Chapter 48: Breaks

-Normandy, Crew Deck Corridors

Doctor Liara T'Soni wandered aimlessly through the corridors, uncertain of where exactly she wanted to go. It had only been a few hours ago that she had sent Jane Shepard away, and since that moment, she felt lost and alone. Slowly, she walked, looking at the floor and fidgeting at her fingernails. Quietly, she contemplated, turning the matter over and over in her mind. Relentlessly, she circled the crew deck, barely noticing the soldiers who saluted her or nodded greetings to her. Nobody else existed. Nobody else mattered. Nothing else was important. Nothing at all.

I did the right thing. I am sure of it. I made the correct decision. Jane needs so much more than I could ever give her, right?

Her keenly intellectual mind attempted to reason it out, to make sense of it, but the words rang hollow… and her heart didn't believe it. No matter how many times she replayed the conversation in her mind, she didn't believe for one second that the correct response was shutting down and leaving the commander to deal with everything all alone, no matter how scared she might be of her own inadequacies. The voice in her head was right, and she knew it before her unidentified mental assailant had even spoken. What Liara had done was monumentally stupid, and she had to find a way to fix it.

So, should I try to find her? I wonder where she would have gone. Her quarters? Maybe she went to talk to Chief Williams. If she were to confide in anyone other than me, it would be Chief Williams. Or… maybe she just did what I told her to do…

She stopped short and shut her eyes tightly, trying to erase the image from her mind. Liara wasn't sure why the thought of Sha'ira bothered her so much, but it did. Maybe it was because the consort was so much older than she was. The thought was a little intimidating. Here was an asari who had already lived long enough to see worlds rise and fall, and Liara herself was barely out of her teenage years. Maybe it was because despite the woman's advanced age, she appeared young and vibrant, as if time could not touch her; as if it would never dare try. Maybe it was because her words dripped with honey, and her every movement was unadulterated sensuality. Liara felt like a child next to such an asari, and it made her angry. Commander Jane Shepard was a particularly attractive specimen of human. There was no way Sha'ira would pass up the chance, and Jane would probably disappear into the night with her this time and forget all about little Liara.

And she would be right to. Why did I even suggest it? Of all the people I could have sent her to, I told her to go see the one she is most likely to lose herself in. Better yet, why did I send her away at all? All I had to do was take her hands and help her to stand up again. She needs me to help her stand, and all of my doubts and worries would have washed away as she fell into my arms. It would have been perfect.

Liara closed her eyes and hugged herself, trying to chase away the thoughts of being so close to the commander. She couldn't let those images take over again, not now, not when Jane was so far away and out of her reach. The corridor was starting to close in on her. The air was stifling. She couldn't breathe. She forced herself to concentrate on one thing: putting one ne foot in front of the other; she forced herself to move. One foot in front of the other; she counted the strides. One, two, three, four... three hundred two… five hundred six... How many was it now? She lost count. It didn't matter anyway. She kept moving even though her vision started to blur with exhaustion and the tears that threatened to spill forth. She kept moving even though some of the crew members were starting to whisper to themselves, curious as to what was going on with her. She kept moving even though every rational thought in her head fairly screamed at her to return to her quarters and busy herself with something productive, something useful, something distracting… anything, to keep her mind occupied.

It does not matter where she has gone, because I do not have the courage to go after her anyway. I did not have the courage to reach out when she was right there in front of me, how could I possibly find the nerve to barge into her quarters now?

She sighed, and bit her lower lip in frustration. She'd had no idea that relationships could be so… difficult. It made her think about her mother, and all of the things that could have caused the rift between Benezia and her own partner. What had happened? Did they have a fight? Was it a simple misunderstanding that blew up into a major dramatic tragedy? Was her other parent upset that Benezia had gotten pregnant? Or did Benezia simply shut down, like Liara was doing now, when her partner needed her the most…? Maybe she did, and it was too much for the woman to handle and she had to leave. Liara sighed again. Maybe her mother wasn't the damsel in distress after all. Maybe it was her fault.

And maybe, she passed it down to Liara.

I should have just asked Benezia, instead of trying to keep her from her pain. Now I may never know who her partner was, or what happened between the two of them. Maybe if my mother had been honest with me, I would not be in this situation with Jane now. I would have known how to handle it. Maybe if she had told me who my other parent was, I could have found her. Maybe she would have taught me the things that Benezia was too afraid to. I know she did not want to see me get my heart broken, but I guess her plan backfired anyway…

Liara stopped and leaned forward, hands on her knees. The muscles in her legs were starting to ache, but she didn't care. It was good to feel something, anything at all, even if it was just her body protesting the demands being made of it. The emptiness in her heart was overwhelming, and she looked down several times fully expecting to see a physical hole in her chest. There had to be a hole there, for it to feel so empty and broken. Her anger was starting to get the better of her, and she shut her eyes tightly as she scolded herself.

This is ridiculous, Liara. Do you enjoy feeling like this? It is not the first time you have done such a thing, or said such a thing to her. You must enjoy the punishment, is that it? You have avoided other people for so long, and now that you are part of a crew and have someone who cares about you, the first thing you do is emotionally shut down. Good job, doctor.

She snorted in derision at no one in particular, and shook her head. Here she was, fully grown and out on her own, after completing a degree at one of the most prestigious universities on Thessia and landing herself a key position on one of the most technologically advanced ships in any of the spacefaring species' fleets… and she was still acting like a spoiled child.

And you are a little spoiled, Liara. Benezia gave you everything you ever wanted, even when she did not understand it. She always behaved as you expected her to, and she never walked away from you, even when you were throwing tantrums and being impossible. She was always so patient, and she was always so gentle. Maybe she was right, and she should have been stricter with you. It might have helped. I wonder what she would have had to say about this. I wonder what her partner would have had to say about it…

Finally, Liara's body had enough of her abuse and her mind started to fight back against the mental assault. She leaned against the wall in exhaustion. It had to have been hours by now. The lights were starting to dim as per the usual schedule, and some of the crew members were making their way to the various sleeping pods and other designated areas. Night, or at least what passed for it on the Normandy, was falling. She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, and tried to stop scolding herself. It was hard, though, and the mental and physical exhaustion wasn't helping. She reached out once again looking for Jane, hoping beyond hope, that it wasn't too late.

Why try now, Liara? You did not seem to care when she was here with you. You knew she was looking for you, and you ignored her. You shut her out. Why? Why do something so obviously foolish? What would have happened, had you been responsive?

Her skin tingled with electricity at the thought. What would have happened? She would have taken the commander's hands and helped her to stand. She would have stepped closer, whispering words of encouragement and using her body to invite the contact she craved. She would have slipped her arms around the human's torso and tilted her head back, silently offering herself to her chosen mate. She could almost feel Jane wrapping around her and hiding them both from the world, accepting her offer and making one of her own. Liara wanted to lose herself in the human's embrace right now, and forget about Saren, forget about her mother, forget about all of this indoctrination nonsense. She leaned her head against the cool steel of the wall and silently asked it for strength. She knew it wasn't going to answer her plea, but at least it was something solid amidst the chaos. It was something she could confide in.

Jane, I am so sorry. I do not know how to do this. I do not know how to fix this.

Liara turned slightly so that her back was to the wall and looked around the deck. There wasn't another soul in sight. Everyone else was probably eating, or taking shore leave, or already in bed. Everyone else was going about their duties, without a care in the world. Everyone else was happily living their lives, oblivious to the electrical storm brewing just inside the corridor. They knew nothing beyond their individual tasks aboard the ship. They weren't personally acquainted with Jane Shepard. They were just nameless, faceless parts of her team, there to ensure the ship kept running so the commander could save the world. And somehow, that was enough for them.

But it wasn't enough for her.

Her head fell forward slightly, as if her neck no longer had the strength to support it.

Maybe I wish I could be like them. If circumstances were different, I would just be a scientist, reporting my findings to whoever was in charge of my department. I would not have any contact with Jane at all. I probably would not even know what she looked like. If it had not been for my mother and the things she did, I probably would not even be on this ship. I would be at a research facility somewhere on some remote planet, feeding reports to the commander through comm buoys. There are a million different ways this could have played out that would have been a million times better than this heartache… Why did it have to be her to rescue me on Therum? It could have been anyone else in the alliance. Why did it have to be Commander Jane Shepard?

Liara opened her eyes and lifted her head to look up at the ceiling. It took effort. She imagined she could see the stars, and wondered which one burned brightest this night. She wanted to explore those stars, every single one of them. She wanted to visit planets that had not been touched by their civilization, and uncover the secrets that were surely buried there for millennia. She wanted to learn everything there was to learn about the ancient Protheans, and piece together how they lived, how they died. She wanted to learn about the species that came before those mysterious figures, and who had come before them. It was why she left Thessia, and what had drawn her to Therum. It was what kept her on the Normandy now, when she could have left after giving the commander the information she needed. That thirst for knowledge kept her on this vessel.

Except, that isn't quite right either. I do not need this ship to pursue my research, and being here takes away valuable time I could spend on actual digs.

Liara closed her eyes again and let out a long breath. She stayed because she wanted to be with Jane. She remembered the day she offered her expertise like it had been yesterday. There was no hesitation, no question in her mind where she belonged. She belonged on this ship with the human commander who had somehow stolen her heart. Oh, she still wanted to visit the stars and dig for ruins, but now she didn't want to do it alone. It would be too empty. How wonderful would it be to discover something unique and valuable, and have someone to immediately share it with? She would no longer be forced to tell all her secrets to a datapad, her only comfort the soft amber glow of the LED. She would have warm arms waiting for her at the end of the day. All she needed to do was get through this mission, and then she and Jane could disappear into the far reaches of space together.

It would be perfect. They would land on some small planet that hadn't been explored, and she would gather her tools and other equipment to go explore. Jane would stay behind at their small ship, doing repairs or maintenance or whatever it was starship captains did when their ships were grounded. Her face would light up with joy when Liara finally returned, holding some obscure treasure she had unearthed. They would look over the object together, documenting every anomaly, examining it from every angle, carefully inspecting it and chronicling the adventures they'd had in obtaining it. They would discuss it late into the night, and Liara would doze off leaning against the human in their quarters. She would awaken a short time later, her body craving her lover's touch, and she would pull Jane down with her into the depths of space, neither of them yet fully conscious, both aware only of each other, chasing the euphoria that their union promised.

Liara's skin started to crackle with electricity, her internal receptors unconsciously activating a biotic response. Her heart, which just a few moments ago felt empty, had accelerated, and she shook her head as a tear spilled from her eye. It was physically painful to be denied proximity to Jane. Her skin was burning and lightning had replaced the blood in her veins. She clenched her fists and channeled the biotic field along her skin, first to her fingertips, then back down to her toes. She welcomed it and found some small comfort in the dark blue glow that surrounded her. The violent response felt good, and she wanted more. Thoughts of nights spent with Jane, the human smiling down at her, up at her, clawing at her, breathing her name, quietly asking her, desperately begging her, drove the young asari into a violent frenzy. She had to find someplace secluded, somewhere quiet and away from prying eyes, a location no one would come looking for her.

Somewhere she could let off a little bit of steam.

-Normandy, Garages

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams sat on an ammunition case, quietly polishing a rifle. She slowly moved the cloth back and forth, losing herself in the rhythm of the softly swaying ship. It was soothing and relaxing, and she closed her eyes, thinking thoughts of home. She smiled, and internally embraced the warmth her heart felt as she recalled images of her mother and sisters. Family was important to the chief, and she missed them. Still, they had all been proud to hear of her new assignment, and she had to admit it felt kind of good to be able to brag a little.

Ashley held the rifle at arm's length and inspected it carefully. The metal gleamed with a pristine shine that only surfaced under the expert care of a skilled maintainer. She double checked the action, secured the thermal clip, and set the weapon in the 'done' pile. It was ready for the next mission. Picking up the next weapon in her queue, she wondered about the upcoming trip to Virmire. Thoughts of home were nice, but she was getting bored. Things had been rather quiet these past few days, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't craving a little action. It might have been a bit selfish, but she hoped the commander brought her to the planet's surface. She had been sitting in this garage for far too long now, and it was making her restless.

She put the gun down and sighed. She shouldn't be complaining, really. This was the best assignment a Williams had gotten in two generations. It was a remarkable opportunity, and she had already received a note from Captain Anderson personally thanking her for her service. So what if she didn't get to be on the front line for every mission? She was still doing important work, and she had Commander Jane Shepard's friendship and respect. That would take her far in the Alliance.

I bet the commander made good on her promise. She put in that report after all. I wonder where she is. I should tell her about the message from Anderson.

Ashley stood up and started to pack away her maintenance equipment. It was getting late, and she didn't expect anyone else would be coming down to have their armor upgraded. The only one who hadn't visited yet today was T'Soni, but the asari could wait until the morning. The woman was probably face-deep in a terminal, researching this or that and completely forgot to get her gear checked on... or perhaps she was face-deep in the commander...

Ashley chuckled a little at the thought and then mentally reprimanded herself for being so indelicate... and for having wicked thoughts about her commanding officer.

And so what if she is? If they can find a little happiness in all of this madness, more power to them. Who am I to judge, anyway?

She closed her toolkit and attempted to stuff her equipment in her locker. Wrex chuckled at her struggles from across the room, and Ash gave him the finger. The massive krogan roared with laughter, enjoying the camaraderie the two of them had built up during their time together on the docking bay level. He was starting to really like these humans. They had fire in their bellies.

Garrus seemed completely oblivious to his surroundings, having been joined by Tali some time ago. The two of them were huddled around the Mako, chattering with DIDI and doing who knew what. Every now and again she could hear Tali curse, or Garrus drop a tool, but for the most part, the three of them were minding their business.

"You know, you could help me here big guy, instead of laughing at me like a jerk." Ash put her back to the equipment bag and tried to use her legs to stuff it in the locker.

Wrex roared once more, but he walked over to the smaller human and helped her push the equipment inside.

"There. Thanks, Wrex. I should talk to the commander about getting more space."

"Ha. Women are all the same regardless of species. If it's not makeup, its machinery, and if it's not machinery, its munitions. I'll let you guess which one krogan women favor."

"You know you love it, Wrex," Ashley replied with a playful punch to his gut. "Ow, is that armor hard enough?"

"That was my belly." he growled in response, the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his massive jaw.

"Mm hm. I'll remember that for next time. Thanks again for helping me with the..." she gestured to the now closed locker that looked as if it were on the verge of exploding.

Wrex merely nodded, grunted, and returned to his normal spot.

Ashley stretched and started to pick up her travel bag when the tell-tale screech came over the intercom, signaling Joker had a message for someone.

"Uh, Chief Williams? Are you busy? It's kinda... important. And private."

Ash shook her head at no one in particular and opened a private channel. Adjusting her earbud and cocking her head to the side she replied, "I was just finishing up here, Joker. What do you need?"

"Well, I don't need anything, but you might want to get down to cargo bay four. There's a bit of a biotic storm brewing down there."

"A biotic storm? What do you mean?" Ash was confused. There wasn't any training going on today.

"Liara is down there, and I don't think she's in a very good mood. You know, asari are usually sexy no matter what they do, but an angry asari? That's just terrifying. She scared the hell out of that new ensign. Poor kid went down there to pick up some medigel for Chakwas, and he wet his pants. Ran all the way back to sickbay. I just heard about it." Joker chuckled, but then turned serious again. "Something is going on, Chief."

"Ok, why don't you have the commander deal with it?"

"Well gosh, that's a super idea, Chief. I wish I had thought of that! The commander isn't on the ship at the moment. She left a few hours ago when we docked and she didn't say where she was going. I'd send Pressly, but well... I think you would handle this better. I mean, it's pretty obvious what's going on."

Well, I wouldn't say obvious, but you're right. Shepard is ashore and T'Soni is destroying a cargo bay. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the two are probably connected.

"All right, I'll head down there."

"All right Chief. Send pics."

Ash shook her head and slung the bag over her shoulder. The sooner she got down there the sooner she could make an excuse to inspect the sleeping pods and run into Kaidan.

-Normandy, What's left of Cargo Bay 4

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams made her way down to the cargo bays, securing her pack on her back and running through all the different scenarios in her mind of what might have happened.

I'll bet the commander finally called T'Soni out on the whole babe-in-the-woods act. I knew sooner or later that was going to wear off, and Shep would move on. Or maybe it's nothing like that at all. Maybe Shep is just completely oblivious, and forgot to include Liara in something and now our cargo is paying the price. Or maybe, this is just asari foreplay or something. Who knows. I wonder what Joker expects me to do anyway. I should have brought some of those heavy weapons with me.

Ash stopped a few feet away from the cargo bay door, and set her bag down on the floor. She crept slowly toward the opening and peered around the corner, trying to get some idea of what was going on. There was biotic activity all right, but nothing like the biotics Ashley had seen before. The room was nearly black, electric with dark energy that seemed to thicken the air and displace all the oxygen. There was a woman standing at the far end of the room, head bowed, arms extended, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings and the destruction that her powers were wreaking upon everything in the vicinity.

That can't be T'Soni. There's just no way. Did we pick up some other asari when I wasn't looking? Maybe we are transporting some random commando. Damn, is that really that mousy archaeologist we found trapped on Therum?

Ash rolled to the other side of the doorway to get a better look. She was closer to the figure now, but something still didn't look quite right. There was something feral in the expression on her face, and something oddly primal about the energy that filled the room. Ashley didn't have a whole lot of exposure to biotics in general, but she knew that it was usually more of a warmish blue, not the violet black crackling through the air right now. It was beautiful, and it was terrible, and she wished that Shepard were here to deal with it instead.

Well, if Shep were here this probably wouldn't be happening. That's definitely T'Soni. I'd better find out what her problem is before this gets out of hand and starts leaking into the rest of the ship.

The chief rolled back to the other side of the doorway and stepped just inside, immediately flattening herself against the wall and sliding around the corner to a spot that seemed out of reach of the wildly electric violet field. She looked around, and spotted part of a crate that had been broken. It would serve well enough as a shield. She picked it up and settled it in front of her, sliding against the wall once more and slowly making her way around to the far side of the room. Bits and pieces of old crates were flying everywhere, reminiscent of shrapnel, and she had to duck more than once to avoid being struck.

This is ridiculous. We need to lay down some ground rules for these aliens. I'm taking Shep aside the second she gets back. Rule number 1: No black biotic fields. Only blue ones. Rule number 2: especially no black biotic fields in the cargo bays, ripping the place apart. Rule number 3: MOST especially no black biotic fields anywhere near Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. That ought to cover it.

It took an eternity, or at least what felt like one, before she was close enough to get the oblivious asari's attention. She knelt down beside the transfixed alien and held her makeshift shield above her head.

"T'Soni!"

Ashley shouted as loud as she could, and it was just enough to break the trance. Barely. Liara glanced in the direction the voice had come from, hopeful, but closed her eyes in disappointment when she recognized it was the gunnery chief and not the commander. She lowered her arms, and the electricity in the air started to dissipate. Debris rained down everywhere, and the chief stood up again, throwing the partially destroyed crate aside. "Just what in the hell are you doing down here, T'Soni?"

She fully expected Liara to reactivate her biotic field, to yell back, to pick up something and throw it. She expected the asari to cross her arms, or say something sarcastic, or spit on the ground. She expected the obviously miserable woman to advance on her and attack, seeking revenge on anyone who even remotely looked like Commander Shepard. She expected any number of violent or angry responses, but what she got, was the asari scientist crumbling and falling forward into her arms.

"Damn it, T'Soni, what is wrong with you tonight?" Ash caught her and led her to a nearby crate that seemed relatively untouched. She fairly poured Liara onto it and then sat across from her, shaking her head.

Holy shit, Shepard, what did you do this time?

"T'Soni, this place is destroyed. What is going on down here?"

Liara buried her head in her hands. She couldn't face the chief. She couldn't face anyone. This had all gotten out of hand. She just meant to smash a few crates, just to let off a little bit of steam. Somehow a few crates turned into a few more, and before she knew it, something had awakened in her and all she wanted to do was destroy everything that was nearby.

Ash studied the asari, trying to guess what was going on. It was obviously something big this time, for her to be acting like this.

Maybe the shit that happened on Noveria is finally catching up to her. I find it hard to believe this level of destruction came about because of a simple lover's quarrel. I mean, Shep is nice enough, but still.

"T'Soni, you can't destroy all our cargo, especially once we leave the docks. We don't want to get stranded out there with no supplies. What the hell is going on?"

Liara remained silent. She didn't move, and she didn't look up. Ashley couldn't tell if the asari was crying, but it seemed likely, given the circumstances.

God damn it, like I'm supposed to know how to handle this.

"You know, we still have some time before we head back out. Maybe you should take some shore leave, maybe go see that asari wise woman your people have on the Citadel. What's her name, the Cohort? Convert? Con…"

This time Liara did look up, but she did it so slowly and deliberately that Ashley unconsciously reached for her pistol as the last word died on her lips. The asari's eyes had gone black, and it seemed like her nails had lengthened. Her voice was low and raspy, almost a growl, and her skin pulsated with pitch black fire. The room darkened, and if Ash didn't know better she would have sworn she just stepped into a hurricane.

"Don't. ever. mention. her."

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams nodded slowly and leaned backward, trying to escape the room without being obvious about it. After a few moments, the darkness cleared, and Liara became just.. Liara. Her eyes returned to their deep blue hue, and her skin softened once again into its almost reptilian patterns. She buried her face in her hands.

Holy shit, Liara used a contraction. This is worse than I thought… Wait, that's what you noticed? You are spending way too much time with Joker.

"Chief Williams, I apologize for the destruction. I will clean it up. Please, just leave me alone. You do not have to worry; there will be no further incident this night."

The words were almost a whisper, and Ash felt her heart breaking. It was becoming apparent what might have happened, and where the commander might have gone. Clearly, things between Shep and the asari were not going as well as she had thought they were. She was sure that the two of them were meant to be, but now…

I have to talk to Shepard and find out what happened. But shit, do I leave T'Soni down here? If I leave her alone right now, she's going to go right back to destroying everything.

"I'm not going to leave you down here to be miserable, T'So… Liara. Listen, I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but I understand a little bit of what you might be going through." Ashley's eyes took on a faraway look as she recalled the memories of her own lost love, so many years ago. "I think that you should come ashore with me and Kaidan tonight. We're leaving for Virmire tomorrow, and it's an Alliance tradition to get completely drunk before heading out to an important mission."

Liara's shoulders heaved ever so slightly. Was that a chuckle, or a sob? Ash couldn't tell. She kept talking anyway.

"I read that you asari can eat our food, but I bet you can't handle our tequila slammers. I bet Kaidan can't either. In fact, I bet that I can out drink the both of you put together." Ashley stood and dusted off her uniform. "You can't stay in here. The place is a wreck. We'll send some of the ensigns down here to clean up and put things back together before the commander comes back on board. It's our little secret. Come on."

Ash held out a hand to help the asari up, but Liara didn't take it. She slowly stood on her own, and nodded to the human. "Very well, Chief Williams. You are probably right. I think I need to get away from this ship for a while. And… thank you. For not prying and for…"

The chief smiled and clasped her hands behind her back. "You're welcome, Liara. Now, let's go find Kaidan. He's probably fussing over the sleeper pods again."

Ash led the way out of the cargo bay and together they boarded the elevator in search of the Lieutenant.

…

…

…

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams adjusted her earbud, and opened the private channel back up to Joker.

"Hey Chief. Everything ok now? I'm still waiting for those pics."

"Yea, yea, well don't hold your breath on that one. Do me a favor, and send some of those ensigns down to clean up the cargo bay before the commander gets back."

"That bad, huh?"

"Don't ask. Let's keep this to ourselves, as well. You were pretty accurate before and it's probably best if the commander doesn't know about this incident."

"Oh it goes no further than here, Chief. I have some integrity you know. I mean, not a lot, but a little."

Ashley nodded to no one in particular and switched off the link. Liara was looking at her with a grateful smile, and she waved a hand. "Don't worry about it, T'Soni. I know what you are going through. I've been through it too."

"How did you handle it?"

Ash leaned against the elevator wall and crossed her arms. "Not the way I should have, Liara. I let him go." She looked at the asari. "Don't make the same mistake. You'll never forgive yourself and it will taint any relationship you try to have in the future. If you think Shep's the one, don't let her go."

Liara bit her lower lip, and nodded once. Something about the way the chief said it sounded final. Perhaps, it was final and it really was just that simple. She would have to find the courage, and she would have to do it soon, before she lost Jane forever.

A few moments later they stepped out on the crew deck, and ran straight into a bored Tali and Garrus. DIDI had apparently jumped through a comm buoy to her sister rover which was now on Thessia and left explicit instructions that neither of them were to 'noodle around' with the Mako's hardware in her absence. Of course they tried to disobey, but found the systems were locked down and gave up after a few hours of fruitless hacking. So, they wandered up to the crew deck looking for something to do.

"Hey Chief, where are you two headed?" Garrus asked. "You better not let the commander see you getting so chummy!" He playfully elbowed Ashley and gave her an exaggerated wink. Liara's face darkened, and for a second the soldier was afraid she might start destroying things again.

"Um, we're looking for Kaidan, then heading to the Citadel," she replied quickly, shooting Garrus her best 'if you know what's good for you, you won't ask' look. "It's an Alliance tradition to get completely drunk before an important mission. We're going to educate Liara about military life."

"One more reason I like serving on an Alliance vessel. Hey Tali, let's join them and participate in this 'tradition.' Who knows how long DIDI will have us locked out of the systems."

"We should invite Wrex as well. It would be rude to leave him out. I will go get him." Tali disappeared into the elevator to the docking level before the chief could protest.

Shit. How did this go from me and Kaidan cheering Liara up to the whole damn crew coming? Well, maybe this will work out better anyway. Between the five of us, we should be able to handle T'Soni if she starts to get upset again. And who knows, maybe being with all the others will be good for her. Maybe it will be good for all of us.

"All right, we'll wait for Tali and Wrex here and then go pick up Kaidan. I hope you guys are ready, because I've already issued the first challenge."

"Oh I'm ready, Chief. You just bring it on." Garrus folded his arms across his chest and Ashley grinned.

We'll see, big guy. We'll see.

…

…

…

The six of them made their way to the Flux and sat down in a booth toward the back of the bar. At first Ashley was a little nervous, as there was tension in the air and everyone seemed on edge and suspicious of each other… but after the drinks started pouring in, the pressure started to dissipate. Her worries were unfounded. Liara didn't get upset, and in fact, she seemed to relax a little in the presence of the rest of the crew slowly becoming intoxicated. By the third round the six of them were talking about everything, running the gamut from life for humans on earth to the elite training of asari commandos to how exactly quarians get into their suits and what would happen if Tali got too drunk and had to puke. They ordered round after round, and when none of them could possibly consume another drop and they practically had to lean on each other just to walk, they left the bar in a mass of bodies and headed to a nearby restaurant.

There, they ordered one of everything on the menu, and proceeded to be obnoxious. Garrus tried to dance on the table but was pushed off by Kaidan, and then Tali fell into the water behind the outdoor deck when she tried to sit on the ledge. Wrex tried to go over the ledge after her, but his short legs couldn't reach the top in his condition and he ended up on the floor. Ashley stepped back, ready to take a running jump at the wall, but lost her balance and ended up on her rear, laughing hysterically. Finally, Liara, hanging halfway over the wall at her waist while Kaiden held onto her feet, managed to activate a weak biotic field for Tali to climb on and she lifted the miserable quarian back to the table.

People in the restaurant were pointing and snickering at them, but Ash didn't really care. They were having fun, and what was most important, T'Soni wasn't firing any black biotic beams or trying to commit suicide with dark electricity and shrapnel. She'd be in one piece when the commander returned. Mission accomplished.

Besides, the chief had needed a little relaxation time herself, and she was starting to think that maybe aliens weren't so bad after all.