When Fates Collide
Chapter 6
~ ~ ~ Something Lost; Something Found ~ ~ ~
On the icy planet of Noveria were several top secret research facilities. In which one basically needed to be God's brother to gain access to the place. Or in our case, a well dressed asari matriarch in a blue pinned striped dress that sent most of the men on Noveria station over the edge. It surprised Shepard that the matriarch had worn "that dress"; one in which she had never seen before. And even more puzzling was that the powerful biotic had not relished the attention it brought her at all.
It taught the former Alliance soldier that there was a lot more to warfare than guns and might. This woman, she thought, could defeat an entire army with her words and a fantastic dress; perhaps administering a small sway of her hips here and there. How Shepard thought she would have paid a good amount of credits to see that.
A short time later, Saren's forces were inside Noveria's highest security facility; Peak 15's Rift Station. It was a large open space that housed multiple levels of cat walks with numerous places to hide. Four large corners made excellent strong holds as well as a single platform in the middle that would make an ideal command post. It was a strategically formidable location for the matriarch's commandos to attack.
Shepard vigorously paced the catwalks while guarding the weakened prothean expert. The matriarch insisted that her daughter accompany the landing party planet side. She refused to leave Liara alone on the ship; appearing as if she wanted her away from the Reaper vessel as much as possible.
Another loud thump against the holding tank where Matriarch Benezia now stood gathered the attention of everyone in the room. Most looked away, but the professor stared sadly at the former Alliance soldier whose gaze did not flinch away. "She is not taking it kindly." Despite the young asari's words, Shepard continued to stare at the matriarch who, with a bowed head, placed her other hand firmly against the glass. Saren's second in command was completely encompassed in incandescent light as she leaned heavily against her hands, making the strong connection.
The monster inside the glass cell screamed out in pain, hissing and screeching in agony. Its tentacles waved wildly inside the capsule. Shepard broke her gazed and looked solemnly at Liara. She knew exactly what that felt like. The former Alliance officer unable to bare the thought any longer, left and checked the perimeter of the room again. Although the asari commandos and rogue soldier had not always seen eye to eye, they knew that the matriarch had put her in charge of this operation. The highly skilled team of killers would follow her orders as if they were the matriarch's own. The mission: hold the room as long as needed until the matriarch collected the information Saren so desperately wanted.
It was not very long before gun fire ensued in the adjacent room. Shepard yelled out to the room providing refuge in front of the Saren's favored asari. "Protect the Matriarch at all cost! We've come too far to lose now!" Her free hand guiding the young maiden behind some crates slightly behind her left side, she ordered, "You'll be safer back here!"
A biotic blast erupted into the room, sending the door flailing wildly into the air. More shots fired from outside the room. Shepard again shouted, "Hold you're positions! Let them come to us!" She knew the layout of the room greatly favored the skilled guerrilla tactics of the asari commandos. One zealous commando tried to charge, but was immediately gunned down as a trio of Alliance personnel flooded the space using the commando's floundering body for temporary cover.
Glancing quickly behind her, Shepard ensured Matriarch Benezia was safe and realized that she had not budged at all. The mighty leader was still searching the mind of the Rachni Queen. An essence of fear rapidly spiraled down Shepard's back. She remembered how weakened Benezia had been after her daughter's forced intrusion. This creature was much larger and she was being more forceful; trying to rush the procedure. The Alliance had brought heavy guns to the fight and she would have really liked to have the powerful biotic at full capacity. God, I hope I'm not going to have to defend her and take on these Alliance pigs!
The soldier's thoughts were quickly returned to the battle when a large proximity tech mine was released, sending a couple of commandos flying. The rogue soldier impetuously blasted, Damn, they brought a quarian too! With the explosion's success the Alliance soldiers quickly gained position in the far corner of the room. Shepard's eyes narrowed as she used hand signals to order two more commandos from her far right to shock the troop with biotic stasis fields. It worked sending one male biotic crashing hard to the ground.
Shepard immediately recognized the female marine from the previous fight on Therum. "They really won't die will they?" she muttered under her breath. The moppy redhead slammed a fresh thermo clip in her rifle and confidently assumed her attack posture. Glancing down at the squatting prothean expert, the human gave an assuring nod to the worried asari. The smirk on her hardened face said it all, as she gestured to the Alliance soldiers, "Looks like I am about to ruin someone's day."
The combination of biotic lifts, warps and throws, along with heavy gun fire and a few biotic tricks of their own made the room evenly wagered. Shepard held her ground protecting the matriarch. Staring up at redhead's face, hoping to read what was happening around her, Liara briefly thought, Goddess, she's fearless. The proximity mines were starting to make haste of the asari commandos. Unlike the human, turian and krogan soldiers before them, the asari were not very successful in a straight up fight.
"Damn it!" cursed the gray armored woman, watching the third corner of the room fall under the Alliance's control.
When renegade officer thought it could not possibly get any worse, the noble matriarch fell haphazardly away from the glass. In a single bound, Shepard reached for the powerful biotic unable to fend off the on coming assault. Desperate for help, she called out to the professor hiding behind the crates. "Liara! I need a little help here!" Without hesitation the matriarch's daughter bounded up from behind her hiding spot and created a protective barrier shielding her mother and the human; protecting them against the oncoming fire.
The noble matriarch fell helplessly to the ground in the arms of the former Alliance officer. Gasping for air the asari uttered, "I found it! I discovered the location of the Mu Relay." Her head bobbed from side to side; completely spent by the intrusion.
As the redhead feared, the powerful biotic had become a burden rather than an asset in the fight. This isn't good. The former marine, brushed a strand of thick red hair from her eyes as she looked frantically up at already deteriorated professor; unsure how long she could hold up that powerful barrier in her own weakened state.
Suddenly capturing her undivided attention, the matriarch spoke, "Saren still whispers in my mind, the indoctrination is very strong. I can fight his compulsions, briefly."
The prestigious matriarch's expression changed into something Shepard had never seen before. In her own arms she witnessed the seamless transformation from blind servant, into a regal and highly respected asari matriarch. Her voice was soothing rather than demanding and coarse. "Shepard, I... I was powerless against his influence. I tried to turn him away from this evil, but the longer I was on that ship…" The blue asari winced as she reached for her head. Sounding as if she were in the middle of a great conflict, the powerful biotic continued, "His fingers are on my spine. His teeth on my mind. Ugh!" The moppy redhead could only stare helplessly at the shattered asari. "Shepard you don't know what is was like. Your hands hit blindly against the glass. I was powerless left only to watch; trapped inside my own mind. I…I…" Hearing the woman, whom she had spent so much time with, speak nearly broke the human's heart. "…I should have been stronger."
The veteran warrior impetuously studied the scenario of the battle and analyzed her options. The Alliance soldiers were making progress, she needed to do something and fast. Shepard glared at the glass capsule and the monster within. It was a desperate attempt, but she was out of safe options as the last of the matriarch's commandos collapsed falling to the metal grate flooring. Swallowing hard, she knew it was her only option for survival. Matriarch Benezia grabbed Shepard's arm knowing her plan and told her, "It's your choice to set her free; no one else's."
Analyzing that they were between a rock and an even harder place, Shepard began to urgently enter a code on the keypad releasing the Rachni Queen from her imprisoned chamber. While the rogue soldier typed frantically, first releasing the compression couplings from the chamber, Benezia slowly rose to her feet trying to regain her strength.
The powerful biotic staggered over to her daughter as they both sought refuge behind some crates. The matriarch collected Liara in her arms and began to speak with haste as she glanced back towards Shepard. The kindness of her mother's expression returned. The young maiden recognized this woman, the mother who had raised her and loved her very much. The matriarch leader wiped a tear from her daughter's cheek with her thumb. "I don't have much time to hold back Sovereign. He tears at my soul." Guiding the professor's gaze directly into her own, Matriarch Benezia pleaded, "Liara, you must listen to me. You must do as I ask. The galaxy is depending on you."
The declining matriarch again glanced at the former alliance soldier desperately trying to free the Rachni Queen. "You must guide her. You must put her on a more gentle path." Liara erupted in a panic "I ...I can not do that! I can lead no one. Mother, I am not a matriarch!" Her mother gently squeezed her arms forcing her to focus and remain calm. "You must Liara. You are a T'Soni, you can do this. You are capable of many great things you are yet to be aware of, my sweet young daughter." She paused as the maiden's tears began streaming steadily down her soft blue cheeks.
"Sovereign will bring about the destruction of the entire galaxy." Driving her point home further she added, "Exactly as it happened to your beloved Protheans, fifty thousand years ago."
The professor's face, who had studied the ancient race nearly half her life, suddenly blanketed in absolute bewilderment at her statement. "Oh no!"
Over come by physical and mental exhaustion, the younger T'Soni's barrier dissipated as her weakened body fell into her mother's lap. The Alliance gunnery soldier, the quarian, and a turian slowly approached with weapons drawn. Matriarch Benezia quickly glanced between Shepard working at the glass chamber, and back to her daughter now lying exhausted at her feet. She clinched her head in searing pain. With a shake of her head she straightened her back and hissed, "This isn't over. Saren is unstoppable! I won't let you stop us! My mind is filled with his light. Everything is clear."
Without further hesitation the matriarch summoned a blinding luminous blue light that encompassed her entire body. With a flick of her azure wrist, she sent a powerful biotic throw in the direction of the oncoming soldiers. While the gunnery soldier ducked out of the way, it hit the quarian and turian head on, sending them soaring into several storage containers behind them. The female gunny screamed as she watched her fellow squad members get tossed around like rag dolls into the air. Instantly flooded with anger, she returned with heavy fire at Saren's second in command who tried to steady her barrier. It was not very long before the fatigued Matriarch Benezia stood unarmed without much biotic protection.
% % % % % % %
Only moments before, Shepard leaned against the capsule; with one hand flush to the glass. She whispered as if the Queen could hear her very thoughts, "Forgive what has been done to you here today. Be free and start a new."
At last the final couplings released as Shepard spun around blurting, "That should keep the Alliance pigs busy for a while." To her disbelief, the moppy redhead witnessed the angry gunnery chief making her final assault on the young professor. The dark haired human marine, saw with her own eyes, Liara's loyalty to Saren's faithful subjects. The white and pink armored woman pointed her weapon directly at the drained asari lying on the ground. This enraged the matriarch leader and she summoned the very last of her strength; creating a small protective shield around her daughter. Taking advantage of the vulnerable second in command, the gunny soldier opened fired on Matriarch Benezia instead.
Shepard shockingly witnessed the matriarch falling to the ground as her barrier shield failed and she took several bullets directly to her chest. Horrified, the redhead cradled the limp body to the ground as she reached for her weapon, firing several point blank shots of her own at the female soldier causing her to retreat rapidly.
The renegade warrior could only stare as she held the sagging body of Matriarch Benezia. The human was simply shell shocked that the magnificent woman she had worked with for so long, was now bleeding profusely in her arms. With what little energy Liara had left, she drug herself closer to her mother. Once hovering above her, the maiden inadequately tried to stop the blood rushing from her chest as tears pelted her cheeks. Uncontrollable amounts of oozing purple blood covered the professor's hands and body.
Meanwhile, blood curling screams filled the room in the distance as the Rachni Queen made haste with the remaining alliance soldiers.
Kneeling before her superior officer's body, the redhead attempted to apply several medi-gel packs to her wounds that lay clumsily about her feet. Knowing it was too late, the noble asari placed a soft hand on Shepard's arm as she frantically tried to open the first aid. The centuries old asari sucked in a ragged breath, "It's too late for that, dear." Tears fell harder down Liara's face as the rogue soldier thrust her face to the ceiling breathing hard and trying not to accept failure.
Matriarch Benezia took a shuttering breath before she spoke, "I can not go on Shepard. You will have to be the one to stop him. Sovereign is the real threat not Saren. He is only his tool." The blue skinned asari winced from the pain in her head. "His teeth are at my ears." The established matriarch moaned in anguish.
Struggling with the situation at hand, Liara pleaded, "Mother don't leave, fight him!"
The matriarch's lite blue eyes fluttered several times before her breath rapidly deteriorated. Heavily exhaling, the prothean expert's mother spoke, "I thought there would be light. Where is the light?" Her eyes gazed upon Liara while cupping the young face in her hand. Releasing one last proclamation, Matriarch Benezia disclosed, "Liara, I was always proud of you my little wing." There was no second breath, no second rising from the bloody chest. The matriarch's body slowly went completely limp as all life escaped her.
Respecting the woman she had come to both fear and admire, Shepard allowed Liara to mourn her mother's lifeless body for the next several moments. Watching the young prothean expert cry, made the harden soldier uniquely aware of the sweat, dirt and anger that gripped her own body. Destitute, Liara fell helplessly into the human's arms as she sobbed uncontrollably. It was slightly unexpected to the soldier that she cried so hard after this woman; who had tortured her for days. Beginning to absorb the great loss, the couple heard an un-nerving sound of a pistol charging up behind them. The quarian, with what little strength she had left, crawled across the floor and shakingly raised her pistol at them.
The distressed asari fashioned a biotic field around former Alliance officer and herself, knocking the gun free from the quarians's hand. And as quickly as the barrier was created, it dissipated. Shepard slithered out of Liara's grasp and walked over to the quivering quarian. Peering down at the defenseless suited individual, she noted that her right leg was contorted in an unnatural way and a stream of blood was flowing from a large hole in her left arm. Despite her tented face mask, her breathing was heavily labored from the battle.
The rogue soldier chuckled as she commented, "Hmph, green blood. I wouldn't of guessed that."
Without rhyme or reason, Shepard unexpectedly reached back towards Liara, "Hand me those gel packs would you?" The request stunned both aliens as they glanced at each other in a puzzled manner. As instructed, the asari maiden passed the unused medi-gel packs as the soldier gave further orders. "Can you hand me those two pieces of bent steel over there?" The moppy redhead motioned with her head as she opened the first gel pack. Wrapping it around the injured quarian's arm Shepard asked, "So, do you have a name or should I just call you master of proximity mines?"
The question was heartfelt and strangely lightened the mood a little. The quarian nervously laughed but factually stated, "My name is Tali Z'orah nar Rayya."
Eying Liara, who handed her the requested pieces of metal, she snickered, "That's a mouth full isn't it?" Tightening the bandage around her arm, the renegade marine asked, "Did you seal that section of your suit off?" Tali was clearly impressed with her knowledge of suit containment, and briefly thought she did not want to know why she knew of such things. The young quarian nodded her head yes at the human's understandable question.
The grey suited human propped the quarian up against the closest crate, while the injured girl studied the soldier patching her up. It slowly dawned on Tali that she had done this far too many times. No wonder the Alliance team was extremely cautious when engaging her, thought the new patient.The redhead skillfully broke off a small section of the bent metal and further twisted the remaining piece into a U shape. Trying to distract Tali from the pain, the woman quipped, "Well I'm Shepard, and that is Professor Liara T'Soni."
Fixing her gaze on the task at hand, the faithful servant of Matriarch Benezia continued unknowingly, "She's a Prothean Expert of some kind." Smiling brightly at her handy work, the former Alliance officer peered up at the quarian. The barely visible facial expression said it all, "You knew that already didn't you?"
Sheepishly smiling, the quarian replied, "Yeah."
The N7 officer had jerry rigged a splint for the quarian's leg in no time. "That should hold you until help arrives."
Standing up from her kneeled position, Shepard turned around and looked concerned into Liara's eyes. Pondering the idea for a moment, the human earnestly asked, "Why did you save me? That was your chance to get free and be done with Saren and me?"
The tear stained face began to quiver. "I don't know."
Lifting her index finger to Liara's chin, Shepard solemnly chimed, "Then it won't make much sense what I am about to do now either." The stoic warrior floated once more over the destitute quarian. "Here take this data disk. It's the coordinates for the Mu Relay." Echoing the respected matriarch's last words, the redhead repeated, "Sovereign is the real threat, not Saren. He is just a tool."
Both the injured quarian and young asari looked at the wayward soldier, completely stunned by her actions. The renegade soldier reached down and took Liara by the hand. Swiftly dragging Liara behind her, the former Alliance officer exited the space without as much as another word; returning to their Reaper vessel.
% % % % % % %
Meanwhile back on board Sovereign, deep inside Matriarch Benezia's quarters, a small monitor next to her bed transmitted live feed from Peak 15. A loud gasp sounded and was soon followed by a body slumping to the floor. Stunned, shocked, and silent tears rapidly fall down a pair of blue cheeks as she tried to stifle her pain, and the misery she knew that was yet to come. An irreplaceable ache filled her asari chest. Placing a trembling delicate blue hand over her lips, the asari could only shake her head in absolute disbelief. From this point forward, Shiala, Matriarch Benezia's most trusted acolyte and friend would be forever changed.
A/N: This was a sad chapter to write. I hate killing Matriarch Benezia.