Part 1, Chapter 7, Soldier:
Liara would be tied up at the Asari embassy for at least a couple of days debriefing with the ambassador, the incoming new councilor, and some commando sisters. Shepard took the opportunity to make a discrete inquiry.
She hopped a fast lighter to Illium. I miss the days when I could just tell Joker to zip the Normandy across the galaxy without a second thought. Unfortunately for her, Normandy was no longer under her command. She was currently in dry dock awaiting repairs and a new commander, then on to lead a Wolf Pack in the Alliance 5th Fleet along with two brand new Normandy-Improved (SR-2) class frigates Khe Sanh and Khafji.
It was amazing how quickly Normandy's sister ships could be put into service after she brought SR-2 over to the Alliance. EDI had complete blueprints squirreled away within her databases, and Cerberus had fabricated all the long-lead items necessary for another two SR-2 class ships. Appropriating the hulks and parts for the Alliance Navy wasn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. The Illusive Man was holding out on all of us about how much of Cerberus' resources building Normandy had expended. They were going to field a small fleet, Shepard thought to herself. They'd even seen very limited action in the Reaper War as stealth reconnaissance platforms since they weren't fully fitted out with weapons.
The Alliance had done a nice job of integrating the new Normandy into the fleet after Shepard and her crew had mutinied against the Illusive Man and took her home. It only took them three days to re-paint it. Still, she was sad to see her go. It was almost like losing a family member.
Victoria could feel the subtle shift as she exited the universe as she knew it and flashed thousands of light years between mass relays. In an instant she was in the Tasale system falling down the star's gravity well towards a rendezvous with Illium.
A few hours later the lighter touched down at the Nos Astra spaceport and she worked her way through customs. The Asari customs official blanched, as much as any Asari could blanch, when she saw "Victoria R. Shepard, Alliance Navy" on her ID. She was about to say something when an old friend ambled up behind her. Detective Anaya put a finger to her lips and winked. The customs official nodded, and in an unexpected gesture placed her right hand to Shepard's heart and mouthed the words goddess' peace.
After they cleared customs Shepard turned to the detective and asked, "Glad you got my message, I appreciate the help. What was that about?"
"Asari custom, one of the more superstitious. You're somewhat of a hero around these parts, if you hadn't guessed." They walked onto the Nos Astra Exchange trading floor at a good clip lest she was recognized. Shepard wanted to be as discrete as possible, the few faces that showed flickers of recognition passed by before they could make a scene. War damage on Illium was also surprisingly light. A few of the larger buildings were hit; Dantius Tower One was conspicuously missing next to its severely damaged twin.
"How is our Justicar friend?" the detective asked.
"Afraid I don't know. After we came back through the Omega-4 relay she took off after the Illusive Man with Miranda and Jack. I received a message that they were on to him, but then the war started. I haven't heard from them since. I can only assume they didn't make it." Shepard's head dipped slightly, more people I've let down.
"How'd you convince her to hunt down that Cerberus guy?" Anaya asked.
"I didn't have to. After we got back I released her from her bond, figured she'd be off after that. Apparently I wasn't the only person who chatted with her in the observation lounge on Normandy. Miranda convinced her that the Illusive Man was bad news and deserved some justice."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that, and that wasn't the strangest thing," Anaya looked over at Shepard disbelieving. Strange? What isn't strange nowadays? The two women climbed the stairwell on the far side of the trading floor and moved towards the entrance of the Eternity Lounge, "Yeah, that biotic nut-job we had living in our basement actually signed right up to help Miranda. Not a week earlier I needed to pry them apart with a fire-ax. Suddenly they were on the same side. Damnedest thing," she shook her head.
They reached the door to the lounge and stopped, "Not sure what you're up to, but good luck," said the detective. "Drop by the station sometime, it'd be nice to catch up." Detective Anaya snapped off a sardonic salute, smirked, and was off.
Shepard paused. Come on Vikki, you just saved the galaxy from extermination. This should be nothing, she thought.
Here we go.
"Hey babe, welcome back. Can I get you anything? Sorry…"
"No sex, just cleaned the bar," Shepard parroted back the usual spiel.
The Asari Matriarch lowered her voice somewhat, "So, Ms. Hero, what brings you back our way?"
Banzai! Shepard thought, here goes. "I want to marry your daughter."
The most transient of twitches crossed her pale blue face but she recovered immediately. Guess you learn to think on your feet after a thousand or so years. "Hang on a second," Aethyta motioned to one of her employees to take her post and came around the bar to Shepard's side, "Let's find a quiet place to talk."
They took a private booth in the back room, so happened that Eternity Lounge was having a slow day, and sat down. "I'm not going to ask how you found out," she smirked, "Frankly, with Liara's skill-set, I'm surprised she didn't come in to see me years ago." She leaned back and sighed, "So you've come to ask my daughter's hand in marriage? Isn't that a bit old fashioned? Human fashioned I mean."
"I suppose," Shepard replied, "I figured I ought to at least speak with you, if for nothing else to tell you that Liara would probably not react poorly to learning who her mother's mate was." Shepard shifted, uncomfortable with her thoughts, "What with all the recent upheaval, it makes one appreciate family in a new light. Yes?"
Aethyta managed a facial expression that was at once sagely and conspiratorial, "I would say so. What did you have in mind? Just drop in on her? Surprise! Daddy's home?"
"Nothing so dramatic. In fact, I'd suggest letting her make the first move. I ask because I know she's taken Benezia's death poorly. I can feel it," she paused, "In the joining."
Aethyta chuckled, "My my! Is the big bad war hero shy talking about sex? Lighten up Shepard, I expect sturdy granddaughters from you. I don't want you raising them to be prudes!"
"Well, it's always a bit awkward when you let on your fucking daddy's little girl," Shepard responded. "We humans have a fine tradition that involves cleaning shotguns at the family dinner table."
She smiled. The Matriarch was disarming. No wonder she makes a good bartender.
Aethyta sighed, "I hadn't seen Benezia for almost 100 years before she died, and I still took her death poorly. I can only imagine what it was like for our 'little wing'. I wish you could have met her before whatever it was possessed her to turn traitor."
I wish I didn't have to kill her in front of her daughter when I met her. For a moment Shepard could remember the antiseptic smell of the hot labs of Noveria.
"Look what you've done. Now you've got me feeling all sentimental." She sighed again, "I should have spoken to Liara sooner. That's my failing. I'm a bit of a wuss, to borrow a phrase." Her face screwed up in introspection, "Things never would have worked out between Benezia and me, but she was still an amazing woman. Here," she reached under her robes and produced a thin necklace sporting a large blue diamond, "Benezia gave this to me when she told me she was pregnant." Aethyta smirked, "Then she told me to hit the road."
She handed the necklace to Shepard. "You have my blessing to wed my daughter," she said, barely able to suppress a smirk, "Please give this to her. Tell her that I care for her very much, I always have. Also that, when she's ready, we can catch up."
Admiral Shepard stood, embraced her soon to be father-in-law, and left. She made it back to the Citadel quickly enough that her absence was barely noticed.