Shepard made the rounds, checking up on all her ground team and making sure they were all settling in OK. When she got down to the armory, she was confronted by Ashley. "Hey, Shepard, can we talk?" Samantha had been waiting for the Elysium questions, and the 'how do you deal with everyone around you dying' questions, so the request didn't really surprise her. However, when Ashley spoke again, she was caught off guard, because it was not anything she expected. "I'm concerned about all the aliens... you know... having free rein on the Alliance's most technologically advance ship in the fleet. I mean, are we a ship or an Ark? We've got a Krogan, a Turian, a Quarian... and now an Asari with connections to a known traitor? It's just too much!"
Anger flashed across Shepard's face before she schooled her expression. "What the hell, Ash? You a xenophobe? Member of 'Earth First'?" Before Ashley could answer, Shepard continued. "Don't answer that, I don't care what your personal affiliations are, you have the right to believe what you will, but keep 'em personal. They're aliens, not animals! That attitude won't cut it on the Normandy...not as long as I'm in command, anyway. First off, this is a joint Turian-Alliance vessel; they helped build the damn thing. What the hell are they going to gain by sending a spy along with us? Wrex could give a crap about the Normandy... I don't think he's been anywhere but the shuttle bay and the mess hall... all he wants is a ride to the next worthy rumble. Hell, Tali gave us the evidence that got us here in the first place, and you, of all people, should not be judging Dr T'Soni because of someone she is related too!" At that statement, Ashley looked shocked. "Oh, don't give me that look, Ash, it's not like this is my first command! Yes, I know all about your grandfather, and him being the only Alliance commander to surrender during the First Contact War...what, you think I wouldn't check up on the history of every single member of my crew?"
Ashley was dumbfounded. "So you know about my Granddad and you're not trying to transfer me back groundside?"
"Hell no! You're a great soldier, Ash, and I refuse to judge you by your Grandfather's actions. Even if I did, you'd still be here because I agreed with his call. And, I don't give a fuck if some senior leader took it upon himself to personally see you never got anything but junk assignments because of it; you've earned your place here. But on the flipside, I expect you to give every other crew member on board this vessel, including Dr T'Soni, the same courtesy. Am I understood?"
Ashley was silent for a moment. "Yes ma'am...I...I guess I didn't think about it that way." She looked down at the floor for a second before squaring her shoulders and looking back up at the commander. "Permission to return to my duties?"
"Granted. And Ash, a piece of career advice. You're a Chief-start thinking that way." Shepard turned and headed back upstairs toward the med bay to check in with the Doc. Un-freaking-believable!
The door to the med bay swooshed open and the commander stepped quietly inside, her eyes immediately drawn to the peacefully resting patient. That simple act somehow soothed any anger she felt at Ashley, even though the two events were totally unrelated. Karin had the lights low, and the shades were drawn to eliminate any distractions from the mess hall, probably with the intent of giving the sleeping patient some semblance of privacy. Now that Samantha had a moment to take in the full measure of the Asari who was Dr Liara T'Soni, without barriers, falling rocks or angry Krogan between them, it dawned on her consciousness that Liara was very pleasant looking. I could get used to looking at that, real easy on the eyes. Shepard was puzzled by what she felt when in her presence... relaxed? No, more than that... what she felt was contentment. Samantha couldn't remember the last time she felt...well, just plain contented. Odd...I don't even know her. How can I really feel anything towards her other than curiosity? Karin noted the expression on the commander's face with a mixture of amusement and perplexity. What was the commander thinking? The closest word Karin could come up with was...awe? "Commander?"
Shepard was jolted back to awareness. "Oh, yeah... um, sorry, Doc. How's she doing?"
Karin spoke quietly, "As you can see, still resting peacefully. She could be waking up any time now; the drugs are out of her system, so she's in natural sleep at this point. She must have been exhausted. Who knows how long those Geth had been chasing her around those tunnels down there... and that heat had to be wearing... Commander, are you alright?"
Shepard shrugged, "Yeah, thanks, Karin. I'm just a bit... confused. Got a minute to just...talk?"
"But, of course, Commander. Whatever you need. Unless we're in the middle of a triage, I always have time for you, you know that." Karin waved her hand, indicating for Shepard to take a seat in the second chair near her desk.
Shepard pursed her lips for a moment before starting to speak, "I'm puzzled by this one. When I think history and archeology, I think of little old men with papers piled around them, timid and bookish. Not a young Asari who's a biotic dynamo."
Karin chuckled. "Biotic dynamo...? Really, Commander. A bit fanciful, wouldn't you say?"
"Not so much as you might think, Karin. You have no idea how close I came to dying today...it was humbling. As the Normandy came in, that stupid volcano exploded, and the cliff bank started giving away. Wrex jumped and made it, but with my shoulder, I couldn't get up enough steam, and well, when I jumped...I, um... I fell short." Karin's eyes got wide, but she said nothing as Samantha continued. "All I saw below me was molten lava... I was done...as in bit the dust, pushin' up daisies, bought the farm, done. All of a sudden, I'm sheathed in blue. I was in full armor! It must have taken one hell of a biotic pull to stop my decent and yank me back to the ship. I was sure it was Wrex pulling my ass, literally, out of the fire. But when I came crashing into the Normandy, I crashed into Liara...and I saw the whispers of blue fading from her fingertips. We made eye contact for just the briefest of moments, and I'd swear she smiled at me before she passed out. It was...simply...amazing. I don't have any other word for it. She saved my life today, Karin. There's no doubt in my mind."
Karin's face reflected disbelief as she spoke. "You're telling me a dehydrated, exhausted Asari, on the brink of fainting, biotically grabbed you, and yanked you aboard the Normandy? That's...I don't even have a word for what that is! Perhaps 'biotic dynamo' is the only expression that fits, after all!"
"And it doesn't end there. She's damn smart too. Definitely an academic. I read some of her papers. She has some pretty impressive theories I'll need to talk to her about, eventually. But yeah, quite the package. Intelligent, strong, and beautiful to boot." Shepard grinned and laughed. "Could be trouble!"
Karin let out a quiet laugh and smiled as she spoke, "Oh, my dear... with the expression I saw on your face, I think trouble is the least of your worries!"
Liara was awake, though she had yet to open her eyes. She was waiting, in silence, for some confirmation as to where she was, other than on a table. She remembered being tossed onto a ship's loading platform, and reaching out to snatch Commander Shepard from the promise of a very unpleasant death. The commander had rescued her from the Prothean security device; that debt was now repaid. So, was she now in a holding cell? Was she incarcerated? She didn't feel the commander would do such a thing, but she was uncertain, not really having anything more than intuition to base that conclusion on. So, here she was, with a throbbing headache, eyes closed, just breathing evenly, almost in a meditative type trance, when the door opened and someone came in. She did not feel ready to speak to anyone yet, so maintained her breathing meditations. The silence was finally broken by a pleasant voice she didn't recognize... Oh! The commander entered, and the speaker, 'Doc', is probably a medical professional, so I am most likely in the med bay!
Liara thought back to her first view of the human. Small in comparison to the Turian and Krogan she was standing in front of, but somehow her very stance gave the impression of size and commanded... respect. And that hair! Goddess, that hair... Initially, she had been brutally straight forward, but then seemingly chagrinned by Liara's reaction. Next thing Liara knew, the commander was laughing at her. Very perplexing! I don't know much about humans. Are they always so quick to shift moods? Of course, she shouldn't judge. From the moment the commander walked up, Liara went rapidly from surprise, to anger, to chagrin, and then to what... frustration? The final emotion was closer to abandonment, with an unexplained feeling of loneliness bordering on longing after seeing Shepard drop out of sight off the ramp. Goddess, what were my emotions doing? Surely it was a result of exhaustion? Her ruminations snapped back to the present when the commander started speaking again. Had Liara's eyes been open, they would have rolled. Biotic dynamo? Really? She agreed with the Doctor's assessment of that statement. She was by no means a fully trained commando. Obviously, Shepard has not worked with many Asari, if her judgment is so lacking. Wait! What? She's read my papers? I may need to reevaluate... Oh, Goddess, she thinks I'm beautiful? At this point, Liara was finding it very difficult to maintain her breathing exercise. To make things worse, she then heard quiet footfalls approaching her bed... and the shuffle of a chair being pulled over. Goddess, she's sitting down right next to me! I can't pretend to be asleep forever! Ok, think... the movement of the chair wakes me! Yes, that's it!
Liara slowly opened her eyes and really saw Commander Shepard clearly for the very first time. Shepard's pale green eyes were concentrated on her face and their eyes met almost as soon as Liara's opened. Liara's breath hitched, feeling like the commander peered directly into her soul. Her eyes are so intense! How did I not notice that before?
Shepard interpreted the hitch as surprise and spoke very softly. "Sorry, Dr T'Soni, didn't mean to startle you. Just checking in to see how you're doing," finding herself needing to resist the urge to reach over and caress the Asari's smooth blue cheek. Egads, woman, you've got it bad!
Hearing Shepard speak to her patient, Karin realized Liara was awake and walked over, shooing the commander out of the way. "Dr T'Soni. I'm Dr Karin Chakwas, and seeing as you are awake, I would like to assess your condition... Commander, if you don't mind?"
Shepard rose reluctantly and stepped out of the way. "Oh, sure, Doc. I'm out! I guess I'll go grab some chow. Be back soon!"
Karin took the chair Shepard vacated, and looked to the Asari. "So Doctor T'Soni. Do you feel well enough to sit up?"
Liara sat up slowly, letting the sheet drop, and Karin immediately went to one of the cabinets and got a hospital gown. She helped Liara slide it on and tied it in the back for her, explaining that Humans are not so...relaxed...about nudity as the Asari. Liara murmured a quiet thank you and got herself situated best she was able.
Once Liara was settled and appeared to be fine, Karin continued her evaluation, "Ok, Doctor. Spill it. How do you feel, really?"
"Spill it? I am sorry, Dr Chakwas, but I am very unfamiliar with most of your human...idioms... so to say, and translators are completely worthless in that respect. As I have nothing to 'spill' I assume there is some other meaning to that phrase."
Dr Chakwas laughed. "So sorry my girl, habits, but I understand your confusion. What that means, spill it, or spill the beans, is to tell your story, to give up the truth, whether you want to or not."
Liara hesitated and then decided to be straight forward. "So this is a form of interrogation?"
Karin was shocked, and quickly spoke to ease the young maiden, "Oh, no! Nothing so...confrontational. You are not some prisoner that needs to be questioned. It's more of a request among friends to share some secret. Nothing threatening, I assure you. I'm just curious as to how you truly feel. I guess I'm too used to Shepard, who always understates her level of discomfort and injury."
Liara's expression showed nothing if not confusion. "Among friends? But you do not know me...I'm sorry, I am not used to such...how shall I say...informality... from someone I have just met. I do not mean to offend. From one professional to another, I think I would like to be...friends... if that is possible? I think I may need one. And I do not see any purpose in 'understating' my physical condition. It would seem to complicate your treatment plan, should I choose to do so." She furrowed her brow, trying hard to understand her situation.
"Oh my dear, I find your lack of experience with humans charming. You have a lot to learn, and I'm sure we can be friends. I believe you will find me much more accepting and a much more gentle teacher than some of the uncouth persons on this vessel. But, you have not yet answered my question. How do you feel?" Karin raised her brows expectantly, waiting on an answer.
Liara blushed and then laughed. "Of course, how silly of me. You are the ship's doctor, aren't you? I feel physically sound, except for a headache, which I attribute to hunger. But I also feel disgustingly filthy and sweaty, and I find myself aching for a shower above all else." She grimaced as she continued. "Unfortunately, I also find myself a pauper, with none of my gear or equipment, as I... we... um, had to abandon all of my possessions in our haste to depart Therum."
"Both of those are an easy fix, Liara. You are a pretty average size, and if you don't mind wearing Alliance issue, I can get you a couple sets of clean clothes out of supply, very easily, I'm sure. We've also set a room aside for you, with a cot and an extranet terminal for your personal use. You can use the shower right here in the med bay until you get more comfortable with the crew-it will provide you with much more privacy than those on the crew deck."
The med bay door slid open and Shepard strolled back into the med bay with a tray. "Ok, we've got an energy drink for fast action, and then a plate of spaghetti and a piece of garlic bread for the carbo-load for long term. Hope you like human food, because it's either that or dextro, and I'm sure you know better than to go there!" She held the tray out to Liara, who just sat there, staring at the commander in amazement.
Shepard faltered a bit...quite unsure as to what to do when Liara did not immediately take the tray. "Um... not hungry?" She glances back and forth between Liara and Karin. "Did I interrupt something? If so, I can just...uh... leave this for you? Somewhere?"
Karin couldn't help but burst out laughing at Shepard's very uncharacteristic discomfort, and the laughter broke Liara's apparent paralysis. "Oh! No, Commander. I'm sorry! I just... I don't... Oh Goddess, I have turned into a babbling idiot! I just did not expect you to come back in serving me dinner. I am just surprised, that is all. Thank you, very much! I am famished!" She reached out, smiling shyly, and took the tray from Shepard, who inadvertently released a deep sigh of relief.
Karin got up out of the chair and offered it to Shepard. "I am going to get some tea and some dinner, and then scrounge up some clothes for Liara. Shepard... Sit and give her company while she eats. Besides, I'm sure you two have lots to discuss!" Samantha's jaw dropped open, with a look of almost horror on her face at Karin's obvious betrayal. Karin laughed, reached over with a single finger under her chin and pushed her mouth closed. "Focus, Commander. Protheans, papers, Saren, conduit?" Then she turned and slid out the door without another word.
"Wow, ok. So, that was awkward. I guess we've got nowhere to go but up, right? To start, you eat, I'll talk." Shepard filled Liara in on everything that had happened, starting with Eden Prime through their arrival at Therum, minus one very personal event. She did not mention the continuing nightmares she was suffering as a result of the beacon. She had yet to share that with anyone...they knew about the initial dream she experienced during her 'coma,' but that was all. She did, however, mention her research on Liara prior to the mission. "I don't want you caught by surprise, so I'll tell you I have a tendency to be very thorough on mission prep if I have the time. That said, I had a whole night prior to our arrival on Therum, so I read your dossier, including two of your papers regarding the Prothean extinction. I don't want to go into detail right now, because we've actually been waiting on you to recover a bit so we can do the mission debrief, and I hate repeating myself. If you're up to it, I'll schedule it for 30 minutes from now to give everyone time to get ready."
"That should be fine, Commander. I just need to shower and change, and I will be prepared."
"Great, I'll send someone to collect you when the time comes." Shepard caught the crestfallen look on the Asari's face and correctly surmised the cause. She smiled and said, "not because I don't trust you, Liara, because I do; at this point with my life, literally. Because it's a new ship and you have no idea where you're going. Shoot, I haven't even let you find the mess hall yet!" Liara's face lit up with the explanation, and Shepard was thanked with a beautiful radiant smile from Dr Liara T'Soni that absolutely warmed her heart.
The commander stopped by her room to pick up a couple of datapads, and then walked immediately to the comm room. It gave her some time to collect her thoughts and get ready for the debrief. First in was Ashley, who Shepard promptly sent back out to go collect the good Dr T'Soni. She chuckled at the fact it was Ashley. Though purely luck of the draw, she was sure that Ashley would think she was being tested, and she felt no driving need to dispel that misconception. Once everyone was in the room and seated, Shepard started. "Sorry for the delay on the debrief, but I wanted Dr T'Soni to be present, so we all just needed to be patient until she felt well enough to join us. First things first, I want to give you the short version of my conversation with the Council immediately following Therum. I won't mention names, but they were highly displeased with my total destruction of the Prothean ruins," Shepard's voice became laced with sarcasm. "...because I obviously triggered the cataclysmic event on purpose. They also insisted I turn over Dr T'Soni to C-Sec, hinting my actions were bordering on treason when I refused. At that point, we must have flown behind a planet, or through an ion cloud or something, because our call was...um...mysteriously... dropped." Most everyone got a good chuckle out of that, but the looks on Kaidan's and Liara's faces were priceless. "Oh, come ON, you two! Lighten up! Doc T'Soni yanked my ass out of a molten lava pool and saved my life. Not a snowball's chance in hell I'm turning her over to C-Sec to be grilled like a terrorist!" She flashed everyone a lopsided grin and continued on.
"So, bottom line...In all honesty, we did inadvertently destroy a significant archeological site, but we got Liara out of there safely, and though it was close, we all managed to come out alive. Now, I have added Dr T'Soni to the Normandy as a member of her crew and she will be treated as such. She has exceptional biotic talent and more Prothean expertise in her head than the rest of us combined. I'm thinking that's what Saren was after, and we stole her right from under his nose. We should be happy about that and use it to our advantage." At this point, Kaidan chimed in and asked how long Liara had been researching the Protheans, and if she knew anything about something called the Conduit.
"I have been studying the Prothean extinction for fifty years, and though the Conduit is occasionally referenced, there are no specifics regarding its nature nor its location."
Ashley blurted out, "Fifty years? Just how old are you, Doctor?"
Liara looked ashamed. "I...I am only 106 years of age, barely a young adult by Asari standards." Liara was sure her credibility was about to be called into question when Shepard stepped in.
"Listen up. For those who don't know, Asari live over a thousand years, compared to our measly 150, so 106 is actually pretty young. That, however, does not take away from Liara's 50 years in the field, and the fact that she's one of the most published researchers in the specialty. Let's stay on task here, and save the rest for dinner conversation. Liara?"
Liara blushed and stared at the floor as she spoke, "Th-thank you, Commander. I appreciate your confidence in my capabilities. I have to admit, when we first met on Therum, I didn't understand your ability to decode the barrier control panel so quickly. When I asked, you stated you thought the buttons were pretty obvious...but I know they were labeled in the Prothean language." It seemed as if merely mentioning the Protheans restored Liara's confidence and her head came back up as she finished. "Now that I am aware of your interaction with the beacon, I can only surmise that along with the images you spoke of, it also imparted a basic understanding of the Prothean language...at least in its written form."
Shepard leaned forward in her chair. "Ok, so let's talk about what I see as the link between the beacon, its images and your research. Those images are...disturbing. I can think of no better word. They show violent destruction, by large ships, which, after listening to the Geth recording that Tali provided, I assumed to be the Reapers. Your paper on the Fermi Paradox mentions extinction by sentient machines. Has anything you ever read given them a name? Do you think the Reapers may be just that... a race of sentient machines? What I'm really asking... do you think it's possible the Protheans were wiped out by a race of sentient machines called the Reapers?" As Shepard rapid-fired the questions at the Asari, Liara's face gradually took on a look of increasing astonishment.
You could have heard a pin drop, and everyone stared at the Commander like she had just materialized out of thin air. Shepard was so focused on Liara that she totally failed to notice. Dr T'Soni started to answer, and then stopped, reconsidering her response. "I..." All eyes in the room shifted to her, and she blushed furiously. "That is my primary theory; though I have never been able to put a name to the machines...Reapers would be as good a name as any... And you think the beacon is a warning buoy!" Liara's face blossomed with understanding. "That would make sense! Everything I have ever read about the Protheans indicates they were an enlightened society. If they discovered they would be unable to defeat the Reapers, it is my estimation they would attempt to leave some type of warning for younger, evolving species...if they couldn't save themselves... then..." She trailed off, suddenly in unfamiliar territory, moving past her research on the extinction itself into conjecture on what the Protheans would have done once they realized their demise was inevitable. It was something she had never thought about and her confidence waned, dramatically. She was unsure where to go from here.
Shepard picked up on her body language. There was something there, but she was either unsure of the data, or unsure of its reception by the crew. "What's on your mind, Liara?"
"All this time we thought the beacons were just data banks...storage devices specifically designed to interact with Prothean physiology. Anyone who has ever been in contact with one has always been left completely mentally incapacitated, bereft of any remaining logical mind function. For you to have received and understood all that data and still maintain higher level brain function... It is unprecedented! You...you must be remarkably strong-willed, Commander!" Liara looked at Shepard in a new light, her face awash with admiration.
Under the adoring gaze of the Asari, it was Shepard's turn to blush as she responded, "Yeah, well, just because it's there and I survived, doesn't mean it was a success. I still can't make heads or tails of it."
Liara gave a quick shake of her head, as if to clear cobwebs, and furrowed her brow, frustrated by not understanding all the Human idioms being tossed at her. "Heads or tails, Commander? I'm sorry; I do not understand what you mean."
Shepard was equally frustrated, but for a different reason. "I'm saying I have no idea what it's trying to tell me. If it's supposed to be a warning, it's not a very good one. Just because I can see them in my head doesn't mean I can understand them! To me, it's just gratuitous violence; I don't understand what they're trying to tell me!"
Liara looked pensive for a moment, and then offered up a suggestion. "Do you know much about Asari physiology, Commander? We...um...we are able to join our consciousness with other individuals, including other species. With your knowledge from the beacon, and my knowledge of the Protheans, together we may be able to sort it out."
Kaidan practically exploded out of his chair. "What? No way! Commander, you can't risk that! She just said anyone who's even managed to survive contact with a beacon became a raving lunatic! We have no idea what's going to happen if you start pushing those images around!"
Shepard glared at Alenko. "Stand down, Lieutenant! I am well aware of Asari...capabilities, but I agree there are other concerns we need to consider, so we need to talk about this as intelligent beings, not knee-jerk Neanderthals." Kaidan returned to his seat, his face dark and foreboding, not at all pleased where the conversation was heading.
"We'll table this discussion for now. Our next stop is Feros, to investigate rumors of Geth activity. Everyone get rested and prepped, and be ready when we hit port. Dismissed." Shepard remained seated as the rest of the crew filed out, her eyes unfocused as she ran the debrief over and over in her head, trying to decide what to do next.