AUTHOR'S NOTE Hey y'all, don't worry about me, I'm physically fine as is my family. Just got quarantine blues or some shit but so does half the damn world at least I figure. Getting motivation has been a killer, but I still want to write and complete this story, don't mistake that. It's just the motivation to start typing that can be a bitch to actually stay. I'll keep trying to stick to the schedule if not upload more frequently which I do still want to do. I just wrapped up this semester of college anyways so that's one less excuse. Unemployed, out of school for now, literally stuck at home. All I have is stuff going on with those 501st I've mentioned and some D&D. And I've been trying to beat Doom Eternal on Ultra-Nightmare. The farthest I've gotten on any attempt so far is the ARC complex. Fuck Whiplashes. Marauders are fine, and Whiplashes are fine at the end of the day but I still hate them.

Bottom line: I've got fuck all to really do and will be trying to get some more writing done. Hope you enjoy!

Commander John Shepard

Not long after returning to the Normandy, Miranda had informed me that TIM wanted to speak. Did he somehow already learn of my suggested arrangement with Hackett? But I was about to find out as the comm room connected to whatever circle of Hell TIM resides in. Like always, he was sitting in his chair with alcohol and a cigarette.

"Shepard, I see you're on your feet again. You would have been far sooner had you allowed us to supply you with the replacements we have on hand."

"Are we actually going to have this discussion? We both know how it's going to go." I raised a brow, crossing my arms. He just gave me a look before downing the rest of his drink in one large swig.

"I'm currently sending files to the Normandy. Everything that Cerberus has on the Shadow Broker relevant to Dr. T'Soni's hunt. Including some more specific information that may be a lead to the Broker's physical location."

"And your angle?" TIM took a drag of his cigarette before responding.

"Put simply, the Broker is competition. Further, for your own motivation, the Shadow Broker was not only trying to recover your body but sell it to the Collectors. I understand you have no reason to trust this claim from me, but Dr. T'Soni should be able to confirm that for you."

"We done here?" TIM just gave a wave of his hand and the call ended, the room returning to normal but I was already on my way out, and quickly told Joker where we were off to, and figured I'd check in with Mordin, see how the lung is doing. I actually haven't seen it yet. So, I made my way to the lab and went through the decontamination. Mordin was in the process of… dissecting, I think, the seeker drone that he used to develop the countermeasure to the paralysis. Lia was standing beside him, observing, and taking notes.

"One moment, Shepard," Mordin didn't have to look up. Lia gave a quick nod in greeting as Mordin got a point suitable for at least a momentary pause. He set his tools down and looked up.

"Just checking in. How's my lung growing?"

"Faster than expected. Predict only one more week opposed to week and a half. Currently in cloning vat beside my desk, can see, if you want."

"Good to hear, but how's uh… that other thing?" I asked. With Lia around I'm not going to call it by what it is. Mordin was actually quiet a moment while he seemed to narrow down on what I was referring to. It was a very brief moment, but it was noticeable.

"Ah, yes. Lia, privacy please."

"Yes, Professor." Lia lowered her Omni-too and simply entered the decon unit I had come through.

"Have created immunoboosters and antibiotics specified for Tali'Zorah's biology in addition to original request. With blood samples from both you and Tali, have created mixture akin to vaccine for inoculation against you. Given Quarian immune systems, will require multiple injections over time. While the… standard process of exposure results in sickness and inoculation over time, these will provide no sickness and can be taken every other day. Unclear how often Tali'Zorah has been exposed, unsure how long until immune system stops responding to you. Still, likely months. Finally, if exposed, inoculation cannot be safely taken until no longer sick. Will ask for her after her shift to provide the first round of medications."

"Ah, well, thanks doc. This means a lot to both of us." Mordin smiled.

"Lust and romance alien concepts to Salarians. Not so alien to avoid understanding or appreciation. I wish you well, and encourage enjoyment."

"Thanks, Mordin. Is there anything that I need to be taking?"

"No medications. Have already provided list of recommended soaps, body wash, mouthwash. If poor reaction from dextro compounds due to… ingestion, can provide medication to ease reaction. However, must explicitly recommend that Tali'Zorah ingest nothing until after successful inoculation"

"Er… right, Mordin. I'm just gonna go now, alright?"

"Of course." I left Mordin to his dissection, sending Lia back to him from the decon unit and made my way down to the crew deck. I hadn't been able to progress with my biotics for a while now. Sure, I had practiced while injured by menial shit, lifting a piece of food into my mouth, which may or may not have resulted in a scoff from Chakwas. I could go see Samara, hadn't spoken with her too much since Morinth, I wanted to give her time. I could always go see Miranda, but that's still icy ground. So, I went down to starboard observation, expecting to find her meditating, and I was not disappointed.

"Shepard," she greeted.

"Samara, what are you meditating on this time?"

"The same since we completed my task on Omega."

"Ah. Want to talk about it?" Samara was quiet a moment. Then stood and approached the viewport.

"She haunted both my dreams and my waking hours in equal measure. My reason for becoming a Justicar. My one task for 400 years. And now, I am free," she spread her arms out. "I am a ruined vessel of sorrow and regret, but I am free. It is indescribable." For a brief moment, so incredibly brief, I swear I heard her choke on her words.

"I can imagine why."

"She was the smartest and strongest of my daughters. She fought against the injustice life thrust upon her. And she fought to the end. I am so proud of her."

"Proud?"

"Do not mistake me. I would do it again, but I know what it means to leave everything behind and fight. She ran at Forty, Shepard."

"Ten years older than me. Depending on how you count the time I was… out of it."

"You understand how young that is for Asari."

"And what's next for you?"

"Injustice still exists. Assuming I survive your mission, I will continue to fight injustice. Other Ardat-Yakshi exist, perhaps I will hunt them as well."

"Don't plan to be a Justicar that retires?"

"I attempted to settle down once before, Shepard. I will fight and struggle all my life. That is my fate. My death will not be in bed. This is the path that I have chosen. And with the completion of my goal, I am at peace. Now, why did you come see me, Shepard?"

"Hm? Oh, right. Originally, I was coming down to see if you could help me progress with my biotics. I'm hoping that I can use them effectively in combat by the time we go through the relay.

"And I would be happy to help, Shepard."

Commander John Shepard

Samara's methods were, unsurprisingly, far more monastic than Miranda's, but despite its difference, it felt calming and even more natural. We actually practiced both a warp and a barrier. The warp being practiced on a blank piece of paper where I had to picture tearing the paper up before I was able to send a warp that burned a hole through and burned it, while the barrier was on a small stone that Samara makes use of in her meditations from time to time, as simple as picturing a wall in front of me. I didn't get it right on the first try of course, but I learned how to form a small barrier. As far as physical shields would be concerned, it was around the size of a buckler. Samara's methods also got me thinking. In many ways, it reminded me of the Shaolin.

Back during N7 training, a Shaolin was one of the martial arts masters brought in to teach us. Now while I'm far from being a Shaolin, nor do I have the interest, and they didn't have the years needed over at Rio in order to make us all masters of Shaolin martial arts, we're familiar with them. But what brings this up? I'm curious how, if at all, they've adapted or included biotics and how similarly their methods even with or without biotics, are to those of the Justicars.

As the travel time went by I had let Liara know we were on our way with something important for her so she could reserve a docking bay nearby, though she was more than happy to let Cerberus foot the bill this time, which Miranda would sort out while I brought Garrus and Tali along to Liara's office. By the time we did actually arrive on Illium, our docking bay was on the same level as the trading floor. Miranda being guided to the dockmaster's office, while we made our way to Liara. Here and now, we entered the office with her new secretary. One of Illium's, according to Mordin, rare Turian females.

"Commander Shepard," her mandibles flared in a Turian grin. "Ms. T'Soni is waiting for you in her office. Please, go right ahead." I quickly thanked her, and we made our way up the stairs towards Liara's office.

"I'm going to need to ask Liara for her new secretary's name," Garrus mused aloud but keeping his voice down in the office.

"It almost seems like you say something like that anytime we see a Turian woman," I remarked.

"Considering most of the friendly female sentient life we see out on our missions has four eyes, is a Giant reptile, an amphibian with the body mass of a toothpick, or has those weird sacks of flesh on your chests, to say that I'm eager and relieved whenever I see a beautiful Turian woman would be quite the understatement.

"To each their own," I chuckled. "I, on the other hand, am quite happy with those 'weird sacks of flesh' you mentioned."

"John!" Tali exclaimed, struggling to stay quiet like the rest of us now. Garrus and I both had a chuckle at her expense, and at mine when she smacked me outside the back of the head with a huff. Crossing her arms over her chest and then getting self-conscious and adjusted so that her arms covered those 'weird sacks of flesh' which just resulted in her getting even more frustrated and grumbling under her breath. And with that, we knocked on Liara's door, our old friend calling permission for entry, and she was already standing and moving around her desk as the three of us entered.

"It's good to see you all again," she began as she gave each of the three of us a hug. "You said you had something for me?" she led us towards some seats at the side of her office, away from her desk.

"Technically, Cerberus does. TIM doesn't like having the shadow broker around, knows you're already after him, and so gave us a data packet his people recently claimed, believes it can give you a lead." Liara's brows furrowed as she thought for a moment.

"I know it would be in their interest to remove the Broker, and I don't believe the Illusive Man would send you with this unless it was confident this information was crucial. May I?" I simply responded by transferring over the data they had given me. Quite the sizable file. Liara took a brief moment to look through. "Honestly, I'm not surprised that Cerberus didn't do the work of decrypting it for me. But…" Liara gasped.

"Liara?" She snapped back to reality; eyes still wide.

"We, the four of us, need to talk. Somewhere I know is safe. My offices close in seven hours meet me back here then. Please stay around the trading floor in this complex. I'm going to have someone shadow you. If you want hangouts or things to do, I can recommend Eternity, the bar on the trading floor, and the shops one floor lower, there's a gun store among them. Please, do not be late and I need to work on this immediately."

"Say no more, we'll leave you to it. See you in a few hours."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: One more thing, Mordin's treatment being given to Tali and Shep? Through my stories, back in the early ITGU days actually, I made a buddy, and two of the buddies he introduced me to are actually biologists. I ran that by them and they gave it the greenlight. One of em has a story on this site for Vetra and Scott, not a novelization like ITGU but it's a good read and somehow he got screwed by the sites search system, so I'm gonna give his username and the name of his story. He also does not know I'm doing this by the way so give him some love for his story!

Username Auk-1
Story: Court and Courtship