Part 1, Chapter 2, Maiden:
Who would have known an archeologist's life would be so exciting, Dr. Liara T'soni thought to herself as she looked at The Conduit. What was once taken for granted as a Prothean monument to their own ingenuity turned out to be a point-to-point Mass Relay to Ilos, which she and Shepard had proven in spectacular fashion nearly three years ago. It stood now, as it did then, silently over a small reflecting pool in the Presidium's embassy district.
She looked up to the balcony where Shepard had gone to meet with Councilor Anderson. She had an audience with the Citadel Council that ought to be starting soon. Liara reached into her robes and produced a platinum pocket watch, such a beautiful anachronism. She checked the time, she should be in the council chambers by now, and closed the face. Rolling it over in her delicate blue hands she read the inscription on the reverse:
My Dear Azure Rose,
To You I Commit My Heart,
My Love, Forever.
"That was a lovely haiku," a voice from behind.
Liara jumped slightly and turned to see her new companion by the reflecting pool. The Consort Sha'ira glided to her side. "I'm sorry?"
"Oh, forgive me," said the Consort, "I overheard you just now. That was a very beautiful haiku. Whoever wrote that for you must care for you a great deal?"
Was I speaking out loud? The part of Liara's brain that was lost in nostalgia rebooted into information broker mode. "She certainly does, Mistress Sha'ira," she smiled coyly, "but you already knew that."
The beautiful Asari Matriarch smiled, "I'm not here to speak business," the Consort was a substantial information broker in her own right, "I wanted to thank you for helping a friend." She paused, looked at the Conduit, and turned to face Liara. "I received a note from Matron Erinya. She said that Shepard spoke with her while she was on Illium working with you."
The Consort looked wistful. Liara struggled to determine if it was an act or genuine emotion. "One of my acolytes died during the First Battle of the Citadel, Erinya was her mother. I like to think I'm fairly talented at helping clients work through whatever issues they might have, but Erinya wouldn't speak with me. I was too close to her loss. Well, one of them anyway. She had a second daughter elsewhere on the Citadel die in the battle as well." She paused, "Shepard, however, I'm not sure what she said, but it was a complete turnaround."
Liara looked at the Consort, "Shepard has a way with people."
The Consort smirked and said, "I also wanted to express my congratulations."
Liara cocked her head slightly, "Thank you, but it was really mostly Shepard. I was just along for the ride."
The Consort smiled and shook her head. "Enjoy the haiku Dr. T'soni." Sha'ira turned with a fluid motion and walked away towards her chambers.
What's a haiku? Liara thought to herself, another human word I'll have to look up.