice trailed off in surprised disbelief as the Spectre started to chuckle.

"Yeah, I know. I had the exact same reaction." Shepard's face held a light smile as she continued, "That's why we get along so well, Liv. We both expect people to be reasonable, but it rarely, if ever, works out that way." She paused and reached out to clasp the commando's shoulder. "Please relay the news to the rest of the team and find Zan. Spend what time you have with her, even if it's just while you pack up. Enjoy your last night as best you can… and be prepared for a very early morning departure time. I'll message the information to everyone as soon as I receive it from Matriarch Marisha."

"Understood, Captain." Livos sighed softly as she shook her head in disbelief. "I'll have Tra'ana perform a few of the pre-flight checks and inspections tonight, rather than wait until morning, just to ensure she doesn't find something not to her liking with no time to fix it."

"Good idea." Shepard gave a final squeeze before dropping her hand from Livos' shoulder. "I'm serious, Liv. Find Zan. Between this and the damned rogue Quarians, who knows when we'll have the luxury of down time again. Could be awhile."

As Shepard walked away, Livos opened her omnitool and typed a short note. Z – commando meeting in the common room. You should come if you can. Once she tapped the SEND command, she sent a similar bulletin – with the omission of the optional attendance note – to every commando who had come with them, except for Riana who was obviously already aware of what was happening. As soon as everyone had arrived, Livos reiterated what Shepard had told her. "Our vacation is truly over. We'll be home only long enough to transfer our gear to the Knight Shade and grab anything additional we might need. Then, we'll be headed to the CGC… and likely Earth immediately following that. Any questions?" She glanced at the stoic faces before her and saw nothing but determination. "No? Then prepare for departure."

As Livos packed her gear, Zan stood at the window, staring out into the forest surrounding the compound. "I know you are only leaving one day earlier than initially planned… yet, somehow, I feel as though we are being cheated by fate."

"Perhaps." Livos stopped and turned to the forest guide. "But it does not matter, because we have prepared for this and it will not change anything regarding how I feel about you, Zan." She closed the distance and wrapped her arms around her amantia's waist as she placed her chin on a taut shoulder. With her cheek softly touching the lightning bolt tattoos, she whispered, "Remember… we knew this would happen – the possibly long and unanticipated separations – and accepted it as part of our future lives together. It is my life as both a personal guard and a member of the Spectre crew aboard the Knight Shade. We cannot let it upset us… instead, we must cherish the time we do have together that much more."

Relaxing into the commando's arms, Zan quietly replied, "Of course. And I will enjoy the evening with you… but not letting it upset me is much easier said than actually done." She turned slowly within Livos' grip and kissed the commando passionately. After breaking away to gulp in a deep breath of air, she whispered, "And packing shouldn't take that long. It will leave us plenty of time tonight… and it is good they do not need you to fly the ship… because that means you do not need to be fully awake for the trip."

Before Livos could object, particularly regarding her responsibilities as the team captain, Zan used her mouth to capture Livos' lips again, thereby silencing any words she may have wanted to say. The guide's hands also set quickly to work, instantly and insistently driving any thoughts of protest far from the commando's mind. The evening was yet young… there would be plenty of time for packing – later.

Normandy SR2, Phoenix Massing, At Large – 29 Aug 2188

"Councilor. What can I do for you?" Spectre Williams once again found herself at the QEC with Tevos' image floating in the air before her.

"I need to give you an update on events that are unfolding on Earth." Ashley thought Tevos' face looked drawn but, with the quality of the transmission, it was difficult to say.

"Earth? What in Hell has happened now?" The captain of the Normandy glanced at her communications specialist, Sheldon Dubow, who immediately nodded his head and moved to the message terminal to start the hunt.

The raven-haired Spectre's face took on an increasing expression of disbelief as the Asari councilor explained all she knew or even guessed concerning the upcoming events on Earth; when Tevos had finished her explanation, Ashley leaned on the rail in front of her and hung her head for a moment. As thoughts of her own past briefly flashed through her mind… was I ever that damned narrow-minded when Shepard came to my aid on Eden Prime? …she raised her head to once again focus on the image before her. "So, what does this situation mean for Shepard and the Knight Shade… will they still be available for backup if the dissident Quarians begin their attack on Rannoch?

It was Tevos' turn to look down for a moment; the resolution wasn't fine enough for her to really be sure, but Ashley thought Tevos' expression conveyed a great deal of unhappiness at what she had to say next. "Don't expect Shepard and the Knight Shade to be coming anytime soon. I'll dispatch them your way as soon as this issue is resolved… but Ashley…" Another brief pause, then, "… this could haunt us all the way until the actual day of the dedication. I pray to the Goddess the dissidents will take no action before then. Please stay safe, Spectre Williams."

As the councilor's visage faded from the QEC ring, Dubow spoke quickly. "Lots of new classified traffic coming through, Ma'am. I'll sort it out and send what you need to your omni." He allowed a small smirk to crawl onto his face as he continued, "I guess our bet ends in a draw."

As his captain turned to him with a puzzled expression on her face, he let out a little chuckle. "Shepard and Dr T'Soni's honeymoon? You said they'd stay and I said they'd only last 3 days… at most. Check the calendar; they split us right down the middle. Neither one of us guessed correctly." He continued to chuckle intermittently as he returned his attention to his message terminal.

Even with what she had just learned from Tevos, Ashley couldn't help but smile and shake her head. "That's what we get for trying to anticipate the actions of the Shepard-T'Soni team… it's why they're so hard to beat in battle… They rarely go in the exact direction expected by their opponents."

Aletheia, The Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves – 29 Aug 2188

After making sure she had Lady Liara's permission, Livos – along with the assistance of a certain nature guide – transported most of the commando gear for the entire group to the Aletheia via the maglev car… While the rest of the team would spend their last evening at the resort, Livos had opted to spend the night on board the Jorius-Class Corvette. Once they had entered the vessel, Zan whistled quietly in appreciation. "Nice ship. Of course, I would expect nothing less of House T'Soni, but… wow."

Livos angled her head to indicate the main passage. "The forward hatch leads to the mess area and lounge, with a ladder to the lower deck for engineering and storage. Ahead of the ladder hatch is, of course, the cockpit. For now, we are headed aft toward the master suite and the two crew compartments, where we will drop the gear bags into their respective lockers; the ladder down to the weapons lockers is there as well. Once we store all the crew bags, I will give you the rest of the tour.

As they entered the second of the two crew berthing areas, Zan examined the space and exclaimed with alarm, "Just where exactly are we sleeping, Liv? I hope the master suite… because I don't think we'll both fit on any of the bunks I've seen yet!"

"Oh, no; the master suite is completely off limits," a laughing Livos replied. "There are, however, two other compartments I failed to mention… the head – um, bathroom – and the guest suite; I will simply point the head out as we pass, on our way to the guest suite. It is a two-person compartment with a berth convertible between two singles or a double. If we take an overnight trip without any passengers, it is where Riana and I normally sleep."

They quickly dropped off the remaining gear bags and moved down the passage. "Head is there," Livos stated as she pointed off to the left. She opened the door on the right as she continued, "And this is the guest suite." Walking in, she moved immediately to a small collapsible table between the two beds. She dropped it down and locked it into a shallow cavity in the bulkhead before returning to the door, opening a concealed panel, and tapping the enclosed haptic interface. She grinned as the bed on the right began to slide left; pointing to a small closet she said, "Sheets are in there… just make sure you grab a double set and not a single."

As soon as the bed was made, Livos continued the tour, moving forward through the central airlock compartment and into the lounge and galley area. Zan looked around and realized the size of the space. "This has seating for over a dozen people… but only berths for ten."

Livos' face held a gentle smile, her dark sable eyes shining with pride and happiness at being able to show Zan this part of her life. "True, the crew is 10 persons, but we can carry a lot more if necessary. Plus, we are never all sleeping at the same time. In a working vessel such as this, private beds are something space and the mission cannot afford; it is called hot-bunking. In the commando quarters, everyone on the team carries their own bedroll and throws it down on whatever bunk is available. We normally have at least three up on watch, no matter what we are doing so, even when we have guests, there is normally at least one empty bunk, if not more."

"Is that an invitation, Liv?" Zan smirked at the surprise that registered on the commando's face.

"I wish! I would love it if you could travel along with us, Zan," the captain finally replied. "But, you would be bored to death cooped up in here. Not even a potted plant for you to study." Walking into the small kitchenette, she inquired, "This also serves as a bar… Can I get you anything?"

Zan had followed close behind and closed the gap, wrapping her arms lightly around the waist of her amantia. "All I want is you, Liv. I want no alcohol blurring my memories of tonight."

"Sounds good to me… How about some tea?" Livos broke free of her amantia's grasp and retrieved the necessary accoutrements for herself, including a bowl of Chandra and, then, a second cup and tea ball following an affirmative nod from Zan.

This is likely as domestic as it will ever get for us. The guide couldn't help but smile as she watched the commando captain work in the kitchen and stated, "You know almost my entire life story, yet your past remains largely a mystery to me, Captain." She moved to the end of the long dining table and sat in the chair closest to the kitchen, wrapping her hands around the swiftly delivered mug, its surface warming rapidly as Livos poured hot water in. "I would love if you were willing to share some of it with me now. Give me something to ponder in your absence?"

"Goddess, you are an intuitive one." Astonished, Livos dropped abruptly into a chair beside the one occupied by Zan. "Just as you wished to tell your story to me in your private retreat, I wanted you in my environment to tell you mine. My only concern is this… How do you know you'll still like me after I tell you who I really am? Do you truly wish to know?"

Laughing in response, Zan shook her head. "Knowing where I come from… you know I have no grounds to judge someone else for their beginnings… so tell me, please. I would love to hear your story."

"Alright then, though I believe the end will be much more of a surprise to you than the beginning." Livos smiled slightly as she began. "My parents worked together on the surface of Cyone, maintaining antimatter generators for the consortium of matriarchs who provided the protective fortifications surrounding the planet. Their sponsor was Matriarch Cylia T'Sasia, who also generously paid for my university specialty training… it was mostly as a bonus for the work my parents did, but also included a two-year apprenticeship on Cyone. I soon discovered I had little patience for extraction work, so shifted to a track focused on commando training. Matriarch Cylia did not bat an eye… but instead of returning as an extraction specialist, it was assumed I would fulfill my apprenticeship contract working with the Defense Force once my training was completed."

The smile turned into a grin as Livos continued. "My plans changed dramatically when I received an offer so generous, I could not even think of refusing. I was graduating top of my class, yet I was still surprised when House T'Soni extended a testing opportunity to me and offered to buy out my contract with Lady T'Sasia once I passed."

"Just like that… straight out of school?" Zan's eyes were wide with wonder.

"Yes!" Livos chuckled at the memory and continued, "I later discovered I was not the only one so blessed. Apparently, Matriarch Benezia was in the habit of searching out top talent and offering contracts other houses couldn't even begin to match. There is a reason House T'Soni is one of the High Houses… and Lady Liara is smart enough to keep us there!"

"So, you obviously passed the test…" Zan prodded.

"Yes, I did… on my first attempt. So, I joined House T'Soni in 1790, at the age of 103." She shrugged. "Her top commandos were also excellent biotics instructors and I soon found myself in training as a Sentinel… and on a leadership track for Captain."

Zan swigged down the last of her tea and stood, carrying her mug to the kitchen and stacking it inside the rather large cleanser bin. "This seems disproportionate to the size of everything else… but I suppose if you are cleaning for a crew of ten, you need it."

"Yes, and sometimes…" Livos rose from the stable and followed suit as she finished, "… it seems as though it is not large enough." Closing the unit, she took Zan's hand and started walking toward the forward ladder. "A few times, we have provided transport for Consort Sha'ira and her acolytes. It is amazing how many dishes they use in food preparation for the group!"

When they arrived at the top of the ladder, Livos paused and turned toward the guide, earning her full attention. "There is more below us than just the weapons lockers, Zan. I have discussed this with Lady Liara, and if you are to be a trusted member of my circle, then you need to know about it… it is very much part of what we do as a team and who I am. Are you truly committed to becoming a trusted friend of House T'Soni?"

"I… suppose I have to be, do I not?" Zan studied Livos' face and saw… trepidation? "I do not know what you are about to show me, but I can see you are worried about my reaction. You must understand that I know about House T'Soni's reputation for honest and straightforward dealing… and I believe I have gained a decent measure of your personality over the past two weeks, Captain. Show me what you will, and I promise to consider it fairly."

The lower deck was much larger than Zan anticipated and she quickly realized why. "This is why the storage deck appeared small for such a vessel. I assumed it was because of all the cargo… but you have actually moved the bulkhead, to give this area more space."

Livos said nothing, offering only a nod in confirmation as Zan continued her study of the compartment. "And that is a secondary communications suite…" She walked toward the equipment and, suddenly realizing exactly what she was looking at, spun back to Livos and exclaimed, "No, it is not! That is your primary communications system and Liara T'Soni is still an Information Broker! She did not leave that part of her life behind on Illium at all…" Zan's mind was running at full speed as she tried to absorb everything she was seeing. "She was not the Normandy's Executive Officer, as she is on the Knight Shade… She ran the ship's intelligence branch and used Broker assets to do it!"

Livos was growing concerned as Zan rambled on… until her final outburst. "Goddess, Liv… That is… well… that was absolutely brilliant!"

Shocked, all Livos could utter was a single word. "What?"

"Brilliant!" Zan's face split with a huge grin. "That was the best damned purpose the Information Broker Network could ever possibly serve! My only question would be how in the galaxy did Liara convince the Shadow Broker to help? He had to know what she was doing… and allow it. I guess when faced with the very survival of the galaxy, even the likes of the Broker would be forced to pitch in."

Livos stood quietly, waiting for Zan to finish. Once her amantia fell silent, the captain spoke reverently of Shepard's disappearance over Alchera, how that was the cause behind Liara joining the ranks of the information traders. "Watching over Liara those two years was exceedingly difficult… not because of what we were forced to do, but because of the well of despair that she fell into so deeply."

Livos felt a tear run down her cheek as the horrid memories rose to the surface of her mind, but she smiled anyway as she continued, "And then, one day, Shepard showed up and literally walked back into our lives… in a forced arrangement with Cerberus, but alive and well – an answer to Liara's prayers. My faith in the Goddess was renewed that day. I never believed it could actually be possible until the flesh and blood Spectre strode into Liara's office."

Zan had slid into the chair at the comm terminal in dumbfounded silence as she listened to the incredulous tale. "How in the blue blazes is that even possible?" she whispered.

"I do not know… but Shepard is walking proof that it is." Livos smiled and shrugged. "I was forced to accept that some things simply have to be taken on faith. I could find no other explanation."

Leaning forward intently, Zan looked her in the eye and intreated, "Please, continue."

Livos then spoke of the hunt for Feron, how Liara had felt indebted to him, even though he had betrayed her… and how she dared to take the risk now that Shepard had rejoined her; together, they were unstoppable. "We finally learned he was being held as a prisoner on a ship in a geo-synched orbit above Hagalaz. It was the main headquarters for the Shadow Broker… and concealed within the edges of violent atmospheric storms that continuously plague the planet. Had Liara not known exactly where to look, she never would have detected the ship within all the electrical interference, even though it was monstrous in size."

Livos practically growled the next part of the story. "Being forced to let her go with Shepard, without us as backup, was one of the most difficult orders I have ever had to follow. Knowing she was risking her life to rescue that… Kena sa'ki…" She paused and shook her head in disgust. "I suppose that is one of the reasons they did not want our help. I believe I may have killed him the instant I saw him… just as I did when he eventually betrayed her a second time… and Shepard could sense it, I know."

Zan reached over and gripped her hand. "If he betrayed her yet again, you only did what was necessary, Liv, but… going after the Shadow Broker? Were you all crazy?" Zan laughed nervously as she released her hold on the commando and answered her own question. "Obviously not, because you are still here… but, now, you must tell me how it all ended!"

When Livos had finally finished the tale, Zan sat in total silence, simply staring in absolute astonishment at the commando who stood before her. When she finally found her voice, she stammered, "They killed a Yahg? And Lady Liara… is… the new Shadow Broker? By the Goddess! Such a thing is beyond even my wildest imaginings!"

"Yes, she is… and she trusts my judgment enough to allow me to give you that knowledge, so you can understand that my full mission under her employ is actually three-fold, not two." Livos closed the gap between them and took Zan's hands within her own. "Please tell me I have not erred with the trust I have placed in you."

"Absolutely not, Captain. I would trust you with my life… and I want you to know you can trust me with yours… and everything that entails." Rising to meet the commando face-to-face, Zan continued softly, "So, you are the commander of her personal guard, team leader of a Spectre ground squad, and a Shadow Broker agent. It is no wonder you have so little personal time. But, it also means our relationship is that much more important… to give you something to live for, Livos Tanni! You must be careful out there… to ensure you come home safely to me every chance you get."

"You must be careful as well." Livos' voice was earnest as she spoke of the harsh realities surrounding the information she had just provided. "There are people who would gladly kill – without hesitation – for the knowledge you now possess… and I have to trust that you will never give it to anyone freely, for such an action would put us all at extreme risk."

"Then why would you even tell me this?" Zan's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Why would you take that risk?"

"Because I love you and we promised one another no secrets. I cannot, in good conscience, keep this from you. If Liara's role is ever discovered, your life could be placed in mortal danger by our mere association… and you would not even know you had become a target."

Zan paused for a thoughtful moment, finally responding, "So I am your Leona; available as a tool to be used against you should someone learn Liara's secret."

"I suppose that is true." A heavy sigh escaped the commando as she nervously ran a hand across her crests. "Is that a role you are willing to play?"

"Willingly? No." Surprisingly, Zan grinned. "But, unlike Leona, should it come to pass, I would trust you to save me… and then not hold the event against you, for I would place the blame where it belongs – on those who perpetrate the evil deed to begin with."

"That may be easier said than done." Livos' forehead crinkled in consternation.

Zan grinned, reaching out to smooth the wrinkles on her lover's brow. "Oh, I know… particularly since I lived through just such an event where my amantia failed in doing so… but have faith in me, Liv. I swear to you it will not be misplaced."

"I do, Zan, or I would not have told you to begin with… and we would not be here now." A smile finally returned to the commando's face as she continued, "And… speaking of now… You have heard my story, you have seen our ship. Are you ready to go to bed?"

"After the story you just told?" Zan chuckled. "I am ready to go to the bedroom, but I feel any meaningful rest will be a long time coming. Are you prepared to entertain me in other ways, until I am ready to sleep?"

"Oh, yes," Livos laughed in answer. "I am quite confident in my ability to find something worthwhile with which to occupy your time, Love… very confident, indeed."