Liara

Vasir pulled her hostage snug against her body, revealing only her head and arm, which were too dangerous to target. I knew that if I did as I desired to, and took the shot, Shepard would turn her weapon from Vasir to me. There would be questions that I did not want to answer, and truths I did not wish spoken aloud.

"I do apologize, my dear." Vasir crooned, sick-sweet, into her captive's ear. "But those people following me simply refuse to stop. This should not preclude civility, however. Please, tell me your name."

"Mariana." the woman spoke, her voice the definition of strain and panic.

I knew what Vasir had just done. She had given the woman an identity, a name; made her more to us than just a hapless bystander caught in the crossfire. I knew, for I had done the same.

"Mariana." Vasir repeated. "Such a lovely name."

Shepard stood there, looking like she had been carved from stone. Her eyes were cold silver, and I could not see even the faintest micro-expression cross her face. The hand that held her weapon did not tremble or quiver. Miranda's smoky blue eyes were also fixed on Shepard, and in them I could see the first hint of understanding between her and me. The Cerberus operative wanted nothing more than for this to end, no matter the sacrifices.

"Please don't do this." Mariana begged, twin tears sliding down her cheeks, glimmering in the dusk. "I have a son."

"A son?" Vasir's voice was a chilled blade of bloodthirst and glee. "I've heard that losing a parent is so devastating to a child's psyche. It scars them for life." she glared at Shepard. "Gives them a hero complex while making them weak, worthless, and damaged beyond the point of repair."

Oh Goddess! I thought, drawing a correlation between the two that I had not at first, too concerned with getting the data away from Vasir. They are both Spectres! Or…in Shepard's case…perhaps were. No matter…Vasir would have had access to all of Shepard's records…she knows about Mindoir, Akuze, and…everything. All of Shepard's weaknesses.

"You fucking piece of shit." Shepard growled. "I never thought cowardice was a dominant Spectre trait, but between you and Saren, I'm being proved wrong at every step."

"Mock me all you want, Shepard." Vasir's upper lip curled in a sneer. "You're the one who is going to lay down all her thermal clips and power cells and step back. Because you don't want another motherless son in this galaxy if you can help it. You don't want anyone to hurt like you hurt."

"Oh yay." Shepard muttered. "Guess who's read my psych profile?"

"I don't know what's happening." Mariana sobbed, and the tension escalated. "But please, please let me go."

"Not until the pretty red-head drops her weapons." Vasir glared at Shepard. "And the Cerberus tart, and the pathetic excuse for an information broker. All of you. Drop your weapons, now."

"Just shoot, Shepard." Miranda urged in a whisper. "I know you're a marksman, the hostage won't even be scratched."

"This is about more than whether or not I'd hit Mariana." Shepard replied, and I understood her, though I was not certain if Miranda did.

For Shepard, this is a definition of her character. If she shoots now, what is to keep her from shooting again, in this same situation? Vasir is not only attempting to escape with the information, she is attempting to break Shepard as well.

"Shepard, put down your weapons." I played the devil's advocates, catching the commander's tormented eyes.

You can trust me, this time. Trust me. Trust me as you once did when we placed our lives in each other's hands and let them linger…and let them intertwine.

"You win this round, Vasir." Shepard acted on my words. "Let Mariana go."

"You first, Shepard." Vasir demanded. "Until I see a pile of clips on the ground, I'm staying right where I am."

I watched as Shepard shed her weapons. Any other soldier would have seemed fragile and broken without their palisade of deadly accoutrements…somehow, disarming made Shepard seem all the more threatening. It revealed her as she truly was…had been. A warrior who needed no weapons, who could place a gun beneath a jaw with the sheer power of her words. A warrior who wanted nothing more than to be a gentle, kind woman…but time and fate had prevented that outcome.

Time and fate had forged the motherless child into the wielder of weapons…but they had not stolen her soul. Even now, she surrendered her protection in order to save another life. She forewent her safety, trusting me…because her shield generator was damaged. She was trusting me to keep her safe, because all else had failed her.

"Good call, Shepard." Vasir smiled, a look of indulgent approval crossing her smug features. "You're smart…for a human."

Serena set down her arsenal, stacking thermal clips and powercells beside the weapons at a midway point between us and Tela Vasir. Shepard's shoulders slumped as she returned to stand between me and Miranda.

Vasir smiled and shoved her hostage away. She lifted her weapon and I validated Shepard's trust in me by throwing a stream of biotic energy at Vasir's hand as she pointed her gun at Shepard. The energy struck true, throwing Vasir's weapon from her hand and tossing it into the air. The Spectre wreathed her body in biotics and charged to where the weapon would land.

Miranda lifted her gun from the ground and Shepard rolled to where she had staked her arsenal, taking only her rifle and the thermal clips that she could attach to her belt. I reached out for her Carnifex pistol and pulled it to me, tracking Vasir's movements.

Shepard ran towards Vasir, firing, but the asari dodged the gunfire with a series of biotic charges that put her in front of Miranda Lawson. The Cerberus operative threw up a shield around herself and Vasir's bullets bounced off of it. With an artistic backflip, Vasir fled Lawson's line of fire and took cover behind one of the fountain walls.

"Come out, Shepard!" she taunted. "Let me show you what a real Spectre can do!"

"I look forward to it!" Shepard roared, and I felt a strange comfort infuse me.

The comfort of the battlefield, the bliss of chaos shared with those I could trust, those who wielded power…and also mercy. I thought, noticing that Mariana had fled the restaurant balcony.

Mercy for those who cannot defend themselves. That is the woman Serena Shepard was…and now I know…she still is. What else will I learn in this fight? I wondered as I ducked behind cover, shooting at Vasir as she streaked across the balcony in spurts of bright biotics. What else will I bear witness to…and will it change me?