Loyalties:

Mass Effect Trilogy is a Bioware game. For any reference to the Official Game All rights are owned by Bioware. The Fan Fiction "Mass Effect At Dawn Again" is fruit of my imagination and my work, it is a free tribute, passionate and personal to a great video game. It is not allowed any use partial or total for profit and not.

Chapter 4

Redemption

I stayed some days in a room at Huerta Memorial. Doctors said I was in shock ... They called it - "Separation stress syndrome with emotional trauma"-. It took at least a week before my brain would recover in motion. However, think again did nothing but bring me back, at fateful day, feeding my pain like a fire. While I was hospitalized, radio broke news Alliance declared Commander Shepard, missing in action as a result of Normandy destruction because her body had not been found. All searching had ended. Only a week! Seven days it were enough, making them desist from looking for you! Leaving you out there, in blankness ... and alone! I did not afford it because, I couldn't let you go, without a fight! I didn't want to accept that you ... you were dead! ... What if you were still alive? I had absolutely found you, seeing with my own eyes ... realizing! Otherwise, having a tomb to cry on! Redeem myself, for letting it happens ... to be survived! Your Crew took their leave. All our old friends were gone who knows where ... I no longer had any contact. When I was dismissed, I went back on Illium. My mother left me an apartment in Nos Astra, and several credits. My goal was to look for any clue, trace or information, allowing me to find you, and Illium was the perfect location for each search type. When the road to law doesn't provide results, you can rely on a wide choice of alternative way. I worked feverishly day and night, I had hard purpose, this only gave me the strength to keep going on. Finally, someone got in touch with me on a secure server, message said ... -"I know where commander Shepard is, but we need to talk in person, this is not safe. If you want more information come back on Omega, as soon as possible. We do not have much time! I'll just show."-

By the Goddess ... Omega! A Station carved into an asteroid in the Terminus system! A den of pirates, mercenaries, slavers and assassins, too far away from Citadel control, and commonly known as: the end of all things! Exactly where I had to go if, I wanted to find some answers ... if I ever survived! Finding some Transport for Omega, it wasn't hard, it was just a question of price. A Batarians Captain agreed getting me on board his cargo ship. Journey was long and tedious because the stops were continuous and crew was nothing short colorful. Mercenaries and jailbirds, really unsavory, but nothing that my Biotic powers they were able to hold off. There's a rather infamous night club back on Omega. It is ideal location finding information, is called After Life. So, it was the first place where I went just arrived. Someone noticed that, I was making too many questions. A Drell approached me ... he was my contact ...

F: I'm Feron and you're right, I do know where Commander Shepard is. But you won't like what I have to tell you ...

L: dead?!

F: Yes .. or very close to it. It's hard to say, the body was recovered in any kind of stasis. If not dead, then certainly not alive. I know you come to long way ... Sorry to be bearer of bad news.

I felt my forces were leaving me, I couldn't ignore this tremendous reality. Feron's words were like whipping, which scourged my heart and soul, but ... I had to be sure ... I would never give up on looking for you, I ... I absolutely had to see, before!

L: I need ... I need to see, Feron, for myself!

While Feron tried dissuading me, citing all situation dangers, in a flash we were surrounded by blue suns mercenaries, commanded by a Krogan ... They were on the payroll of Shadow Broker, and they didn't have good intentions. We were trapped, every way of escape were manned, and we were completely uncovered. I thought it was over, instead one after the other all mercenaries fell to the floor, gunned down by a head-shot. That was the first time I met Miranda Lawson ...

M: we're working toward the same goal, finding Commander Shepard.

L: Shepard is ... dead!

M: that's what they say … but Shepard's beaten the odds before. I'm Miranda. I represent someone who wants very much to meet you. Work with us, and we might be able to bring Shepard back.

I was very impressed by so glacial and charming human, flaunting large-confidence in herself, and betrayed no emotions. She looked extremely dangerous, and ready for anything. I thought it wouldn't be wise to contradict her, at least for the moment. I also didn't have anything to lose by talking with their boss. I was very curious to know what he wanted from me. Illusive Man met me in person, evidently he felt very safe even though we were alone. He had really disturbing appearance … He was not at all bad-looking, conversely he was a man in his fifties with brown-gray hair, definitely charming and very well dressed, but his eyes were the most unsettling thing I ever had seen! He had two synthetic blue prosthesis, which gave him an evil look, elusive and intolerable cold. Among other things he told me ...

IM: Shepard is unique ... One of the greatest examples of our species. A symbol for all humanity. Dead or alive, we want Shepard backs in human hands.

He added that also Shadow Broker wanted you! This was the reason, for which he sent many mercenaries to stop me because he had the plan to sell your body, making a pact with ... Collectors!

L: Why me? You have all these resources, and you have Miranda and their people here ...

IM: Nothing beats having someone with a personal motive driving them. You were very close with Commander Shepard. When I heard you were here I knew I wanted you on my team! … Can we count on you?

I didn't trust at all of Illusive Man, but Shadow Broker had just tried to kill me, and Collectors wanted your body to make with it Goddess knows what! Feron seemed harmless, but I was sure, he also was hiding me something, and not at all sure that he would give me a hand ... Cerberus at that moment seemed the lesser of two evils ... So, at the end I agreed.

L: No ... but Shepard can!

Find out where they kept you, it was not easy. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack! Feron had the idea to go and asking Aria T'Loak the Queen of Omega ... Aria is Asari, like me. Her appearance is very pleasant, and certainly she knows many ways to get what she wants. With a scornful look, her eyes are like two blades, cutting and threatening. Facial features are sharp, the feline movements. She is holding the reins of Omega by a few hundred years, and she is able to unleash hell in order to achieve her goals. Her financial resources are almost unlimited and she has ruthlessness needed to use them to her advantage ... She exudes safety, strength and power to her every gesture, an obscure charm and wicked. None back on Omega would dream of contradicting her. It took all my skill and all Feron's help, extorting her the name of location where you were carrying on ...

A: The lower levels of Omega ... The old Mining Processing Plant. The Blue Suns were taking your friend there!

When Feron and me, we arrived at Docks, the blue suns were about to deliver a stasis capsule to Salarians, the biggest one I had ever seen! He wore a heavy armor, and was armed to the teeth ... I couldn't wait any longer! Just the thought you were inside that capsule, so close and yet unreachable it was unbearable ... My yearning to reach you, it was so urgent, the fear of looking at you, so much heartbreaking that, my heart couldn't resist! To wait one more second was impossible for my poor heart torn apart, it bled inconsolable, with overflowing despair. I was going to jump out of my hiding place, getting you, but Feron did not let me do ...

L: that's it … It's Shepard!

F: Wait! What are you doing? It's too risk, Liara! There's got to be another way!

L: I've crossed the galaxy for this Feron! I'm not going to give you time to change your mind!

He said, having a plan, but all he could to do was ... nothing! Salarians loaded you on his ship, taking flight ... Oh Goddess! I was furious with Feron, I was about to throw against him a fatal warp! Oh, I went mad with rage! I touched you, I had never been so close getting you, but he … he let them get away! I think he was scared the hell that poor boy. He had a ship nearby and we could still try to reach you ... So, I entrusted to him again! We chased the Salarians, Tazzik, until Alingon in Faryar system. Just arrived we were immediately attacked by Shadow Broker's Sentinels. They were firing on us, without much ado. Feron told me he knew how to move. Yeah! ... He knew it so well that we slipped into asteroids' minefield! With the intrepid how foolish attempt to detonate some bombs on our enemies. I still do not sure if it was worse, getting shot at by guards, or the risk of crashing into mines! In the end we were able left them all behind, but about Tazzik and ... about you ... there was no trace. Planet Alingon is hostile like few, its surface is frozen, and rapidly nucleus rotation, it is the reason of strong electromagnetic field, capable of putting out tools and communications use. It is an ideal place for those, who don't want to be found. We were in one of Shadow Broker's HQs, and incredibly we succeeded in get into his control room. We had full data access. All he had agreed with the Collectors, was enclosed in those terminals and Feron seemed able to copy them to external device ... Suddenly, Shadow Broker noticed us ... His sinister voice, metallic and disguised, began to escape from a strange terminal ...

SB: ... The compensation is my business Dr. T'Soni... but it was significant enough ... Yes, I know who you are ... and what you want. I have nothing personal against Shepard ... or any of Shepard's friends, it was just sounds business.

L: You don't know what you're dealing with! Shepard died looking for evidence of the Reapers ... the ones who attacked the Citadel! Did you ever consider the Collectors' interest might be related to that? What would possibly be worth that risk?!

Shadow Broker did not listen any reason. More I tried to argue with him, and everything I got it was feeling growth of my anger, accumulating it, and burn inside me like a fire. Feron had meanwhile finished copying database, and I finally could give vent to all my fury ... I think, not even Samara would have been able to do better than that! After a few minutes Shadow Broker's control room was completely destroyed, and I didn't feel so well from a very long time! The pleasant feeling unfortunately, was short-lived. There was no time to waste, the exchange was about to be made on to North Portal, and we had absolutely arriving before it was too late. Now even Feron was sure that Shadow Broker was in collusion with the Collectors so, he finally decided to tell me the whole truth.

L: Spare me you're a double … no a triple agent?

F: I'm just Feron, and yes I work for Cerberus ...

Feron confessed to me everything. It was a Broker's agent, but also a good person. His intentions were good. When he found out the Collectors were interested in your remnants, he was disgusted, and once he realized Shadow Broker was in business with them, handing over your body, he felt had to do something to stop such a perversion. But he needed help, for this reason, in secret he agreed to work with Cerberus. At first he cheated me, using me, before to try recovering your body by himself, then to enter the Shadow Broker's HQs getting some evidence of his league with Collectors. After what he had done, he knew that I could no longer trust in him, just when he wanted to get my confidence. So, he gave me the Broker's data, putting himself in a serious danger to offer me his help, without expecting anything back ...

F: Liara, whatever happens, you get Shepard's body, and the data out of here. Preferably both!

L: Don't worry Feron, words aren't the only things that speak the truth! … we will!

When we arrived at North Portal, Tazzik, the Salarians, he was showing the stasis pod to a Collector. I had never seen anything more monstrous and sinister. He was really terrible and reprehensible. They were talking about you, as if you were merchandise! They had no respect for what you were, for what you had represented for all humanity, for what you mean ... for me! I had a heavy heart like a boulder and a great desire to cry out all my pain, it was making its way rapidly inside me … I had to resist, but I didn't know how … Maybe the only way was let it to do to anger, without trying to repress that desire for revenge, the insatiable thirst for reparation, turning it to my benefit. I was crouched behind a shelter while Feron tried to distract the Salarians, and at the appropriate time I jumped out, unleashing all my rage. My friend, desperately tried to hold off Tazzik, while ... I took care of the Collector. The battle was very bloody, more than once I was afraid I didn't bring it off. The Salarians was really strong and Feron was overwhelmed, but with a desperate gesture, he held him, preventing him to shoot me. He threw himself upon Tazzik like a fury, making drag himself on his ship that it was walking away. I was left down, after fighting hard, I wound up killing the monster, to recover your body! We had won, but never any victory had triggered off so much pain! I threw greedily my look into the capsule with a heart overflowing with hope, silly illusion, but what I saw ... it wasn't you! My eyes were bleeding, it inexorably compelled slamming into the cruel vision of what was left of you! At that moment, my soul was forever thrown in an icy tomb, inextricably linked to yours, with no return, with no light, no heat or hope ... never again! I was completely alone, obliged to accept the unbearable reality that you dead, and Feron was sacrificed himself, to allow me saving the data and all that was left of you! I handed the capsule to Cerberus, even though I knew they wanted to do something with your body, but I could not help it. The more I realized having missed you forever, and more I felt inexorably drawn to you, hopelessly chained to your call that it wouldn't stop for a single moment of destroy my soul. Only then, I realized as it was immense my love for you! To the point that I was not able to ... Oh Shepard, I ... I couldn't let you go! Miranda's voice seemed to me a knife in the dark as she said ...

M: The Boss is more hopeful about Shepard's prospects. We are willing to spend everything we've got, but ... It will still take a very long time, if it works at all. I wouldn't sit around waiting here.

Oh, long time! ... I could sitting around for at least 900 years! No other creature in whole Galaxy could take your place in my heart ... Exactly when, I lost you, my love for you it was exploding, more irrepressible, more uncontrollable, more unstoppable! I couldn't help but feel it breaks me out inside the soul, so impetuous, so irresistible ... Although you, were not there longer ... now more than ever before, I felt I belong to You. Oh Emily, I couldn't stop loving you ... just because you were dead! So, it was that I understood to be indissoluble, deeply and irrevocably yours, and ... I would have been for the rest of my life! By now, I only could mourning you, but I had never stopped loving you. ... I distinctly felt in my heart I would never forget you! Although you, my love, you had left only memories, my redemption and all my insatiable torment!

To be Continued …