Liara

We continued walking to the north portal, where Tazzik had taken Shepard's body. Where the Collector had gone. Where those, who would destroy and weaken the galaxy, fought over the body of the woman who had saved it. Where I now went to stop them...aided by a liar and a thief. Not a soldier. Not a pilgrim. Not an enforcer of the law. Not a mercenary. Not a true leader.

Feron's eyes were lost in thought, as though he was walking backwards into his eidetic memory to locate the origin of the web of lies he had enmeshed us in. But I knew he would tell me the truth. We were so near the end...it would not matter now.

And even if it did, I thought, who is to know if we will leave Alignon alive? I have faced ancient races and powers in battle before, but the Collector brings a new challenge. We might do as little as keep them from taking Shepard...this time.

For a short moment, I wished that I had called someone from the Normandy. That I had told them of my intentions, and where I was headed. That I was working to bring back the body of their commander and friend. But I had not...and now it was too late to do so. Alignon's atmosphere allowed no messages to leave. All I had was Feron, and my own determination.

I noticed Feron's eyes on me, burning with unspoken words. I nodded my head and at last, he told me the truth.

"I used to be in the information trade for myself." he admitted. "Before the Shadow Broker decided to bring everything into one house, so to speak. Before he sent his people to bring me in. I had made a lot of...useful...contacts. And the Broker had the funding I needed to go further in the business." he seemed almost disgusted. "It was easy jobs at first. Information gathering. Simple surveillance. Nothing that could be considered harmful to anyone. There's a reason the information trade is basically run by the Broker." Feron informed me. "He pays well."

The lights grew dimmer as we walked, almost ominous, but I was glad for the cover they provided...both for us, and for Feron's secrets. I knew from experience that words spoken in the light of day, where every micro-expression could be read and analyzed, was a frightening prospect. One that limited the confiding of truth. Darkness was for secrecy, yes, but also for honesty.

"Cerberus figured it out." he said. "That I worked for the Broker. They tried to flip me several times, and they used that Miranda woman." Feron spat after saying her name. "Thinks that people will switch sides at the drop of a hat, or because they're offered a better cut. Apparently, Cerberus believes that only humans understand what honor is."

"Understand it they may, possess it...honor is not an innate quality in them, either." I mused, recounting in my mind the utter lack of honor that characterized what actions we had uncovered of the Cerberus organization.

"It made me angry." Feron hissed. "Angry that they would try that, think that...believe that. I have never screwed over a client. Nor have I ever cared enough to go behind their back and report them. Until I learned the Broker had struck a deal with the Collectors. I might not even have minded that...if it weren't for the fact that he was selling Shepard's body. That is on a level of perversity that I cannot countenance. I knew...I knew I had to stop it."

I looked at him, examining his features more closely, seeing the honesty in his golden eyes.

Was it truly moral qualms that caused him to take this path? I wondered. Issues with the Collectors...or did Shepard's actions reach out, even into the heart of the Terminus systems, to races who have not been officially recognized by the Council? Is it because this deal involved her remains that this drell went out of his way to see the outcome affected?

"Go on." I urged him.

"I didn't have the knowledge or resources to do anything on my own." Feron told me. "So I went to Cerberus. They'd approached me so many times, I knew that they needed me. Probably because they were as concerned about the Collector involvement as I was. I circumvented Miranda and went straight to The Illusive Man..."

"So that is the reason that you were left behind when Miranda took me to him." I said, pieces falling into place. "The Illusive Man did not want to engender any suspicion from me as to your connections."

"Right." Feron nodded. "And I pretended indignation to keep up the ruse. He and I came up with a plan to snatch the body out from under the Broker's control...but the Broker himself became suspicious. Little by little, he began to cut me out of the operation, and I needed a way back in." He looked at me with fierce, golden eyes. "That way was you, Liara. I sent you the first message on a channel so encrypted I knew it would take the Broker at least two weeks to dig through all the layers. You messaged me back on my personal frequency, stating your intentions to come to Omega, and I took that to the Broker, volunteering to distract you while the deal went down, to earn my way back onto the op."

"That plan turned out to be a rousing success." I muttered as we pressed ourselves against a wall until two sentries walked past. "And you must not be as trustworthy as you thought, seeing as the Broker sent the Blue Suns to watch your movements and rein you in if need be."

"I'd intended for it to work." Feron's eyes whispered apologies. "I truly did intend to lead you away, distract you, and find Shepard for myself. But The Illusive Man decided we would work better together, for some reason. In any case, you were not to know, under any circumstances, that I was working with Cerberus. Even Miranda doesn't know. It's safer."

"Given her rather vitriolic dislike of anything that isn't human, I tend to agree." I grinned in the darkness, and I knew the same expression lay on Feron's face as well. Then, he sighed.

"You were right back on Omega." he admitted. "I did let Tazzik get away. The turret didn't malfunction. I wanted to come here and make certain that I wasn't risking everything for nothing, that the Broker really is working with the Collectors. And I wanted one last chance to download everything I could about his dealings."

Feron removed the OSD from his pocket and looked at it for a long while. He stopped and I turned to him, wondering why he had paused. His eyes spoke of things I'd never known as he lifted my hand and pressed the OSD into it, trusting all that he selfishly had worked for on this mission, into my hand.

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm probably done as an information broker when this is over." he confessed. "The Shadow Broker will make sure no one trusts me again when this is over. I was going to ask you to give this to Cerberus...but that's not what I'm asking now."

"What are you asking?" I narrowed my eyes.

"I've seen your anger, Liara." Feron replied. "I've seen your rage, and though you've kept it well hidden, I've seen your grief. You put your life in the hands of a stranger to go after the remains of someone you loved. At...at the end of the day, I want this information in your hands, because I know you'll do something better with it than the Broker or Cerberus. You'll do what needs to be done, because you don't want what they want. You don't want power. You don't want wealth. You don't want superiority."

"You have no true concept of what I desire from this world, Feron." I said, almost humbled by his trust in me.

"I have enough of an idea." his tone grew very serious. "It's not every day a maiden asari with centuries to live goes up against two covert, powerful galactic entities and risks her very long life for a dead human. That's the kind of guts it'll take to change the way things are. If...if I've helped power get to the right place, then I'm good with whatever happens to me. But you make me a promise, Liara T'Soni. You promise me that, no matter what happens, you'll get Shepard and that damned data out of here."

"You have my word." I assured him.

Feron's eyes flashed with something very much like relief and regret. "For the first time in my life," he said, "that's all the assurance I need."