Thanks to everyone who has dropped feedback and messages for this so far, been struggling with motivation after the house move. hopefully back with it now :)


"The Crucible" Garrus said to nobody.

He was stood behind Traynor in the CIC, his arms folded across his chest as the specialist bought up a schematic of the device.

"I'm guessing that name means something to your species?" His question was directed at Traynor.

"It has several meanings" she looked at Garrus and smiled "One of them describes it as a place or occasion of great trial, or a test"

"Appropriate" He nodded and glanced over at Liara, who was stood on the opposite side of the CIC watching something on one of the consoles, her fingers tapping the screen every now and then. She was holding a small mug in one hand, its contents steaming "Humans are almost as poetic as Asari" he smirked as she looked up at him.

"There is nothing wrong with being cultured Garrus" She gave him a small smile "You Turians could benefit from a little culture"

Traynor watched the exchange. The dynamics of working in a multiracial environment were new to her and at first she'd been sceptical, not really sure how the team work with so many fundamental differences, but she need not have been. It seemed that on the Normandy it was the cause that mattered, not the individual. She was about to say something to Garrus when the lift opened and Commander Shepard walked in. Traynor glanced at her watch, it was early, and after the events of yesterday she hadn't expected to see the Commander so soon.

"Morning" Shepard waved over at Traynor and Garrus, making a bee line for where Liara stood.

Liara glanced up briefly to see what the noise was and looked away when Shepard started walking towards her. It was the first time she'd seen her since leaving her cabin in the low light a few hours earlier. She glanced back, smiling at how raw and dishevelled Shepard looked, dressed in her fatigue pants and a slightly crumpled white t-shirt. Her hair was wet and tousled, but her eyes were clear and as Liara cast her gaze across the approaching woman, she spotted a line of mottled bruising along her forearm. A bout of fleeting worry passed over her, and it might have bothered her more if Shepard hadn't been looking at her with such intensity that her skin tingled.

"Good morning Commander" she called softly, her eyes warm with welcome.

Shepard's smile was intimate as she approached "Doctor" She reached across and took the mug from Liara, the back of her fingers idly grazing her shoulder as she did. Shepard took a long sip and closed her eyes, sighing happily before handing it back. Liara smirked.

"How are you feeling?" She asked quietly.

"Much better, thank you" Shepard whispered back, the words smooth as any caress. She reached for Liara's mug again, frowning as it was moved just out of reach.

"Get your own Commander"

Shepard was about to protest but she could sense eyes on her, and looked up to see Garrus and Traynor staring at her curiously. Suddenly self conscious, she took a step back, putting some distance between her and Liara.

"What are you watching?" Shepard asked as Liara turned her focus back to the screen and continued channel hopping to produce a confused succession of images and background sound bursts.

"The news" Liara replied "Ah" she bought a video up and turned up the volume.

"And today we can speak to a Turian scientist and get his views on the incredible news that the human Alliance Marine and council Spectre, Commander Shepard, played the pivotal role in curing the Genophage"

Shepard glanced at the video to see a well groomed human male presenter talking to a camera. Behind him a Turian stood shuffling nervously.

"You're famous" Garrus laughed "Again"

Shepard scowled at the screen "Is that the best photo they could get? That must be over ten years old!" The image of a younger Shepard flashed on the screen and she heard Liara laugh "That's not funny"

"Sorry Shepard" Liara turned the screen off, still laughing behind her hand "You look..." she paused, searching for the right word "Cute"

"What? I do not look cute" Shepard looked disconsolately at the darkened console screen "I looked wrecked, they always used to come and take those photographs after training exercises or PT" she sighed "They couldn't actually use a publicity photo could they?"

"Commander I had no idea you were so vain" Garrus piped up again.

"It's not vanity!" Shepard said as she turned and made her way over to her personal console "It's one of the reasons people never recognize me, they never show a damn picture that actually looks like me" She looked down at her console and navigated to a flagged message from Huerta memorial hospital. She opened it, a mixture of emotions playing across her face as the CIC fell silent.

"Everything alright Commander?" Traynor asked, noticing the dour look on Shepard's face.

"Yeah" Shepard looked at her momentarily "Just thinking about Ash" she drummed her fingers on the console "Joker?"

"Yes Commander?"

"Put coordinates in for the citadel"

"Aye aye Commander"

Shepard looked down at her console again, idly scanning the messages when something caught her eye. There was a message from Liara, dated this morning but at some ungodly hour. Shepard clicked on it.

Shepard, I've been working on a personal project for some time now, it's almost complete but I could use some feedback from you. If it's possible, could I bring it to your cabin when you have some free time? Liara

Shepard read the message again and then glanced up at the Asari. She seemed oblivious, miles away as she sipped her drink and thumbed through information on the console in front of her. Shepard smiled and composed her reply.

Of course, it's a long flight back to the citadel, I'm sure I'll have some down time tonight.

She didn't sign the message with her name, she never did.


Shepard leant over the comm. button on her desk. She'd been staring at it for the past few minutes, debating. With a sigh she pushed the button.

"Liara you said you wanted to see me, I'm free now if you've got the time" Shepard bit her lip and closed her eyes, hoping Liara would refuse and hating herself for it.

"I have time Shepard, I'll be right up"

Shepard groaned and threw herself into the seat, kicking her feet out like a frustrated child as she ran her fingers through her hair. She didn't feel like dealing with the emotions that being next to Liara bought up, not right now, the Asari always left her feeling raw and out of control. She tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling as she gathered her thoughts.

The door chimed.

"It's open" Shepard called as she got up and met Liara in the hall.

The Asari was stood, almost shyly, protectively clutching a small pale box to her chest. Shepard watched as she walked past and gently put the box on the low table by the couch, kneeling next to it and fiddling with something on the side.

"What's that?" Shepard asked, intrigued as she wandered over.

"Sit down and I'll show you" Liara opened a hatch on the side and waited for Shepard to sit down. A few seconds later a field of twilight sky erupted between them, throwing out shards of brilliant blue light that made Shepard's jaw drop "It's a record of our cycle, histories of our species, languages and the Reapers" she frowned "I made it as a reference for future cycles, in case the worst happens. It's got details of the crucible too"

"Like the Prothean beacons?"

"Exactly" Liara worried her lip, her crystal clear blue eyes sparkling through the pin point stars of light rotating between them "I know it's..." she stumbled over the words, pausing "Pessimistic. But I thought we should be prepared for the worst"

"It's..." Shepard focused on the image of the milky way and watched the shadows flicker off the walls as the image changed to one of a mass relay "Not pessimistic. It's amazing" She reached up and ran her hands through the image, smiling as stars passed between her fingers "You did all this?" her eyes flicked to Liara's.

"Glyph helped" Liara smiled and looked away "But there's something I needed some help with, one of the entries..."

Shepard smiled fondly at Liara "Which one?" she suddenly looked like the shy Asari scientist she'd met all those years ago.

"Yours" Liara pressed another button and a blue hologram of Shepard appeared, the image flittering and waving "I didn't know how to put into words what, and who you are to so many people"

Shepard leant forward and stared at the hologram for a minute "I'm just a soldier" she shook her head "And you know me better than anyone else alive Liara, I wouldn't know where to start, you write it"

"Really?" Liara smiled a little and stood up, dusting her hands on the front of her jacket as she walked towards the aquarium "Ok" she took a deep settling breath "I'll say that Commander Shepard was..." a hand on her shoulder forcing her to turn around, broke her train of thought.

"Liara, you put whatever you want in the entry" Shepard let her hand fall away and they stood silently, regarding one another in the deep stillness of the sleeping ship. Liara was looking at her with those blue-hot eyes, like chunks of summer sky, bathed by the heat of an exploding sun, and smouldering. Her eyes were the most fantastic thing Shepard had ever seen, now it seemed like they were all invitation and desire, they didn't just see, they spoke.

Shepard's eyes flickered down Liara's body, her heart thundering madly in her chest. Her desire was a wild thing, not rational, not reasoned, but sharp and clear as summer lightening, scorching, hot and impossible to hold.

"Shepard" Liara muttered hoarsely.

Shepard wrenched her gaze upward before she could reach out and trace her fingers over the delicate edge of Liara's collarbone, knowing from memory how warm the skin would be beneath her jacket, knowing how it would smell and taste.

"Hmm?" Shepard couldn't take her eyes from the Asari's "If I touch you, I know you won't tell me to stop, I know I won't be able to stop, but if I touch you now, I wonder, will it be what you really want?" Shepard shifted impossibly closer "Because I don't think you know what's in your eyes"

She took a last step and took hold of Liara's face, framing it with her hands, and kissed her. She felt Liara stiffen in surprise and then the lips against her mouth parted with the softest of gasps. A heartbeat later and Liara's hands were at her waist, drawing her gently closer as a shiver passed through her. Shepard's legs began to shake as warm supple fingers slid into her hair, stroking her neck as her tongue traced the surface of Liara's lips.

"I'm sorry" Shepard muttered as she pulled her head back slightly, her blood on fire.

"Don't be" Liara replied, her breath escaping her on a low mournful groan. She chewed her lip and sighed "Shepard, I betrayed you" she looked away.

"What?"

"When you were on earth, I should have done more" Liara shook her head "I should have been there"

"Don't be silly" Shepard brushed her thumb over Liara's cheek "I was locked down, even the shadow broker couldn't have gotten in" a pause "I know you tried" Shepard murmured, her lips against Liara's ear.

"I didn't try hard enough" Blue fingers entwined with hers "I should have pushed harder, I feel like I wasn't there for you"

"Is that why you've been..." Shepard trailed off.

"Been what?"

"I'm not sure. Off?" Shepard smiled, a full frank grin that made Liara frown.

"What's that smile for?"

"I don't know" Shepard shrugged "This all feels a bit" she looked at the aquarium for a moment "Domestic, don't you think?"

Liara sighed "Shepard I mean it, it's been playing on my mind I..."

"Shhh" Shepard put her finger on Liara's lips to silence her "Shut up Liara, I won't hear it. You did nothing wrong and you certainly didn't betray me, so get it out of your head" she wrapped her knuckles on the Asari's forehead in a playfully affectionate gesture, and smiled when Liara rolled her eyes and looked away.

"I'm being serious Shepard"

"So am I" Shepard was about to say more when her intercom chimed.

"Commander we're about to dock at the Citadel but we have a bit of a problem, you might want to come to the bridge"

Shepard actually groaned "I hate that man and his timing, I really do"

Liara laughed, pressed her forehead to Shepard's shoulder and gave her a squeeze "Go on Commander"

"You know, I hate it when you call me that" Shepard replied.

"I know" Liara paused "Commander"

Shepard smirked and let go of her hand "I have to go, but I don't want to"

"I know that too" Liara took a deep breath and composed herself "I'll see you later"

Shepard went to say something then thought better of it. Instead she simply nodded, gave Liara a small smile and turned away, leaving Liara to sag against the aquarium trying desperately to reign in her emotions.


Shepard walked into the cockpit with a scowl on her face. Joker had his chin propped on his fist while his free hand drummed a frustrated beat onto his console.

"What's the problem?" Shepard asked.

"This" Joker pressed something on his console and the radio kicked in. Hundreds of voices, informing, instructing, declaring and endorsing burst into the cockpit but static scribbled all of them into incomprehensibility. He flipped displays, page after page, as Moiré patterns of light formed and bounced off the walls "Come in Citadel Central traffic this is the Alliance Normandy requesting docking" the layers of voices merged with static held fast. Joker lifted his arm in an annoyed shrug.

"Something is Jamming communications" Shepard muttered as she folded her arms "Can never be a good thing"

"I've been trying for a while now Commander" he replied, poking his console again as coloured lights flicked on and off, red, blue, green. More displays scrolled, overlaid, blinked, melted and coalesced as he made a small course correction, only a fraction of a fraction "Can't be a station malfunction, they'd have backups online"

"Commander I have picked up an incoming encoded message for the Normandy" EDI chimed "I believe it to be Captain Bailey"

"Put it through" Shepard moved forward, leaning her forearm on the back of EDI's chair.

"Commander this is Bailey, can you read me?" The message was distorted, thick with static.

"EDI can you clear it up? We can read you Captain, what's going on down there?"

"It's Cerberus" The transmission cut out for a second before bursting back to life "They're attacking the Citadel, they have control of the docks and almost all of C-Section" His voice was strained against the background of gun fire and shouting.

"Cerberus?" Shepard looked astonished as she tapped her fingers on EDIs chair "Where are you Captain?"

"Holding up the last line to C-Sec HQ" there was a pause "Could use your help down here Commander, Cerberus have got us on a run"

"Hold tight Captain, we'll be with you as soon as we can" Shepard nodded for EDI to cut the transmission "Cerberus" she muttered "The Citadel is ambitious, even for them" she pushed away from the chair, her voice low but calm "EDI get Liara, Garrus and Vega in the shuttle bay, tell Cortez to get ready. We'll leave the Normandy, bypass the docks and take the shuttle directly to C-Section HQ. Send Admiral Hackett a message to let him know what's going on"

"Yes Commander"

"Joker put the Normandy in stealth mode, hold here until we get the docks open" She nodded at him.

"Aye Aye commander" Her spun in his chair and watched Shepard stalk out of the cockpit "Damn Cerberus" he muttered.


Shepard crouched, pushed her closed fist to the ground and jumped back, settling on her stomach with the rifle nestled into her shoulder. She glanced above the sight, signalled to Vega with her hand and then aimed at the Centurion.

Inspiration, expiration, pause.

She fired.

The gun rammed back against her shoulder and a muzzle flash made her blink. The sound was like a grenade going off. A pencil thin trace line seared the length of the hall and joined her gun to the forehead of the Cerberus soldier. His helmet erupted, shattering into a million fragments as the explosive round detonated in a pulse of light and sound, leaving the body to topple with a floor-thumping thud. A small cloud of steam and black vapour blossomed where the head used to be.

Inspiration, expiration, pause.

She fired again. Someone screamed. Shepard grinned. Four more shots and a hail of rifle fire from Vega cleared the rest of the hall. Shepard used the scope to check the balcony for stragglers.

"Shepard" Vega sounded in her ear "Bailey looks hurt, think he's been shot"

"It's clear, let's get up there"

She stood up, closed the sniper rifle down, holstered it on her back and then glanced across at Vega, gesturing for him to move up behind her.

They moved up the stairs slowly, scanning the areas potential cover. There was a long smear of blood on the wall near Shepards knee, and a discarded C-Sec issue pistol. She shook her head as she approached Captain Bailey.

"Commander!" He said, limping over, hands clasped around his stomach "Am I ever glad to see you" He barged past her, issuing orders to a Turian soldier and running his omni tool over the locked door in front of him.

"You injured Captain?" Shepard asked as she pulled up next to him.

"I've had worse" he grunted "Would have been a lot worse if you hadn't turned up when you did" The door light flashed from red to green and shuddered open "We got a big problem Shepard"

"Yeah, no kidding" Shepard and Vega followed him through the door and down a long, smoke filled corridor "What the hell happened? How did Cerberus manage to pull this off?"

"Long story" They entered a small office and Shepard watched as Bailey made his way to a terminal and threw himself into the seat opposite it. He winced, leaning forward and taking a gasp of breath before forcing himself upright "The Salarian councillor has locked himself in the executors office" He looked over some information on the console then lifted his gaze to Shepard "I think he was planning on presenting evidence against Councillor Udina"

"What evidence?" Shepard's voice had dropped an octave and she looked across at Vega.

"Evidence that he was working with Cerberus..."

"Son of a bitch" She snapped "Send me directions to the executor's office"

"Done"

"Liara, Garrus" Shepard spoke into her comm. "We're heading to the executors office to pick up the Salarian councillor, mop up the stragglers here then follow behind us"

She listened for the sounds of agreement "Bailey, can you stay on the line?"

"Of course Shepard" He peeled his fingers away from his wounded stomach, grimacing "Not like I'm going anywhere"

"Get that seen to" Shepard looked to Vega "You ready big guy?"

"Hell yeah" He smirked as he reloaded his rifle.

"Let's make it fast, get in, get the councillor, find out what he knows, then..." she trailed off.

"Then what?" Bailey asked, his voice quiet.

"Then we deal with Udina if we need to"