The metallic sound of each thermal clip as it landed on the ground was lost in the unending roar of gunfire, the never ceasing drone of wings as yet more closed in.

Samara was holding the door sealed with a biotic barrier, and Shepard and Grunt had taken up position at the windows. Dozens of Collector soldiers had landed in an attempt to assault the building and nearly that many had already died, each fallen corpse dissolving almost instantly until the ground was an acid-soaked mire. The acid seemed to lose its potency swiftly, however, as the new soldiers were stepping into the puddles and through the mud and gelatinous muck to try and reach the fortification, without seeming harm.

And the soldiers weren't the only ones.

Shepard mowed down three incoming husks, their ashen bodies collapsing as a new wave of Collectors landed. She dropped another thermal clip, the number of her spares rapidly dwindling in her mental countdown the more she fired.

"EDI!"

{Ten more minutes, Commander.}

More gunfire tore into the front of the pre-fab as the new squad started forward. Shepard and Grunt returned fire, dropping three of them before it happened again.

One of the soldiers was suddenly regarding them out of yellow eyes instead of white, its body seeming to swell, carapace cracking as its gaze seemed to fix to her.

**SHEPARD**

"Ah!" Shepard cried out in sudden surprised pain, the voice cutting through her already aching head. The force of it pulled her aim off and her last spate of shots went wild.

"Shepard!" Samara looked over in concern. "Grunt, it is happening again."

"I see it," he rumbled, and focused his fire on the strange, larger drone. Unlike the soldiers, however, this one seemed smarter, and quickly took cover, avoiding his fire.

**YOU CANNOT STOP US, SHEPARD**

"Ahhhh, fuck you!" Shepard snarled, hand plastered just over her eye a moment before she hefted her gun again. She was not going to let this…whatever it was…drop her or put her squad at risk. Fighting against the pain, the thunderous echo of it, she resumed fire, taking down two more soldiers that were charging for the door.

**I KNOW THIS HURTS YOU**

"FUCK OFF!" she shouted, and raked her fire over the drone's cover.

**STOP FIGHTING US. SURRENDER AND WE WILL LET YOUR COMPANIONS GO. SURRENDER TO US.**

"GO TO HELL!"

"Shepard…"

"Stay on the door, I got it," Shepard ordered the justicar, ducking down as she dropped her rifle and hauled out her sniper. "I got a present for that fucker…"

Returning to the window she set her crosshairs on the edge of the drone's cover. "Just show me your face, you bastard," she hissed. "Grunt, see if you can't prod him out."

"Got it," the krogan replied, and laid down heavy fire on the other side of the cover, his bullets chewing through concrete and stone.

**YOU CANNOT SILENCE ME, SHEPARD. I AM THE HARBINGER OF YOUR DESTRUCTION**

Her sites wavered as the voice burnt its way through her head once more. She could swear she felt her actual skull expand slightly under the force and bit her own wounded lip hard enough to make it bleed again. Something wet slipped down her cheeks, which only made her angrier. Shepard didn't cry easily, and she sure as hell never cried simply because of pain.

She didn't realize the 'tears' were not of saline. Her nose had started to bleed again, and beads of crimson were welling in her eyes to spill down her face.

Grunt's gunfire paused as he changed his heat-sink, and as it did, the drone glanced around his cover…foolishly, right into Shepard's sites. She snapped her finger down on the trigger and the thing jolted as half its head sheered away. It collapsed, writhing as it began to dissolve, acid eating its way through its torso and consuming it.

Gasping in relief, Shepard turned and slumped below the window, dropping her sniper and picking up her rifle again. "EDI?"

{Seven minutes.}

Time in battle was a funny thing, passing in an instant or stretching to an eternity. Shepard was more or less used to it but even so, it was almost impossible to believe that only three minutes had gone past. It felt like a motherfucking week. She heard the drone of more landing soldiers and shook her head.

"This isn't over yet. Let's keep on 'em."

Wiping a hand over her face she started to turn back to the window, only to curse and duck as something sliced through the wall of the pre-fab, cutting through the metal and plastic before crossing toward the door.

Whirling around to the window Shepard spotted a soldier holding some kind of direct energy weapon, a particle beam, which was slicing the front of the pre-fab like butter. Samara lowered down to her knees as it cut through the door over her head, still holding her barrier in place. Shepard focused her fire on that soldier as Grunt began to wipe out those charging toward them.

The entire pre-fab shook as the beam slashed back toward the window. Shepard snatched her arm out of the way of its path just in time, the weapon overloading her shields in an instant, cutting through the shoulder pad of her hard-suit and just nicking her flesh, all in the same micro-second it took her reflexes to shift out of the way. Had she been any slower, she'd have lost an arm, or been cut completely in half.

"Grunt, watch out!" Shepard barked as the beam headed toward him, the young krogan ducking away just as it chipped over the top of one of his plates.

Shepard opened fire again, bullets clawing through the wielder's knee and hip, carapace cracking. It stumbled, the beam dying as its hand fell off the trigger in an attempt to steady itself. Instantly both she and Grunt doused it in fire, and the beast dropped.

Black scorches lined the front of the pre-fab where the weapon had cut through. Dropping the remaining soldiers, Shepard's eyes shifted toward the Collector ship as she caught movement.

"Something incoming," she reported, once again drawing her sniper to scope it. "Looks…like a shuttle, maybe?"

Lifting the scope to her eye, her broken nose merely another dull ache in a symphony of dull aches still wracking her skull, and focused on it.

Her first impression was that it was just another bug…a great big less-humanoid looking bug. It was flying slowly but had no wings she could see. It resembled some kind of black beetle or crab, and she could see the same blue shimmer of cybernetics along its length that the husks bore.

Then, for a moment, the front maw of its armor hinged open and Shepard's blood ran cold.

"Fuck. Me."

"What is it?" Samara asked.

"We got a huge fucking tank heading our way, and it's goddamn filled with husks. No…no, it is husks…fused together like that ugly fucker we put down earlier, and sealed in some weird armor."

As soon as it was in range Shepard pegged it a couple of times with her sniper, seeing the unmistakable strong blue flash of shields. "This isn't gonna cut it," she said, lowering her sniper. "I don't know that we have any weapon that's even going to scuff that monster."

"Here it comes!" Grunt warned. He and Shepard both ducked back under cover as the flying tank lowered out of the sky, unfolding enormous knife-like legs and dropping to the ground.

There was an enormous flash of blue energy, a wave that tore apart the ground, puffing husk remains to ash and dust. It slammed into the front of the pre-fab. Already weakened by the gashes carved by the particle beam, the front of the building ruptured inward, peeling like a tin-can.

Shepard once again found herself in the air, slamming hard down to her belly and skidding to a halt just inches from the targeting computer bank. Grunt landed with a hard woof nearby as well, shaking his head as he began to push himself up.

Shepard rolled into a sit, hauling her rifle around as looked out the ruined front of the pre-fab. All she saw was the looming tank, its armor gaping open again like some kind of disjointed mouth. Dozens of grotesquely human husk-faces glared out at her, eyes lit with eldritch fire.

She fired at them but the maw snapped shut again, her bullets only sparking weakly off of its shielding. Samara had recovered herself, and there was a forceful burst of biotics as she managed to drive the thing back a few feet, resealing the ruined opening of the pre-fab with her shielding.

Staggering to her feet, Shepard tossed her rifle. "Keep it away from the targeting computer at all costs," she ordered.

"Where are you going?" Samara asked, hands wreathed with cold fire.

"To get a better gun!"

Feeling every hair on her body lift slightly as she passed through Samara's barrier, Shepard darted out of the gaping rent in the front of the pre-fab and ran across the charred and ruined field. The tank half-turned toward her and swiped a leg as big as a tree and as sharp as a scythe down toward her, close enough she could feel the wind of it as she ducked her head. She heard Grunt open fire again but didn't dare look back. The thing's main priority would be to take out the targeting system computer, and it was unlikely to follow a single fleeing foot-soldier.

Weaving around the thicker puddles on the ground, trying not to slip or get bogged down, Shepard worked her way as fast as she was able toward her goal at the far end of the field.

The ground rumbled again, nearly flinging her from her feet, and she risked a look back. The tank was still concentrating on the pre-fab and had apparently sent another one of those blasts. The entire front of the building was gone now but she could still see the bark of Grunt's gun, the shimmer of Samara's barrier. They were holding.

Charging on her path she finally skidded to a halt beside one puddle in particular, relieved to see its weapon had been dropped far enough away to be unharmed by the dissolving acid. Hauling it up to her hip, she gave it a quick once over to familiarize herself with it, then aimed.

"Let's see how you like this, you fucker," she grinned, and depressed the trigger.

The particle beam lanced out and hissed against the tank's shielding. It flared brightly as she kept up the stream, striding forward with a firm set to her jaw. A sudden flash and the barriers gave way, the yellow beam searing into its armor.

That got its attention. The thing turned and started her direction…fast.

"That's it, this way," Shepard grinned, baring bloody teeth as she continued to fire, never letting up on the beam as she raked it over the monstrosity. One of its legs parted under its force and fell to the ground. A breath later she saw a bright blue light start to rise from deep inside the creature's armor, as if all the eyes of all the husks inside it were flaring at once.

It was a dozen yards away when it suddenly slammed into the ground, a riot of blue fire sailing in Shepard's direction. She dropped flat, the concussive blast still strong enough to pick her up and tumble her in a roll over the landscape. Her shoulder crashed into a boulder which changed the trajectory of her skid for a moment before she halted. Coughing, she staggered up again, reorienting on the tank and hitting it again.

Chunks of armor were parting now, falling away under the beam. Another leg fell and the monster seemed to flag, become disoriented. When the front of its armor dropped open again she immediately concentrated fire there, lancing into the conglomerated husks.

The tank wobbled in its hover and somewhere deep within it there was another bright flash of light, just as it crashed to the ground. The light seemed to swell and all Shepard had time to think was not another goddamn explosion! before she was thrust off her feet again.

This time she didn't lose consciousness, at least. She lay there on the ground just a few yards away from the destroyed tank, spread-eagle on her back with the particle weapon cast haphazardly at her side, staring up at the sky as she slowly caught her breath.

The bright blue was deepening slowly toward navy, swaths of gold, red and pink lighting near the horizon. Sunset was just an hour away. Soon, stars would be shining.

The blue was rent by dim and distant thunder, and she half turned her head toward the Collector ship. Flowers of destruction bloomed along its length, and Shepard smiled.

The anti-craft guns were firing.

Closing her eyes a moment, she relished just being able to lay there for a moment, before she heard footsteps. Opening her eyes again, she shaded them as she looked up at Samara and Grunt.

"Shepard, are you all right?" the asari asked. Shepard smirked, lifting her hand up toward them. Grunt grabbed it and helped haul her to her feet. The krogan was a bit scorched, but looked happy.

"That was a really good fight," he lauded.

"We're not dead. I'm inclined to agree," Shepard replied, slapping him companionably on his arm before the ground seemed to rumble.

Turning, the three stared at the Collector ship as it began to lift. The anti-craft guns were hitting it hard but had, apparently, not been able to fully disable it. In moments the leviathan had cleared the colony and was picking up speed, rocketing into the late afternoon sky.

Shepard felt her gut sink and go cold. They had won, but how many colonists had been moved aboard? How many had they failed to save? Helpless civvies, men, women…children, like Esmé, lost.

Ash could be one of them, she realized. Suddenly the ache in her face and head seemed much more miserable, her exhaustion weighing her down.

It was a victory, she knew but…all it felt like was another loss.

Shepard sat on the edge of the ruined front of the pre-fab, watching as Grunt poked at the liquefied remains of the dead 'Harbinger' drone. Samara handed her some medi-gel wipes and Shepard carefully mopped at the blood and dirt on her face, gingerly prodding her split lip and swollen nose.

Chakwas would be able to fix the nose and the cuts, no problem, but the bruises would have to heal themselves. Shepard was going to have two spectacular black eyes for a time at the very least, and the rest of her face would resemble a sunset.

Dabbing at her lip, she jerked her chin toward Grunt. "That drone was just a regular soldier, until that voice started speaking again," she said.

"I saw it," Samara nodded. "It seemed to…expand, grow larger. Grow smarter."

"Called itself 'Harbinger'. I wonder why only I could hear it and not you two? The acid thing is familiar, as well. Saren dissolved in exactly the same way…yet more proof the Collectors are linked to the Reapers."

Shepard shook her head, dabbing at her lip again. "We lost a lot of civvies-"

"Hey! Hey! What are you doing? You let them go?"

The shouting voice accompanied the sound of running feet. The trio turned to see the mechanic who had been hiding in the work-shop running toward them, a few others on his heels. It seemed the strange paralytic affect of the swarms was wearing off.

"Let them go?" Shepard scowled as she got to her feet. "You think I just let them go?"

"You didn't stop them!" the mechanic accused. "What kind of soldier are you? They took half the colony!"

Shepard's look was black as she started forward, fist balling as she got toe to toe with the civvie, his eyes going wide. "You wanna see just what kind of soldier I am?" she snarled. "Open your mouth one more goddamn time-"

Someone grabbed hold of her, forcing her back a pace. "Delan's an ass, Skipper. Ignore him."

She had thought the restraining hand was Grunt, at first…but that was ridiculous. Grunt wouldn't have stopped a fight, he would have jumped right in with her, the moment the first fist flew. And Samara was standing several feet away.

The voice, however…the voice was impossible to mistake. Turning her head, Shepard stared in relieved surprise at her former Gunnery Chief. Ashley Williams smiled, releasing her arm and offering her hand.

"Good to see you too, Skipper," she smiled. Shepard snatched hold of her hand, squeezing it tight even as she hauled the other woman in and hugged her.

"Jesus fuck, am I glad you're not on that ship."

Ashley slapped her on the back before releasing her. "You look like shit, Shepard," she said. "And I see your language hasn't gotten any less colorful…or your methods."

She looked around at the scattered puddles, husk remains, and the crater than had been the tank, approval in her eyes.

"Shepard? Like…Commander Shepard? Ain't you some big Alliance hero?" The mechanic, Delan, asked. Shepard glared at him as Ashley narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, she is…so show some respect, Delan…and learn when to keep your mouth shut."

"It's her fault half the colony is gone!"

"She's the reason half the colony is still here," Grunt defended with a growl. "Keep yapping, puppy. I haven't spilled nearly enough blood yet today."

"Grunt," Shepard warned. "He's not worth your bullet."

Samara stepped forward, intervening as she urged the mechanic and the rest of the confused civilians back, talking to them in low, soothing tones. As she did, Ashley looked at her again.

"Skipper…I am glad to see you," she said hesitantly. "But please, tell me this isn't what it looks like…"

"What?" Shepard asked, turning toward her. "What does it look like?"

"Shepard, you were dead…at least, I thought you were," Ashley replied, folding her arms. "We were your crew, your friends…do you know how much pain that put us through, thinking you were gone? Christ, Shepard…I had to break the news to Liara. You ever looked into a person's face, knowing you have to tell them someone they love is dead?"

"Ash, I-"

"Then the rumors start. You're not dead, you're under-cover somewhere. You're hiding from the media, you're off starting your own merc band or working with terrorists…pure bullshit. I knew there was no way you'd destroy your own ship, put your entire crew at risk, just to fake your death and fall off the grid. But the rumors kept on, and then I hear it from Anderson? Hear that you're actually alive? And here you are, Shepard. So what the fuck is going on?"

"Ash, I was dead," Shepard replied firmly. "I spent the last two years dead or unconscious, and-"

The hum of an engine interrupted, and the two women turned to see one of the Normandy's shuttles lowering to a landing. Grunt headed that direction as it settled to the ground, opening to disgorge Miranda, Mordin, Garrus, Jacob, and Chakwas with her medical team.

Seeing the insignia both plastered to the side of the shuttle and on Miranda's uniform, Ashley's eyes went wide, and she rounded on Shepard.

"It's true! You are working for Cerberus!"

Shepard's look went black. "I am not working for Cerberus, Ashley! Don't you-"

"Not working for them? Then what the fuck is that? That's Cerberus, Shepard! I can't believe you sold out!"

"Are you fucking kidding me? Sold out? If you'd just shut the fuck up for half a second and let me explain-"

"Explain what? You are not the person I thought you were, Commander. I looked up to you, you were my friend, damn it, and now you're just a terrorist-"

Shepard had a hell of a right hook, but Ashley was a marine as well, and no shrinking violet. The blow only stumbled her a little, and a breath later it was a full on brawl.

There were shouts, and then Garrus and Miranda were hauling Shepard backward, Jacob and one of the larger colonists restraining Ash. Miranda had her hand plastered to Shepard's shoulder as she urged, "Just let it go, Commander."

Hardly hearing her, Shepard pointed over Miranda's shoulder at her former chief, still raging. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about, Ashley!"

"I know you're working with terrorists!" Ashley spat back, and tried to surge forward again only to be hauled back once more. "Garrus! You too? How could you!"

"Ashley, just relax and listen-" Garrus tried, then had to grab tighter hold on Shepard again as the woman tried to push past and get at the chief one more time. "Shepard, knock it off!"

"You fucking know me!" Shepard shouted furiously at the other woman, ignoring the turian. "You're my friend, goddamnit!"

"I'm Alliance, Shepard," Ashley spat back venomously. "And I, at least, know where my loyalties lay! Get the fuck out of here, Shepard! Just go! And take your murdering friends with you!"

"Come on, come on, let's go," Miranda urged Shepard back once more. The commander turned, shoving the woman's arm off of her and tossing Garrus's grip free as well, pressing the back of her hand against her busted lip as she strode away toward the shuttle.

Miranda looked warily back at the gunnery chief before silently following after Del. Ashley scowled at her, pushing Jacob back as he loosened his grip.

"You keep your hands off me, Cerberus," she snarled at him. He held his palms up in surrender and turned to trot after his commander and XO.

"Ashley, you really don't know what the hell you're talking about," Garrus told her sternly. "Shepard was dead. She lost everything, and now she's putting everything on the line to try and stop the Collectors and get your people back. Her people. Nan, for fuck's sake. She deserves more from her friends than this."

Ashley's scowl didn't really lesson as she tested her bruised jaw with her fingertips. "This is wrong, Garrus. I hope to God you come to see that before it's too late."

"No, this is right," Garrus replied sadly. "Shepard was willing to face a firing squad to do the right thing, Ash, once upon a time, and she will keep doing the right thing no matter what it costs her. Her career, her honor, her life…her friends. She saved half this colony, and she will bring your people back. Even if you hate her for it."

"I would have followed her anywhere," she spat.

"Would have?" Garrus asked. "She's still leading, but you're no longer following, so…seems to me she's not the one that's changed."

She glared at him, but said nothing as the turian turned and headed away.

Eír couldn't stop her hands from wringing as she paced back and forth in the tiny living space of their rented apartment. Shrive emerged from the back room, walking over and gently halting her, taking her hands. "I know you're nervous, but you're going to be a wreck if you keep up like this."

"I…I know. I am trying, I just…if she brought Shepard-"

"I told you. I'll go in first. If I see Shepard then we'll take it from there, ok? But remember, they worked together a long time ago, Eír. I doubt she's dragging her old commander around with her still."

Eír nodded, leaning her forehead on the other asari's shoulder for a moment as she hugged her close. Shrive kissed her temple lightly, lingering in the moment before she withdrew. "Come on. We don't want to be late."

The pair walked hand in hand out into the plaza, heading toward the restaurant where they would be meeting T'Soni. As they neared the entrance Shrive parted from Eír, entering to look around. Eír tried not to pace, clasping her hands tightly, trying not to show her nervousness. A moment later, Shrive re-emerged.

"Liara is there," she said. "She has a human woman with her."

"Shepard?" Eír asked shakily.

"No. Shepard has black hair and dark eyes, from your description. This woman has yellow-colored hair, and lighter eyes. It is not Shepard."

Eír let out a breath of relief she hadn't even been aware she was holding. Shrive took her hand again, giving her knuckles a light kiss.

"You ready?"

Eír bobbed her head and took a deep breath. "Ready."

Liara and Sydney stood at a tall bar-table near the far wall. It was all the asari could do to keep from pacing. She was nervous about the whole situation, and not just because she would be meeting her sister for the first time.

Shepard did not know she had left Hagalaz for this. Not that Liara was purposefully keeping her in the dark…ok, maybe not entirely purposefully. Shepard had work, a mission she had to concentrate on. Liara didn't want to distract her from that. Even so, she knew Shepard would be upset to know that Liara had gone off without her knowledge.

You do not need her permission.

No, I do not, but I know she is concerned for my safety and this…this feels like lying.

You will tell her the truth, simply…after the fact.

"Relax, Li," Syd told her, scooting the small glass of wine over closer to the asari. "C'mon, drink it. It'll help you to settle yourself."

"I am fine, I am just…"

"Jumpy as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs," Sydney replied. "Drink."

Liara obediently plucked up the wine, sipping half of it without even tasting it, her eyes darting back and forth toward the door.

When a pair of asari stepped in, she nearly dropped her glass. "Th-there they are."

"She looks just as scared as you do," Syd teased, straightening a little.

As the two newcomers headed over, Liara couldn't help but stare at Eír, unconsciously evaluating.

She does not look like Benezia, she thought. She is a little darker, her eyes too purple. The shape of her nose and chin are different, but I can see a trace bit of a resemblance…in truth, she looks more like me than like Mother.

The other asari had to be Shrive. She was lovely, a little taller than Eír and lighter in coloration. She carried herself with far more confidence, as well, and Liara didn't have to see the carved metal bracelet on her left wrist to know that she was a huntress. She had that grace about her, that soft stealth that even commandos lacked.

As the pair neared, Liara steeled her courage and smiled, offering her hand. "You must be Eír, and this, Shrive," she greeted. "I am Liara."

The younger asari nodded slightly, reaching out and taking the hand, staring at Liara's face. "I-It's good to meet you. I…have so many questions…"

"So do I," Liara admitted.

"Is this your bond-mate?" Shrive asked, gesturing casually toward Sydney, who smirked.

"Oh! No, this is…forgive me. This is Sydney Rasler. She is my friend and…bodyguard, I suppose you could say."

"Nice to meet you two," Sydney greeted with a nod, nursing her beer.

"Why…why don't we move to a booth," Liara suggested. "It will be easier to talk."

"I have a better idea," Shrive offered, looking at Eír. "Why don't you two move to the booth right over there, and Ms. Rasler and I will stay here? We can still see you but you'll have a chance to speak without us butting in."

"Sydney. And I think that's a capital plan," Sydney agreed, giving Liara a reassuring nod. "Go on. I want to have a serious drink anyway and Shrive looks like a gal who can hold her booze."

"A-are you sure?" Liara asked.

"Go on, get out of here," Sydney grinned, shooing her off. "Go talk."

As Eír and Liara moved over to the booth, Shrive smiled at Sydney. "I see yours is just as nervous as mine."

"Looks like. They are sisters after all so…that's one thing they have in common."

As they sat down at the nearby booth, within eyesight but out of earshot of the pair standing at the far table, Liara smiled slightly. "So. That is Matriarch Misira's daughter," she said gently. "She is very lovely, Eír. I can see you care for her a great deal."

Eír smiled slightly, coloring a little before she met Liara's eyes tentatively. "It…doesn't bother you? I mean, that we're both asari?"

"Should it?" Liara asked. "I am a pureblood myself, Eír. I believe it is the character and strength of a person that matters, not their parents or circumstances of their birth. Unfortunately, a lot of our people don't see it that same way."

Eír nodded nervously, looking down at the table. "And…what do you know? About the circumstances of my birth, I mean?" she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

"I know enough," Liara said kindly. "I know what Gellian did, how you and your brother Thug came to be."

"Mother was not evil," Eír urged. "She was just…she was just sick, and-"

"Eír, it is all right," Liara soothed. "As I said, it does not matter. What matters is who you are and the choices you make. You are as important and as real as anyone else in this galaxy, and if Benezia had been given the opportunity to know you, she would have loved you very much."

"I…Mother did not speak of her much. It gave her pain, I think," Eír admitted. "Can you…can you tell me about her?"

Liara waved over the waitress, ordering them a pair of drinks before she smiled at the younger girl. "I would be happy to."

Shrive and Sydney nursed their own drinks, watching the two talk. They could not hear what was said but as the conversation continued it was clear both women were relaxing, enjoying a rapport, forgetting about their nervousness.

"So," Shrive looked away from her love to the human woman across from her. "You are Liara's…bodyguard?"

"In a manner of speaking," Sydney said.

"What is it that she does, that she would require protection?" the huntress wanted to know.

"Well, it's a long story and I can't really get into it, you understand," Sydney hedged. "Don't worry, it's not really anything that should land fire on you or Eír. Speaking of which, Eír said you might have a position on…Aratoht, was it? That's a batarian colony, if I remember right."

"Yes, I have a friend who works there. He was able to arrange employment for me to help train the colony's security forces."

"Oh, really? You a commando?"

"No, I am a huntress," Shrive told her. "We are less, blunt, than commandos. And my father is krogan, so that lends its own experience."

Sydney grinned. "Yeah, I'll bet you know a dozen different shapes to twist a spine into. Sounds interesting, at least. I wish you luck."

"Thank you," Shrive answered, and glanced back over at Eír and Liara. "They seem to be getting along well. Eír was so frightened that Liara would dislike her. I'm glad that is not the case."

"Liara's got a good heart," Sydney replied. "I don't think there's much of anyone she dislikes. No one that doesn't really deserve it, anyway."

"I am sorry I did not get a chance to know her," Eír murmured, taking a sip of her drink.

"She was a good woman, and she had a good heart," Liara agreed. "But you are her legacy, as much as I am. We are a part of her, and our daughters and our daughters' daughters will be a part of her also. In this, she will never truly die."

At the mention of daughters, Eír glanced out of the corner of her eye toward where Shrive was speaking with Sydney. Liara smiled knowingly at the look.

"You are fortunate to have her. I hope all goes well for you," she said. Eír colored a little but could not hide a small smile, before she cleared her throat, lifting her chin.

"And what of you, Liara?" she asked. "Do you have a bond-mate?"

Liara felt her own cheeks heat a little as she smiled bashfully. "Well, we are not bond-mates…not yet," she admitted. "We are taking things as they come for now but…I would be lying if I were to say I did not pray to the Goddess every day, to have that future with her. To have daughters…be a family. Her…her work is very important however and right now…very dangerous."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Eír said with genuine sympathy. "Is she asari as well?"

"No, she is human," Liara smiled. "Her name is Del Shepard."