Chapter Five
'Death by turret'
In a colony settlement on Eden Prime
"If we hurry we can get there before Cerberus knows we're here." Liara hurried along the grassy slope Cortez sat them down at.
"What's the fun in that?" Jack strolled along, casually holding one of the biggest shotguns Liara had ever seen in the hands of a human woman.
"All three of us are biotics and Cerberus has a lot of shielding. Taking them out might not be as easy as we hope."
Shepard rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Alright I'll set the incendiary ammo to squad and I'll be sure to have my SMG ready."
"From the reports Centurions, engineers and the Atlas all use shielding tech-"
"So now both you and Garrus are trying to babysit me. Cute." Growing tired of the conversation the purple haired commander took point as they reached the buildings. Not really getting what she was on about Liara continued.
"This was a beautiful colony once." The asari looked at their surroundings. Abandoned apartments, dirt covering the floors as the doors had been smashed open. Bullet holes riddled the walls both on the outside and the in. You could hardly believe that civilians used to live here.
"I saw it survive Saren. It'll survive this."
"Right, this colony was where you found the beacon wasn't it? The one that warned you about the reapers."
"Yeah..." Shepard walked up to the edge of the cliff and raised her gun to have a look through the scope out over the landscape. "Beginning of all my problems." She half whispered and then laughed as she remembered something. She spun around and met Liara's eyes. "You know what I told Andersson before we headed out after Nihlus?"
Liara shook her head and Jack stopped next to the both of them.
"I don't like putting my life in the hands of a turian."
Liara herself had tried to approach Shepard in a more... romantic manner back on the first run with the Normandy. The human had made it quite clear that she wasn't interested in other women at all, of any species. Hearing about her and Garrus relationship had made her both happy and sad. Jealous, to be honest. If she claimed all those feeling for the Commander where gone, she'd be lying. Just being willing to work together with Cerberus to get her body back when she died had been enough to prove to Liara herself to what extent her feelings reached. Now she just smiled while Shepard shook her head.
"I don't know about you. "Jack said and glanced at Liara. "But I really don't wanna know what you put in the hands of turians nowadays."
"Oooh, good one Jack."
The asari watched the two human females chat as they headed towards the building to salvage whatever they could find. But Liara was wondering what it might be that had her say such a thing in the past. She never took Shepard as a hateful person. If there was something that happened in the past that had her mistrusting turians in general Liara certainly hadn't found it in her files. Then again the Alliance had been very good at classifying everything in her life. Even the Shadow Broker had troubles digging them up.
"So, given the kids any permanent scaring yet Jack? Or is it just mental?"
"Fuck you Shepard." With no one to control Jack's language she was very quick to return to habits.
"Hehe, you with kids. Still can't figure out who thought that was a good idea. Or how you got past the mental screening."
"When we get to the Citadel I'm gonna-"
"Goddess, this can't be right." Liara had found the panel to the dig site and was looking through the protocols.
"What is it?" Shepard stopped her teasing and focused on the asari's work.
"It's not a prothean artefact..." She said raising the elevator leading to the dig site. "It's a... prothean."
The elevator brought up a black stasis pod that seemed intact and with lights still glowing. Shepard was staring at it, looking as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
"What, is it a mummy or something?" Jack asked.
"You recognize it Liara? This pod looks exactly like the ones on Ilos."
"Yes. The protheans had powerful stasis technology. The only reasons those on Ilos failed was a lack of power. According to readings... this one is alive. But the life signs are wavering. It seems Cerberus damaged the pod when they excavated it."
"So open it up."
"No, we don't have the means to open it properly. And breaking the pod open would kill him. These files say that Cerberus took over the nearby laboratories and has been studying the finds there."
"Alright, what do we need?"
"The signal to end the stasis mode and a way to physically open the pod without damaging it further."
"So this could be exactly what we need to finish that prothean device?" Shepard stated knocking on the black metal with her knuckles.
"Yes... I hope so. If he is the single prothean to be sent into a stasis pod that would survive fifty millenniums he could be their foremost scientist or their wisest councillor."
"Finally something to shoot at!" Jack perhaps sounded a bit too happy about the updated situation.
The Cerberus shuttle flew over them and a handful Cerberus soldiers dropped out of it before it took off again.
"Alright people, pick your targets. Let's do this!" Shepard took cover behind a crate after lifting a trooper of the ground with a body slam.
With so few enemies they never even stood a chance against the three biotics. They thought the fight was over when suddenly Shepard's barrier shattered from one single hit.
"What the hell is that?" Jack was the first to find the new enemy on the battlefield. A slender built girl with...
"Is that a sword?"
"Liara, I want you to hit her with a stasis field so hard she can't even blink!"
"Got it."
While Liara charged Jack and Shepard was careful only to drop her barriers since the stasis would allow them to finish her off anyway. Liara deployed the stasis and froze the enemy. Jack rose from her cover and pointed at it.
"What the hell is that? A god damn ninja on speed?"
"She has biotic abilities, that's for sure." As soon as Shepard said it Liara realized that this thing just might be a student from Grissom academy. Well, perhaps it was a little too early... but at least this might be what they'll end up as. Glancing over at Jack it didn't seem like she made the same connection. Looking over at Shepard however... The Commander had come to the same conclusion.
"A Phantom?"
"What?"
"The helmet." Liara pointed out at a unit designation on the side of the helmet.
"She's just like the others." Jack said after staring through it's visors. "Eyes gloving, no mind of her own. What do we do with it?"
"You got all the data you can get Liara?"
"Yes."
Shepard raised her weapon and pulled the trigger, placing a bullet through its head.
"You did her a favour." Jack said. "If I end up like that I'd want one in the head aswell."
"Deal." Shepard started towards the nearest building.
"Wait... Did I just give you permission to shoot me?"
"Pretty much."
"Oh hell no!"
"What's this?" Shepard stopped as she walked by a laptop with an open document. It was saying something of the resistance and the troops location. "Liara I think this is up your alley." She took a step to the side for the asari to see.
"Yes, this intel would help the colonists here to rise up against Cerberus. If we can find more it would improve their odds."
"I'm all for anything that might give the fuckers a beating. Speaking of the devils.." Jack waved the other two over and pointed out their next targets.
"Seems like they might be guarding something, hmm I just wonder what may be of value in this lab. Good find Jack."
Despite Shepard rejecting both Liara's and Garrus worries, right now the number of engineers and turrets were a pain in the ass. As Shepard rammed her omni-blade through the last engineer all three of them were relieved to get a break. Liara had no trouble hacking through the door and the panel inside that held the footage of 50 000 years old... static. At least that was all that she could make of it. Jack lost interest pretty fast and rummaged around the room for salvage or something. Liara looked over at Shepard who suddenly stated:
"I think I can duplicate that to open the life pod."
"You understood that?"
"You didn't?" She turned, confused.
"No..." The asari had a bit of sadness in her voice. "All I saw was static. Cerberus was trying to make sense of it, without success. The prothean cipher you received on Feros... It seems it lets you see the images as a prothean would and understand their language."
"Whatever it was I saw everything that was there to see. We won't get the signal code from here."
"Alright, let's go look for a second lab."
"Hey Jack, from now on I'm going to count the number of times I save you from 'death by turret'"
"Oh shut up."
From what Liara had heard, dug up, read about the relationship between Shepard and Jack during their mission to take down the collector base, the two had gotten really close. Watching them now, bickering like sisters, she understood it was true. Perhaps Shepard reckoned the possibility that it could've been her in Jack's place. Any kid with biotic ability could've become 'Subject Zero' if Cerberus had gotten their hands on them.
There was also the fact that the commander had a talent of drawing out the best in people. Turning Garrus from a bureaucratic cop to a vigilante on Omega. Tali, the shy quarian, had returned from her pilgrimage and took a true place among her people. She herself had gone from a archaeologist obsessed with protheans to the biggest information broker in the galaxy. Not to mention how awkward her sense of humour had been, or the lacking of it. Maybe it wasn't strange someone like Jack took a liking to someone who could genuinely guide her.
They found the second set of data and it was the same all over again. While Liara was watching static, Shepard saw the images. More than just a little bit jealous she concluded they had what they needed to open the pod. At least the thought of actually meeting a prothean had her spirits rising.
As they exited the door no less than three shuttles were busy hovering and letting down troops. After some fighting, finding an alternative route back since they retracted the bridge, some more fighting, waiting for the pod to process the signal while fighting, taking down an Atlas (here Shepard really did missed having Garrus with her, no one could snipe the canopy open like him and the three of them ended up just blowing the thing up) the pod at last announced it was ready to deactivate.
"Liara, why don't you do the honours." Shepard waved her forward.
With a few presses of her omni-tool a flap turned up at the end of it. Shepard pressed the same sequence she had seen in the images and the pod automatically opened up. It revealed a being covered in a thin layer of frost. Shepard and Liara looked at each other then down at the being again. Jack peered at the prothean.
"Wow... he looks like an overgrown bug."
"Goddess..." Liara was quite unreachable for Jack's mocking words at the moment. "It might take some time for him to fully regain consciousness."
They watched as he opened no less than two sets of eyes. Slowly waking up to present time he tried to get his bearings. Shepard leaned forward in curiosity and the prothean acted with instincts. With a growl and a forced display of a green biotic explosion the three of them was thrown back. He crawled out of the pod but his stale legs wouldn't hold his weight. Breathing heavily he started to stagger away from them. Liara was the first on her legs and tried to hold out her hands to show they mean no harm to him.
"Be careful, he's confused."
Stopping a few meters away from them he gains control over his movements, calm down and turns from side to side. Stricken by the view he stands staring with an open jaw. Up on her feet Shepard moves towards the prothean, raising her hand to put on his shoulder.
"Remember it's been fifty thousand years for us but for him it's only been a few moments."
Shepard reached the prothean and something seemed to take place. The two stood still for a few seconds before the prothean dropped to his knees. Shepard remained standing but shook her head as if to catch her bearings. Liara thought it best to remained in the background and held out a hand to stop Jack when she tried to get closer. Shaking her hand the other human understood and remained on her spot.
"How many others?" He spoke for the first time. A voice not unlike their own.
"Just you." A dissatisfied growl came from him. "You can understand me?" Shepard frowned in question.
"Yes, now that I have read your physiology, your nervous system. Enough to understand your language."
"So... you were reading me.. while I was seeing-"
"Our last moments." He stood up, looking out over a planet that once had belonged to his own race. "Our failure." He shook and dropped his head.
"I saw what happened to you people. I also know that they made a stand against the reapers to the very end. You never gave up. That war was lost 50 000 years ago, but my people are dying right now. I could use some of your determination."
Cortez contacted her and she took a moment to asses the situation. The prothean looked over at Jack and Liara who had stared walking towards them.
"Asari, human... I'm surrounded by primitives." He shook his head in discontent
"It's not safe here." Shepard rejoined the conversation. "Will you join us?"
"You fight the reapers?" He glanced over his shoulder.
"Yes." She answered with a distinct dark voice dripping with the true intention to that answer.
"Then we will see."
Shepard held out her hand to shake his. He looked at it, met her eyes, and walked away.
"He's about as charming as Grunt when he's hungry." Jack, who was the only one who hadn't collapsed her weapon already pointed at him with it.
"He just woke up to a galaxy that's changed substantially since he saw it last."
"Did we find what we need for the colonists?" Shepard suddenly turned towards Liara.
"Ah, yes I think so."
"Right, lets move out then. This debriefing is going to be interesting..."
Authors Notes: Sooo.. This was supposed to be a chapter about Kitten and Jack.. and Liara came along and stole the show. Anyone who loves to write knows what I'm talking about when I say: Some things you can't control. Just hope that my stupid built in instincts made it good :) (I promise there's going to be Kitten/Jack getting drunk soon enough)
So yeah, the Liara being in love with Shepard thing. I write what I experience in the game. And Liara not wanting to let go of Shepard is pretty clear cut. (Clarification: My Kitten has only romanced Garrus. She flirted with Kaidan but rejected him when he started talking about relationships.)
And this chapter really wasn't supposed to be ready so damn quick. I blame Theodur for this. His (think its a him X3) review made me so happy. Check out his stories if you wanna make him happy! (Since it wont allow me to link, just check reviews and press his nick)
So Next chapter is mainly going to be the Conversation with Javik and Kitten returning to a pretty beat up soldier in Huerta memorial (I won't tell you who I saved o:)
It might take some time for me to write since I haven't got anything down on it yet. Have to have access to youtube and spam conversation videos for that.