A/N

I am skipping over some game sequences that I just didn't find particularly relevant, but I wanted to touch on some of the more important parts for the purpose of advancing the Jane\Liara dialogue so they can be put into future situations. If you are reading this, ten to one you can fill in the gaps. I am working through rewriting some of this content.

Chapter 5: The beginning of the end

-Normandy, Commander Jane Shepard's quarters

So this was what it was like to have the world on one's shoulders. It didn't feel like she thought it would. It felt less certain or clear, and more up in the air. Things were happening that were about to shake the very foundation of civilization, and somehow Jane Shepard had managed to get herself smack in the middle of all of it.

Reclining in her chair, she stared at the ceiling of her cabin and wondered what foul luck had brought this twist of fate upon her.

Suddenly, she was chasing one of the most powerful spectres ever to live across the galaxy, having been promoted to the status recently herself. She was plagued by visions that were more like something out of a nightmare, all because some bizarre obelisk had apparently thought she would be a worthy vessel for its secrets. She had been ordered to fly all over the map to find out what was going on, and stop whatever threat was looming over the universe. It was too much for one woman.

Well, at least I managed to pick up some good team members.

She thought about the turian and quarian she'd picked up on the Citadel while tracking down leads on Saren. Solid additions, both of them. The quarian seemed especially resourceful, having had the foresight to capture voice logs of not only Saren, but one of his accomplices as well. She wasn't so sure about the krogan, but only time would tell whether he turned out to be an asset or a liability. She especially looked forward to using Tali's hacking skills. Jane was interested in hacking herself, but her skill was nowhere near that of the young engineer's.

She closed her eyes, and thought about what her next move should be. She'd been given three leads, and needed to decide where to go first.

Well, Saren seemed to be close to that Matriarch Benezia the councilor spoke of. Maybe finding her daughter should be the next step.

Yes, that was a good plan. Matriarch Benezia had been causing everyone no end of grief, and it would certainly be beneficial to speak to someone who was so close to her. The asari doctor might even have some thoughts regarding the other leads, and the more information Jane could gather, the better.

Ok, that's where we will go next then. We'll find this Liara T'Soni and see what she has to say about it.

She opened her eyes. It was still dark in the cabin, and she had to remind herself that now she was in command. This was her cabin now. There was no captain to seek wisdom from. There was no one she could lean on. It was just her, and her crew.

Her crew.

My crew.

It was still too much. She closed her eyes again and this time wondered briefly what happened to Danger. She hoped the human was getting on well enough in Omega, but couldn't devote much thought to that now. Old friends had to get buried. Danger couldn't help her now. Well, she probably could help with this mission, but Jane got the feeling that anyone not specifically sanctioned by the Alliance was out on this one. That meant no mercenary backup.

She opened her eyes again. She was on her own. She could bring none of her own contacts. She had to play ball, as Danger would have said. And well, play ball she would. She was a good little soldier. She leaned her head to the side and adjusted her earbud.

"Joker, head for Artemis Tau. We have a scientist to find."

"You got it Commander."

Jane stood up, stretched, and then removed her armor. She was weary, and wanted to rest. Laying down on the bed, she wrapped herself around her pillow and closed her eyes.

-Nightmares

Am I here? I must be here.

She looked around her. It wasn't the same, but it wasn't different, either. Everything was silver, even the lake of mercury that shimmered with crystalline reflections. Jane looked to her left, and then to her right. There it was; the planet of platinum swords. She could hear the high pitched whine as the blades circled the sphere. It didn't seem any closer this time, but at least it wasn't further away.

Where is the path?

She looked at the ground, but it wasn't the same as the other time. The other time, there was a clear walkway for her, a place for her to step into and move forward. This time, there was no path.

Where am I to go?

She heard the indistinct voice again. It still wasn't clear, but it was urging her to arrive. She covered her ears with her hands, trying to block out the sounds of the spinning swords, hoping that it would help her hear the voice more clearly. She shut her eyes, and fell to her knees. Concentrating, she sent a message with all the mental power and clarity she could muster.

Where must I arrive?

Silver silence.

All went quiet, and it seemed to her that all the swords turned on their sides at her, so they no longer reflected light on the lake of mercury. Darkness covered the land, and she fell forwards onto her hands. The world had quieted, and she almost expected to hear the otherworldly voice scolding her. The voice was angry. She had asked too many questions, and she was too confused. She was supposed to do something, but she didn't know what. She was supposed to arrive somewhere, but she didn't know where.

She forced her head up, and looked around her. There was nothing, but silver ground, the silver lake, and… a silver bridge? Or was it more like a dock…

I must arrive.

Jane started crawling forward, heading towards the half-constructed bridge. This time there was no force bearing down on her, slowing her movements, but her hands painfully stuck to the platinum soil. It was cold as ice, and it ripped at her skin, rending her flesh. She focused on the bridge, then closed her eyes and concentrated on its location. She didn't need to see it, and she felt that it wouldn't matter whether or not she did. All she had to do was arrive.

She gritted her teeth as she got closer to the lake. Her hands were sinking deeply into the soft silver ground, and every time she pulled one out, more of her flesh was left behind. The blood gathered in a hideous trail behind her, marking her passing, but she ignored the pain.

It seemed an eternity before she reached the bridge. She was on her forearms now, her hands now too badly damaged to hold her up. She pushed forward, as the platinum structure inserted painful crystalline splinters into her skin.

I must arrive.

She opened her eyes, and focused on the planet. The swords were singing again, singing for her. She smiled, and used her knees to propel herself forward. She looked at her broken and deformed hands, and laughed.

I will arrive. You will see me.

She braced her feet against the unfinished construct's ledge, and gave a mighty push, propelling herself into the depths of the unknown. She held her hands in front of her, and twisted her body around to gaze up at the planet of swords as she was swallowed by the waters of mercury.

A wave of silver ice shattered the crystalline universe, and carried Jane away into the darkness…

-Normandy, Commander Jane Shepard's quarters, the next night

Commander Jane Shepard entered her cabin, and immediately threw herself into the chair in front of her console. Today had been one hell of a day and she felt she needed to get it logged, to perhaps help her make some sense of it. Something amazing had happened to her today, and it was the last thing in the universe the young military officer had been expecting. Today, everything about her existence had changed.

She turned on the computer and settled her hands on the keyboard, but then drew them back again.

Where do I start? Should I even be logging this here? How do I approach this?

She wasn't sure. The whole mission had just spiraled completely out of control, and even now that everyone was safe and sound back on the Normandy, she couldn't shake the nervous and anxious feeling she felt.

Maybe it's because... because... of her. She's affected me somehow... What is going on?

Jane crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. Something was happening to her, but she couldn't quite explain what it was or how it started. That asari scientist had awakened something in her, and as she contemplated how to log the information on the mission, she felt her mind wandering and drifting to thoughts of the young woman's smile. She shook her head, hoping to clear it, and leaned forward again.

Get the log written, Jane. You can think about how to deal with this situation later. Right now, you need to write the damn log!

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She did have to get the log written, but first she could do something that might help her sort out the car crash of emotions that had been suddenly thrust upon her. She swiped her fingers across the screen, and pulled up her messaging program. She prepared a quick note, and sent it off to the only person in the world who could possibly understand.

Danger

I don't know what is happening to me, but just at the start of the biggest mission of my life, disaster strikes. I'm beside myself. There's no way my luck can be this bad. I need to chat when you have a moment.

Jane

Nodding to herself in satisfaction as she pressed the send button, she swiped the screen again and returned to her logging program.

Setting her jaw firmly, Jane Shepard began to type.

-Commander's log 2:39:22:13

The place was like something out of a nightmare. It was a barren wasteland, with lava filled rivers and an ashen sky. I could even swear that I almost heard music; the kind that you would hear in a video game while exploring a dungeon or some corrupt corporation building. Maybe it was just the Prothean vision acting up again.

It's hard to believe that there could be anything of value there. It's a rock. Still, that was where our intel told us that asari scientist was, so that was where we went to find her. I took Tali and Williams with me. Tali is no soldier, but I wanted her hacking expertise for this mission. Williams is a solid gun to have at my side, so I thought between the two of us we could make up for the quarian's lack of military training. The gunnery chief impresses me. I'm interested to see how she develops over the course of this mission. Maybe I can have her permanently assigned to the Normandy.

The geth had taken up residence in the tunnels. We made quick work of them with the Mako, but I really hate that car. It's not as good as the machines that Danger builds. Maybe the next time we are at the Citadel I'll see if she can drag herself away from her "debauchery" in Omega to come out and take a look at it.

Eventually we had to leave the car behind and continue on foot. The geth had set up a barricade and we didn't have time to move it if we hoped to get to that asari scientist in time. They seemed to be everywhere. Tali got knocked out once, but Williams was able to drag her to cover. The odds were impossible. I hoped that the scientist was still alive, though at that point in time it seemed really foolish to be that optimistic. The place was overrun. Still, we had no choice but to press on and find out one way or the other. We came into what looked like a clearing, and then that damned geth ship dropped off an Armature. Those things are rough to take down with only handguns, let me tell you. Tali got knocked out again, but that was mostly because she was just standing in the crossfire and wouldn't take cover. I'll need to go over some drills with her before our next mission. Her skills are too valuable for me to leave her on the Normandy, but she's a liability in this state.

With the way now clear, we entered the tunnels. I really hate underground places like this. It doesn't matter how much light you put in them, they just never seem bright enough. There's always the chance that the world is going to come crashing down on you, and you have no way to escape...

We had to move through the tunnel single file, so I put Tali in the middle and had Ash bring up the rear. I had no idea where that geth ship went and I hadn't had an update from Joker - no way of knowing whether it was going to circle back and drop more reinforcements again. We needed to get in and out, and do it fast.

Tali commented that the cavern had encompassed the ruin after it was built, but I'm not so sure. Would the land have known precisely where to fill in around the structure, and where not to? Would the planet even be aware that it was covering over the ruins of a civilization? Perhaps it was actively trying to swallow it. Maybe the people who lived here were cruel and merciless folk, and the world itself was trying to erase the memory of their existence. It's possible, but I'm no archaeologist. Maybe I should just stick to what I know, and leave the theorizing to the scientists.

At least the elevators were still working. We didn't have much trouble getting to the lower levels, and along the way we saw all kinds of strange fields that almost looked like biotics. It was strange, and reminded me a little of my friend's car. I couldn't devote a lot of time to sightseeing, though, since geth assault drones started showing up all over the place the second we hit ground again. They are really starting to become a pain in my ass, always interrupting my reflections.

Although, one has to admire their tenacity, their ferociousness, and their uncanny ability to just keep pushing forward without any emotion. They truly are the perfect army. It's too bad they aren't on our side.

After defeating that wave, I realized I spoke too soon. The next elevator failed halfway down. It wasn't a long jump, but still meant that we were probably going to have to find another way out. So we jumped down, and then the world was pulled out from under me... I had better not go into detail here. My thoughts are too scattered. Even now I can't make sense of the stir of emotions that wonderful voice invoked. It's too soon, and it's been a long day. I had better get some rest, and pray that no dreams visit me tonight. It's going to be another long day tomorrow, and I need the sleep. I hope Danger gets back to me soon.

-End Entry

-Normandy, Commander Jane Shepard's quarters

Jane sat back and closed her eyes. She had managed to keep the log entry short and to the point, but her mind was wandering again to thoughts of that beautiful voice. Surely fate had intervened in order to bring her to that forsaken planet. Surely it wasn't just luck, or chance, that she happened to have picked that lead to follow first. Surely some immortal hand reached down and planted the thought directly in her mind, urging her to visit that location first and save the scientist from certain death.

It has to be fate, or something like it. What else could it possibly be?

She opened her eyes again and stared at the ceiling, hoping to find answers, perhaps emblazoned on the steel in some ancient fiery lettering, like in the old vids about medieval tales. The cold and unfeeling metal remained impassive, though, offering her no comfort.

Jane closed her eyes and folded her hands across her stomach, settling in to relive the events in her mind that led up to time standing still.

- Therum: Prothean Ruins

It really was a ridiculous sight. A young asari had managed to get snared in some sort of protective field, and was floating in midair, just looking at Jane, asking for her help. Commander Shepard had hoped that her squad hadn't seen that she was utterly captivated by the image, but judging by the sidelong looks Williams was giving her, it hadn't gone unnoticed. Jane tried to concentrate, but the melody sliced at her ears and filled them with sounds so magnificent she felt it deafening and suffocating her. Her soul emptied when the music stopped, and she felt her heart pounding as it silently begged for the mysterious young woman to continue.

And then, the beautiful creature was speaking again. What was she saying? Something about Protheans. Benezia. Geth. Maybe. Jane couldn't tell. The sound was too lovely. She couldn't make sense of the words.

Just keep talking; I don't want to hear anything but your voice for the rest of eternity. Just keep talking.

Williams was speaking now, something about a rescue, more danger, keep moving. Her words sounded gravelly and coarse though, a stark contrast to the melody searing Jane's heart.

Shut up, Chief. Can't you see I'm busy? Don't stop talking.

Williams poked her superior officer, getting a little agitated, and it was just enough to break the trance. Barely. Jane shook her head, and blinked a few times.

The creature was still speaking, now saying something about getting past the barrier, krogan, geth, can't open from outside. Jane's head was starting to swim. She gripped the handle of her pistol and tried to ground herself in the weapon, wondering if she could channel the platinum to steady her hand and clear the sound of the asari's voice out of her ears. Her mind had turned into mush, and it was leaving her and the team extremely vulnerable.

Just keep talking, I'll find a way to get you out of there. Just don't ever stop talking…

She barely even remembered turning and skillfully dispatching the last of the geth guards that had been patrolling in the cavern behind them. They fell so easily, as she hopped down from the rock ledge, and twirled and twisted behind the crates in the cavern. The platinum guided her hand, and filled her with icy resolve. At least that was one thing she could count on to be steady, in this quickly unraveling reality she had stepped into...

I have to get her out of there.

She shook her head, and gripped her pistol more tightly. Turning, she nodded to Williams and looked around to assess her resources. There wasn't much, a few boxes, some weapons, and.. what looked like machinery capable of blasting a hole underneath the structure that trapped the beautiful asari.

A mining laser unit, perfect. I have to get her out of there. We can use that.

It was locked, however, and a special code was required to bring the machine online. Jane positioned herself in front of the machine, and starting punching in sequences.

I should be able to handle this. This is really rudimentary hacking.

Nothing.

Almost there. Just, keep trying sequences. Did I do that one already? Shit, she's looking at me. Stop looking at me!

Still nothing.

Focus on the mission, Jane! Stop glancing at her!

Nothing.

Damnit… This shouldn't be this hard. What is happening to me?

Still nothing.

"Here, let me have a look at that, Commander."

Tali stepped in and started punching in sequences, and soon the machine had bored a hole under the Prothean structure. Jane nodded her thanks to the quarian, and briefly wondered why the geth hadn't thought to use the laser…

Maybe they did try, and were just as inept at entering the code as I was… Even geth couldn't be immune to a creature that perfect. I wonder if she is having the same effect on all of us...

Jane led the way through the hole the laser bore, found the switch to deactivate the force field, and the beautiful asari was freed. Jane had to consciously keep her hands on her weapons and fight the urge to catch the falling maiden.

So this is Liara T'Soni. Liara… That's her name. It's lovely. Why didn't I notice how lovely it was before?

Then the asari was speaking again, this time in earnest. Jane tried to concentrate, but the words barely registered. Liara was wondering why the geth were after her, and wondering how they were going to get out. It was not going to be as easy as they thought.

That's one thing I can agree with, it's time to get out of here. This is no place to be having a conversation, and I need to get you somewhere safe, Liara. Yes, we had better get out. Get out now. This place is coming down around our heads... I can deal with these scattered emotions later.

I need to alert Joker. Snap out of it, Jane! This is definitely not the time! Get her out of here!

She cocked her head to the side and adjusted her earbud, giving the order for Joker to extract them.

"Let's move it people!" Commander Jane Shepard shook her head to clear it, and then switched to 'commander' mode. She drew her pistol, adjusted her hand around the grip, and led the way out of the shaft, her feet thankfully keeping steady beneath her. The rest of the team followed her lead, drawing their own weapons and fanning out behind her, trying to avoid falling debris.

"Watch it, watch it watch it!" She flung her arms out to either side to stop the team from passing her. The krogan battlemaster who was leading the geth's expedition had caught up with them, and he was blocking their way with two geth lackeys. He wanted the asari, and he apparently didn't care whether he got her dead or alive. He didn't even care that the entire ruin was crumbling around them.

These fucking krogan... When are they going to learn?

Jane cared, though, and she wasn't about to let go of her newfound treasure that easily...

"I don't think so. She'll stay with us, thanks."

There's no way I'm giving her up. You can eat shit and die, bro. Hell, did she hear it in my voice? Why is she looking at me like that?

Jane holstered her pistol, drew her assault rifle, and grinned roguishly. It was time to kick a little ass. She lowered her head, and tapped power from the pool of platinum bloodlust and rage once again, dancing in front of the team as quickly as lightning. She knew her crew was confused, and likely frightened, but she couldn't let go of the thunderbolt, and she nearly howled in delight at the fear in the krogan's eyes as she approached him. His geth companions had already panicked and fled, making them easy pickings for Williams. The krogan was left all alone to face the feral human.

"You're mine, battlemaster, and I don't take prisoners…" she whispered, seeing the words register in his eyes as they somehow reached his mind through the sounds of battle and crumbing stone behind them.

She shivered in anticipation as his fear filled the air, and she called forth the crystalline wave to propel herself forward. He dropped his weapon and tried to run, but the streak of platinum that was Jane Shepard had already reached him. She was getting stronger… And it felt good. She reached out a hand and barely gestured. He fell to the ground, her boot now on his neck. She didn't spend a lot of time wondering how it had happened, or what had come out of her. She pivoted to the side, gripped the assault rifle in one hand, and smiled as she pulled the trigger.

She's mine. I warned you.

"Shepard, we need to move, like now!" Chief Williams was trying to help Tali up. Apparently the quarian had been knocked out again when the geth drones had flanked the team.

Jane forced herself back to reality, and looked around. The chief was right, it was definitely time to go.

"Right, let's get out of here Ash!" She holstered her weapon and started running again, releasing the lightning. "Get Tali on her feet! Gogogogogogo!"

Liara's lagging behind. I need to put her in front of me.

Jane dug her feet in and reversed direction, bringing up the rear. As she did, it seemed her teammates picked up speed, and she pushed her hands in front of her, willing them faster through the tunnel as the debris rained down around them.

Damn it… GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!

Jane closed her eyes and gave one last mighty heave, nearly throwing the chief and the two aliens out through the tunnel entrance's door, and then she turned and looked back as the mountain collapsed upon itself. She dropped to one knee and and gritted her teeth, feeling the telltale pain in her left ankle that only reared its ugly head when she lost her footing or stepped on something and rolled it beneath her.

Damn it. That hurts. I'll have to get Chakwas to patch it up.

She pushed herself back off the ground, and gazed at the now destroyed archaeological site. Whatever secrets the asari had been trying to uncover in there, were lost forever, now. She stood there a moment more, mastering her rage, clearing the bloodlust from her thoughts, and dismissing the silver winds that lent her team speed and strength. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

I need to keep control of that. I can't let her see that side of me, not when I can't even explain where it comes from.

Jane backed away from the mountain, shifting her weight to from foot to foot to test the stability of her ankle, and joined the rest of the crew as they climbed into the Normandy.

-Normandy, Comm room

It wasn't long before the team was assembled again in the comm room, chattering about the mission. The commander could see them all there, but she was looking straight through them. The day had been too hectic. Between rescuing the asari and once again allowing the platinum rage to channel through her, she was really ready to just lie down and sleep. She was barely conscious of where she was. This debriefing would have to be a short one.

I'm back on the ship? I must be. This is my comm room. Liara's fidgeting. I wonder if the seats are uncomfortable. Just don't stop talking.

Jane looked straight at the asari, and crossed her arms, hoping that her eyes weren't betraying her emotions. She studied the young woman's face intently, looking for any lie, or any hint of deceit. There was nothing. Liara was innocent, and confused, and unsure of why she was suddenly so important to so many galactic powers. The only information she had, was on history, and ancient civilizations.

Tell us about that. I'll listen to whatever you want to explain to us. You can talk forever. I have some information as well you might find interesting. I'll tell you anything, everything.

The commander leaned back in her chair, and looked around at the crew. When she started her pursuit of Saren, it had just been a ship full of humans versus the galaxy. Now it was growing into a representation of all the allied forces. Maybe it was fate, some sort of immortal hand pushing them together. Perhaps she was meant to connect with this asari for some purpose. Then again, it could just be really bad luck.

Jane tried to hide her amusement at her own little joke.

You should stay here on the ship, Liara. It's not such a bad place, and I want to keep you safe. I want to keep you close to me.

Jane tried to smile her most reassuring 'I'm a soldier and I can protect you smile', and she thought she detected a hint of laughter in the asari's eyes.

I wonder if she can read my mind... Well, she is tired and she should go rest. Doctor Chakwas can find some room for her. Go rest, Liara. I'll talk to you later, when I'm…. myself again…

The commander kept her report to the council brief, and then retired to her quarters to gather her thoughts. She made an entry into her personal log, and then settled back into a chair to think about what to say to her newest crewmember. It was insane, wasn't it? The whole thing was. Danger would absolutely delight in seeing the always-in-command-and-control soldier blathering like an idiot, and daydreaming during debriefings. Suddenly she felt sad and wished she could talk to her friend.

-Normandy, Commander Jane Shepard's quarters

Jane Shepard opened her eyes again, smiling at her recollection of events. Despite her distraction, she did manage to lead them out of the crumbling ruin, and everyone was alive and resting. It turned out ok in the end, and now Jane had some time to think through and sort out her scattered emotions.

Should I go see her now? Or should I wait until tomorrow…

Jane closed her eyes, and replayed the day in her head over and over. She smiled softly, and bit her upper lip. That asari had definitely gotten her attention. She was perfect. Her voice was like music, and her smile rivaled even the dreams of the beautiful platinum swords. She could disappear into those blues eyes, and never return again to the land of the living. She would gladly give up her command, her life, possibly even her very soul, if that asari asked it of her.

Jane opened her eyes again and smiled at the ceiling. She nodded to herself and pushed out of the chair.

I should just go make sure that she is ok. It's my duty as the commanding officer on this ship to make sure that any new folks have what they need, right? Right.

Jane adjusted her Alliance uniform and made her way to the med bay.

-The Citadel, Human Embassy

Ambassador Udina sat at his console, staring at the screen and scowling. Anderson had managed to do it again.

Somehow, the man manages to screw up even the simplest missions.

His team had extracted the asari matriarch alive, but the woman was certainly not as grateful to the human race in general, and him in particular, as he had hoped she would be. In fact, Matriarch Terriana had stamped about his office for hours upon hours, uttering every expletive in every known language across the universe at him, and she hadn't stopped there. When she left, she then filled his inbox with more choice words and phrases, which he was reviewing now. She had finally exhausted herself fifteen minutes ago, and the last correspondence he received from her... was a calm request. She had simply contacted him through a secure line, quickly articulated what she wanted, and then severed the connection. Just after that, he had gotten another message stating she might be willing to reconsider her position on the colonies... if he was able to procure what she had asked for.

He heard the door slide open, and looked up from the console as his top commanding officer stepped into the room.

"Captain Anderson, I trust you read the report?" He didn't even try to hide the edge in his voice.

"I did, Ambassador."

"So then I trust that you know how much diplomatic grief your commander and pet mercenary caused me?"

"They got the job done, and I'll add that they got the matriarch out unharmed."

"This incident has set up back twenty years in race relations with the asari. There's no way to undo what has been done. First she is manhandled by the humans who captured her, and then she is manhandled by the humans who rescue her!"

Anderson took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "Ambassador, we are not talking about civilized dealings here. We are talking about pirates, who stop at nothing to get what they are after. I had to put people on it that wouldn't be afraid to get their hands dirty."

"Bah." He threw his hands up in defeat. "This will take me months to undo. She won't even speak of the colonies now. I will have to put off other projects in order to focus on bringing her back to the table." She crossed his arms, and narrowed his eyes at the captain. "How is our... other... matter progressing?"

"Shepard has the asari doctor in custody and while they don't have a lot of new information on the threat, they are en route to Feros as we speak. I expect to hear more in a couple days."

"Good. Well at least one thing is going according to plan, anyway."

The ambassador turned back to his console. "I had another meeting with Matriarch Terriana a few minutes ago and I have an unusual request."

"Oh? What is unusual about it?"

"What she is requesting. She wants your mercenary to act as security for her trip back to Thessia."

"Why is that unusual?"

The ambassador leaned forward. "If you had heard the language that came out of that woman's mouth when describing the actions of your extraction 'specialist', you'd find the request unusual too." He held up a hand to ward off the Captain's next comment. "No, no, I made sure she isn't setting your operative up for some sort of ambush revenge. Apparently her turian advisor convinced her that in order to remain safe, she needs someone like your operative. So, can you have her prepped to escort the matriarch back home by tomorrow?"

"I'll see if I can find her."

"Very well. Dismissed."