Heather smiled as the warm wind blew through her hair. She was happy they had been able to nab a nice, roofless skycar at the port, and so long as the weather forecast held up, it would be a good few days of fun and relaxation. A romantic connection was also on her to-do list, if she had anything to say about it, but she knew it wasn't exactly the best situation for either Shepard or Liara. Both seemed to be hurting, and she worried that they would push away from each other. Which only means I have more work to do…
They'd parted with Ashley at the port, who took a separate skycar to her family's residence, only a few kilometers from town, though just in the opposite direction of Shepard's. While she was already excited for some plans she had in mind, she just wanted to get to the house, set up what she needed to, and kick back for a bit with her friends and her favourite quarian.
Springtime in Amaterasu was usually rainy, which meant they both lucked out with the sunny forecast, and it was likely something of a dry spell. Still, the fields looked lush as ever, the imported trees were blooming green leaves, and the native trees had their vibrant purples back, shining in the orange early evening light. As they set down, it was also a relief that Shepard's garden was still in good shape, if a tiny bit unruly; it would be a few hours' work at most to trim everything up to par and make sure everything was growing properly.
More importantly, her eyes spied the packages she'd ordered stacked in front of Shepard's door, ratcheting up her excitement level a few notches. Hurdling out of the car, Heather dashed over to the door, placing her hand over its scanner to unlock it, and immediately began bringing the boxes inside.
As she went to retrieve the fourth box, she noticed her old friend grinning at her from the walkway, perhaps a smidgen confused.
"Should I even ask?" Shepard spoke with amusement, moving to the door and grabbing the last two remaining boxes. Heather simply shook her head, smiling ear to ear. There would be surprises, and she was never one to ruin them early.
She quickly moved the boxes into Shepard's room, which she'd been assigned for the night, and made her way back into the dining room, where the other three were loitering.
"So as you can see, my house isn't terribly big, but living out here in the colonies allows for a little more room than you might get in an apartment on the Citadel." Shepard noted, as Liara carefully inspected the holos lined across a cabinet along the wall, Tali's head darting around everywhere excitedly.
"Shepard, this place is enormous!" Tali exclaimed, her feet moving her around the general area, though it seemed she couldn't make up her mind about where to investigate first. Heather wasn't sure she agreed with Tali's description; it was a comfortable size, but not a large home by most standards.
"It's a pretty nice size. When I got it, I didn't think I'd be here often, just for get-togethers with everyone, so I wanted to make sure it was big enough…but not too big." The woman responded with a smile, gesturing to the open kitchen and island next to the dining room. "I've got an alright kitchen over there where me and Heather will be prepping all the food. You'll probably find me there fairly often."
Liara wandered over to the island, brushing her hand along the countertop. "Will you be doing any baking?" the asari asked hesitantly, earning a laugh from both herself and Shepard.
"If you have any requests, T'Soni, just run them by us." Heather noted, a grin forming at her lips at a recent memory. "And I'm sure I could arrange to make you more chocolate so you don't have to eat Shepard's again."
Heather enjoyed seeing the prothean researcher's cheeks flush purple; she knew she could have some fun at Liara's expense while also treating her. She needed the asari's cooperation, after all, so she couldn't tease her too badly.
"Chocolate sounds fantastic right about now." Shepard mumbled, breaking her momentary daze and gesturing to the living room across the way. "We've got a nice little room over there with some couches and chairs…good for talking, vid-watching, and everything. Since it gets cold at night in this season, feel free to use the fireplace. I made sure to stock up on wood a while back, so we should be good for that."
Heather watched Liara drift over, closer to Shepard, taking a peek into the living area. "Shepard…I…am aware you came from a modest background and…well, I apologize, but I did not expect all of this." The asari spoke kindly as she looked over at one of the comfy looking sofas. Heather had worn it in years ago, and it hadn't been terribly expensive, but it was her favourite place to sleep if she wasn't provided a bed.
"Never really had anything to spend money on. Alliance pays my room and board whenever I'm on a mission, as well as food expenses. When I enlisted, I got this plot of land for free and…well, I've just been pouring money into it ever since. If I can make this place a home away from home, keep everyone comfortable and happy, then it's worth it." She listened to her friend explain.
The house had come a long way. It started off pretty small, with the kitchen, her room, the storage closet that used to be a bathroom, and the living room, expanding outward and off to the side to bring in more room for guests over the years. It had been their pet project; whenever they had a lot of shore leave or vacation, either one of them would head to the house and fix it up, make it better than it started when they got there. Faridah would handle the décor, she would help with the garden, flowers and some of the construction planning, while Amber would keep the yard and trees in good shape, maintain the path to the lake, and do most of the construction work. It was a team effort, along with the odd third party contractor's help, that she was tremendously proud of.
"How many can fit in here?" Liara asked, which seemed to work Tali into something of a frenzy, everyone stopping to watch the quarian race around the building for a few minutes.
"I'm pretty sure that at least twenty quarians could live here very comfortably, easily forty if they were all willing to sleep in less comfortable spaces. " Tali answered confidently and cheerfully, before seeming to realize her error. "Oh…um…well, if you're counting strictly beds and cushioned areas, it seems it could fit…well, one per bed or couch… at least six or seven, depending on the size of the person, and if people use the chairs."
"Speaking of sleeping arrangements, Heather's taking my room, and you two are grabbing the guest bedrooms. I'll take a couch." Shepard noted with a yawn. "And if anyone needs to use the washroom, it's down the hall, first door to the left. There's a terminal in my room if any of you want to make a call or anything, and I'm sure I have some data pads around for if you get bored, or need to look something up."
Liara looked appalled momentarily, giving something of a stern expression to their host. "This is your home, Shepard. I will not force you to live like a guest while you are on vacation." Liara said, hands on her hips.
"Liara… you're not forcing me to. I enjoy a bed every night on the Normandy, while none of you do, even if I've tried to help give you something similar. I want you all to feel at home here, so you get bedrooms tonight. I'll take my favourite couch." Shepard noted with a playful grin, looking a little more at ease around her favourite blue individual.
Still, there's clearly some tension that needs to be worked out between them… she thought, certain that it would happen sooner than later, but hopefully not so late that it would ruin some of the events she'd arranged.
"And with the quick tour over, I think I'm going to grab some time by the tree, if you don't mind." The commander said cheerfully, her eyes gauging the rest of them for any questions or concerns before she left.
Heather grabbed a nearby quilt and tossed it to Shepard, knowing it would get cold outside pretty quickly since the sun was quickly setting. And now with her out of the picture, I can start planning…
It didn't take long until all of her vid-calls and message conversations were all finished, and soon, her little pet project was prepped for assembly, needing a little quarian ingenuity to ensure proper set up when she tackled it the next morning.
The sun set, and her preliminary tasks accomplished, she pulled out all the necessary hardware in the kitchen and made her way to the young red oak in the yard, stopping at the nearby hammock.
"You know, I still say we create a legion of hammocks in the yard. Leave it to you to hog the best resting spot all the time." Heather noted playfully as she approached in the darkness. It wasn't quite dark enough yet to need a lantern, or her omni, but it soon would be.
"And you know that it would make the yard look terrible. Like I said, maybe if we can grab a permit, we can put some down by the lake, but the town's slow at that stuff, you know that." Shepard said casually as she rested on the rope hammock.
"Well, in the meantime, it's getting a wee bit too dark and cold out here, so you should come inside and help me bake." Heather stated casually, circling the outdoor furniture.
Shepard sat up a little in the nook and gave her a confused look. "Bake already? Won't we have all tomorrow for that?" her friend asked, clearly baffled, which only made Heather smile wider.
"Tomorrow's Sunday. You, my dear, have a class. It would be improper to show up with nothing for all those children who've been looking forward to seeing you again, no?" she asked with a laugh, steadying the hammock as Shepard nearly lost her balance from the shock.
"You…what?! How?" Shepard asked, sounding both excited and in disbelief.
Heather leaned up against the hammock posts and smiled back at her friend, happy to see she'd made the right decision. "As soon as you told me we were heading to Amaterasu, I kind of made a few calls. There are twelve who have gotten back to me, saying their kids are coming. Who'd want to miss the homecoming of our own human Spectre?"
"You're kind of amazing, Heather. Thanks." Shepard said kindly, stepping onto the grassy ground and over to her, Heather feeling Shepard's arms embrace her in a hug. "Really…thank you. This is a hell of a surprise."
If only you knew what was in store… she mused to herself, returning the hug, and then separating. "Well, that fudge isn't going to bake itself. Come on, let's see how much we can make."
The sound of a door shutting a little too quickly, and the hastened steps of someone through the hall brought Shepard out of her dazed half-asleep state. Fully alert and more than a little curious, she made her way off the couch she'd claimed, noticing the sun was still a long way from rising. She wanted to sleep, but it just wasn't coming. Maybe a little walk around the house will do me some good… she thought, stretching her legs for a moment before slowly moving out of the living room. To her left, the dining room was empty, and the kitchen was pitch black. To her right, she could spy a faint light from the washroom leaking out from under the doorway.
Deciding to give the mystery midnight wanderer some privacy, she moved to the kitchen, taking a seat at the island. Shepard opened her omni-tool and, for the second time that night, got to modifying her lesson plan. The recent run in with Terra Firma only strengthened her desire to run another interspecies diversity class, one she hadn't done in a while. And if I could get Tali and Liara to come along, they could really help these kids put a face to the names. Though I won't force them, of course…it'd just be nice to spend some time with them, just having fun.
Finally satisfied with the modifications and tweaks, she checked her chrono and saw that nearly half an hour had passed. Her vision darted to the washroom, its door still closed, light still bleeding out from underneath.
Slightly alarmed, Shepard hopped off her stool seating and made her way to the washroom, hesitantly knocking on the door.
"Hey…you alright in there?" she asked quietly. The sound of something that seemed a mix between a sob and a dry heave answered her, creating a pit in her stomach. Quickly, she made her way to the storage room, grabbing some cloths, a bucket, and her case of medicine.
After not receiving another response after a second series of knocks, Shepard crept open the door, frowning at the sight of Liara kneeling by the toilet, looking pale and out of breath. Christ…
She made her way over to Liara, who didn't seem to notice she'd entered, and wet a cloth with lukewarm water at the sink. "Do you still feel like you're going to vomit?" she asked softly, returning to the asari and pausing within her line of sight, waiting for permission to help clean her up. Liara just shook her head slightly, her exhaustion more than evident across her features. She didn't like seeing her friend sick or hurting, but she decided to put those thoughts and worries aside until her friend was more comfortable.
Shepard dabbed away at her lips and chin, rinsing the cloth over and over again as she gently saw to the asari's face and neck. After getting her to rinse her mouth out a little, and getting some fluids into her, Shepard helped bring Liara back to her room, bringing the empty bucket and tissues with her.
With her biotics, she gingerly brought the asari onto the bed and covered her with sheets, tucking Liara in and gently stroking her crests. "Are you going to be alright tonight, or do you want anyone to stay with you?" she asked softly, hovering over Liara at the edge of the bed.
Liara curled up in bed, pressing her head into her pillow as she cried. "I just…I miss her terribly." The asari spoke into the pillow, her voice muffled, but understandable.
Shepard took a seat at the end of the bed, her mind dizzy with all the ideas of what she could or should say to that. After a few seconds, she decided to try and take some inspiration from Shiala.
"What was…is… she like?" She asked, stumbling over her words a little. She didn't want to hurt Liara, and hoped that she could ease the pain somehow.
Liara turned in bed to face Shepard, her face tear-stained again, her jaw trembling ever so slightly. "Mother…she had such a strong will, a wondrous mind." Liara spoke, her eyes darting off to the side nervously shortly after. "I suppose I hoped that…that she would be fine, but…"
"We'll free her…Liara, I promise I will do all I can to free her. No one deserves what's been done to her, and I promise…I promise you'll be with her again." Shepard said softly, but fervently, almost feeling regret over the promises, but she knew in her heart that she wouldn't see her task unfinished. Tevos and Liara had wanted Benezia alive and returned to them, and that meant more than just physically. She was in Saren's possession, and that had to be corrected. "What was she like growing up?" Shepard asked, handing her a tissue.
Liara wiped at her eyes as she smiled brightly. "She always made sure I knew I was loved. Even when she couldn't be there for me in person, I would always see signs of her love around me. Petals of our favourite flower placed inside my meal container for school when I was young. Handwritten letters in ancient thessian, sometimes simply hosting a kind message, other times holding her poetry. She would bring me to operas, and spend time in the library with me just listening to them. When she couldn't be there, she'd have scheduled recordings anyway, and a voice recording of her thoughts on it, so I never felt alone." Liara spoke, wiping again at her eyes. "With the exception of one year, she always made time for me, always fostered a love of learning. She had aspirations for me, certainly, and there was always pressure to conform, but…she would never let any of it get in the way of what I wanted to do."
Shepard smiled at Liara's words, her fairly weak imagination still able to conjure up visions of her and her mother. Long ago, she would have felt jealous, but at that moment, she simply wanted Liara to have her back. She wanted Benezia to have her daughter back.
"She loved yellow, especially the brightest shades." Liara noted, a small laugh emerging from her. "When I was younger, she would take me through the garden, and we would sing and dance. I would always try and match her grace and how fluid she moved with each step, and I'd always fall or trip over my feet…and she'd always pick me up and kiss my forehead or my nose, and we'd continue on. Many only ever saw her as the polite, kind politician and religious leader. Some saw her as the strict disciplinarian while I was doing studies and biotic training at home. But…she is so much more, Shepard."
"She sounds like an amazing mother." Shepard noted with her own smile, her eyes unable to escape the dazzling blue gaze of Liara.
"I…used to think that she distanced herself from me because she disapproved of me, because she hated that I wasn't following in her steps, but…I can see clearly now. She had planted the seeds, seen to the soil, and provided me with the sun and rain I needed. It was merely time for her to step back and let me grow on my own, with what she had given me. Mother once told me that all children rebel from their parents, but…Goddess, Shepard…I didn't do so out of spite, but at times I thought rather poorly of my mother, condemning her for keeping me away. I loved her so much that I was blind to how she was expressing her own love for me. I…I have to…I need her to hear my apologies. My heart hurts so much, knowing that time may never come." Liara's heartfelt rant ended in more sniffling and tears, the asari's breath hitching with each sob.
Shepard crawled up the bed toward Liara, handing her the box of tissues, feeling the asari would need them. "You'll get that chance Liara, but…you have to know, she loves you. I doubt she didn't expect your reaction. She knew you'd eventually move through it, that you'd mature, and she'd be there welcoming you with an open heart and open arms in the end, no matter your decisions. Sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees, Liara…it happens to the best of us." She whispered, wanting desperately to hold her, kiss her, tell her everything would be alright. She settled for holding the asari's hand and lightly brushing her thumb against the inside of her wrist.
"I just…I want her back, Shepard. He stole her away, brought such bad thoughts into my mind about her, doubts about her, forced her into violence…what he's done is unforgivable. Shepard…" Liara's voice trailed off, and Shepard couldn't help but lower her gaze to the bed sheets, scared of what Liara had to say, the guilt from Noveria bubbling inside of her. "Shepard, it hurt watching what you did to my mother. I…well, I simply couldn't watch, for the pain it caused. But you have done more than I could have hoped. You've given her a chance at returning to her life, of her returning to me. For that, I cannot thank you enough, and I will see this mission through to the end. Just promise me…promise me that you will not spare him any mercy."
Shepard couldn't help but freeze a little from the coldness in Liara's voice at the end. "Liara…I'm not sure I can…" she began, but the tearful asari quickly interrupted her.
"I know that you cannot make any promises as to the outcome of the mission, and I know that he could be a valuable pool of knowledge for curing the indoctrination, but I…I can't bring myself to care. I want him to hurt…as disgusting as that makes me feel, I cannot deny it Shepard. He must never be given the chance to do this to another."
Shepard merely nodded, fully understanding how Liara felt. Her thoughts returned to Faridah's mother's apartment back on Earth, and how rage over Cerberus' attempts to murder her best friend had fueled her to commit brutal violence. It wasn't something that she would ever regret, but it had unnerved her for years. "I promise, Liara." She said, her words cutting through the atmosphere of the room, Liara exuding relief at the statement. It's easier when someone helps carry that weight, Liara. I'll help you…
The asari beside her shifted her position, getting more comfortable before letting out a yawn. "Thank you, Shepard. I would be lost without you." Liara whispered, smiling shyly. Shepard couldn't keep her heart from flipping and fluttering from the words.
"Well, I guess I could commit to finding you when we're apart. Or you could hire me as your personal baker when this is all over. Or maybe you could just implant a tracking chip in me, so…" Shepard began listing off playfully, stopping as Liara's free hand lightly impacted against her chest.
"Shepard…" Liara said with a hint of exasperation, and a hint of something else that she wasn't sure she was entirely ready to think about that night. Her heart was still a little too heavy.
"I will be in the living room, on the couch, in case you forget. And your mother…" Shepard started, bringing a finger over above Liara's heart. "Will always be in here, if you need her. Never, ever doubt that her love is safe with you, Liara. I couldn't imagine a better person to trust it with." She spoke softly, moving off the bed and onto her feet. "Now I'll stop talking, because you need sleep."
Liara shifted back onto her side, offering her a smile as their eyes met again. "Goodnight, Shepard. And…thank you."
Shepard selfishly reached out and let her hand graze the asari's cheek one last time, returning Liara's smile with a shy one of her own. "Anything…anytime, Liara. Sweet dreams."
She moved quietly to the hallway, gently closing the door before returning to her resting place in the living room. It hadn't even been an hour since she'd woken, but she had gone from wide awake to entirely exhausted in that span of time. She wished she could have the hunt for Saren over with, she wished she was a scientist so she'd be able to help do whatever had to be done to cure Benezia. More than anything, she wished she could heal the hurt flowing through her good friend. She couldn't imagine the depth of the fear and uncertainty Liara was facing, and hated how clear the damage was, and how helpless she felt in mending it.
Too emotionally tired to keep worrying, and too physically tired to stay awake, she just focused on the faces of the children she knew, hoping she'd see them that morning, and possibly a new face or two. She wanted, perhaps needed, something right to happen, and as she drifted into slumber, she hoped the morning would be a good one.
Tali couldn't help but be tremendously excited; she'd never been in a building like a library before, and the wealth of knowledge at the tip of her hands was making her giddy. Sure, the flotilla had a few databases of technological information, and the extranet had provided access to many stories, but it was something entirely different to have all of it hosted in a physical space that she could move around in. It put into perspective the sheer volume of knowledge they had available, with data pads and the odd paper book filling rows and rows of shelving.
Her head turned to a clatter, Shepard picking up some of the materials she'd dropped. Tali had been terribly amused that morning at breakfast, seeing the woman fussing over a collection of plastic models resembling a number of the galactic races, the vorcha and batarians seemingly absent. She and Liara had both quickly agreed to take part in the class; she always had a soft spot for children, as most quarians did, and she figured her asari friend merely wanted to sate her growing curiosity about Shepard.
It was interesting for Tali to see the woman clearly able to shift the level of effort in mission planning to something seemingly as wildly different as a classroom. In a way, she reminded her of her aunt Shala'Raan, who always seemed to be prepared for anything.
Shepard moved from the table over to Tali, holding a paper filled with names, a slightly off-looking version of her name on one of them, with some symbols she wasn't familiar with above it.
"I wasn't sure if I got your name right…your language was trickier than I first thought. Did I get it right?" Shepard asked, looking apologetic.
"Yes…it…well, you obviously don't write in kheelish, so some of the line work is kind of blocky and inconsistent, but you did a good job. But…why did you take the time to write it? And…why were you looking up kheelish? I could have just written my own name down." Tali asked, curious as to the human's intentions.
"Well, I figured that I'd give everyone name tags for the class, and I wanted to show them what other languages looked like." The woman said, looking a little nervous. "And I know I could have asked you, but…well, I try and figure out how to communicate with people I know in more than one way, and I figure if a pressing scenario came up where either of us lost their translator function, I'd still want to be able to understand you, and have you understand me. So…I'm trying to learn kheelish."
Well, she has a long way to go, but…that might be a good idea, and it's kind of nice. She thought with a smile, turning her head toward the sound of opening doors behind her, finding two asari entering the library; one clearly an adult, and the other much younger. Tali gave the elder a cursory glance as she eventually locked her eyes on the area Shepard had been working on.
"Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if there was a class going on today?" The elder asari spoke, bringing her daughter closer to the trio. Tali watched Shepard move across the open room to greet them, appearing a little surprised for a moment, before her expression faded to a simple smile.
"Yeah, I'm just getting things prepared for it." Shepard noted, gesturing back to the partially organized areas behind her. "My first class in a few months, trying to shake off the rust before it starts."
The elder asari clapped her hands together lightly in excitement. "Wonderful! I had heard there were classes on Sundays, but there haven't been for some time. We moved here three weeks ago, and I've been trying to get my daughter some new friends." The asari spoke kindly, smiling down at her daughter for a moment before returning her gaze to Shepard. "I am Laestria Dholara, and this is my child, Hallene." The asari finished, at last gesturing to her daughter, who was shyly half-hiding behind her.
Shepard took the asari's outstretched hand, giving it a gentle shake. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. Just call me Shepard, everyone does." The woman said with a smile before sneaking a peek at Hallene. "And I'm sure she'll be able to make some new friends, we're pretty friendly around here, though they might take a bit to get used to you, there aren't many asari here. Amaterasu treating you well so far, though?"
"My company decided to transfer me from Illium to here, to manage the logistics around our trade route. I cannot complain about the people so far, but…well, it seems to take the government here much too long to clear its paperwork." Laestria spoke, eyes widening in emphasis of her frustration over whatever unsaid matters that had been troubling her.
"Hah, I know that too well. A bit after I moved here, it took them half a year to give me permits to expand my home by a few extra meters. Just forests and fields around my place, no real need for super strict and slow inspection, but…well, that's Amaterasu for you." Shepard said, chuckling. "Maybe I can put in a good word for you, help speed things up a little."
Laestria looked like she was about to say something before her face twisted into confusion, then clarity. "Wait…I apologize, but Shepard? As in…the new council Spectre?" the asari asked with a hint of excitement, hand covering her mouth in shock, Tali spotting little Hallene peeking out curiously from behind her mom.
"At your service." Shepard said with a playful grin, offering a slight bow. "But please, it's not a big deal. I take off my Spectre hat when I come home, and sometimes I'm lucky enough to have time to teach."
The elder asari nodded with a relieved smile. "Well, if anything, it is a great comfort to know that my child is being protected by one of the best of the galaxy." Laestria noted, turning her gaze to Tali. "And…is she going to be taking part too?"
Shepard looked back at her and gestured Tali forward. She didn't really like being singled out, but she decided to go along with it, offering her hand to the elder, who reluctantly returned the human gesture. "Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, pleased to meet you." She spoke, finding the small asari's big cerulean eyes deadlocked on her in wonder.
"Tali's a close friend, and probably the smartest engineer I know." Shepard said with a kind smile, her eyes scanning the area quickly. "I was planning on a class about diversity in all of the galactic races and everything. I figured Tali and my other partner, who seems to have gone missing, could help some of the kids here adjust to non-human residents like you two. So you've probably picked the perfect time for your daughter to come to class." The woman finished, spurring Tali to check around for Liara, who was nowhere in sight. Hrm…probably busy looking up human history.
Laestria nodded thankfully at both of them. "I wish I could stay for the class, but I unfortunately have some final business to take care of before we can move into our new home. I shouldn't be any longer than two hours."
"Class will be about over by then anyway, so that's perfect." Shepard added happily, as Laestria moved to the side, kneeling in front of her daughter and whispering things too quietly for Tali's translator to decrypt.
The shy little child nodded and after an exchange of waves and best wishes, Tali and Shepard were left with Hallene. She decided to take the initiative and finish the small amount of preparation left until the class, leaving Shepard with the child, curious as to how she would behave.
"So Hallene, do you like it here on Amaterasu?" she overheard Shepard ask, as she activated Chiktikka to help her move furniture into place.
"I miss my friends back in Nos Astra." The child spoke, finding a seat on a nearby cushioned bench, Shepard following suit.
"It's hard moving and not knowing anyone. I had to move from here recently to a ship, just two months ago." The woman spoke kindly. "But I ended up meeting some wonderful friends who helped make that ship feel like a real home."
Tali caught the sight of the child fiddling with her own fingers nervously, something she found amusing, knowing it was her own reaction to uncomfortable situations.
"Even the quarian?" Hallene asked, which gave Tali some pause for a moment. She decided to keep moving furniture and see how Shepard reacted. She knew her people's reputation amongst the council races.
"Especially Tali. She's a great example of her people…friendly, kind, hard working, and creative. You see, when quarian kids get old enough they leave their homes and adventure into the rest of the galaxy, trying to find a way to help their families back home, and trying to make new friends. They might look different, sound different, and have different activities, but they can be really nice. They know what it's like to move to new places and be surrounded by lots of different people and cultures, and feeling homesick." Shepard explained with patience. Yes…definitely reminds me of auntie Raan sometimes…
"Oh, okay." Tali heard the child speak after a small delay, her voice full of acceptance. It was one of the reasons why Tali liked children. They usually don't believe the same stigmas of quarians that adults do. Children can be nice, sometimes. There were a few on Illium… "What's the shiny ball following her around?"
Tali, happy with her arranging of furniture, having moved seating into a nice half circle of couches , benches and chairs, turned around and gestured to her VI. "This is Chiktikka vas Paus, my VI drone." She said cheerfully, guiding Chiktikka over to the young asari, displaying a happy face image; it was initially implemented to taunt the geth it would attack, but she found it fitting for the situation.
Hallene stared at it wide eyed, her hand touching the translucent, minifactured material of her pet drone. "Can it talk?" the young child asked curiously.
"No, but perhaps in the future. Right now it just beeps and boops, though it can hear you, and …" she let her voice trail for a second or two. "Can you introduce yourself to Chiktikka, Hallene?"
"Um…hello Chiktikka. I'm Hallene Dholara." The child said shyly, the drone bouncing in the air for a moment or two, its smiley face moving to an open mouthed happy face as Tali encoded the girl's vocal pattern into Chiktikka's user list, one priority under her own.
"There. Now Chiktikka knows you, and if you want or need anything, she'll respond." She said cheerfully, bringing a small smile to Hallene's face.
The asari child kneaded her hands again, looking nervously between Tali and Chiktikka. "If…can I play tag with her?" Hallene asked quietly, her eyes lowered to her own feet.
"Oh, that'd be fun! I…" Tali started excitedly, immediately feeling a little sheepish for sounding like a child again. "When I was younger, me and my friends would play tag, and blockage finder inside the vents of the Rayya , often with my mother's VI, or my uncle's. Just if you use your biotics to tag Chiktikka, she may disappear for a minute."
Hallene's body language immediately shrunk, the child curling in on herself, drawing concern from both herself and Shepard alike.
"Hey, I know it might be a bit different from home, but it wouldn't be any trouble. Tali could bring Chiktikka back real easily." Shepard cooed, gently resting her hand on the asari's shoulder.
"You wouldn't understand." The young child moped.
Tali knelt in front of Hallene, wishing her visor could be clear so the girl could see her face. "You might be surprised, but we won't know unless you let us help." she spoke in as much of a reassuring tone as she could manage, knowing the effect her vocalizer had on her speech.
"You're humans and quarians. No one teases you for not being able to use biotics. I'm ten, I should be able to use it by now." Hallene noted quietly, pulling her knees to her chest. Well, she definitely doesn't look like a ten year old quarian…maybe a 6 year old…
"I bet she wasn't teased." The girl finished, gesturing momentarily to Liara, who was sitting across the room in a chair, intently looking over a datapad.
Tali looked to Shepard for an answer, knowing next to nothing about asari development or norms. The woman seemed deep in thought for a few moments before nodding and moving from the bench to kneeling beside Tali.
"Well, I can tell you with all certainty that Liara over there was teased. Maybe not for her biotics, but for something else, and she's an amazing asari, just like I'm sure you are." The woman said softly, giving Hallene a bright smile. "Although, now that you've moved to Amaterasu…there aren't really any biotics teachers here, are there? Are you worried you won't be able to get better at it?"
Hallene nodded slowly, biting into her lip. Shepard stood up stretched her arms and shoulders, moving into the open area inside the ring of seating.
"Then it's a good thing that you've got a pair of biotics here to help." The woman noted, turning to face her asari peer who was still deeply invested in her reading material. "Liara, can you come over here?"
The sound of her name, spoken somewhat loudly, spurred the asari from her focus, and soon Liara was strolling toward them.
"Is there something you need help with in the set-up, Shepard? I…" Liara started, pausing as Hallene came into her view. "Oh! Why, hello there. Are you here for the class?"
Hallene, wide eyed, just nodded. Tali could tell the child recognized her, and seemed about as star struck as she'd been when she'd first met Hylen'Ghara vas Idenna, the famous actress from 'Fleet & Flotilla'. She held back a giggle as Liara turned to Shepard with a curious look.
"I suppose I made a rash assumption that there would be no non-humans here on Amaterasu. Do you normally teach other asari, Shepard?" Liara asked, clearly surprised about Hallene.
"Nope, it's admittedly been just humans until now, but I'm more than happy to have Hallene here. It's her first time." The woman said, smiling at the young, wide-eyed child.
Liara turned back to the child, moving closer to seemingly get a better look. "Well, it is nice to meet you, Hallene. You can call me Liara." The elder asari said, offering a bow.
The small child immediately scrambled off the bench and did a more elaborate bow, kneeling in front of Liara, which Shepard seemed to find amusing, by her barely stifled giggle.
"I'm honoured to be in your grace, Liara T'Soni." The child said hastily, drawing an audible chuckle from the commander.
"Seems you have a fan, Liara." Shepard noted playfully, drawing a serious look from the prothean expert. I suppose Hallene must have done something important… "Just saying, for a child to commit to serving under you…that's a pretty big thing."
Tali just remained silent and sat on the nearby bench, not entirely sure what was happening, but being interested nonetheless.
Liara turned back to Hallene, still kneeling, and lifted the child's chin. "Hallene, you needn't follow such tradition with me, I am not the head of my house." The maiden spoke kindly, prompting the child to stand, blushing furiously.
"Oh. S…sorry." Hallene answered, her eyes lowered at her feet. "I forgot."
"It is more than alright. When I was your age, I was always forgetting the proper forms and when to use them." Liara spoke, earning a shocked look from the child. "If…if you agree to do away with formalities for the day, so shall I."
"A good solution as any, Liara. She was just confiding in us about her biotics." Shepard noted, causing the child to blush even more, and turn away nervously. Liara moved beside Hallene, taking a seat on the nearby bench, patting the area beside her. The child quickly took the seat, but kept her eyes averted.
Tali watched as Liara's eyes turned black, something she'd only witnessed once before in a vid. Shortly after, the child's did too, and it was clear they were having a private moment, asari to asari. A minute or so later, both sets of eyes cleared, and the child slowly moved across the room to Shepard, nervously wringing her hands in the process.
Shepard knelt to get closer to eye level with the child, offering the child an apologetic smile.
"Liara said you… you can use biotics?" the young one asked, Tali looking over to Liara and seeing the pleading look on her face. "Um…could you show me a charge? Tela Vasir did it in a vid and…and I haven't seen one in real life before."
Shepard moved to a sitting position and nodded. "Yeah, I happen to be one of the lucky humans to have biotics." Shepard said, Tali noticing a bit of fakeness to the smile in the woman's voice, but the child seemed convinced. The human patted her back happily. "And I'd love to show you a charge. Hop on."
Hallene was frozen in place for a few seconds, before moving behind Shepard and wrapping her arms around the Spectre's neck, her legs around the woman's waist. Shepard's arms moved behind her back to make something of a seat for the asari, and when the child was all set, Shepard moved to her feet and went to one of the areas with a wide aisle.
Tali and Liara followed, both seemingly curious, though Tali wasn't sure how it would all work. She'd seen Shepard charge biotically before, but she didn't know what carrying a second person would do. She hoped the woman knew what she was doing.
"Charge!" Shepard yelled out, and flashed about twenty meters forward in a blue burst, dissipating any worries, as the giggling sounds from Hallene filled the library. Then, for good measure, both charged back to her and Liara, a smile plastered on both Shepard and the child's faces.
Hallene reluctantly let go of Shepard, clearly excited to have had experienced the charge, and turned to face Shepard. "How'd you do that?" the child asked excitedly, before pausing and frowning. "Wait, it's probably really complicated, isn't it?"
Shepard shook her head at the words before taking off her shoes and socks, leaving her barefoot.
"It was actually the first biotic technique I learned. I did it by accident, and I ended up charging into a brick wall and knocking myself out, but it was my first." The woman noted, then proceeded to go through the technical muscle movements she'd use, patiently taking it step by step, often repeating herself for the child.
"Basically, that's what works best for me, because it's just slightly different than how I feel when I'm running, and that makes it easy for me to remember and feel, and so long as I'm able to focus my biotics to trigger it, it happens." Shepard explained, drawing a nod from Hallene. "As for gaining that biotic focus, I'm not sure I'll be much help in that, I wasn't taught traditionally in any way so…Liara would probably be able to help show you some meditation techniques that can help."
Liara nodded happily at the girl, whose gaze quickly darted back to her. "I can record some vids of the techniques for you to use, if your mother permits, of course." The elder asari spoke, evoking a gleeful squeal from the over-excited child. Tali enjoyed how the two were helping the young asari feel welcome. She had no doubts about either of their intents, but had worried that perhaps due to their occasional social awkwardness, the child would be further put off. Maybe they both just like children…
"Shepard!" Tali heard a young voice ring out across the library, her head turning toward the entrance. A young blonde dashed away from two human adults and across the room into Shepard, who caught the girl in a tight hug.
"Jillian, I'm so glad you're here!" Shepard said cheerfully, letting the young girl go and holding her at arm's length. "Missed you, you know. You've got to be an inch taller and a year older by now."
"Three inches and one year! I'm nine years old now!" the blonde answered with a toothy grin, though it seemed she was missing one of her bottom teeth. The girl peeked around Shepard's body and gave her, Liara and Hallene a questioning stare. "Shepard, did you get married?"
Shepard followed the question with a few seconds of wordless babble in attempts to answer, her face redder than Tali had ever seen. She decided to spare the woman the embarrassment of a prolonged episode and introduced herself. "No, I'm Tali, and that's Liara, we're visiting Shepard. That's Hallene, she's here for the class today." She spoke, glad that her words made sense to the young human, and happy that Shepard had decided to go see the girl's parents for a few moments.
"Okay." Jillian noted with a smile, moving closer to Hallene. "I'm Jillian." The girl said happily, extending her hand. "Are you new here?"
Hallene nervously took her hand and shook it gently. "I'm Hallene…I just moved here, yes."
Tali just stood back and watched the two young children talk, Hallene growing more comfortable with the human child in front of her. Though Liara's disappeared again, it seems…and Shepard's back to fiddling with her set-up. She mused, smiling to herself. Well, I'm sure this won't be a total disaster…
Liara watched the children file out of the classroom, entirely pleased with how the lesson had gone, even if the question and answer period was awkward at times. She supposed that young children were simply curious, and helping them gain an understanding, which they seemed to do, was more important than any such embarrassment she faced. At least they didn't ask how I peed, like they did with Tali. That…would have been rather mortifying…
She watched the young blonde from earlier give Hallene a hug before departing with her parents, and couldn't help but feel happy for the child. Liara's childhood had been void of many close friends that weren't Benezia's acolytes, and she knew the pressures of being different and feeling a little out of place.
It had been something that Shepard had touched on a number of times during the lecture, that everyone had differences that separated them from others, but that it was their similarities that brought them together. Liara particularly enjoyed the point that their differences would only help each other understand their potential and what they can offer, and make their lives more interesting by embracing diversity; it was along the lines of what her mother would talk of in her attempts to create a more tightly-knit galactic community. Goddess, some of the human children were just so…open. So curious, and questioning. It was lovely, seeing them all so excited to learn about other species, and everyone politely going to Hallene and I with questions about asari. I can see why Shepard enjoys teaching, now…though I wonder why so few showed up. One would imagine that a Spectre would bring in a crowd, but only eighteen or so came in today. Perhaps… she mused, the thought of the two goons from the Citadel harassing her filling her mind before she whisked it away in favour of a nicer, more recent memory. She couldn't help but blush when thinking about it, and let her focus return to her datapad, as she searched for a prime sitting area.
She wasn't entirely ignorant of human customs, and had become aware of marriage a week beforehand during a light research session. It had seemed to be a potentially more committed, though potentially more fragile union than asari and their bond-mates. However, the diversity of customs in the event of proposal were dizzying, and Liara didn't care to concern herself with them, merely happy to recall the magnificent blush and brief smile on Shepard's face when the question was asked. It had been too much to watch, and she'd had to escape to gather her thoughts.
She knew they hadn't even admitted their feelings for one another, and that nothing was especially certain about either of their futures, or the stability of their feelings, but Liara cherished that Shepard had been so adorably flustered that she couldn't answer. She couldn't say no. If there was any doubt to her affection toward me…and last night, I thought perhaps I had misread her…I cannot doubt anymore. I believe that we can bond…I want to…
Perhaps it was because of her acclimation to her recent lifestyle change, living amongst others, or perhaps it was the recent emotional loss of her mother, or perhaps it was just an internal urge with no understandable source, but she knew that she needed an answer from the woman soon. Liara simply hoped that her plans with Heather would come to fruition and provide her a perfect opportunity to retrieve it.
After a long while of studying the flora of Amaterasu, their regions, their growing seasons, and having endured the happy giggling of Hallene and the chirps of Chiktikka as they darted through the aisles after each other, she realized that the asari child was still there in the building. Rousing herself from her studies, she realized that more than two and a half hours had passed since the end of class, and the child's parent still hadn't arrived. And she is clearly much too young to be left to her own devices…
She got to her feet crossing the floor of the library to the table where Shepard and Hallene were, eating fudge from the plastic container the woman had brought.
"Is everything alright?" she asked, drawing blank looks from both of their faces before Shepard clued in.
"Oh, her mother hasn't arrived yet. Probably dealing with some slow government worker finalizing the records stating that she owns her home. If there's one thing I don't like about this place, it's that sometimes, something that should take ten minutes to do somehow takes ten days." Shepard answered, which didn't exactly make sense to Liara, but she nodded anyway. She wasn't sure how anyone could be so slow, or derelict in their duty.
"Well, I hope everything is alright with her." Liara said, sitting down at the table. "May I?" she asked, looking at the chocolatey snack. It had been torturous the previous night, enduring the tantalizing scent of it, so she didn't hesitate in taking a square as Shepard nodded. The texture was grainier, though very moist and saturated with a flavor similar to the one she'd enjoyed before. It lacked the creaminess, but in its place was a sweeter, richer taste that would have had her salivating had she been lacking in self control. She made a mental note to record the recipe later, perhaps not for herself to accomplish, but more likely as a reminder of what she could ask for sometime in the future.
Liara heard the small child beside her yawn, spurring up memories when she was such an age. I would always wake mother in time for the sunrise, and she would put up with me, often obviously tired. I loved watching the start of the new day…though I rarely saw the peak of the afternoon sun before I was back in bed or on the couch with mother or Shiala, napping comfortably.
"Someone's sleepy." Shepard cooed at the child, getting up from her seat and moving over to Hallene, whose eyelids were starting to droop. "Come on, let's get you to a more comfy spot." The woman added, kneeling down and picking the child up, Hallene's arms quickly wrapping around Shepard's neck.
She watched the two walk off and couldn't help but smile at the woman's sense of purpose, Shepard totally forgetting about her as she made the child a priority. It was both amusing and heartwarming to see that single-mindedness spring up. After a few minutes, Liara followed the path Shepard had taken, finding them off in the distance, resting on a couch, Hallene curled up and resting her head on the woman's lap.
Taking a slight detour, Liara moved through an aisle a few rows from where the two were, taking a seat near the end of it as Shepard's voice became audible.
"And then the brave commando and her trusty sidekicks ventured through the volcano in search of the Matriarch's incredibly intelligent daughter, knowing full well the danger she was in." she heard the woman speak softly, and equally soft voice responding.
"Are you talking about Liara?" Hallene asked sleepily, her mumbled words barely comprehendible.
"Let's just stick to the basic titles, little dove." Shepard spoke with amusement, Liara's heart fluttering at the affection the woman gave the child. She couldn't see them, but she imagined the woman treating Hallene like she herself had been doted on by Benezia. Liara couldn't help but feel a little guilty at the thought, but the woman obviously cared deeply for all the children in her class, and had seemed to make it her mission throughout the class to get the child a slew of new friends and to be comfortable. Perhaps it's all because she's still in her fertility period as a human…and she is childless… perhaps she wishes she had one? Humans don't live long, motherhood is only possible within a brief window of their lifespan…would she treat her own child like this? Is she restraining her affection at all, or…?
"Anyway, the three wandered through the mountain, the heat was terrible, and the volcano's robot guards were even more terrible. But the commando could hear the Matriarch's daughter's pleas from a distance, and knew that she was trapped. It was then that the krogan general stepped forward, challenging the commando to a battle." Shepard continued the silly story, obviously fabricated and exaggerated from what Liara understood. "The krogan was fast, strong, and brutal, throwing the commando around the volcano's caverns…but the commando had something the krogan didn't. She had made an oath, a promise, and knew that she could not break her oath. With that power…and a little help from her engineer and marine partners, she defeated the krogan, and rescued the Matriarch's highly intelligent and captivating daughter just in time, the volcano erupting around them as they escaped to safety."
"Did you and Liara kiss?" she heard Hallene ask, and if not for Shepard choking on whatever breath she'd taken, she likely would have heard Liara gasp from shock. From the mouths of babes…
"Hey now, what…what did I say about basic titles? And…no…there wasn't any kissing, little dove." Shepard explained with surprising calm and patience, having apparently regained her composure, though she was certain she could feel the heat from Shepard's blushing from where she sat.
"Well you should have. That's how the stories go." The child murmured, a light yawn audible afterwards.
"Heh, maybe." She heard Shepard say softly, Liara knowing full well that Shepard had not been in any shape for such an attempt. Though had she been able to…I might have been receptive, I'll admit…though I likely would have been tremendously confused from my exhaustion… she thought, deciding to give the woman and child some space.
Liara and Tali made quick work of dismantling the set-up, arranging the supplies, and packing them up in the crate Shepard had brought. The day would be a nice memory to have, and she hoped that with it less than half over, that she'd be offered more instances to write to memory. Though I suppose with two already, I shouldn't get greedy…
The sound of footsteps at the doorway brought Liara's gaze to meet an older asari, likely a matron in her fourth century if the tone of her crests and the potency of her markings were any indication. The elder's eyes quickly caught sight of Tali and held her gaze there. "I apologize for being so late, I did not wish to burden you." The asari matron spoke with great remorse. "I assume the Spectre has left for her other appointments?"
"Shepard is still here, Laestria, and it was no burden. We all found something to do in the mean time." Tali answered happily, seeming to dissuade some of the other asari's guilt.
"Your child is with Shepard. Last I saw, it looked like Hallene was ready for an afternoon nap." Liara added with a smile, drawing a polite nod, followed by yet another stunned reaction as the matron seemed to recognize her.
"You…you are Matriarch Benezia's daughter, Liara T'Soni! I…my mother's sister was at your hundredth birthday celebration, Matriarch Aesteria." Laestria spoke hurriedly, about to go through a similar formal greeting as her daughter before Liara stilled her with a light touch.
"Matriarch Aesteria was very kind to have graced me with her presence on such an important night." Liara spoke, trying to hide her discomfort. In truth, it had been an important night; it was the first major celebration aside from her graduations that her mother had refused to attend. The combination of having brought up her mother, and that horrible night was nearly too much for her to stomach, and she was thankful that the matron seemed to sense her error in bringing it up.
"Thank you, Lady T'Soni." The matron stated apologetically, though her eyes betraying both surprise and confusion. "May I ask how you've come to be here?"
Liara gestured for Laestria to follow her, and decided to remain civil, knowing the matron hadn't meant any offense. "I was on a remote dig a few months ago, and upon entering the excavation site one day, I managed to meet Shepard. She was in the area to help plan for defenses against potential geth attacks." She lied, knowing the matron wouldn't question her, due to their respective statuses. "She and I became friends across those few days, and we've kept in touch since. When the Spectre told me she was taking leave and offered me an invitation to her home, I made time. Humanity is quite interesting, Laestria, I think you'll find that to be clear in the coming months. They are not like you and I, yet…they are at the same time remarkably similar. It is difficult to explain."
As she finished speaking, both Shepard and Hallene came into view; both had their eyes closed, Hallene curled up against the woman. Liara smiled at the sight and led Laestria forward, Shepard's eyes opening as they grew near.
"I take it Amaterasu gave you trouble?" Shepard whispered, her eyes dazzling with amusement.
"I had to take a skycar to another town to complete paperwork due to some technical error I won't bore you about." Laestria explained quietly. "I am so sorry for being late. How was Hallene?"
Shepard smiled brightly and gave a light sigh. "Magnificent. You have an amazing daughter, Laestria, which everyone seemed to notice. She made a lot of friends today." Shepard answered, gently lifting the cute slumbering child and delivering her into her mother's arms. "Whenever I'm in Amaterasu, if you ever need anything at all, don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always willing to help, or even just sit around and chat."
Laestria's eyes widened, both her and Liara surprised at the offer, but with how Shepard's eyes kept darting back at Hallene, she knew that the young child had weaved her way into the woman's heart. "Thank you, I truly appreciate the offer, though I would never wish to be a burden…" the matron began, halting as Shepard gave her a disbelieving stare.
"I'll let you in on a secret. Lots of humans out here are really hospitable, myself included, and when we make an offer like that, it's honest. I don't want you to wallow in any trouble, so if I'm around, call me, I'll appreciate it. And when I'm here, I'm usually spending time with family and friends, and am up for any extra company that would like to pop by, so feel free, alright? This is a pretty good community...Greenbank's a nice town. Once people get to know you, you'll probably start feeling more at home here. Everyone helps each other out here in the colonies." Shepard elaborated as they moved quietly toward the exit, Tali waiting by the door with their crate.
"I…I would be honoured, then." Laestria whispered in return, looking down at her child. "Thank you for making life easier for her. She never really fit in on Illium, and she really valued the few friends she has over there."
Liara looked to Shepard, receiving a nod, then returned her gaze to the matron. "Hallene admitted to us that she was having difficulties with her biotics. We will not be here long, but if I could get your home terminal address, I could forward meditation videos to her from time to time, to help with her control. I know how difficult it can be to develop biotics in an area without a teacher nearby." Liara requested earning a quick nod from the matron.
"And I request…" Shepard started, taking hold of the fudge container. "That you have the rest of this. Consider it a housewarming gift, if you'd like, though it isn't much of one."
As sad as Liara was to see the fudge be given away, she knew the two human women would soon make more delicious desserts, so she held her tongue. The group of them said their goodbyes, and were quickly on their way home, Liara enjoying the sights and sounds around her on the way back. She made mental note of the trees and fields and flowers they'd pass, many of the colours brilliant and fitting for the season.
"It's been a good day so far." Shepard said from the driver's seat, surprisingly making the ride home smooth and free of unnecessary ravine jumping. "Longer than expected, but really good."
"Hallene was just so sweet and adorable." Tali added, earning a nod from Liara.
It was a good day. She looked forward to the evening, and what it could bring.
A/N: Fluffstravaganza chapter 1b is done! :D First off, I have to credit Elizabeth Carter's "Stories of the Citadel" for inspiring me to add a tiny little asari (well, this one older than the one in her story by a good number of years…Hallene is more like a human 7 year old) to the story though in a different context. Less of a rescue mission, and more of a general help kind of thing, making the child feel welcome and adjust to moving to a new place. I knew this chapter would be long, so I cut the actual class part. I think you can imagine what silly questions the kids would ask :P I just figured, after having had the teaching part in my Shep's backstory, that it would provide a nice little addition and excuse to run a class.
Getting this one out early :) Didn't really take long to write…6k words Sunday night, 4k after a few hours on Friday and Saturday. I'm having a lot of fun with this, and I hope it's been a fun chapter to read.
Once again, thanks for the wonderful response to the last few chapters, you all keep me motivated to keep writing as much as I possibly can fit into my schedule, and I thank you for it, it keeps me sane. So thank you for reading, reviewing, following, etc. my stories. You're all fantastic! And I officially broke 500 total reviews the other day, which was kind of a wild milestone I never thought I'd ever think possible to reach, let alone pass. So thanks for that!
I hope your weeks get off to a great start, and that you aren't in a position that I'm in, facing down a snowstorm that'll hit tonight, and stretch into Wednesday. :\
Anywho, thanks again!