A/N: For those that are Aria fans, I wrote this one for you (us)! Thanks to everyone for their continued feedback - I really love it and enjoy sharing this story with you. Special thanks also go to Bebus - he really helped me augment the chapter, especially with what Aria is going through - so Bebus, I owe you fish and chips!
I hope you all enjoy and please leave me a review, PM, favorite or follow! Thanks for reading!
Chapter 12: Fury and Fortitude
Lesaro approached the moon of Palaven and to his delight, saw the turian fleet parading before him as if giving him the fear and respect he was due. The warships filled his lust and desire in a way that nothing else had since the Reapers had been defeated.
They are waiting for me to lead them, to command them and bring them to victory. My victory… It is so close now. I can see those brutes burning and their planet collapse into nothingness. I am the one to wield these weapons and their power…
Through Krixo's orbs, the senior Leviathan had readied the turians for Lesaro's influence and control. He had directed them to summon their fleets and prepare to engage the krogan on Tuchanka. With the arrival of Lesaro, the control would change to the Krixo's general. It was now Lesaro's time to use his mind and exert control over the turians that were awaiting him. War was their cause now, the leaders on Palaven were Lesaro's to command and their resources were his to control.
Nothing will stand in my way. I have been given the ultimate war machines and I will use their might to destroy those that stand against our voice and our rule. Leviathan will rise and I am the hand of victory that will deliver such wonders to Krixo…
The ships seemed to call to him and he felt elated at the sheer number of the vessels that were encircling the planet. All of those weapons for him to control. Now he only needed to direct them to a target, one that would be annihilated once he arrived with his new armada. Thanks to the work of Krixo, the minds of the turiarns were focused on war and military command. Lesaro could easily take control, for he found traits in the turians that seemed to be like him: following the chain of command, a militaristic code and a drive to win. The turians seemed like the perfect vessel to issue in the new era… the era of Leviathan.
These turians have such power… Their fleet is not matched by any other in the galaxy… Their glorious weapons are just waiting for a worthy target and I have one such for them. To victory and glory! To the extinction of those that will not follow the new power in the galaxy… Oh such beauty there will be as the krogan burn and are driven from existence. I am their death and the turians are my blade…
The voice in his mind started to settle in and add to his own confidence. It agreed with the use of the weapons and in crushing the krogan. But it also started to whisper other ideas too. The voice stroked the growing ego of the Leviathan and told him everything that he wanted to hear.
Lesaro was made to lead. All should follow Lesaro and bow to his superiority. Strike down those that stand in your way. You are strong and fierce and should forge the future of Leviathan. The ghosts of the past should be ignored… You are the destiny of all. Wage your war, but then use your forces for greater glory. You are the galaxy's might… This will be the era of Lesaro…
Filled with a confidence and drive that he had never had before, Lesaro used his ability to indoctrinate the fleet before him. Coordinates were set for Tuchanka and the massive armada started making its way to the mass relay that would guide the power hungry Leviathan to its destination.
Tuchanka… Lesaro is coming for you… Fear me and my fury… War is upon you… You that are unsuspecting and will fall easily… Lesaro's destiny has begun…
With whispers of the union still echoing through her mind and enjoying the lingering closeness of her bond with Tevos, Aria woke up feeling renewed and in-touch with her lover. The dark cloud of uncertainty that had been hanging over them was gone and in its stead was a euphoria that seemed to radiate from within both of them. She ran her hand over the curves of her lover's body and allowed herself to enjoy the feeling. I'll keep you safe, Love… You never have to hide your mind from me… I will always be your strength, you damn, beautiful woman…
Looking around the room, Aria tried to assess the time. In her passion, she had misplaced her omni-tool and she did not feel like getting up yet to find it. Sunlight was sneaking in through the cracks in the room's blinds and she could tell that it was late afternoon. They had managed to spend the entire night and most of the day in bed together, embracing eternity and then passing out from exhaustion. Aria looked at the sleeping form of her lover with a renewed and complete understanding of everything that she had been feeling and putting herself through. She also knew that Tevos too would feel the same about her. With all of the emotions that both had been harboring, their bond had been deep, so deep that they had completely merged beings in order to face what the other was experiencing: fear, anger, helplessness, desire and love. You know me and I know you… I will never allow any fucking monster to come between us again…
In all her years, Aria was never able to truly open herself to anyone in this way or wanted to. She always maintained control during the melds she chose to share and erected some type of wall as a shield. Now with Tevos, none was needed or desired. As much as the two were different, they were also very much the same and each was better because of the other. Such a realization used to scare Aria a bit, to really let someone in and to give up her control of what they saw in her and be totally one within a meld. Tevos never judged her and had never violated her trust, which allowed Aria to continually lower her wall and open more of herself up to her lover. Until the violation by Leviathan, both kept some sort of defense from the other. Now those defenses were gone, Aria's brutality and Tevos's politics neither needed to hide what they were from the other. Once the last barrier was shed, their souls touched and an unbreakable union was formed. Your being is intoxicating and I will never grow tired of it… You continually make me whole and no fucking Leviathan will make us doubt each other again…
As peaceful as her soul felt, when Aria tried to stretch she found her body to be sore and in need of food. Tevos was nestled against her, with her head resting on Aria's shoulder and her arm spread out across her body, encompassing her. The rate of their breathing was in harmony as the effects of the bond were wearing off. Aria felt content and whole again, reconnecting with her bondmate and knowing her mind helped to push away all the angst, fear and denial of the last few days. She greedily took in the sight of her sleeping lover and felt the comfort of Thea's body pressed into her own. I love this woman… That fucking thing will never have her again… She closed her eyes again, but just as she did, her stomach rumbled and demanded that she no longer overlook her basic need for food. Fucking stomach…
Not able to contain the pangs of hunger or the stiffness of her muscles, Aria started moving Tevos off of her and assuming a sitting position on the bed. She lightly brushed Thea's cheek with her fingertips, outlining each of her facial tattoos. Satisfied that she had not woken her lover, she quietly made her way to their shower and dressing room. The hot water and steam felt good on her sore muscles and she took a little longer than she had first intended. Clean and dressed, Aria was ready to address her desire for food. What to eat? Hmm… seafood… fish and chips… yes, that is what I want and a walk to get it will help to loosen me up.
Returning to her bedroom and the sleeping asari, now curled up in their covers, Aria moved to kiss her lightly. She did not want to leave without first telling Thea, so she decided to initiate a shallow sleep meld to share with her lover where she was going. Normally, Aria would have hesitated to make such an invasion, but now, it seemed just a natural part of their communication. Her mind touched Thea's and she could see that she was dreaming. For once, her dreams were peaceful and calming, not the recent ones filled with terror and invasion. I'm going out for food, Love and I'm going to take a few of my men with me. Rest and I'll be back soon.
The fish and chips had hit the spot, but more importantly, Aria noticed a bar that she passed on her way to the restaurant that was filled with all sorts of aliens: krogan, turian, salarian, elcor, volus asari and of course, human. She looked at the two bored krogans that were standing watch over her and evil grin formed on her lips. "Boys, it's time to blow off some steam. Prak, you are buying the first round!"
The bar was no Afterlife, but then nothing ever was. It was seedy enough to make Aria feel at home though. There was a line that wrapped around the block, but that was for others to wait in. I am Aria T'Loak, lines wait for me! She walked straight to the front door, gave the bouncer a look that spoke 'Don't Fuck With Aria' and walked in. There was a steady beat being broadcasted, Aria recognized it as human techno. Wafts of smoke rose to the ceiling and hung in a large cloud over every part of the neon lit dance floor and bar. Bodies of all shapes, colors and sizes were gyrating to the beat that was being played. In the corner was a mechanical elcor that was currently being ridden by a volus. To Aria's amusement, there was a large group of volus cheering on their friend and seeming all too eager to be thrown from the back of the elcor. Aria happily watched the scene, quickly scanned the area for any noticeable threats and then found the table that she would claim as hers.
Turning to her bodyguards and pointing at the mechanical elcor, Aria sarcastically commented, "What do you think… should I have one of those put in Afterlife?"
"Ha… It would be funny to see volus flying about the bar." Prak laughed at the idea and thought about a few other creatures that he would like to see being thrown off a mechanical elcor.
The two hulking krogan that shadowed Aria's every move were on alert, but each had been with her since before the Reaper War and knew her style and expectations. They made sure that the area was secure and that no one that was deemed a nuisance would bother the Pirate Queen.
In no time, the word spread that the Queen of Omega was holding court at the Jewel of Irune. The owner, a volus named Cero, was so overly excited that he pulled out the best ryncol and arranged for the sexiest dancers to keep Aria entertained. He sat at her table and through his breather, offered continual compliments and refreshments to the Aria and anyone that would listen to him boast. "Haaaa…I have the best of everything here! See… Haaaa… Anything that you want, Cero can get… Haaaa… "
For Aria's part, she accepted the free hospitality and allowed herself sometime to push out the stress of the past week. The ryncol hit the spot and the half-naked asari were easy on the eyes, but her thoughts kept going back to the only woman that she really loved, Thea Tevos. Aria still kept thinking about her lover's naked body and how she would look dancing and shaking her ass to the beat of the music. A warm feeling spread through her body at the thought, one not born of ryncol. She lost track of time and drank too much, but she realized that she missed Thea and that the bar wasn't what she needed to blow off steam. It was the svelte form of her bondmate, her amazingly strong spirit and her overwhelming love that Aria yearned for.
Rising from her chair, Aria looked at her guards and nodded. "Time to go… I've got something special waiting for me."
"Haaa… Ms. T'Loak, don't go yet! Haaaa… More ryncol? Haaa… I can get more dancers for you! Don't leave!" Cero was desperate to keep his most famous customer at his bar, but Aria was set on leaving.
The bar was spinning slightly and the smoke filled room felt stifling, Aria quickly made her way to the door and to the cool, London air. It was misting outside, but the moisture and cold felt good after the stale air of the bar. "Prak, get your ass over here!" Aria was swaying slightly and wanted the krogan to steady her for the walk home.
"Boss… we can get a skycab," the krogan offered.
"No! I'm fucking walking and you are making sure that I get home… now!"
Not able to sleep, Liara looked at the empty space in her bed and immediately thought of Shepard and how much she missed her bondmate. Their apartment was quiet and empty without her and served as a reminder of the separate paths they were both currently taking. She hated the loneliness and the uncertainty that they both were facing, apart. The news of Ann's death hit her harder than she thought possible and guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. The loss of a friend had not been something that Liara needed to deal with since the end of the Reaper War. Thoughts of her own fear and loss crept back into her mind. I cannot think like this. This will not help Shepard fight Leviathan and it will not help me either. She will come home to me… she promised.
Hoping to concentrate on something else, Liara decided to get up and check on the Shadow Broker data feeds in her office. She pulled off the warm covers of her bed, sat up and swung her feet down until they found the softness of the carpet. A light stir and a kick from her daughter reminded her that she was never truly alone anymore. The realization brought a bit of comfort and she closed her eyes, reached out with her thoughts and focused on the developing mind of her child. Colors, rich and vibrant were the first images that appeared in her mind, and then a sense of trust and love started to fill her. Liara stroked her stomach and enjoyed the embrace with her child. I feel your strength in her, Shepard. She could not stop herself from smiling at the thought of her daughter and her bondmate. She suddenly felt warm and comforted.
Liara inhaled deeply and allowed herself to fully take in everything that she was sensing from her daughter. The exchange helped to center her and remove the sadness and fear that had been bubbling up when she first awoke. I love you Little One… You give me hope and strength… I will focus on that and on you… my Little One. She gave her stomach a final rub, pulled her mind back to the present and headed for her study.
Her connections as the Shadow Broker did not fill her with much optimism. The turian fleets were starting to amass around Palaven and appeared to be gearing up for a very large exercise, one that Liara knew the target of. I will need to inform Wrex... He will not be happy. She was also not sure of how much her own government was being impacted by Leviathan. Tevos could not remember what she had done during her time under the control of Leviathan and she had access to every tier of the Matriarchy. The thought frightened her and made her think of her father, who was currently heading back to Thessia and her place in the Matriarchy. I have delayed too long… I must head to Thessia and soon.
The news was very disturbing and the implications of another war were even more daunting. Liara looked at the chrono display on her terminal, it was currently 03:12 A.M. and she felt the need to do something with the information she was reviewing. She typed in a few commands to her QEC and then readied herself for an answer.
It took a few minutes, but the large, hulking form of her old squad mate finally appeared, "Haa… Liara? Is that you?" The rumbling sound of Urdnot Wrex came through the QEC loud and clear. "What can I do for you?"
"Hello, Wrex." Liara's mood lightened at the sight of her friend and in the warmth in his voice. "I wish I was calling for pure social reasons, but I have some news and wanted to make sure that you got it first hand from me."
The krogan shook his head and then looked away, "Bakara, it's Liara and I think you will need to hear whatever she has to say." He waited for Bakara to join him and then returned his attention to the image of Liara.
"Greetings, Liara." Bakara addressed the asari and then looked over Liara and scratched her headplate. "How are you doing? This news must not be good if you are giving it to us while still in your nightgown."
Forgetting that she had just climbed out of bed, the idea of speaking to Wrex and Bakara while still wearing her yellow nightgown brought a smile to her lips. Shepard would give me such grief about this… "Unfortunately, it is very important. I was looking over the newest reports from Palaven and it appears they are preparing to launch an invasion. After what Shepard discovered of the Council's plans and the recent happenings with Leviathan, I can only surmise that the target in mind is Tuchanka."
Wrex's stance immediately changed, as he stood fully erect and flexed his muscles. He let out a slow growl that turned into words, "We will be ready for the turians and Leviathan."
"That is truly unfortunate news." Bakara's eyes seemed to fill with sadness, "Another war will not help our people, Wrex. It will only set us on a backwards path."
Trying to offer some hope, Liara addressed the pair, "We have a plan set in motion. I would rather not discuss it over comms, but there are resources from Omega that are being made available to the krogan and Shepard is currently with some of our old friends."
Wrex understood, "Are you staying on Earth?"
"No, I was supposed to leave for Thessia a week ago, but was delayed due to the Councilor's… illness. She is on the mend and we will be leaving very soon."
Stepping forward, Bakara looked directly into what would be Liara's eyes, "Thank you, Liara. You and Commander Shepard have always been true friends to the krogan. We will do our best to prepare our people and limit the amount of casualties."
Quickly adding in his comments, Wrex took on a sarcastic tone, "Yeah… and thank Aria too. I'm sure this will cost us a few favors, but if Omega is involved then I know how Aria works and it will be worth her asking price."
Liara continued, "I think that you will find that Aria has as much hatred for Leviathan as you do, Wrex. I think that seeing them defeated will be enough."
Giving a full bellied, krogan sized laugh, Wrex corrected Liara, "Seeing Leviathan 'suffering' and defeated will be enough... maybe."
Ever the diplomat and the mother, Bakara took Wrex's arm and stood with her husband, "We will let you get back to sleep now Liara. Please stay in contact with us and thank you again."
"You will know when Aria's gifts arrive and I will send you any information that I can. Stay well." Liara took one last look at the two krogan standing before her and then pressed a button to end the comm feed.
Liara still needed to make another call, but her body demanded that she both use the bathroom and eat something… something spicy.
Aria's head was spinning slightly and her body felt a warm, numbness as she stumbled into her apartment. "Thea? Thea, baby… where are you? And where is the fucking light switch…. Ouch! Whose idea was it to put a fucking table there?" Aria grabbed her leg as she banged into various pieces of furniture; it had been a while since she had gotten this drunk and had to navigate the apartment in the dark. She made her way to the only light that was on, the light coming from Thea's office.
Looking away from the QEC and the caller on the other end, Thea Tevos rolled her eyes at her bondmate. She kept her voice calm and even, "I thought you were going out for food, not shots of ryncol?"
"I did get food… fish and chips. It was fucking delicious. But then the boys and I saw a bar across from the restaurant and there was a ruckus from some brawling krogan going on. I thought it would be fun to blow off some steam…" Aria stumbled closer to Thea and gave her a very sloppy kiss, while her hands went for Thea's breasts.
Thea gently pushed her intoxicated bondmate away, "Aria, please… NOT NOW! I am on an important call." The words sounded harsh, but her face was filled with amusement at her lover's condition.
Suddenly aware of the holo display of Liara T'Soni, Aria gave her a devilish smile and reached again for Tevos. "Liara, why are you both looking so damned serious?" Rejected again by her lover, Aria instead pulled a chair next to Thea and slumped down into it.
Not knowing if she should apologize or laugh at Aria's behavior, Thea decided to turn her attention back to Liara and her news of Leviathan. Acting on instinct, Thea reached out and placed her hand on top of Aria's. "Please continue, Liara… I am sorry for the interruption."
Smiling at the two asari that she had come to think of as sisters, Liara decided to let Aria off the hook, "It is understandable and looks like Aria is getting ready for a reunion with my father."
It was Aria's turn to laugh, "Aethyta! Bring on that old broad and a couple bottles of ryncol and we will definitely have a party. That is one Matriarch that I am happy to know."
Tevos turned her attention to her bondmate, "Well you might just get your chance... Liara reminded me that we need to be heading back to Thessia. We need to see what is going on there and see if…" The word caught in Thea's throat and she used all her composure to spit it out, "Leviathan has spread its influence to our homeworld."
Hearing her struggle momentarily with her words, Aria squeezed her bondmate's hand. Even intoxicated, she was still in tuned with Thea's emotions and was quick to offer support.
Feeling her lover's strength and her warmth, Tevos regained her composure and looked back at the holo. "Liara, you still have not told me the real reason for your early morning call… what is going on?"
"It is as we feared… Leviathan is using its powers to summon the turian fleets around Palaven. According to my information, it appears that the turians are preparing for war and we all know their target."
As one voice, both Aria and Tevos spoke their answer, "Tuchanka…"
"Yes, I fear that you are both correct. I have informed Wrex and Bakara and let them know to expect help from Omega. They are going to do what they can to minimize any krogan losses, but it will be hard to avoid an all-out war if the turians attack. I don't think that the Council authorizing the turians aggressions will be enough to stop the galaxy from picking sides and the krogan have never been popular."
Lowering her gaze and feeling guilty about her part in the plans to attack Tuchanka, Tevos found it hard to look at Liara's reaction, "I see…"
Quick to support her lover, Aria took Thea's face in her hands, "This is not your fault… It is Leviathan's doing and we are going to do our part to fucking stop it. Right, Liara."
Not missing a beat, Liara confirmed Aria's statement, "Yes… Thea, I did not want to upset you and I do not blame you for any of this. I could not sleep and felt like I needed to share this with you both. I also wanted to make plans for our departure for Thessia."
"Thank you both, but I cannot help but feel guilty for what I did. Liara, you can count on us to help in whatever manner we are able. I agree that we need to be leaving for Thessia as soon as possible. We will be able to meet you at the docks by late morning. Your father took the Destiny Ascension back to Thessia… we can use the Council's ship, the Midnight Star to transport us."
"That would be most appreciated. I will see you both then and we can further discuss the plans for fighting Leviathan."
The thought of Leviathan still did not sit well with Aria. She had a lot of pent up anger and very little outlet to deal with her gut reaction to the creature, "I can't wait to kill that fucking beast! Never again… it will never again take hold of my family, damn it!"
Feeling better knowing that Aria and Thea would be with her, Liara started to think about all she need to do before she would meet the pair at the ship. She nodded her agreement and prepared to end the call, "Until later, I need to get everything ready. I will see you both then in a few hours. Take care of each other."
"We will…"
The last task for Liara was the one she most anticipated; her call to Shepard. She knew that the Normandy was running silently and that Shepard had probably not yet learned of Ann's death. Before making the call, Liara stood in front of her mirror and made sure that she looked put together and self-assured. The roundness of her belly seemed to have grown and she smiled again at the memory of the bond with her daughter. She was ready to talk to Shepard and was eager to see her bondmate. Liara walked into her office, activated the QEC and waited patiently for the image of Shepard to appear.
As the smiling face of her lover came into view, Liara felt both relief and yearning. "Hello, Love… How is it being back on the Normandy?"
Shepard seemed to flinch at the mention of the Normandy and instead focused on the woman in front of her, "Liara, I've missed you. How are you and the baby doing?"
Liara could tell that Shepard wasn't telling her something and she started to feel a little worry seep into her thoughts. Instead of staying silent, she decided to address her concerns directly. "I am well and the baby is growing, just as she should. I miss you, but please tell me what is going on? Please, why did you make a face when I brought up the Normandy?"
Taking a quick look around to make sure that she was completely alone, Shepard let out a sigh and then looked at her wife sheepishly, "You know me too well, Liara. It's the Normandy… It's not my ship anymore and it's weird to watch someone else giving the orders. Stupid, I know… but you asked."
A smile formed on Liara's lips, "I wondered how you would do as a passenger. I feel somewhat sorry for Ashley and the rest of the crew. You are not one to sit back and let someone else lead. You must be patient and trust in their talents."
"I know, but everything is so different now. Everyone is just as focused and driven and I know that Ashley is a capable Commander… it's just not what I'm used to. I've always been the one to make the tough calls and give the orders, I've been the one that the crew looked up to and came to with all of their questions. Now I am 'Commander Shepard, The Savior of the Galaxy' and everyone treats me like some untouchable superhero. Liara, I miss just being me."
"You are you and you have always been more than just the Commander of the Normandy. You are the one that is leading the charge again; you are just doing it from a different perspective. Trust me, Love… you could never sit back and direct from the sidelines. It just is not your nature… and I love you for it, even though it often scares me."
Smiling at her wife and grateful for her continued support, Shepard looked lovingly at Liara. "Thanks for the pep talk… you're the only one that I can really open up to like this… but you already know that. Alright, enough of my wounded ego, what is happening on Earth and when are you leaving for Thessia? How are Tevos and Aria doing?"
"We are all leaving later today. Tevos is getting back to herself and Aria, well she is Aria." Liara looked away from her bondmate, knowing that the information about Ann was going to hurt. She gathered her thoughts for a moment and then looked back at Shepard.
"I know that look Liara… it's your turn, what are you not telling me?"
"It's Ann Bryson-Vega… Miranda found a way to interrupt the control that Leviathan had on her. When she did it, there were consequences…"
Shepard tensed up, "What kind of consequences?"
"Shepard, she was under the control of Leviathan for a long time and she was not taking care of herself properly. With all of the stress from Leviathan and from her pregnancy, when the connection stopped, her system did not know how to react. She had a brain bleed and she went into a coma. Dr. Michel needed to perform an emergency C-Section to make sure the baby survived… but she did not." Liara had watched as the color drained from Shepard's image. "I am so sorry to be the one to have to tell you."
Feeling like she took a blow to the gut and being weighed down by the guilt that was taking hold of her; Shepard's eyes went to her feet. She could barely look at her wife, "This is my fault, Liara. I could have done more. We could have intervened and stopped Leviathan before it came to this. How is the baby… and how is James? My god Liara, how will I ever be able to look at him again?"
Wishing that she could be there in person to help support her bondmate, Liara did what she could from a distance. "Please do not do this to yourself. We could not know what Leviathan's effect on Ann would be and we tried to do what was right for more than just Ann. That sounds cold, but we have had to make calls that were equally as horrific. You cannot blame yourself, you can only move forward and make sure that you stop Leviathan. Don't let her death be for nothing. But you already know all this."
Desperate for some good news and hoping for the best, Shepard's mind went to Ann's pregnancy, "What about her baby?"
"His name is Charlie and he seems to be doing well, even though he was premature. Dr. Michel is taking good care of him and so are James and Miranda." Liara offered a smile with the news to help lighten the blow that she knew Shepard was feeling.
Still feeling incredibly guilty about the death of Ann and the part that she played in it, Shepard tried to console herself with the realization that her son had lived and voiced as much, "At least her baby is okay."
"Miranda's research will be crucial in order to carry out your plan. She is going to be the key person on Earth and with the help of Admiral Xen will work with us to coordinate how to stop Leviathan's control galaxy wide."
Hearing the name Xen caused Shepard to make a disapproving face. "The same fanatical Admiral Xen that almost cost the quarian's their living ships. Are you sure that she is the right person for the job?"
Liara kept her answer simple and her expression was one of confidence, "Yes, Xen has worked very closely with Miranda and Miranda speaks very highly of her. I believe that her expertise will be need when we face Leviathan."
Looking over Liara with the Commander's eyes and reading only confidence, Shepard seemed to be satisfied with her wife's answer. "Alright, I will trust you both on this. Liara, please be careful. You and our daughter are what matter most to me. I need to know that you both are going to be okay."
"Know you know how I feel… you mean everything to me and you are off about to fight some unknown creature that can control the minds of others and is looking to start a war between the krogan and the turians."
"That's not quite the same… you are carrying our daughter." Shepard tried to give her wife one of her smiles.
"Don't think that you can play that card. Just make sure that you succeed and that you keep your promise to me – the one where you are here for her birth and to support me through it."
"I remember… and I will do everything in my power to deliver on it. I love you, Liara… more than anything and more than I can ever put into words."
Wanting to remind Shepard that she did know her and her inner being, Liara did her best to reassure her lover, "Well then it is a good thing that I can read your mind and know your thoughts… and Shepard, I love you just as much. Be safe…"
Shepard tried to take in the image of Liara and lingered on her form as long as she could before she answered. "You too and tell Aria that she better keep you safe! Let me know when you get to Thessia."
"Good luck to us both." The image of Shepard faded and Liara did not want to allow herself to think about what her lover was going to be facing. Instead, she finished her packing and got ready to meet Aria and Tevos at the docks.