When Fates Collide

Chapter 20 - Citadel

You Can't Stop Fate - Part 2

Gearing up for a fight, a few of the squad members rushed to the cargo bay to take up arms. The brazen pilot, trying to release the ship by any means he could for a fast get away, peered outside to suddenly see twenty C-Sec officers flooding the docking area.

Calling out to the two individuals who had just left the decontamination chamber, Joker warned, "Um, I don't think we are going anywhere."

Under the arm of Liara, exhausted from fighting with the med bay door, Tali Zorah stared out at the massive force taking position before them. Barely able to stand, the asari looked around and assertively announced, "I can handle this."

Tali gently released the weakened asari and Liara took a few weak steps forward. From the main entrance of the loading dock the maiden suddenly spotted something that made her freeze in her tracks. To her great amazement, she watched a squad of five asari commandos enter the pier. The young asari's heart sunk as she realized she was suddenly greatly outnumbered by her own kind. Her good friend Tali turned to her and hesitantly asked, "Can you take them too?"

Sucking in a shuddering breath Liara announced, "Perhaps if it were just them and maybe if I was completely rested." The prothean expert stared back into her closest friend's eyes, "And Shepard was here too, but even with her help it would be a bloody fight; however, in my current state of fatigue, not likely."

When the asari squadron cautiously approached the ship, the apparent leader slowly strolled up to the duo. The older matron was wearing a typical black fitted commando's uniform with a gold engraved emblem over her left breast. Her face was a dark blue, highlighted with faint white markings across her brow and crest; the unique markings signifying her as a highly decorated heroine. Her eyes were a beautiful aquamarine color, most likely she is a fellow purebred, Liara thought. The elite troop's captain stepped directly in front of Liara, captivating her gaze. To the maiden's great surprise, the captain bowed and saluted the young maiden with a gesture worthy of a matriarch: across her chest, slightly touching her fingertips to her chest, lips and forehead.

Her feminine but authoritative voice spoke, "Doctor T'Soni, I am honored. We are here to protect you, not harm you." As she glanced over her shoulder, "We are not with C-Sec. It is not safe for you out here. Please return to your ship."

Liara pondered the captain's warning for a moment, but the tormenting ache of seeing Shepard's beaten and helpless body dragged away seethed in her gut and urged her to go after the soldier. Rapidly exiting the ship were her krogan and turian comrades. Wrex and Garrus, both heavily armed and ready for a fight, walked right pass the asari commando, who oddly let them.

Confused, Tali's synthesized voice asked, "Hey what about them?"

"If they want to get their brain matter splattered all over the dock, then that is their business." was the captain's deadpanned reply.

Fondly looking back to Liara, the senior matron continued, "They are not my concern. My job is to make sure Liara T'Soni stays safe and the best way to ensure that is if she returns to the ship."

Wrex and Garrus froze in their tracks and looked back at the maiden, "What do you want us to do?" asked Garrus.

Before Liara could answer, another heavily armed soldier rushed in, breaking the building tension, "You guys took after before I was ready." The brunette slammed a thermo clip inside her assault weapon double checking she was locked and loaded for the fight. "Shepard didn't want us to engage remember?" said gunny chief Williams.

Then looking sympathetically at Liara offered, "But if you want to go after her. I've got your back Miss Prothean Expert. You can count on that!"

As the maiden summoned her biotics, Tali attentively gripped Liara's arm, helping to steady the impaired asari, whose biotics only flickered for a few seconds before dissipating.

Seeing the maiden was as courageous as her mother, Matriarch Benezia; the older asari smiled and tenderly stroked the side of Liara's face, "Please, my child. I know you are brave, but it is not safe in your current condition. Please return to your ship."

The young asari looked past the commando leader to the numerous C-Sec troops, then back again to the captain. Against her inner desire to go after Shepard, Liara acquiesced to the situation's reality and bowed her head in respect to the asari commando's wishes. Tali then helped the young maiden back onto the ship as the rest of Shepard's squad quickly followed.

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Aware of all activities on their pentagram station, the Citadel Council knew the human Ambassador had taken Shepard into custody. Fearing the mounting tension her arrest would pose between several species; the Council quickly sent out an emergency order for any spectres not on immediate assignment, to report to the Citadel at once. The Destiny Ascension, the Citadel's flagship, was also placed on high alert, with Matriarch Lidanya standing by for further instructions.

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Early the next evening, the same asari captain and her squadron of commandos visited the Normandy, "Please come with us, Doctor" said the captain.

"Why?" Liara asked.

"We have our orders, Doctor. Please come with us."

Hesitantly contemplating the request, Liara debated whether or not to put up a fight, "Did Udina send you?" she questioned.

"Liara, please" the captain said quietly, "Don't make the situation more difficult than it already is."

Dr. Chakwas who was watching over the recovering asari answered for the commando, "No. Udina wouldn't send them. He would never revert to asking another species for help. Someone else must have sent them."

Searching for a clue, Liara's eyes instantly scanned the chest of the commando captain. Seeing a very familiar symbol on her breast, Liara stared back into the matron's eyes as she informed her, "Ok, I will go with you."

A caring human reached out to the professor. Pale steel blue eyes looked at Liara like a mother would to a daughter, as Dr. Chakwas offered, "You don't have to go if you don't want to."

A soft blue hand covered the human's older looking skin before a warm smile breached Liara's lips, "I will be fine Dr. Chakwas. They will ensure no harm comes to me."

Not yet releasing the young asari, Dr. Chakwas inquired, "Are you sure? I can come with you if need be."

Almost chopping off the end of the medical officer's sentence the asari captain remarked, "That won't be necessary doctor. Liara will be perfectly safe under my charge."

Patting the doctor's hand, Liara kindheartedly informed her, "She is correct Dr. Chakwas. I will be well protected under her charge." Motioning with her eyes to the captain's chest, Liara continued, "That gold emblem is not C-Sec, Citadel Council, or special tasks force, but rather it belongs to the sacred Athame Temple on Thessia. These asari are sacred guards who have, at one time or another personally escorted or protected my own mother: Matriarch Benezia."

A pleasantly stunned doctor professed, "Oh I see!" Staring protectively at the asari commandos once more, Dr. Chakwas relinquished the asari under her care, "Ok, go with them if you must, but please be careful."

Knowing how close she and Shepard had grown to the chief medical officer, Liara slipped out of the doctor's hands and thanked the woman, "I will. Thank you for your concern."

Fearing what Shepard might do if something actually happened to Liara, the worried medical professional gently placed her hand on Liara's shoulder as she escorted her out of the med lab, "Take care Liara. Come back soon."

The asari maiden answered with an acknowledging smile.

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Somberness masked the normally bright face of Liara as she patiently followed the senior asari captain from the Normandy to the Presidium. The great walkways of the vast gardens parted as the prestigious squadron of asari made their way closer to their intended destination. The young asari was already beginning to miss the sound of the human's boots hitting the ground, as her eerily quiet escort made no noise at all. The professor thought, funny the things you become accustom to.

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"Liara!" Painfully straining to stand, the prisoner limped over to the barrier shield imprisoning her. Gripping her bruised ribs, she tried to hide the pain from the visiting asari. Believing she would never see her again, Shepard placed a hand on the solid field, "How did you get here?"

Mimicking the gesture, Liara placed her hand on the opposite side of the human's, "It doesn't matter now."

A turian guard meandered over to the control panel of Shepard's top level security cell, lazily ordering the barrier down. Shepard felt he was doing it on purpose to delay her and Liara's time together, feeling that most turians didn't like humans anyway; she huffed in her mind, Jerk. C-Sec officers always were a pain in the ass.

A few impatient moments later, when the barrier still didn't collapse, the security officer suddenly mentioned as if he had actually drawn a blank, "Oh yeah, almost forgot. These maximum security cells need two officers to open them."

A glaring stare from the human penetrated the man's skull, but Liara's gaze never left Shepard. The matriarch's daughter felt that if she took her eyes off the human; she would be lost to her forever.

When the second turian sentinel showed up, they both peered into the cell, "Hmph, another piece of human scum" said one of the guards.

Correcting the man, the other officer reported, "Oh! This isn't just your run of the mill human scum. This is a top shelf, grade A, badass human we've got here." The two men laughed at the battered woman, knowing she was not in any condition to take action against their taunting. ..

Catching the human off guard, Liara shouted back at the men, "She was bad enough that her captors thought they needed to beat an unarmed, shackled prisoner to near death, just to take her into custody, avian brain."

Not sure what avian brain meant, the first turian scoffed, "I don't know what that means, but look at her. What the hell are you doing in here then, bristle head?"

Scowling back at the security guard, the rogue soldier fed up with being made out to be something she wasn't, barked, "Yeah well, I'm not here to be a role model."

"I can see that!" mocked the guard.

Typing his code into the control pad, the other guard continued, "Well she must be someone special. She got special permission for her lover to see her in here."

Looking back at the two women, the turian added, "This is after all - a top level security wing, not a brothel."

Preventing the turians from gaining the upper hand, Shepard spat, "You wish, you had an asari half as irresistibly enchanting as her."

Not skipping a beat, Liara chimed in behind her now supposed concubine, "Now, now lover, no sense in revealing all our dirty little secrets."

Perturbed by the supposed love birds, the men scoffed as they lowered the barrier giving access to the cell. "Asari. Pfft. Too damn squishy if you ask me."

As quickly as Liara stepped into the cell, the barrier went back up, the men continuing their bellyaching as they headed out of sight. Liara unable to hold back her excitement and worry any longer, jumped into the arms of the bruised soldier, "Oh Goddess Shepard! I was so worried about you!"

As the human grumbled under her breath from the pain, she happily said, "I'm glad to see you too Li. I'm ok. It would take something a lot bigger than Udina to put an end to me." Moving to her flat steel bed, the soldier asked, "I'm really glad to see you Liara, but why are you here?" Seeing the asari's bright beaming face fade dolefully, the human tenderly reached up and grasped her chin, "I mean; why aren't you safely onboard the Normandy?"

The innocent looking deep blue eyes that made Shepard weak in the knees, softly replied, "You know, I worry about you too."

Swallowing more then her pride, the redhead breathlessly responded, "Thanks"

Liara smiled when she saw the cheeks of the woman blush at her embarrassing admittance. However, when Liara's eyes danced over Shepard's mangled face, her smile turned to melancholy.

In the next moment, Liara reached out to carefully examine the bandages masking Shepard's face. Fearing to worry the asari further, the tough soldier gingerly pulled away while she musingly said, "She did a good job, but she's no Dr. Chakwas." As the smile slowly disappeared from the soldier's face, afraid she would never see the good doctor again.

Seeing the despondent look on Shepard face, Liara tried to distract her by asking, "I thought the prison's physician was a salarian?"

Sarcastically the marine chuckled, "Yeah he is, but Udina used a local civilian doctor from a med clinic in the wards. He wanted to make sure I had no further contact with aliens. Can you believe that prick?" Touching her own bandages lightly the soldier admitted, "I believe her name was Dr. Chloe Michel. She did a pretty good job, but she doesn't have Dr. Chakwas's bedside manner."

The two women laughed, when they knew, what Shepard really meant was Dr. Chakwas could intimidate a krogan in the midst of a blood rage from a hangnail; so there was no way Shepard, despite her reputation, would garner any compassion.

Trying to bob and weave several times from the asari's repeated attempts to examine her face, Shepard tried to verbally distract the probing prothean expert, "I wanted Dr. Chakwas to patch me up, but they wouldn't let anyone from the Normandy in here." Gingerly the soldier seized both of Liara wandering hands and pinned them in the asari's lap, "Not that I'm not glad to see you Liara; but how did you get in here?"

Liara's tender cheeks flushed a soft lavender as she enlightened the soldier, "Well let's just say, I still fall under the favor of my mother's grace." Knowing by the relentless expression on Shepard's face, she wouldn't let such a simple answer go without further explanation, Liara continued, "A friend in a rather influential position was a little concerned for my wellbeing and sent a squad of Athame Temple commandos to protect me. She also ensured that I was escorted here without any unnecessary complications."

"Liara come on. You're killing me here!" protested the battered soldier.

"I'm sorry Shepard, I was sworn to secrecy. It would, how shall I say this, put her in a compromising position."

A bright light went off in Shepard's mind, "So it's an asari?"

Temporarily forgetting how clever her guardian was, Liara protested, "I'm beginning to think you're more fascinated with how I came to visit than with my actually being here," as she playfully pushed Shepard away forgetting her injuries until the soldier's face grimaced at the innocent gesture, "Oh Shepard, I am so sorry." A beaming and forgiving smile stared back at the asari as her apology was more than accepted.

A soft concerned voice asked, "Shepard, how badly were you injured?"

Instinctually grabbing her battered ribs, the veteran soldier didn't want to inform the asari how awful she actually felt. "It's not so bad really." To her surprise, Liara barked at her, "Shepard, don't lie to me!" Trying to calm the worried asari, Shepard turned up her charismatic charm; donning her best diviner smile, and boasted, "I'm not lying, Li."

Not succumbing to the human's worldly charms, the century old asari quipped, "Oh really? So this doesn't hurt?" The asari's finger pressed firmly against the bandage above Shepard's right eye.

"Ouch!" screamed the injured soldier.

Blatantly mocking the self imposed commander, Liara retaliated, "Sounds like that hurts to me."

"Ok! Ok!" Attempting to will away the stinging sensation, Shepard declared, "I won't lie to you about the big stuff. I promise," holding up her hands in surrender.

Shifting her weight back with crossed her arms, Liara was not impressed by the human's declaration and quickly shot back, "And the pain you are feeling now? The damage to your body isn't serious?"

Lightly touching the wound's dressings, feeling that somehow she was forcing the pain away, Shepard scowled and muttered, "Ok! I'll never lie to you about anything BIG, except my tolerance for pain." When the soldier was done using her fingers for exaggerated air quotes for the word big, she apprehensively waited for Liara's response.

Standing her ground with the notorious human, the asari retorted, "Is that your pain talking or your pride?"

Knowing she had been bested by the asari maiden, the frustrated human raked her fingers through her short moppy hair. The hardened soldier hadn't been pushed or tested about anything since her childhood; she could almost hear her mother's voice behind Liara's words, and instantly recognized she was on the wrong side of the losing battle. Releasing a deep sigh, the redhead reluctantly muttered, "Fine, you win! No more secrets."

Interrupting the women's conversation was the return of one of the turian guards, "Shepard?"

Standing to her feet, the former rogue soldier approached the barrier curtain, "Yeah, that's me."

Sounding a bit amused the guard reported, "I just received your entire transfer file. I didn't know it was Udina who ordered your stay with us."

Shepard answered the man with an expressionless smirk.

Before he continued, he turned his attention towards the now standing asari; the man defiantly informed her, "You know what lady? Stay as long as you like; that guy is a frakin' dork."

When the guard turned to leave, happy about his small victory over the human ambassador, Liara immediately questioned, "Shepard, why did he call Udina a whale's genitals?"

Flabbergasted, Shepard pushed Liara further inside the cell, as she stunningly stated, "I don't even want to know how you know that."

Still confused the innocent asari attempted to explain, "While I was on the Normandy, I looked into some of the other species from Earth. I found whales to be particularly interesting, so I conducted an in-depth study of them."

Wiping imaginary sweat from her brow, Shepard swallowed hard before pleading, "Do me a favor pretty blue eyes. Don't ever say that word again, ok?"

"What dork?" quizzed the asari professor.

Covering up the soft blue lips, Shepard spat, "Oh God! Yes, that one! Please"

Taking her time peeling away the pink hand covering her full azure lips; Liara answered, "Alright. I didn't realize it was such a disturbing word." Strolling to the other side of the room, the not so naïve maiden continued her small rant, "I would have thought other human words such as ass, shit or fu….."

To the asari's surprise, the human hand quickly found its way back over her blue mouth, "For the love of Goddess Athame! Please do not utter those words again, before your mother strikes me down from heaven above!"

A mixture of shock and astonishment blanketed the young maiden's face, but a twinkle of delight flickered in the young woman's eyes as she marveled how the mighty soldier feared her deceased mother. Liara's head slowly bounced between the floor and Shepard's racing eyes, "As you wish. I will drop it."

Shepard, breathing a little easier, gently released the asari's arms and smiled triumphantly, "Good."

The young maiden abruptly turned on her heels and picked up a small bag by the door she had absentmindedly dropped, when hugging the battered human. Bringing the satchel over to Shepard's steel bed, the blue hands eagerly dug inside to retrieve its' contents. Completely clueless as to what could be inside the canvas covered carryon; Shepard patiently waited for the asari to reveal its' contents.

"I brought you something to eat and those asari juice boxes you are so fond of." The two women chuckled as Liara plucked the plastic straw from one of the juice boxes and handed it to her guardian.

After the two shared in the delightful repast and Shepard had devoured several of the gratifying asari juice boxes, Liara unexpectedly conveyed, "I couldn't sleep last night."

Understanding completely, Shepard open handedly rubbed the tops of her thighs in disbelief, "Yeah, I didn't sleep so good last night either."

Pressing down on the hard surface that served as Shepard's prison bed, Liara mentioned, "This hardly seems conducive to a good night's sleep."

Trying to hide a blush, which most likely wasn't visible from the bruised face, Shepard's raspy voice replied, "Yeah, not so much." As her hypnotic gaze went back to the young asari, she knew it wasn't the bed or even her injuries that had kept her up all night but her worry for the asari maiden.

Crushing the final asari juice box in her hand, the marine then placed the remnants of their treat back into Liara's bag. Letting the last food wrapper fall from her palm, Shepard rhetorically reflected, "How strange is this?" as she snickered, hoping the young asari would not worry so much about her.

Swallowing the last bit of her dessert, Liara wiped the edge of her mouth with her long nimble fingers before asking, "How strange is what?"

"You and me, sitting in a cell again; but this time I'm the captive."

Nearly choking on her last bite, Liara's face went somber at the severity of their reversed roles. Then in keeping with Shepard's attempt at levity, she cleared her throat and lightly affirmed, "Indeed…however, I do believe, in spite of the apparent bedding deficiencies; you received the better accommodations."

Clasping Liara's soft hands once again, Shepard pleaded into Liara's rich sapphire eyes, "Liara, I am so sorry about what happened to you back on that ship. I really had no control over what was going on."

The asari's free hand tenderly touched the human's swollen lips silencing her, "Shepard, I know it wasn't your fault. It wasn't even my mother's. Endearingly tucking a wild strand of red hair behind the human's ear, she added, "You remember what Shiala said? She was under Sovereign's influence. She was his slave." This time it was a blue finger lifting up a bruised chin, as Liara smiled into the marine's glistening green eyes, "I know you meant me no harm and by the goddess Athame; I hold no ill will."

Ashamed, Shepard slowly nodded as she stared at the asari, "I know you would never allow anything to hurt me -" Seeing the gloomy expression melt into a small smile, the asari added, "…even if your life depended on it."

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Sometime later, the women woke to a soft tapping. Shepard's eyes, the first to open saw one of the guards standing outside the dimly lit cell. Immediately, her eyes went to Liara's angelic face; slumbering in her lap. Trying not to disturb the sleeping asari, Shepard politely asked the guard, "What is it?"

In a hushed tone, even for a turian, the officer said, "Sorry to break up your little party but your visitor should really be going now. Our shift is almost over and well, I don't believe our human counterparts share the same dislike for Udina as we do."

Turning his attention to the outstretched asari, whose sleepy head was slowly lifting out of Shepard's lap,

"Besides little lady, you shouldn't be spending the night in place like this."

Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Shepard mumbled, "What time is it?"

Not having to check his omni-tool, the man answered, "It's 0230."

Foggy green eyes watched Liara's bare feet dangle over the edge of the bed, before Shepard stood and stretched stiffly. Smiling as Liara gently placed her feet on the floor, Shepard's raspy voice asked the guard, "And that means?"

Hearing the apology in his reply, "Your friend should probably leave before they get here. Visiting hours were technically over seven and half hours ago." Watching the pair stir from their apparent deep sleep, the officer turned and said, "I'll give you a few minutes to say goodbye and then I'll escort you home, Ms. T'Soni."

Still sleepy eyed, Liara graciously thanked the man, "We appreciate it."

Once the guard was out of sight, Shepard scratched the back of her head and mischievously grinned at her temporary cell mate. The soldier's voice saturated with sleep asked, "Why is it that every time we are in a cell, you get the blanket?"

Slipping her shoes back on, Liara quipped, "Because lover, that is how good we asari are."