Really sorry about the gap between the last update, I got sent away on a training course and spent the last few weeks sitting in a muddy field with no comms! Thank you so much everyone who is supporting this, updates should go back to being fairly regular again now.


The combination of a low hum and a familiar presence woke Liara. She turned on her side, towards the cabin doors, and opened her eyes to the dull orange glow of an omni tool display. Shepard was sat, relaxed in Liara's desk chair, wearing a set of casual fatigues. Her expression was pensive as she gazed at the dim display.

Lying still, Liara took advantage of the very rare opportunity to Study Shepard in repose. So often their time together was spent at briefings, in the company of other team members, or more and more often, fighting for their lives. Being alone with Shepard, especially in quietude, was a rare treasure, but as was so often the case, the gift was fleeting.

Shepard turned her head and looked across at the bed, a soft smile curving her lips as her eyes met Liara's "Sounds odd, but I thought I felt you wake up"

"I'm surprised you're here" Liara said quietly, stretching beneath the rumpled sheets. Her body felt sore, bruised and exhausted "How did you get in?" She narrowed her eyes at Shepard.

"That would be telling" Shepard's smile widened and she arched one delicate brow "One of Commander Shepard's little secrets"

"Tali?"

"Yeah"

"I thought so" Throwing back the light coverings and swinging her legs to the floor, Liara smiled. She glanced around, looking for her trousers. Once she'd gotten back from the med bay, she'd showered and changed into an alliance compression suit, intending to check on her feeds before getting some sleep, but as soon as she had lain on the bed, the exhaustion had crept up on her.

Shepard got up and retrieved the Asari's clothes from a heap on her desk opposite, handing them to her with a smile "You should wear Alliance more often" She murmured appreciatively as Liara stepped into her trousers, the compression top shifting to reveal a hit of blue abdomen. Then her gaze was pulled to the spattering of cuts and abrasions that marked the Asari's face and hands. Although not deep, some of them would scar "How are you feeling?" Shepard asked, her mind replaying the exact moment when Legion had almost failed to catch her.

Wondering at the odd tone in Shepard's voice, Liara fastened her trousers and met her lover's exquisitely expressive eyes. Quickly, she crossed to her, slid both arms around her waist from behind, and pressed her chest to Shepard's back "Don't"

Resting her weight against Liara's body, Shepard folded her arms over Liara's to hold her closer "Don't what?" she mumbled, closing her eyes.

"Don't remember. It's over" Liara kissed the sensitive spot just below Shepard's ear "Let it go"

Once, that subtle command would have bothered Shepard, but now it didn't. The tenderness ablated any edge the words may have carried "No one has ever been able to read my mind before"

Liara laughed "Not your mind Shepard, your eyes" She shook her head "You say so much with them" she paused "I wish we had more time, like this"

Shepard drew a swift breath, surprised by the admission. She had never doubted Liara's feeling's for her, but she had never expected to occupy a place of such pivotal importance in the Asari's life. Liara was nothing if not strong and independent - so much so that sometimes she drove Shepard to distraction. No doubt their relationship had enjoyed some stormy moments, and even now they locked horns on almost a daily basis, usually over what Liara considered Shepard's recklessness or information relating to the broker network. Professionally they had both learnt to compromise with their positions, but personally they had barely defined their present, let alone their future.

"Being spaced is a terrible way to die" Shepard said quietly "You were so close, and I couldn't help you" Shepard turned to face Liara, but kept within the circle of her arms "Whatever time I have is yours"

"You mean that?" Blue eyes searched green.

Shepard knew it wasn't much, but it was the only commitment she could make "Of course" she kissed Liara lightly on the lips "I have to go"

"I know, you always do" Liara pushed aside the melancholy with a shrug "Were you just going to sit here if I hadn't woken up?"

"Probably" Shepard gave her a wry smile "I just needed to know you were safe" she looked away "We will be making a drop on Rannoch soon, and I want you to sit this one out Liara"

"Shepard I..."

"I know" Shepard held a hand up to forestall her protest "But you're not cleared by Dr Chakwas yet and it's too soon to be back in the field"

Liara frowned "You can't ask me to do that" her voice rang hollow. She recognised the tone of Shepard's voice for exactly what it was, the departure of her lover and the return of the Alliance Commander.

"You understand my concerns?" Shepard asked, stepping out of Liara's embrace and putting some distance between them.

"Yes" Liara nodded "But I 'm fine Shepard, you go out in the field with worse injuries than this on practically a daily basis" anger edged her voice.

"This is not a request Liara" Shepard spoke firmly "There is one thing I need to ask you to do for me while I'm gone"

"What's that?" Liara frowned as Shepard looked away.

"Speak to Admiral Gerral on my behalf" She wouldn't make eye contact with Liara "We had an altercation earlier, things might get difficult if he can't look at things objectively, and you're probably the most diplomatic person I have on board"

"Altercation?"

"Yeah" Shepard drew the word out, her gaze finally landing back on Liara's "I nearly killed him"

There was silence in the room until eventually Liara uttered a small 'oh'.

"Yeah, Oh"

"I'll speak to him Shepard, do what I can" Liara nodded "Stay safe"

Shepard gave her a puzzled look, as if debating something in her head "I'll try" She made a motion as if she wanted to say more but thought better of it "Thanks" and with that, she left.

"No problem Commander" Liara muttered as the door to her cabin closed.


"I can't believe it, it hasn't really sunk in yet" Tali stood up slowly, grains of red sand pouring through her fingers "Look at the sky, and the rock formations, I used to write poems about them!"

"Well, when we're done, maybe you'll write a new one" Shepard said as she moved closer to Tali.

"This is Rannoch, the home of our ancestors, our bodies carried the seeds that spread the desert grass" Tali took a few steps forward, looking at the view "You've heard me say 'Keelah se'lai'? The best translation I can come up with, 'is by the home world I hope to see someday'"

Shepard followed the Quarian "Looks like you're seeing it now" Shepard wished she could see Tali's face, it would be so much easier to judge her feelings.

For a moment Shepard just looked out at the horizon line and marvelled at the fabled Quarian home world. It reminded Shepard of a high altitude desert, flat and shining, dotted with dark outcrops like jagged islands on a sea of hot sand and dust. In the distance, a dark writhing column of a dust devil danced, like a ghostly impersonation of a waterspout, and the view of the encircling mountains, all shimmering in the heat, was bleakly impressive.

The sky above was a hazy shining blue, darkening with the coming night, and pockets of gasses and dust formed multicoloured clouds.

"The living room will be right here" Tali formed a box with her hands and held it to the sky.

"Something I should know?" Shepard smiled, the whimsical hope in Tali's voice was infectious.

"I just claimed this land. I know it doesn't mean much, but when this is all over Shepard, I will have a home"

"Then let's get this done" Garrus spoke as he drew closer "Sooner this base is destroyed, the sooner you can have your home" He put one hand on Tali's shoulder "I'll admit, it's no Palaven, but it's not bad" his eyes scanned the horizon.

"Thank you" Tali said, placing her hand on his "All of you" She looked at Shepard.

"Don't thanks us yet" Shepard said, drawing her rifle and exchanging the thermal clip "We still have a lot of work to do" she looked up "Let's go"


"Normandy's weapon systems are ready to sync to your target" If Shepard didn't know better, she would have sworn there was urgency in EDI's tone "We recommend you withdraw to a safe distance"

"Down the ladder, ground side, now" Shepard barked as Garrus and Tali began their descent.

"Shepard?" Garrus muttered as he stepped onto the first rung.

"I'll be down as soon as this is done" She pulled the targeting laser from her back, pushed it into her collar bone and sighted "And this is all it takes to regain an entire world" she pressed the trigger, holding it until her finger hurt and sweat dripped into her eyes. Watched as the blue beams crawled impossibly closer to each other.

"Target locked" EDI sounded in her ear as a shrill noise indicated the weapon was fixed. Shepard, all but exhausted, glanced up as the Normandy shot past.

A line of light and sound seemed to fill the sky, ending in the massive pit beneath where Shepard stood. The bright stalk of noise and flame blossomed into an explosion she felt through her suit.

"Shit" Shepard cursed as the platform she was stood on rocked and tilted, jarring violently. With a shout, she was thrown sideways, one of her arms disappearing into a cloud of flame and smoke as she fell over the edge and crashed down, bouncing off the deck below. For a moment her fall was broken as one leg snagged over the guard rails of the middle deck. Shrapnel bounced off her helmet as she hung limp for a few more seconds; then the guard rail gave way, snapping cleanly off and falling to the ground. She thought she heard someone call her name as she fell.

After a while it was quite again, and she blinked, trying to see through the blackness of her visor. Painfully she reached up and rubbed it with her fingertips, trying to clear the view, but was horrified when she realised the smeared dark liquid was blood, and it was on the inside. She groaned as she rolled over and got to her knees, popping the faceplate open and coughing blood onto the deck.

The pit was a smouldering ruin, belching flame and smoke at her as she shielded her face, but something wasn't right "That noise" Shepard muttered, getting to her feet "that fucking noise" She staggered backwards as a great lumbering ship crawled free from the pit "Reaper!" She screamed into her comm.

"Shepard Commander, we have acquired transportation" Legion sounded in her ear as small Geth vehicle darted out next to her.

"Copy that, everybody get to the ship, move!" She could already see Tali and Garrus ahead of her, practically at the Geth vehicle already.

"Shepard!" Garrus shouted at her as she ran towards them, his hand indicating something behind her. He pulled his sniper rifle, took less than a second to line the shot, and fired.

Half the shattered face of a Geth trooper ricocheted off her shoulder and made her stagger.

She tried -as she ran in something like a trance, as her breath streamed back and forth through her wide opened mouth- to imagine how close she had been to the Reaper, and how long it would take the great machine to finally fire upon her.

When she reached the Geth ship, she skidded to a halt and clambered ungracefully onto its roof where a turret gun sat, unmanned.

Garrus nodded at her and dived into the hatch below.

"We will attempt evasive manoeuvres" legion said as he pulled away, kicking up dust and debris as the hover craft swirled in the sand.

"Shepard, that thing is huge, how are we supposed to fight that?" Tali asked over the comm. as she fought to catch her breath.

"I was hoping your fleet might lend a hand!" Shepard twisted the turret to face the ship as its million tonne mass lifted impossibly higher. As though in a dream, Shepard could see the ship all around her, still wrapped in smoke and cloud but lit from above by a golden wash of sunset. Its great towering spine seemed unaffected by the earlier explosion as its vast structure slid towards them, its single point of focus beginning to glow red.

"Fuck" Shepard hung onto the turret "Shepard to fleet, it is not a Reaper base, it's a live Reaper, I need an orbital strike" Her voice sounded calm but hard as she waited for Legion to put distance between them and the enormous target "We're clear, fire at will"

Shepard watched as the might of the Quarian fleet pounded the outer shell of the ship. Legion slowed the hovercraft as the Reaper staggered under the flames and debris, falling and twisting with an almost tantalising grace.

"Did we hit?" Gerral's voice, tight and strained, sounded in the comm.

"The firing chamber. Looks like a weak spot when it's priming"

"Damn it, the jamming towers have us targeting manually, we can't get a precision shot"

"We may escape before it recovers" Legion added.

Shepard paused for a moment as she listened to the chatter "No, pullover"

"Shepard Commander?" Legion questioned as he pulled the craft to a stop.

Shepard climbed down off the hull and surveyed the craft "If we run, the Geth stay under Reaper control and the Quarians are dead" The weight of her responsibility almost closed her throat "This has to end now" she spat another mouthful of blood onto the sand "EDI patch the Quarians to the Normandy weapons systems. I want the targeting laser synced up to the whole damn fleet" There was a long pause before EDI responded.

"Understood"

"Do you need assistance?" Legion asked from the cockpit.

"Get the team clear Legion" Shepard pulled the targeting laser free "I'll take it from here"

"Shepard Commander" Legion paused "Good luck"

Shepard almost laughed "acknowledged" if a Geth was whishing her luck then things must be bad. The hovercraft revved its engines once and pulled away "Shepard to fleet. I'll paint the weak spot, link up with the Normandy and be ready to fire"

"The destroyer is in range, missiles are primed and ready to launch" EDI announced.

Shepard took a knee as she faced the staggering beast. She couldn't outrun it, couldn't over power it, she just had to face it. One clear, targeted shot would be all she needed.

It was hard to believe the Reaper was nothing but a ship as it reared up on its legs and bellowed at her. The sound was like something you might have heard from an enormous choir of basses singing a slow, sonorous hymn in a language you would never understand. It was a bone battering and she felt it through her head and teeth.

Through the smoke and dust, the thing lumbered like a bad dream of an insect; massive, multi-jointed legs thick with weapons clusters, it stood, seemingly looking straight at her. Something rotated on its head. Then silently a red light built in the firing chamber. Shepard swallowed.

"Oh shit" Shepard heard herself say, and thought what pathetic words those were. The last thing the galaxy would ever hear from her mouth were those two unoriginal and wholly inadequate words.

She pulled the trigger and waited, watching the two holographic lines pull together as that red light gained strength. She could taste her own blood in her mouth; hear the roar of her heart beat in her ears and then suddenly, finally a shrill sound. She released the trigger and knew instinctively that she'd waited too long.

The Reapers beam fired.

Shepard dropped the gun and rolled to her right, staggering to a run as the very air around her streaked with fanned red light, intensely bright, searing, bleaching and burning exactly where she had been stood.

An instant later a series of colossal, still greater outbursts of light, just barely distinguishable as being made up of hundreds of small, bright flares rather than one big eruption - made a white hot sun where the Reaper was stood. Explosions shook and battered her from both sides. She put her head down, wrapped her fingers around the back of her helmet and waited for the explosions to stop.

When the smoke cleared, Shepard stood up and looked idly, groggily down at the shattered remains of the Reaper.

"You are Shepard" A sound like a thousand voices bellowed from the ship as a small red light pulsed dully in its depths.

Shepard staggered back, horrified "You know of me?" she replied.

"Harbinger has spoken of you" The voice died and then returned "You resist"

"I always will" Shepard gathered her anger.

"It is pointless, you will not succeed. You are chaos, we are order"

"What?" Shepard shook her head, regretting it instantly as a wave of dizziness pitched her forward.

"We are your salvation"

"No" Shepard spat "You're not my salvation. Not now, not ever"

"There must be order"

Shepard went to say more but the tiny pulsing light extinguished, leaving nothing but the empty husk of a machine in its wake.


Tali moved as fast as she could towards Shepard, stepping shakily through a debris strewn corridor of towering rock. When she was within arm's reach she called to the Commander but got no response. The human just stared forward, eyes focused on the massive wreck in front of her. Gently, she put her hand out and lay it on Shepard's shoulder.

"You did it" Tali said, awe colouring her voice "You took down a Reaper" there was a thick pregnant pause.

"We did it" Shepard said, her throat bubbling.

"Shepard" Tali turned the woman to face her and swallowed her shock. The Commanders visor was up and her face was splattered in blood, her lips and chin coated "Keelah Shepard are you-"

"I'm all right" She pulled away from Tali and removed her helmet.

"We can confirm the Geth are no longer being controlled by the old machines, we are free" Legion said as he approached Shepard from the other side.

"You did it! The Geth fleet has stopped firing. They are completely vulnerable" Gerral sounded over the comm. and Shepard sighed.

"Shepard Commander, the Geth only acted in defence after the creator fleet attacked" Legion shut down his omni tool and walked towards her "Do we deserve death?"

"What are you suggesting Legion?" Shepard looked at the Geth as it paced; an almost human reaction to its situation.

"Our upgrades" Legion walked towards her "With the old machine dead we could upload them to all Geth without sacrificing their independence"

"You want to upload the Reaper code?" Tali stuttered.

"Yes. Each Geth unit would be a true intelligence. We would be alive, we could help you"

"No" Tali argued "Our fleet is already attacking! Uploading the code would destroy us" she turned to Shepard and grabbed her by the shoulders "Shepard you can't choose the Geth over my people!"

"Do you remember the question that caused your people to attack us creator Zoorah?" Legion turned to face Tali "Does this unit have a soul?"

Shepard pulled free of Tali and shook her head "Upload the code to the Geth" for the first time ever, Shepard was glad she couldn't see the Quarian's face "Tali call off the fleet if you can"

"Keelah! Shepard they won't listen, you know this!" Tali was frantic as she put her finger to her comm. "This is Admiral Tali Zorah. All units break off your attack!" She all but sobbed the words out.

"Ten percent" Legion commented as he began the upload.

"Delay that order, continue the attack!" Gerral barked back.

"I should have killed that fucking man" Shepard growled.

"I beg you Shepard, don't do this" Tali pleaded "Please"

Shepard looked on impassively as Legion continued to upload the code "Shepard Listen to me!" Tali shouted as she bought her hand up.

Shepard caught the Quarian by the wrist just as her hand was about to strike her face. Green eyes flashed and for a moment their gazes locked "Tali, after everything, why can't you just trust me? Or do you think I'm that much of a monster?" She moved her hand, positioning it so her fingers were linked with the Quarians.

"We regret the deaths of the creators, but we see no alternative" Legion glanced at them "Forty percent"

"No" Shepard gave the fingers in hers a squeeze "No one else dies today. Legion, keep going"

"Shepard?" Tali's voice was hopeful.

"All ships" Shepard took a deep breath and levelled her voice "This is Commander Shepard, the Reaper is dead. Stand down!"

Tali let go of Shepard's hand and started her omni tool "This is Admiral Tali Zorah, Shepard speaks with my authority!"

"And mine as well!" The voice of Admiral Koris chimed.

"Negative" Gerral barked "We can win this war, keep firing!"

"Joker" Shepard Glanced at Tali "Target Admiral Gerral's ship, fire a warning shot, keep weapons locked, let him know you mean business"

"Aye aye Commander" Joker replied, distracted.

Shepard addressed the fleet again "Gerral!" Shepard barked "The Geth are about to return to full strength. If you keep attacking, they will wipe you out. Your entire history is war with the Geth" Shepard closed her eyes "The Geth don't want to fight you and if you can believe that for just one minute then this war will be over" Shepard sounded impossibly tired "You have a choice"

There was a burst of awkward static "All units" Gerral said at length "Hold fire"

"Thank you!" Tali slumped, her head falling forward as she exhaled.

"Error copying code. Direct personality dissemination is required" legion stopped what he was doing and turned to Shepard "Shepard Commander, I must go to them. I'm sorry, it's the only way"

"Legion?" Tali approached the Geth "I'm sorry" she shook her head "The answer to your question though, was yes"

"I know Tali, but thank you" Legion turned from her "Keelah sa'lai" was the last thing he said before his body went limp and collapsed, his knees giving way first so that he just seemed to sit heavily, before falling over backwards.

Shepard let out a long breath and sat down, slumped upon the floor. She rubbed her face with both hands and sighed deeply "Well, that was close" she was suddenly tired, full of aches and utterly depressed.

Tali took a seat next to her "A little too close" she agreed "Listen, Shepard I-"

"No" Shepard held up a bloody glove "Don't say anything, I'm savouring"

"Savouring?"

"My moment of fleeting victory" She held out her arms to indicate the horizon.

"Ah" Tali nodded and wrung her hands "It will be some time before we can leave our suits completely, but Shepard, I wanted to give you this" Tali reached up and without ceremony, removed her mask.

Shepard gave Tali a lazy smile as she studied the face of her friend for the first time. Despite the rest of the helmet disturbing her view, she could make out a spill of thick, heavy black hair. Her skin was pale under the sunset's reflection, and her brows were elegant black curves under a wide forehead and a crescent of swept back hair. Her eyes were large and dark, and wide cheek bones helped balance a proud jaw. To Shepard, it was the face of hope.

After a moment Tali reached up and kissed her fingertips, then leant over and placed them on Shepard's bruised and bloodied ones "Thank you Shepard" she spoke without the mask for the first time and her voice sounded softer and more languid "For giving me back my home"

"I didn't give you anything" Shepard looked out at the horizon "All I did was shout" She smirked then winced as her lip split.

Tali frowned and replaced her mask "Come on Shepard" She gave the Commander a hand up, pulling her to her feet and holding her steady as she swayed "Let's get you back to the Normandy" She slipped her arm around Shepard's waist.

"You're coming?" Shepard asked around a cough "I wasn't going to ask"

"I know" Tali shrugged "But I belong on the Normandy, I always have"