Chapter Seven: The Last Mile
Someone had left her clean clothes and a cold breakfast. Upon waking, Liara hurried to dress, and though the food looked delicious, she barely tasted it in her haste to finish. Somewhat refreshed, her natural fortitude and resilience returned, but she felt her fears and concerns for Shepard descend as well. Consulting her omnitool, she discovered that she had slept nine standard galactic hours, nearly twice as long as usual. "No word." She panicked.
Frantically, she began to activate the comm link over the nightstand when she was interrupted by a door chime. "Enter!" She called out as she continued to fiddle with the keys on the interface.
Dr. Chakwas drifted in and sat on the bed next to her. The doctor looked tired, her usual brisk manner was tempered, but her eyes held warmth and deep affection. "The Commander is out of surgery. They took her to a room on the ward about an hour ago."
"Nine hours." Liara shuddered, feeling traitorous for sleeping while Shepard struggled for her life. "How is she? Can I go to her?"
"Yes, yes, Liara." Karin draped an arm around her shoulders. "But, she is not awake. The surgery itself went well and the Commander's injuries have been stabilized... but... " The doctor's eyes were downcast, her body tense as her words trailed off.
Liara felt the pulse in her temples surge and her crest tighten as she observed her friend and prompted her. "But, there's more."
"Yes. I'm afraid there is." Karin confirmed gently, her face drawn and grave. "But, I think it best to let Miranda tell you about it. She's with Commander Shepard now."
Liara dropped her chin to her chest, shut her eyes tightly and clenched the edge of the mattress in an effort to stop her body from trembling. This couldn't be good news. She felt herself unraveling, the fiber of her spirit violently torn with dread and the looming fear of losing her lover - again. "Will she wake up, Karin?"
Struggling bravely to be strong, she resented herself for feeling like a child. But, the constant ebb and flow of emotions were wearing her thin. She desperately needed the gravity of Shepard's presence – the solid strength of her arms, the love and desire of her light-drenched, colorful mind merging with her own as their bodies entangled, and the surety and protection of that incredible soul that had chosen to be part of her own. Her inner voice issued a plaintive plea. Please don't leave me, Shepard!
"When it comes to the Commander, I always choose to be optimistic." Dr. Chakwas's eyes were misted with sympathy as she studied the bereft maiden, her voice steady and kind. "No one can answer that with any certainty, Liara. She's stable for the moment. But her condition is still very critical. What I can say is that the she is breathing on her own and fighting to hold on." Gently gripping Liara's hand she continued cheerfully. "And, without a single doubt, the first thing the dear girl will look for when she opens her eyes again – is you."
Tremendously grateful for all the hours and energy this woman had gladly sacrificed to try to help them both, moved by the woman's selfless compassion and loyalty, Liara gathered her into her arms. "We owe you..."
"Nothing." Karin finished, gently pulling back, her slender hands resting on the asari's forearms. "I'm doing what I was trained to do - what I relish doing. For people I care very much for." Winking, she chuckled, as she softly patted the maiden's slick cheek. "Besides – our Commander owes me a bottle of Serrice Ice. You don't think for a second that I'll let that pass, do you?"
"I would hope not." Liara replied wistfully, vividly recalling the shared taste of brandy on Shepard's pliant lips and dancing tongue and her amused grin as she told the asari of the human doctor's affinity for strong drink. "You must be exhausted, Karin."
"Not really, but I could do with a bit more sleep. I managed to get a nap in here and there while Miranda and the surgeons worked. Once I get you to the Commander's room, I may go in search of some more beauty rest. We'll see." Despite herself she yawned delicately and rose to her feet. "Are you ready to go?"
The maiden could feel every nerve in her body, but as usual, Dr. Chakwas' cautious optimism and reassurance encouraged her to overcome her anxiety. She took a deep breath. "Yes. I am."
The pair entered the Commander's room a short time later to discover Miranda hovering at the bedside. Liara's fears engulfed her as she looked at Shepard. The spectre had a gray, drawn cast to her face that made her features appear waxy, severe and stark. Amidst a sea of bandages, the maiden could see that her hair had been cropped close to her head. Bristling behind her ear, a small drain was fixed to her scalp. And, there were tubes, casts and wires on and in nearly every portion of her body. It terrified the maiden to see her so still, so completely void of motion, so violated – so profoundly silent.
Her eyes began to stream liquid fire and her diaphragm heaved as she grappled with her breath. Liara covered her mouth. In agony, a hair's breadth from breaking down, she choked back a violent sob, "Is... is she... ?"
Clearly affected, Lawson glanced up, her face weary and flushed. "No! No, Liara. She's alive. It's just... well, she crashed a few minutes ago. She's in a coma, but, she's back... fighting and stable for the moment."
The maiden's eyes buzzed with dots of prickly light and her stomach clenched. A chair had been placed close to the Commander's head, so Liara claimed it quickly. She wanted – needed desperately to reach out and touch – had to find some way to anchor the maelstrom of terror within. A look of puzzlement graced her face as she struggled to find some skin clear of apparatus that she could reach. Settling on a patch above an IV tube, she lay her hand on it. Only a small island of hope on which to cling, but it was warm, she could feel Shepard's presence and it served to ground her.
Setting her jaw, she focused her watery gaze on Shepard's closed eyes and swallowed the dreadful lump in her throat. "I know there's more. Please... tell me."
Miranda's voice was equal parts concern and frustration as she detailed Shepard's condition to her. The Commander's injuries had been repaired, but she had lost a great deal of blood in her ordeal. The team used all of the modest supply Dr. Chakwas had brought from the Normandy during the hours they worked to save her and any surplus aboard the asari cruiser was limited to donors. Fortunately, Miranda was a match and had already donated what she could. They had used synthetics to get her through the surgery, but Shepard needed more of the real thing to heal. The repairs would be useless without it. The breaks to her skull, ribs and frame coupled with the compound fractures to her left humerus, and her previously impaled femur, meant her own body wouldn't be able to supply the demand quickly enough.
Liara's head hurt as she tried to process the facts. "What about her implants? They were working when we brought her here."
"Were - being the operative word." Miranda looked piqued, her eyebrows knotted and her lips tightly pursed. "But the analysis I just ran tells me otherwise. If her implants were running optimally her overall regeneration would increase exponentially, including blood production, but they're not. In fact, they're continuing to fail – rapidly."
"Then...this is it? There's nothing more anyone can do?" The asari was unnerved by her own question. Her face grew hot and her body listed precariously. She dropped her head struggling not to faint.
Not one to accept defeat, Miranda began to pace, head cocked, finger and thumb spread over her cheeks. Silence stretched as the woman mumbled to herself, considering options. Finally she hummed. "It's a long shot, but maybe...if we can find the resources...we still have a chance."
"What is it?" Liara looked up, the sudden movement making her head spin. At this point she was ready to try anything. They'd come so far, they'd given so much. Her stubborn nature and her breaking heart wouldn't allow her to surrender.
"If I can find the means to produce some nanites - and get them into her, they can repair the implants." The former operative looked confident.
Blood drained from the maiden's face, her response was immediate, visceral. "Do you mean like the reapers! Or, those monstrosities the Illusive Man produced?!" That was what Miranda's degenerate father was playing with on Horizon.
Lawson's gaze was direct, but gentle, her response collected, but adamant. "Not unless I'm a reaper or a monstrosity. The brand she needs – I invented. Shepard never has – and never will – be the recipient of any reaper tech if I can help it."
Liara recovered, immediately ashamed of her hasty outburst. She felt her face flush and lowered her streaming eyes. She apologized in a broken whisper. "I'm sorry, Miranda. I know you're doing everything you can. It's just that I know she wouldn't..."
"No worries." The operative graciously assured her as she stroked her long hair back, shrugging. "It's alright. You're only protecting her. As I would. We're on the same team, Liara - and I'll need your help to do it."
With new purpose, she pulled herself together and answered quickly, glad for the chance to actually do something to help the effort - to move, instead of sitting around waiting, worrying, feeling useless – crying relentlessly. "Of course."
She pushed at her tears with her sleeve and pulled up her omnitool. Thinking quickly, she contacted the Commander of the Nefrane and began doing one of the things she could do best – mobilizing resources and gathering information. Captain Kallisto and the medical crew were willing and able to accommodate their effort and were extremely generous with even limited supplies of critical components.
A short time later, the two scientists were situated in an unoccupied research lab that boasted an embarrassment of material and equipment. The Nefrane was primarily a warship, but it had often doubled as a research vessel during peacetime. Aside from being spacious and lethally armed, it was also well-equipped.
As Liara watched her companion begin to calibrate a high grade replicator, she had an epiphany. You're the Shadow Broker – remember? Appalled with herself for forgetting about about the find she was about to reveal, she opened her omnitool display and began streaming an index of extremely valuable intel. "Miranda, I have some data that you will find interesting - I am certain."
Leaning close, Miranda's brows arched and her jaw dropped at the sight of several Lazarus Project data packets, complete with her own notes. "Where on earth did you find this?"
"Not on Earth - on Kronos Station. Actually, it was EDI who found it." The asari was pleased that she had something besides her numbering crunching ability to offer to their current task. "Truthfully, I just remembered it might be here. With all that has happened I hadn't had a chance to look at it. I don't know how complete it is, but I think at least some of the pertinent data is here."
The Australian released a delighted laugh that gave the maiden's spirits a very needed boost. "Liara – I could kiss you! This is exactly what I need!"
Feeling new promise for their task, the asari teased, "I'm sure that would be pleasant, Miranda. But, Shepard might be jealous."
Blushing just a bit, her eyebrow cocked and a fetching smile curving her full lips, the operative snorted playfully, "Only if you didn't let her watch."
She knew Miranda wasn't being serious, but unable to escape the image it brought to mind and grateful for a moment of levity, Liara felt her cheeks flush and actually laughed. "Well, there is that."
Even with the data Liara possessed the work was slow and tedious. Miranda built and tested several iterations of nanites trying to get the specific modifications and abilities she was looking for. It had been several hours, and the pair of researchers knew that Shepard didn't have any time to spare. The operative was becoming increasingly impatient with the failures when Liara suggested that instead of trying to build the whole organism, she simply use the ones in her own bloodstream to retool the right thing.
Miranda did actually hug her after that. "Yes." She smiled setting to the task again. "With any luck, they will integrate with the ones already swimming around in there and reprogram them as well."
Working diligently, they manufactured a new batch. "There. I think - that'll do it." Miranda dabbed at the beads of sweat over her lip and held up a vial of opalescent fluid.
"You're a genius, Ms. Lawson." Liara was tired and anxious to get back to Shepard, but she was impressed. "Do you think this will work?"
"For the record, we're both geniuses, Dr. T'Soni. I couldn't have done this without you. We make a formidable team." The woman stood to her full height and stretched. "And yes, I think it has a very good chance of working. Let's go give it a try, shall we?"
They arrived in Shepard's room to find Dr. Chakwas napping, her feet perched against the rail of the bed. Liara almost hated to wake her, but approached and gently rubbed her shoulder. "Dr. Chakwas?"
The woman woke easily. "Hmm...Liara, Miranda – I trust you were successful."
"We hope so." Miranda sighed as she swiftly moved to the bedside and added the nanites to the IV drip. Gracefully, she stepped aside to let the maiden close to the Commander.
Liara trained her eyes on Shepard and leaned on the bedrail, her eyes rapt in her bondmate's face. "How is she, Karin?"
The doctor's eyes were tense as she stepped up, busying herself with rearranging tubes and checking bandages. "Not well. We've been through several episodes since you left. They're gaining in intensity and arriving at closer intervals each time. It's becoming more difficult for her to recover with every occurrence. Let's just hope these little wonders do their job."
They'd gone the last mile and there was no more that they could do now but wait. Liara dropped into the bedside chair and reached to tenderly stroke the visible skin on Shepard's arm. She wanted to pray, but she wasn't sure who she would pray to. Athame had proven to be a prothean benefactor, not a goddess. She swore by her, not from belief, but from habit, and the concept of Siari was cold comfort in these circumstances.
She pulled out the dogtags Shepard had reverently placed around her neck the night Thessia fell, and gently ran her thumb over the surface of the worn St. Jude medal that had been in the Commander's family for three generations. She wasn't sure that what she was doing was praying, but it soothed her tired mind and made her feel connected to Shepard and the people she held dear. For now, that was enough.