Disclaimers: I wonder why I keep posting things.. well I suppose to say it a million times over isn't a bad thing. I do not own Mass Effect, Bioware, or anthing related to these two things.
I do own, however, a cute fluffy cat, a computer, an xbox, and a TV. xD
A/N:
So.. Now that my schedule has loosened up a bit, it's time for Chapter 12. I want to give a shout out to a couple people first.
CARSON. Yes, you. Thanks for reading my chapters. xD It's fun to watch you squirm about and demand for more.
Denethor, thank you kindly for the review. =3 I'm glad you've enjoyed it thus far. I was dying for a reason to put an "I told you so" line in there. I hope that Shepard says it in the third game also.
Anywho. Now that the shout outs are handled, ON TO THE NEXT!11!oneone!
Chapter 12
Hagalaz. The planet's constant storm amazed Kate every time she was there. It reminded her of her own raging storm lying within her soul. It tamed, but never broke way. She still had a temper that flared from time to time. She found it ironic that Liara found her way to another constant storm. One she hid in, away from the rest of the galaxy.
"Shepard, the shuttle is on it's way, ETA 10 minutes." Joker said as she stood behind him. She nodded once as she looked out the window at the raging storm. For all she knew it was the last moment of peace she'd get for a while. She had a plan... It was a matter of making it work. If it failed... Well she always had a back up, but she probably wouldn't live to tell about it.
"As soon as the shuttle is secure, set course for the Terminus systems." she said firmly before she turned on her heel and began to make way for the elevator. Joker merely nodded as he went about working on his terminal again, plotting the course for when the time was right.
Shepard sighed as she rubbed at her forehead. She had so much on her plate, it was hard to get everything to stop colliding with each other. The Reapers were here. She had waited for so long to take the fight to them. But now she was.. concerned. What if her plans failed? It'd be as if she never tried. There was no telling how many of them there were, or if she could even get the plan started before being utterly destroyed.
She also was worried, for the safety of the woman she loved so deeply, and the child within. Her child. One conceived from love, but one that she had hoped.. would never have to be born to such chaos.. Such times of darkness, where hope was a frail feeling that could shatter at any moment. Where she would barely have a chance to live life.
The whole damned galaxy got to sit around and be lazy, while Shepard had to do all the work. Drag their asses onto the field of battle. They all depended on her way too much, and most didn't even know it. She let out a new sigh. One of stress, worry, frustration. What was she suppose to do? She was one woman, with a small crew behind her.
Thane was gone, Samara had left until the time Shepard needed her again, Legion rejoined the Geth, to help.. rebuild in a way. So much time had passed she didn't even know if they would return. Miranda stuck around, as did Jacob. Mordin was steadfast in his commitment to purge the galaxy of this threat. So many innocents in danger when they didn't need to be. Jack had no where better to be, so stuck with them as well. In fact she had grown to have a love/hate friendship with Miranda, the feeling had become mutual.
So much time on this ship, had drawn those who stayed with the Commander had made them family. A family Shepard never imagined she could have. So few to support her, believe her, be there to fight with her. It was more then she deserved.
She found herself behind the door leading to the lab where Mordin spent his days working on experiments, while making sure their package for the Reapers was nearly ready. Modified, enhanced, some failures, corrected, and finally it was close to being finished. It was just a matter of delivering it after it was ready.
She stepped in behind the doors as Mordin never looked away from his microscope. "Shepard." He greeted flatly as he continued to work on some analysis. He was always on the move. Something Shepard admired about the aging Salarian.
"How is the Reaper virus?" she asked as she stepped up next to him. He stopped his work as he looked at her seriously for a moment. Then he smiled in only a way a Salarian could. "It is ready for use. I have simulated every possible outcome. If it doesn't reach them all, it'll dwindle their numbers into a more controlled combat scenario." He began as he turned and picked up a small device with an OSD plug in at the end.
No doubt the small black box contained the galaxy's most dangerous weapon against AI tech. "It will virtually shut down most AI functions. It will send a signal out to any if not all reaper ships. It'll overload their core, the Reaper will fry out, and it will 'die'." he said as he handed the little black box to Kate. She perked a brow at it. Such a small thing, it was ironic. A small device and one woman, with a determined crew, to stop a massive fleet unlike any other.
If she lived long enough.
"Good work, Mordin. You could have been a major key in stopping the Reapers. Lets hope it works." Shepard said as she sat the device down gently. "It will work, Shepard. If in the hands of anyone else it would fail. Only you can pull this off." the Salarian said. She smiled half heartedly. She was amazed with the confidence the crew had in her.
She merely nodded at him as she turned for the door. She had a certain Asari to meet up with. She expected the shuttle had already landed and was in the bay waiting for her. She left the Salarian behind to let him continue his own tasks. She sighed once more. She was gaining a headache now.
VWVWVW
Liara was helping Feron unload a cargo container full of essentials. Armor, weaponry, personal items, even a good chunk of OSD disks. She was in the process of backing out of the shuttle as the Drell stepped forward slowly with her movements. "Liara, you shouldn't be doing all this lifting. Shepard wont be very happy with it." Feron muttered not wanting to be at the wrong end of a gun when Liara's bondmate blamed him for her exerting herself.
Liara rolled her eyes. "I can handle myself, she worries too much." She said slightly irritated by everyone trying to coddle her. Even a few of Shepard's personnel tried to insist they do the heavy lifting but she flat out refused. She wasn't helpless. Not yet anyways.
Feron suddenly gained a look as though he saw death itself as he gulped heavily at a death stare in his direction. His fight or flight kicked in, and flying out of the airlock sounded better then enduring Shepard's wrath as she marched towards them. She didn't look too happy.
"Liara, what in the hell are you doing, put that down." Kate said firmly as she stepped up next to her lover and mother of their child as she took hold of the crate to take most of it's weight from Liara's grasp. "Katelyn, I'm not an infant!" Liara said agitated with Kate's stepping in and taking the crate from her.
Yes an airlock sounded more and more appetizing as the scene before him unfolded. The crate was lowered to the ground as Katelyn sighed at Liara's annoyed stance. She had took to supporting her weight on her left leg, her arms folded under her chest, the look on her face was almost intimidating.
Kate had to approach the situation carefully. She had discovered a pregnant woman, human or not, was rather moody and could easily bite one's head off if the right button was pushed. Liara was particularly stubborn about what she felt she could do when pregnant and when Kate tried to convince her otherwise it never ended well. Liara would usually chew her out and storm off.
"Liara, I just don't want you to strain yourself. It's not good for the baby." Kate said as she walked towards the other woman cautiously. She had been hit recently when Liara had tried to lift something heavy above her head back on the base when she protested it. Only a heavy shove to her shoulder but still.
"I know how to handle myself." She muttered with a frustrated look. "I told you once, I'm not looking for a protector." She added. Kate rubbed her forehead once. She was already feeling the loss of an upcoming argument. But she let her hand drop from her temple as she reached out to grab Liara and pull her close.
"Maybe not, but you found one anyways." Kate said calmly and gently. Liara gave her an exasperated look as she tried to pry herself from the Spectre's hold. Kate was just as stubborn though as she held Liara fast.
"I don't want to be coddled, I'm not fragile.." Liara said more quietly, perhaps even with a pout. Kate smirked at this as she nuzzled her Asari's neck gently. She felt Liara's protest wain a little after the affectionate action. Liara sighed in defeat as she let her own arms loops around the human's shoulders.
"I never thought you fragile, but you have a little one to consider." Kate said, her tone still light, still gentle. She didn't want to say something that would warrent Liara's annoyance again. Instead she won herself a nod. "You're right." She said completely defeated as Kate smiled. She was finally getting the hang of this she figured. About time.
Kate turned her head to face a drell and three humans who had busied themselves with unloading the shuttle. It was nice that they all knew what she expected now. She barely had to utter a word anymore. They just knew.
She then looked back to Liara. "Come on, Chakwas wants to do a checkup on you and the baby. She wont take no for answer. Then we can have something to eat." Kate said as she pulled away from Liara, taking her hands in her own. Liara gave a mumble as she complied with a pout. Kate smirked as she kissed her bondmate once on the lips. "You're cute when you pout." She teased.
VWVWVW
Chakwas asked routine questions as she checked on Liara's and the baby's health. Liara had grown more excited as Chakwas mentioned an ultrasound. She figured that by now they'd get a clear picture of the baby growing in Liara's belly. Even Kate grew excited at the thought. To be able to see such an innocent life Kate helped create.. It was beyond her imagination.
Liara had laid back on the medical bed as Kate held her hand. They exchanged smiles as they locked eyes a moment. Course heading aside, it was a moment for them to simple be Liara and Kate. Two women in love, expecting a child. Moments like these made Shepard realize what she had been fighting for this whole time.
Equipment set, and everything ready Chakwas began to simple procedure. A camera like device smoothly ran over Liara's exposed and slightly swollen belly as both parents watched the monitor. "Goddess, Kate!" She exclaimed excitedly as she squeezed Shepard's hand. Kate couldn't help the huge smile on her own lips as they examined the screen carefully.
As little as she was now, they could see the life growing inside of Liara. Kate leaned over and kissed Liara's forehead once as Liara's eyes never left the screen. "How is she?" Liara asked as Chakwas examined the life signs and picture.
The old doctor smiled as she moved to type in a few commands on the console. "She looks healthy. Everything looks normal." Chakwas said with a gentle touch of a friend. She looked at the pair who again exchanged smiles. Kate leaned down and kissed Liara's lips once before their foreheads touched.
It was tender moments like these that Chakwas enjoyed as a doctor. Moments of being able to show new parents their unborn child, and watching them teem with a joy not easily described to someone who never had children. "She's beautiful, Liara." Kate said in just a whisper as she gave the Asari's hand a gentle squeeze.
"Would you guys like a picture?" Chakwas asked. It was a rhetorical question, she knew they would. All parents did. But in their excitement not all parents thought to ask for one in the first ultrasound test. Liara's face lit up brightly. "Yes!" she exclaimed.
Kate stood up again, never releasing Liara's hand who clutched her own. She never stopped smiling either. She was going to be parent. She had to make sure she lived through the war to come. She just had to.
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I had to be fluffy.. x3 It's just so tempting to resist a good fluff.
Next chapter will come soon!