Flight of the Phoenix

by Elizabeth Carter

Book two: Sovereign is dead, the citadel once ruins is beginning to rebuild, the Council is saved and now Shepard is faced with a new enemy, one held over from ancient days:The Collectors. She must race against time, Cerberus and the shadows of a war yet to come. This is part two of my Ashes world: a retelling of ME2. Many game elements are changed because Shepard wasn't spaced.

13. Serendipity

Chapter 13: Serendipity

"Is it just me or does Shepard seem absolutely fine with Liara leaving the ship?" Garrus asked Tali as she was moving the last of her belonging into the XO's quarters. Garrus on the other hand was doing what a lot of male's do when their females take over the house, watching, waiting for orders to move things, such as the furniture to better suite their liking. Of course the only answer to such was to roll his eyes when the woman decided that another place was preferable then decided that second option was better after all. At lest there would be no complaining about the position of the toilet seat, the XO quarters didn't come with its own ensuite so the crew's facilities were their only option.

The young woman paused in her redecorating. "I'd be concerned more if they were angry with each other. But they're not. I think it's more than just trying to keep Liara safe though."

Garrus's mandibles twitched which on a human was the equivalent of a raised eyebrow.

"Okay maybe she's just trying to be supportive of this new role Liara's taking on," Tali shrugged. To be honest she was a bit concerned as well as to why Shepard was sanguine over her bondmate leaving her side. "After the loss of their baby they went to a pretty dark place for a time. I think this new Normandy is the key to snap them out of it. It looks so much like the old Normandy. For the most part they are so alike but there are some big differences too. I mean the old Normandy went 'shuuuuummmm-shuuuuuum'. But the SR-2 is much bigger so they had to upgrade the ventilation system so it's more of a wuhwuhwuhwuhwuhwuh."

"You know that's exactly what it sounds like. There's a lot more space now, maybe not as big as the Victory but it's nice," Garrus supplied trying to keep up with the shift the conversation took.

"But if you move further up," Tali continued seemingly not hearing her boyfriend's comments. "It's tktuh- tktuh- tktuh- tktuh- tktuh. Same as on Victory she's more of the tktuh- tktuh- tktuh even in engineering."

The turian chuckled adoring his quirky lover all the more. "So which ship do you prefer?" he was genuinely curious.

"Well we wouldn't have the SR-2 without the original Normandy but the Victory was step up even from that. I'm sorry to see her go. She has a beautiful core. I'm sure Liara would say something about the Normandy, the old one I mean, being a testament of the galactic community, the combined cooperation of human and turian ingenuity."

Vakarian chuckled "Sounds just like her."

"I'm sure the SR-2 will prove to be a good ship even if she's untested."

"Yeah, well, she'll get plenty of tests along the way. We're going up against the Collectors. But going into that you'd think Shepard would want a crew she trusts not a ship of strangers. It makes no sense to me to dump perfectly good commandos and marines only to pick up a handful of criminals: a thief, a convict who knows what crimes this Jack fellow did to get him in a max prison like Purgatory. Not to mention a grump of a mercenary with no depth perception and an uber-cop. On top of that we've got a Cerberus AI, a loyalist lackey and someone who's way too perky fan-girling Shepard. Oh let's not forget we're also going to pick up some krogan warlord who's so twisted that not even the krogan want him on their broken up planet."

"You heard what the Commander said; it's not up to her, the Council made the call."

"Call me paranoid but I think they want to see her fall. Tali she's slipping right where..." he stopped not wanting to continue that line of thought.

Tali moved up to Garrus's side and put her hand on his arm. "She's not there yet and we won't let her betray what she is or who she is. Part of being a Trusted is that you protect those that called you so, even against themselves. You weren't named one on their wedding day but you are a Trusted, Garrus. You're Shepard's archangel. Didn't you tell me she said that to you? That there is no Shepard without Vakarian? Maybe she got a little lost; and maybe this ship will help her find herself again. She's on her own pilgrimage."

"Then we will see her though it. But what of Liara? She's going to be alone out here. And don't tell me she'll have those asari commandos by her side. It's not the same as friends or a bondmate."

"I think that's what this whole new career path is about; she's stepping away from war for now but not Shepard. Come to think about it, I think I just figured out why Shepard is really okay with it. Probably even prefers it. I don't believe Liara will be as alone as you think."

"What do you mean? What you getting at? What, Shiala?"

The purple hood rustled as Tali shook her head. "No I mean...there is one perfectly good reason why our beloved Specter is all cosy with Liara not on the ship flying onto hell with her."

"Yeah? And?"

"Ugh." Tali patted her tummy, behind the mask her silver eyes widened a little in emphasis. "Think about it Vakarian."

The former C-Sec eyes followed the tri-fingered hands of his lover as they rested on her belly then his mouth opened into an 'O'. "A baby? You think...what, you think Liara is pregnant again?"

A nod.

"Wait how do you know? Did they say something? When did this happen?"

"Didn't I just say I just figured it out? Umph. Men you should listen more." Tali chidingly shook her head. "No they didn't say anything to me and I don't know for sure and I sure don't know when they did the deed but think about it for a moment. It makes sense. Couple of days ago Shepard was in a depressed funk because Liara's taking off. Now she's perfectly fine about it. It's not about keeping our resident Prothean expert out of harm's way it's about keeping a new baby out of harm's way. It's a baby. Has to be."

"A baby, huh?" Garrus's mandibles tweaked into a turian version of a smile. "Are you sure?"

"Call it um...woman's intuition." The hands that were on her stomach went to her hips. "You know if we get rid of that chair in that little alcove when you first come in I can install a work table over that by that window so I can work on my drones."

The sudden shift of conversation had Garrus' head spinning. How women did that he'd never know. "Er yeah sure. Wait a minute why not just use that desk? It's big enough."

"Because you're going to need it silly." There was a smile hidden behind the tinted faceplate.

"Me? I don't need a desk, well not one that big."

"In case it slipped your mind, you're the new XO. You're going to need a desk. You'll have paperwork."

"Ah, crap."

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

They had sworn oaths of servitude and duty to the T'Soni Bastion. Each commando in turn would, if needs be, lay down her life in that service just like any marine in the Alliance or Hierarchy. It wasn't a question of whether or not they would perform; it was a matter of protection, or rather of security.

"Liara is pregnant," the Commander said addressing the gathered huntresses before her. "Their safety is of the highest priority. I know without question each of you will do your duties. But I...She must be protected. What happened on the Citadel must not be allowed to happen again. Liara means everything to me, she always has."

Morwen, the eldest of the commandos, placed a hand upon the young human's arm, it was a gesture of understanding and more than that it was reassurance. But what could be said to a woman who already lost a child, what reassurances could be offered that didn't sound of tripe and become trivial.

"We were not there to safeguard her on the Citadel, that trespass will not happen on Illum, Commander Shepard." The vow was born out of earnest and absolute conviction of duty. The matron saw the worry in the young Commander's eyes, the dire need to be with Liara-with her daughter. There was a deeper worry, one Morwen could not place, but it was prevalent and strong. There were no words the asari could offer that would waylay those concerns.

How was she to know the concern lay in the cardiovascular direction? Only the parents and two doctors knew about Secura's bad-heart and no other. Of course Sam was worried about her child as was Liara. Dr. Morzan Volkhavaar, the specialist in asari neonatal medicine, would continue to serve the new mother. Liara even now, despite the seemingly quieter life a desk-jockey information broker would provide, was in danger of loosing yet another child. Maiden pregnancies were always considered high risk as their bodies were not entirely ready to bear children.

Another specialist was also leaving, as it stood now it would be impossible for Dr. Kiang T'Shyn to accompany the crew. She had been brought onboard because of the abnormalities the bond and the gestalt had created between Liara and Sam. She, with Volkhavaar, would be close at hand monitoring Liara and the baby's health as well as the connection between the bondmates. That bond was still a curiosity as such connections were practically unheard of outside exclusive asari pair bonding. If the physician was honest with herself she was more than a little curious to see the extent of the reach of this bond. As were Sam and Liara. Being parted from one another was going to be excruciating enough without the bond to lean on. It wasn't the typical emotional pangs of separations which touched any couple within in military service, the bond.

No one knew what could happen when two different minds blended so completely as Liara and Samantha's had. With the complications of the cyan syndrome and the treatments, all anyone could do now was wait and see what will happen between the two. And while the lovers had a modicum of control over their link, the connection was still extraordinary compulsive. Their endocrine levels had finally balanced out but would they stay that way if they were unable to Join or meld, would the link be enough or would they suffer as before? This was a true test, and a necessary one. So far their connection was a benefit, but should it become a liability and debilitate either one of them then other measures needed to be taken. There was no sense in worrying about the darkness that might never be. All the precautions that could be taken were being taken. Shepard simply had to trust the commandos enough to let go.

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

Blue fingers trailed along the hull of the Normandy with melancholy fondness. Blue eyes looked about the quarters, taking in the details as if it might be for the last time for a long time. Her Ilosian 'cabbages' had already been taken to her apartment, as with all her books, and everything else that was hers save for a few choice items that she wanted to pack at the last moment.

What remained in the loft all belonged to her bondmate; the models, the collector's edition action figures, the fish and Little Guy the hamster, Samantha's set of their wedding pictures with the two of them together and a close-up of Liara looking rather demurely at the camera with her best come-hither look that made Sam's knees turn to jelly and caused a great fluttering of butterflies. Liara's set of pictures had the identical wedding photo of them together holding each other in a loving tender embrace. They were looking at each other rather than at the camera. Samantha's portrait on the other hand had been a candid picture taken by Sam's mother Hannah when she was looking at Liara. She had a dreamy quality to her eyes which created the same effect on Liara as hers did with Sam.

Another sigh slipped past her lips, she was going to miss this. The Prothean expert had spent half her life on the move, living in camps and, for the past two years, on a ship. It might be nice to sink some roots down, at least for a little while. She touched her flat tummy and smiled. Her bondmate was born and raised on a ship, it wasn't a bad life to live and she wouldn't have minded it for their daughter. But with everything going on and with the loss of Secura it was for the better that she and little Benezia-Hannah groundside. Of course Samantha already had a nickname picked out- Ziaha as it wasn't such a long name for a child to say or carry.

Her hand stayed on her belly a while longer.

"You're going to miss this place are you not?" Shiala said softly as she placed a few personal items into a suitcase.

Liara nodded. "Hum... very much so."

"Or maybe it's just Shepard."

"Of course her. But I shall miss the Normandy as well. She was the ship that brought me the love of my life." The younger asari's eyes landed on the tiny replica of the ship before an impetuous idea struck her and she picked it up, carried it to the open suitcase on the bed and placed it tenderly the middle of it.

Shiala watched with a bemused expression. "Will Shepard not miss her toy?"

"Model replica," Liara automatically corrected and smiling as she did so, "and she might, but Samantha will understand the sentiment. It will bring a smile to her lips."

"And what of the hoodie?" the former XO saw the distinctive N7 emblem on the right-hand side of the cloth jacket.

Liara looked down to the black hoodie, the right arm emblazed with the red and white honor stripe. She picked it up and sniffed it, drawing in the scent of her bondmate. She closed her eyes as if drawing in the sweet perfume of a rose. To the Prothean expert, her bondmate's scent was by far sweeter. "I left my silk robe in its place."

"More sentiment?" Shiala jibbed.

"An indulgence," Liara whispered. "I won't have her beside me in the bed. I won't be able to hold her or be held and I won't have her scent filling my nostrils as I sleep. I've grown quite accustomed to it." She held the hoodie once more to her nose and drank deeply the scent clinging to it closing her eyes as she did so.

"And she of course has a fondness for your scent," Shiala surmised. Of course they were drawn to each other's scents, their pheromones swirled around each other, marking the other as their own.

There was a purple tint to the blue cheeks. A very clear answer but Liara spoke nevertheless. "She has." She closed the lid on her suitcase and carried it to the door. It was then she chanced to look at the hamster's cage. The water bottle was nearly empty. She went to the cage lifted the lid, took the bottle and preceded into the ensuite to fill it with water from the tap.

"The Commander never struck me as a rodent woman, she seems more like a varren person to me," Shiala said watching her former student replace the bottle back into the cage.

"She thinks he's cute. Who am I to disagree? She wasn't allowed many pets growing up. You can well imagine why she being a spacer-child and all. She might have had one or two fish but nothing more. She liked the hamster when she saw him in the souvenir store. Apparently he 'meeped' at her and she took it as a sign he wanted to go home with her. I'm simply grateful I managed to convince her to name the little beast something better then Schoomples, or worse yet, Meep."

"So what is it?"

"Little Guy."

Shiala giggled. "Truly? That doesn't seem very imaginative. But you're correct, much better than Schoomples."

"She's military born and raised. When it comes to naming things Samantha is bit more on the pragmatic and practical side of things. It's rather endearing to hear her speak to the little creature." Liara tossed in a few food pelts into the cage as well. "There you are, Little Guy, that should tide you over and settle you during the move."

There was an answering meep as the hamster scurried from his silenced exercise wheel into his little 'house.'

"Then how did Schoomples ever crop up?" Shiala could not conceive of ever hearing the great Commander Shepard say the word Schoomples other than to mock it.

"She said it was the first name that popped into her had. I think it must have been from a story she read as a young maiden. Something to do with dragons as I recall," Liara answered looking to the books left on the desk.

Some were historical biographical fictions from an author named Drew Karpyshyn, others were fantasy novels dating back to Earth's twentieth century. Sam even had a handful of Thessian fantasy novels mixed in the bunch as well as a binder full of magazines ranging from Bad Ass Weekly (something Wrex turned her on to because he had been in it a few times and Aria was always mentioned...The Spectre called them the 'Hot-Sheets'.) Yes there were even a few copies of Fornax, Guns and Bullets, and Spectre Chronicles. There were the magazines they both enjoyed such as Intergalactic Geographic, Popular Science and Archaeology Digest (the latter of which Liara knew Samantha had picked up to better verse her mind into Liara's world. Of course they were all back-issues she bought that had reprinted Liara's dissertations and journals on the subject of the Protheans).

And Liara once thought she had caught a handful of the Grognak the Barbarian comics in and amongst the other periodicals. Shepard once claimed she liked the old fashioned black and white ink work. The Prothean expert simply took it as one of her bondmates guilty pleasures. The native Thessian thought she may purchase a few issues of Samantha's favoured magazines to make the apartment feel as it belonged to both of them...to have an essence of her bondmate within the new home.

There was a buzzing at the door, which drew both asari's attention.

"Ah, that should be the crewmen sent up that are responsible for transferring the Commander's belongings," Shiala extrapolated. "My last act as XO-overseeing the transfer of the Captain's quarters."

Liara nodded her understanding. "Will you miss it?"

The elder asari thought for a moment then nodded. "I think I shall. I love being on a ship just as much as your bondmate, I think." There was a smile. "And I have enjoyed my time here immensely." She laughed then. "You know I think I shall have to find a replica of the Victory."

This time Liara blinked as she missed the punchline.

"The Normandy brought you the love of your life and the Victory brought me mine. Even if she did borrow the heroic name of another ship for a time, she was always the Victory."

This time the younger maiden shared in the laughter. "I think that is a wonderful idea." She touched her mentor on the arm. "So you and Aleena are quite serious."

"This is no ship-dalliance between besotted maidens, Liara. Aleena wants to be apart of my daughter's life. She wants to be arda. And I want that too. We know her sister disapproves but...Aleena is no longer a part of that life. And Aria no longer has dominion over her."

"So we shant expect her at the bonding ceremony."

"I should think not."

They both smiled.

The buzzing came again.

"We best answer that," Liara said going to the door. Four crewmen snapped to attention. They were faces recognized as they were apart of the team that guarded the CIC. Two women and two men: Hawthorne, Goldstein, Rolston and Patal.

"Ma'am the XO ...ordered us..." a woman began but was cut off by Liara placing her hand up to forestall the 'SitRap'.

"It's quite alright, Crewmen Patal, I have been informed and you may begin. But I ask you take particular care with both the pets as well as the replica ships. The Commander has a particular fondness for them all."

"Yes, ma'am," Patal saluted. "We'll ensure everything is safe and shipshape."

Goldstein moved in, "Ma'am, I need to take a holo-scan of the room so we know where everything is placed for the transfer."

Liara eyebrow markings rose a little. That had not occurred to her that Shepard was a tiniest bit OCD when it came to placing things in her quarters. Having a diagram for the new quarters would be most handy.

"Proceed, and may I remark that is a most excellent idea, Goldstein. See it done."

The four beamed at the small complement, more so that their names were known to the Commander's wife of whom they had so little if any contact with.

"Yes, ma'am, and thank you," Goldstein said. "Ma'am, if you desire we can see to it your luggage is sent to your residence."

"That won't be necessary but thank you. I'd prefer to tend to this one myself," Liara said touching the surface of the hard-side suitcase. She lifted the handle that would simultaneously lower the wheels on the underside allowing for easy mobility.

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

Shepard left the Normandy and the Victory in the docks behind her and the crew with them. She needed a breath alone, time to center herself. The white noise of the busy market streets of Nos Astoria proved to be the perfect static to become lost in. Things were changing so rapidly. Yet another new ship, the conscription of a new squad, losing half her people... Again. And there were other changes. Tali and Garrus getting together, Liara and the baby... the baby...

The Spectre sighed happily, a new baby...a new life. Sam wanted Liara with her, at her side, but she wanted her-them - both safe, out of danger. She chucked softly under her breath. I'm going to be a mom... a mamma. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her BDU trousers smiling at the thought as she ran it over and over in her mind.

"Excuse me," a soft spoken, lilac hued asari woman stepped forward as they passed by her, "Commander Shepard?" Shepard paused mid-step and looked curiously at the asari. She was positive she had never seen the matron before, she certainly didn't recognize her. "You are Commander Shepard." There was an assuredness in the asari's tone. "I saw your…I guess you would say your aura." What did she mean her aura? Shepard frowned slightly. "I'd recognize you anywhere."

Shepard racked her brain trying to recall where she might have seen the matron before but she was coming up blank. The tan face markings gave no hint, no clue, no spark of recognition. It left the Spectre bereft on how to react to the statement; she was at a complete loss on how she should respond. The confusion was compounded by the fact the as yet unnamed matron was looking to see if they were alone or being watched. When she was satisfied they were unobserved the asari moved in closer. This was equally strange behavior.

In her experience Sam knew asari preferred to keep their distance from those unknown to them. It was true with both the Consort when they first met and again with Aria. Both of whom had their back to Shepard when she first met them and both told her that was close enough. Asari were empathically sensitive and telepathically gifted, they maintained a controlled distance until they properly shielded themselves.

The way the asari was acting was contrary to all Shepard knew about them. The strange familiarity as if they were friends of long acquaintance. "I was sent here to give you a message," the matron continued in her hushed tone, content they were not going to be overheard or spied upon. "It's from a friend you made on Noveria."

Shepard's eyes widened in surprise. Who? What friends on Noveria? It couldn't be Gianna Parasini; she wouldn't have gone through a messenger. There were a couple of other names that came to mind but likewise they would not have sent a messenger in person…unless it was another attempt on her life. Send a friendly unassuming face, the message is a bullet between the eyes. Shepard became more wary, she had left the ship without her hardsuit and only a side arm. No doubt Anoleis blamed Shepard as much as Parasini for his incarceration. How difficult would it be to hire an assassin from a white collar prison?

Even if it wasn't some charade and it was a genuine 'friend', who would call themselves thus of all the people she had met on that frozen world? Mallene Calis was until recently on the Victory serving as corporate / political liaison officer. There was the mechanic Lilihierax who became the crew's Chief of the Deck and Maeko Matsuo worked opposite shifts of Peeks as Warrant Officer. If they wished to speak with Shepard they could do so personally. This left Lorik Qui'in the turian manager of Synthetic Insights: Novaria branch, but would he have gone though all the trouble of a mysterious messenger?

There was a possibility, however slight, that the message came from someone from Peak 15, one of the scientists that had been stationed there. Shepard doubted it, which brought her back to the only real possibility-the rachni queen. But surely not! 'Her majesty' was supposed to disappear, how had this asari and The Queen ever cross paths?

"I met a lot of people on Noveria," Shepard replied carefully, still expecting a mafia style hit, "could you be more specific?"

"I believe the message itself should make it clear," Lilac (the appointed nickname Shepard gave the unknown asari) took two paces closer to Shepard directly into the Spectre's personal space as if to share a knowledge bond. Her brown eyes shifted to black then rolled solid white as they would be in meditation rather than in telepathy. The matron's voice barely above that of a whisper, and it did not seem her own but an echo of a memory.

"Shepard, we hide, we burrow, we build." So it was the rachni queen after all, there was no mistaking it now. "But we know that you seek those that soured the songs of our mothers. When the time comes, our voice will join with yours and our crescendo will burn the darkness clean. Thank you, Shepard," the asari's voice was soft and filled with undeniable affection and gratitude. "The rachni will sing again because of you."

Sam's first gut reaction was to grab Lilac and pull her aside. "How did you possess another asari? You can't just take over people's minds like that!" Shepard hissed.

"Peace, Shepard," Lilac said softly placing a tender gentling hand upon the Spectre's arm. "The Queen does not control my thoughts, my mind is my own." Her storm-grey eyes reverted back to their normal hue. "That was merely the message I was asked to deliver."

Shepard let go of the arm but her guarded nature did not drop so easily.

Lilac must have senses this, her demeanor remaining calm. "I encountered her on an uncharted world, she saved my life. More than that, she gave me a purpose." The asari's brown eyes met Shepard's blue, "They are an amazing people Shepard," she commented, "the galaxy owes you a great debt for giving them a second chance."

Shepard shook her head. "I couldn't see destroying the last of their kind as any kind of just act. I wasn't about to commit genocide despite the chiding I received from practically everyone else for not committing the murder. They saw only the monsters of the war, a war the rachni didn't even want. The Reapers had controlled them, indoctrinated them, and poisoned their links the queens had with their broods. That's what the Queen meant when she spoke of sour yellow notes. I don't need thanks for doing the right thing."

Lilac's serene face almost brightened with the smile she offered. "But you do. It is not easy to do the right thing when the easy thing is so much less complicated. The Queen speaks highly of you, Shepard, your aura is as she said it would be."

Try as she might Shepard could not keep the blush from crawling across her neck to crawl upon her cheeks for the praise. She could never deny how deeply touched she was by both Lilac and The Queen's complements. Pretending to rub the back of her neck as if to knead a creak in it, she distracted the conversation into another course which also served to sate her curiosity. "So how exactly did you find her?"

"I was working as a courier when pirates ambushed my ship and I was forced down on an uncharted planet. I was badly injured, alone and near death." Lilac paused for a brief moment lost in the reflection of the past. Shepard remained mute giving the moment to the other woman to collect her thoughts and gather the words to continue her testimony. It was not an easy thing to recall the touch of death and its hold on you. Shepard knew this all to well.

"Then they found me," the asari's soft voice pulled Shepard back "They saved me." There was gratitude, yes, but something more-an indescribable wistfulness.

"Good to hear they recovered you in time. But you obviously got off world again," her comment was more sharp then she had intended. "Did they give you a ship?"

Lilac shook her head. "No, countless workers repaired my ship; it runs better now than it did before," the asari replied with a brief smile. "They remind me of the keepers on the Citadel in a way, all working together each with a purpose."

Only you don't know the truth behind the keepers. Shepard's thoughts betrayed the innocent sentiment behind Lilac's words. If you knew they were minions of the Reapers you wouldn't have made that kind of comparison.

Like the law enforcer she was Shepard dogged the next obvious line of questions, this time her tone was less brisk though not by much. "What happened to the pirates that attacked you?"

"They were obliterated, as they should have been," Lilac said simply. "The rachni are not aggressive, but they do as they must,"

"That is not something you'd probably want to be heard saying too loudly. I'm pretty sure you can number their allies on one hand and still have fingers left over."

"You are prudent to voice caution, Commander Shepard," Lilac agreed. "And you are also correct that they must be protected."

While that might be so, something else the strange asari said triggered Shepard's mind and her imagination. "You said she gave you a purpose, what do you mean?"

There was a certain sanguine cloak about the asari matron that intrigued the Spectre. She could not help but be curious as to the reason, if it was because of The Queen or was it from the matron's own nature?

"She shared her song with me as I recovered. I saw her race as only an asari could." Was there a bit of pride in the voice just now or was it simply fact stated? Only the asari were capable of communicating with the thorian which was why Shiala had been sacrificed. They had a natural proclivity for melding. Indeed such meldings began in the womb. "They are so beautiful, and so vulnerable," she continued.

Shepard frowned, vulnerable? That was the very last word she would have ever used to describe the arachnid species.

The asari continued her narrative, "They need someone to purchase things they cannot make for themselves, someone to work within the system. An agent if you will." Her lips curled upwards

"I am happy to help since my life as a courier was empty and shallow." Her eyes shown with the same pride and confidence her voice held earlier, "Now I'm helping a great race rebuild itself."

This was a surreal turn of events. "You were really comfortable walking away from your old life?" Shepard perused her line of questioning, the quite peculiar manner of the asari troubled Shepard to her core. She didn't like the way it was beginning to sound-a woman suddenly changes occupations-happy for the change …

Just what had The Queen's songs done to this matron? The power of the rachni queen to touch other minds was undisputed, she had proven that when she seized the dying huntress and spoke through her. Then the message…

Lilac must have sensed the human's doubts, "You're concerned that The Queen is controlling me," her voice was keen as her eyes. She tapped her temple as she shook her head. "I understand, but it doesn't work like that. Our minds were in perfect harmony, I saw their beautiful spirit and their need. I knew what I had to do. If some part of that is suggestion then it was a side effect of their efforts to save my life." She looked Shepard directly in the eyes, alleviating Shepard of her worry. "I am happy." There was a definitive firmness in Lilac's tone.

Curiosity further compelled Shepard to push her inquires. She might be satisfied with Lilac's truth about her connection to The Queen, even if it made her uneasy.

"Can you tell me where they are?"

The questions caused the asari to actually take small step back from the Spectre. "I'm afraid not," she shook her head. "I don't even have that information myself any longer." In seeing the lingering concern on Shepard's face Lilac took a step closer, almost intimately close. "After I met her that information was…" she rubbed her forehead, "removed. It's not painful, but I simply don't remember." There was a mental shrug.

It was obvious the power of the rachni queen's mind was vast and the connection between asari and queen was deep.

"I'll remember when I need to, and her caution is understandable. The galaxy isn't yet ready for the return of the rachni." The asari touched Shepard's arm, "It is as you cautioned, no?"

A nod from the human.

"I got that the queen is grateful but what else was the message saying?

"She confirmed what you said. That the first war wasn't their doing; they were being controlled by the ones you are fighting. And she promises to help. She knows her ancestors were forced into war against their will. Her people aren't naturally aggressive, much like the asari. If they made war it was not of their own doing."

Shepard thought that statement was quite similar to what her life was like as well. If there was war it was not of her own doing, it was not of any soldier's own doing. They did as bade, were ordered, they did what was required of them for duty and cause, not because they waged war but because they fought the battles the bureaucrats brought them to. You fight the battles, the wars, you fought until the last, you held the line and you did your duty.

What you did in life echoes for an eternity. The Rachni Wars were a testimony to this, the Krogan Rebellions and so too would be the Reaper War. Shepard was desperate to create, generate and harvest as may allies as possible, if she could she'd unite the whole galaxy to stand against the darkness to come. Hell, if it meant winning against the Reapers she'd make peace with the Devil himself, even if his name was Illusive Man.

And now suddenly in her lap came unexpected angels called the rachni, ready to heed the call when it came. Here now was the deliverance of a promise made so long ago in hidden laboratory on a frozen world.

Shepard looked to the woman before her. "You know in all this conversation you have not yet told me your name. By what name are you called?"

The matron she had dubbed Lilac softly chuckled. "I am KoreenT'Grrackuss," she said with the small bow of the head.

Shepard returned the bow which was the equivalent of an asari handshake. "Thanks for the information, Matron T'Grrackuss. I'm glad my friend from Novaria is doing well." she paused for a moment then said. "If you can carry a message from her to me can you do the reverse?"

"I can carry messages yes, but Commander I know not when I can deliver it."

"Then tell her I am more than grateful for her and her peoples aid in the war to come. Tell her…tell her I don't know what will happen, how it will happen but that it will be a great and devastating war. Alliances must be made strong. Miss T'Grrackuss go back to Thessia. Go to the Matriarchy, talk to whoever will listen. Give them the Queen's message. Let them hear it. Do what you must' to make them listen, to make them hear, to make them see and understand what is to come." Shepard grabbed the asari's shoulders pleading. "The war with the Reapers will violate everything, destroy everything. We fight or we die. If we do not fight united we have nothing and we will be obliterated just like the Protheans before us. Make them understand. Please I beg you let them see what the Queen knows. Let them hear the warring of the sour yellow notes."

Koreen touched Shepard's face, having been in the Rachni Queen's mental embrace she knew the words of humanity's first Spectre to be true and knew the dire consequences if they were ignored. "I will pass on your message to the Matriarchy, Commander Shepard, do not fear. I do not wish to see my world or this galaxy burn anymore than you do. With so many voices singing out they must listen to the chorus."

"You'd think that but they've stopped up their ears." Shepard tossed glibly in a darkened tone. "They don't want to listen; they don't want to lose face. It's just like when they grounded me instead of allowing me to go after the Conduit on Ilos," she snorted in the same dark humor. "I had to steal my own ship in order to stop Saren. Now the Council is figuratively doing it again."

"Then we shall sing a crescendo so loud they cannot help but hear it," Koreen said in that same gentling tone she had used to bring peace of mind to Shepard when the Spectre believed her to be controlled by the Queen. "Farewell, you will not see me again."

With an eloquent bow to her head befitting the likes of a consort, Koreen seemingly glided effortlessly to the port of Nos Austra. Her Thessian style kimono making a slightly rustling noise as she walked, so much so Shepard wasn't so sure the woman's feet weren't on casters as she didn't simply move so much as float past.

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

It was turning out to be a very odd day. The whole of the morning Sam's mind circled around and around about allies: losing them and gaining them. Now seemingly out of nowhere, on Illium, of all places, she gained not a single ally but a host. Like the krogan before the genophage the rachni bred fast. By the time the Reapers arrived the rachni would produce whole legions of blood warriors.

She'd have to keep this under wraps as much as possible. Liara of course would be the only other person she'd share this with. She trusted her team but she needed to control the situation, in order to do that she had to keep the flow of information very carefully guarded.

Something wasn't right back on Earth. Farris Fields' trouble with the Blood Pack some time back and the Alliance sent out a whole squad of marines to neutralize the problem. The Terminus colony was well outside the jurisdiction of the Alliance but they swiftly acted when the cry went out. Not only did the Alliance send out marines they also sent AA towers and kenotic barricades as well as a secondary squad insure fortifications. And now that whole colonies were going missing and the Alliance wouldn't move? They send token aid... a single AA tower and one marine? And why? Because the Congressional Appropriations Sub-Committee decreed it wasn't finically feasible to support colonies that had deliberately severed ties with Earth.

Shepard smelled a rat, more specifically a three headed dog. TIMmy had his teeth in this deep; there was no doubt about it. He applied a great deal of pressure to freeze preliminary aid as he did. Of course all he had to do was press a few key members of Parliament and they would do the rest. They had done the rest. These politicians had crippled the government's intergalactic affairs causing it to come to a stand still.

The Citadel Council wouldn't make a move to send aid if the Alliance did not see fit to do so. It was why they called it a purely internal affair. It allowed Cerberus the opportunity to move in and play the hero with a Council Spectre seemingly working with them no less. Or so it would begin to appear as Shepard made no excuses to using their resources, taking their best ship and one of their best agents (or two if Chambers worked out). There were those in the government and the Alliance Brass that would see this 'parlay' between Shepard and Cerberus as an act of treachery. If the government hadn't abandoned the colonies, Sam would have inclined to agree with them, but the truth was, if the Hell itself belched up legions of demons to battle the Reapers, Shepard would have recruited them. Let monsters fight the monsters.

Shit, I'm half way there already; I've got an army of rachni, minions of Cerberus, and a horde of krogan. All I need now is the geth promising to destroy their former gods and I've got my band of monsters to fight the monsters. And to top it all off I even have the beings of light to destroy the devil machines.

The irony didn't escape the Specter as she mused at the forces she was gathering that Saren had also harvested similar allies, minus the krogan and Cerberus. The Council was going to have a field day once they found out about Wrex uniting the clans of Tuchanka. And he at least promised Clan Urdnot to fight at Shepard's side. Others were likely to follow if only for the lost glory of a once very proud race.

The Council were already giving her queer looks because of the relationship Sam had with Aria T'Loak. Which wasn't exactly a friendship per se, but Aria counted Shepard amongst those valued few that were classified as 'not an enemy'. And, well, the Pirate Queen liked her, which was a bonus. Aria was doing something that neither the Council nor Alliance, save for a scant few, were doing, and that was listening to the warnings of the Reapers impending arrival.

With her mind wrapped up in what had just happened. Shepard nearly collided with a shopper, or at least someone she assumed was one. The raven haired Spectre backed away with an apology on her tongue for the human woman when her eyes registered who it was standing before her.

"Miss Parasini?" Shepard said in her startlement, then struck out her hand to shake the other woman's hand.

"Commander Shepard?" the woman smiled at the Alliance officer who had helped her nail Administrator Anoleis for the Novaria Internal Affairs. "Fancy meeting you here of all places." She shook the commander's hand vigorously.

"Seems like old school week," Shepard said glibly.

Parasini dark eyebrows raised in query. "You met someone else here from Novaria?"

"In a manner of speaking," supplied the Spectre. "So whatever happened to the Administrator?"

"He made the one mistake Novaria wontwon't tolerate. He got caught taking their money. He's doing a few years in white collar prison. More importantly he won't work in the field again."

They were near a small café which Gianna offered one of the chairs to the raven haired spacer. "Sit down; if I remember right I owe you a beer."

They both sat after Gianna placed their orders with one of the asari servers who retreated back into the café's interior only to reappear rather quickly with frosty mugs of beer from a local microbrewer. As they sat Parasini started the conversation up once more. "So what brings you to Illium? You know, that you can talk about."

Shepard smiled, taking a sip of the beer. Goddess it felt good going down. "You ever heard of the Collectors?" At Parasini's nod the Spectre continued. "They're attacking human colonies. I'm going to stop them."

"Damn Shepard, for me a tough job involves more paper work."

The Spectre grinned and shrugged. For a moment it looked as if Gianna was going to say something more but was caught up short before she spoke as a young lavender skinned asari passed near their table. "Hey listen I just remembered something. I've gotta go." her words were hurried as if she were hiding something or rather from someone. Shepard's eyes continued to follow the maiden then darted back to Gianna. "Talk to you later? And don't forget to drink your beer."

Gianna walked quickly the other way in the opposite direction of the maiden. Curiouser and curiouser, Alice said. The Spectre's mind quoted a passage from a child's book. Near her mug, acting like a coaster, was a small data pad. Picking it up she read:

Shepard, had to leave. Target saw me, can't break cover. Asari merchant selling stolen goods from Novaria. Can you talk to her into showing you the good stuff? Gianna.

Okay I'll play along. Why not? Shepard gulped down the rest of her beer, shoved the data pad into one of the lager thigh pocket of her BDU trousers and walked towards the kiosk where said 'target' was.

As soon as the maiden saw her she perked up with greedy eyes. "Welcome. You look like someone who needs high quality equipment. Feel free to look around," she said with a rather bubbly attitude. No doubt such an attitude towards most humans and turians would have drawn them in. It was no doubt something asari merchants took advantage of. "My store has the best tech and biotic equipment in all of Illium."

"What kind of merchandise do you carry?"

"The latest designs in tech and omni tool upgrade modifications. They're really high quality." She leaned in close to the Spectre whispering conspiratorly, "Sometimes I even get special items in. No promises."

Shepard took a look at the browser and whistled. Hell, there was a lot of things she was interested in. A lot of mods for cybernetic tech as well as powerful enhancements for biotics and omni tools. The maiden wasn't kidding when she said high quality. Shit, I hope this isn't all stolen...we can really use a lot of this...

"Is everything here so expensive? I plan to drop a lot of credits to day." Shepard's voice turned to full business

"Really?!" the asari's smile didn't seem to be able to grow any wider but it did. You could almost see the credit signs in her blue eyes.

The best lie was oft the truth. "I'm outfitting a team for a very dangerous mission. I need the best. And I'm willing to pay for it, as long as you work with me."

There was a small tonal difference in the merchant's voice... "Well perhaps I can give you a preferred rate at the kiosk." She turned to the terminals keyed in a few commands. "Here, a small discount and when I get special items in you can take a look."

Shepard nodded. It was a nice discount. Damn, she really hoped not all the tech was stolen; she truly wanted some of the omni-tool and biotic enhancements...even some of the cybernetic items looked intriguing. Still playing the charade the Spectre continued. "What kind of special items are we talking about?"

"Oh, you know," the maiden waved her hand in front of her dismissively, "schematics and stuff. Nothing illegal, but I may not have all the licences to sell them."

"Hum... do you have anything else?" Shepard said nonchalantly still seemingly browsing, already dumping a load of credits in her mind. "Anything not listed on your main merchandise kiosk?"

"Well there is one thing." The asari leaned in close to Shepard's ear, "Very advanced design. Not publicly available yet."

"That's because it's still on development on Novaria," Gianna Parasini's voice suddenly appeared behind the maiden. "And illegal for export."

The young asari spun around. Her blue eyes so wide they ogled. Gianna was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Hello, Hermia."

"Parasini!" the merchant snapped. "You set me up!" she practically stomped her foot as would a child throwing a tantrum. "But this isn't Novaria! You don't have the authority to arrest me!"

"I don't care weather you go to jail. I've got all the evidence I need to fine you out of business." Gianna smiled smugly.

"Do you have the authority to seize the schematics she was trying to sell?" Shepard piped in hoping contrariwise that Parasini would do so. The mods would be so useful...

"I don't have to. Hermia was under suspicion. We leaked a faulty device to her. All this thing will ever do is blow up in your face."

Damn! Shepard thought...

"I...I need to go." Hermia said "I have to talk to my lawyer." she scrambled away.

"Talk fast, Hermia. When the fine hits you won't be able to afforded her." Gianna called out jeeringly. She turned back to Shepard with an almost orgasmic smirk. "Aw, that was good. I've gotta go file a few papers, come by my table when you got a minute."

"Now's as good as any," Shepard said.

"Hermia is going to be a very poor woman very shortly. Thanks for the help, Shepard." Gianna turned and actually gave a small peck on the cheek to the Spectre whose only response was to blink in surprise. "I just love nailing asari. So ageless and superior, then you get them and they squeal like school girls."

Shepard's mind went to a completely different definition of nailing and squealing. She definitely loved making Liara squeal... er... umhm... there was a slight blush to the Spectre's wondering libidinous mind.

"Must be nice having a job you really enjoy," Shepard said, mostly to distract her naughty thoughts.

They two sat down at the table they had earlier. Their mugs hadn't been cleared off yet; even as the waitress had come to bus the table Gianna placed two more orders of the same microbrew.

Gianna nodded. "I wanted to be a cop or C-Sec. But my family had bills. I needed the money a corporate job would pay. Besides, in this job you don't see things that make it hard to sleep at night. White collar crime is nice and clean. At least this time I didn't have to wear heels and a dress."

Shepard laughed. She wasn't a fan of heels and dresses either unless a certain asari was wearing them. She couldn't think of any instance she might be required to dress up as a girly-girl... She shuddered. She was feminine enough, thank you very much, without the frills of make-up, perfect hair and whatever else model types encased themselves in. That seemed more Miranda Lawson's racket, not Sam's.

"How'd you end up in Novaria, anyway?" Shepard said taking her mug from the server then took a long drought of the draft.

"Scholarship program," Gianna answered in kind, "and a competitive intership. Turned out I was only middling at the sciences. But I could always ferret out secrets. You grow up poor and surrounded by rich kids you get good at hiding yourself. I was good at going undercover," Gianna went on.

That kind of life Shepard couldn't image. The kids she knew were always those of the other officers and enlisted. They weren't any more poor or wealthy than her. And her only entitlements she had or lack there of was due to her mother's rank.

"What's up next for you?" asked Shepard, turning the mug in her hand clockwise in her mindless fidgeting habit whenever she made small talk.

"Research. We've had some hacking attacks lately and I want to make sure they are external. A lot of people are suddenly interested in dark energy."

Alarms went off in the Spectre's mind. This was something important and she couldn't shake off why but she felt it had something to do with her mission and the Reapers. She didn't know why but it triggered something, some past foggy memory within the Cipher.

"My bosses want to know if it is something to worry about." Gianna took a sip. "It will hold me over until I have to go back undercover anyway."

"Must be hard going undercover so often" Shepard said, her tone almost sympathetic.

"It's not so bad. Go new places, be new people. The only weird part is when you go home. Try to talk to people and you forget how to react, like it's just another cover. You know."

Shepard could relate to that; it was what she was doing now in a round about way. Playing 'not enemy' with Cerberus. When she looked to the dark skinned woman she found a smile on her lips. "Deep down part of you likes fooling people. It's what makes you good at it."

Gianna found herself nodding. "Part of me, yeah." Another sip. "I grew up poor and working class, now I walk around the rich and powerful taking notes, gathering evidence, and they never see me coming." There was a prideful smirk that followed.

With her beer done Shepard started to rise. "You and me both, eh?"

Parasini looked up and saw the distantly remorseful look on the Spectre's face. All her training told her there were a lot of secrets in the mind of the younger woman but she knew she dare not pursue them. Shepard would only have to lie to her. Neither seemed to want to tell or hear the falsehoods. The matter was dropped even before it was spoke of.

"It's been a pleasure, Gianna," Shepard said at last, rising to her feet.

"You too, Shepard. See ya around."

Deciding to do a bit of shopping at Hermia's kiosk before going back to the Normandy, Shepard's inner monolog went on thinking that today was a very odd, very serendipitous day.