Arius entered the dimly lit quarters of the Shadow Broker, where a plethora of displays showcased data from across the galaxy. The reflections of each screen danced in Liara T'Soni's azure eyes as she stood amidst the digital maelstrom, a serene presence.

Liara greeted Arius by name with a gentle warmth, an unexpected comfort among the cold streams of impersonal information. He responded in kind, and they briefly exchanged pleasantries before diving into their crucial task. The fate of the galaxy hung in the balance, and there was a war to win.

As he had done many times before, Arius connected his datapad to the screen array and tightened the force feedback gloves around his hands. He didn't bother finding a seat; the monitors would adjust their angles to his movement around the room.

With his gloves secured and his notes displayed on the shared screens, Arius began his review. Streams of data scrolled down the screens, revealing markets, financial reports, names, and secrets. In many ways, this work resembled the ancient practices of hunter-gatherers, sifting through sources for essential insights, tracing patterns, and identifying weaknesses. Yet, this was a world far removed from the natural rhythms of a planet— no handshakes, no conversations, no shared laughter, no tangible connections. There was only his will and the price of it. As the rhythm of the data pulsed through him, precise as a machine, he wore a cold, detached demeanour—a relic from a position he once held during the time of Liara's predecessors.

"What's first on the agenda?" Arius asked, his words sharp and swift.

While those who assumed the mantle of the Shadow Broker often manipulated galactic events for their own gain, these endeavours aligned seamlessly with Arius's own motivations.

"Let's begin with the easier tasks," Liara replied, gesturing toward a holographic image of the ExoTech Dynamics Corporation, its logo suspended in the air between them. "I briefed you on the company's metrics two days ago. They've made significant advancements in prosthetic technology, leading to remarkable improvements in the wearers' agility and strength. However, their production capacity is limited. I need an opportunity to persuade them to expand."

Arius's eyes darted upward as he scoured his memory for relevant information. "I happen to know Talin Varn, the CEO of Varn Advanced Solutions," he offered, following his train of thought. "She sits on their board and has significant influence. After helping her with a previous assignment, she owes me a favour. Rumour has it she plans to retire in a couple of years, and she's known for repaying her debts."

"How can she assist us?"

"Even though she no longer works as an analyst, she started her career in that role. She has extensive knowledge of the sector and likely knows the key figures to recruit. Moreover, she will probably raise the issue at my suggestion. It's a long shot, but it's our best option for now."

Liara nodded in approval. "That will do. The prosthetics could provide our troops with a significant advantage on the battlefield."

"Assuming the market perceives the product's value to outweigh its cost. How do their prices compare to their competitor, Cipritine Armor?"

"They are similar."

"Hmm," Arius mused, "a lucrative contract might expedite the process. Very well, let's proceed. Do you have contacts in the military requisitions office for when they are ready to distribute their inventory?"

"Actually, I have two."

"Excellent. I'll contact Varn today and keep you updated. What's next?"

Liara brought up the latest biotic amp models from Binary Helix, yet to be unveiled to the public. A detailed wireframe of the prototype slowly revolved before them. "While it may not be common knowledge, I'm sure you've heard of asari commandos experiencing greater biotic amp burnout compared to human biotic soldiers."

Arius couldn't suppress the smug grin that spread across his face. Of all the deals he would broker today, and all the fortunes he would amass, none would bring him as much satisfaction as a long-awaited outcome of an ancient gamble.

"Yes, although it's not entirely surprising. Humans may lack the innate biotic affinity of the asari, but they possess a remarkable endurance unmatched among the Council races," Arius responded with a hint of pride, turning slightly towards Liara. "Is the discrepancy substantial?"

"It's significant enough to raise concerns, even among the units I inherited from the previous Shadow Broker," Liara replied. "Before Shepard's involvement, I bought stolen schematics for new biotic amps that could be modified for asari use from a former instructor at Grissom Academy. I provided these schematics to Binary Helix after we obtained them during our evacuation from the academy. Their latest amps incorporate these improvements, but they're hesitant to mass-produce on short notice. They consider it a risk."

A humourless chuckle escaped Arius. "Given recent events, this should be their least risky venture. However, they are correct. The market is still skeptical following the Peak 15 incident, which involved you. Maybe if they set aside their pandering to investors and their inflated pride, they could leverage the reputation of Grissom Academy?" Arius scrolled through a list of contacts. "Binary Helix's Chief R&D Officer is engaged in a clandestine relationship with a senior member of their marketing team, which could be useful. He's known for his love of gambling. With the right... incentive, I believe we can persuade him, and he can in turn convince her. They can spin this situation to their advantage."

Liara tilted her head slightly. "The Chief R&D Officer... Ali Hassan?"

"That's him."

"And he's involved with whom?"

"Aisha Nwosu."

"That's valuable information." Liara made a note of it. "I was considering recommending Yeal Thanici."

Arius raised an eyebrow, impressed by Liara's extensive knowledge. "Nwosu's superior?"

"Yes, they also have a discreet relationship."

"Ah, I see," Arius remarked, updating his file on the Chief R&D Officer. "Quite the gambler."

Their strategic conversation continued. They delved into the intricacies of their plans, analyzing key players, assessing resources, and strategizing the most effective ways to manipulate them to their advantage. This delicate dance of power and influence required meticulous planning and foresight. Everyone had desires within this intricate web of agendas, and the trick was to determine which lever to pull, which conversation to initiate, and which suggestion to make. Subtlety was key: the best influences made the players believe the ideas were their own. If that failed, a hefty sum of credits could do the trick.

"...and what about security along the new shipping route?" Liara asked. "It's dangerously exposed to the mercenary bands that operate in that area."

Arius scanned his notes. "The primary group in control of that corridor can be bought. They've turned on their employers for a good cheque before. How much are they asking?"

She relayed the figure.

"That's excessive," Arius declared. "Are there any other terms they might find acceptable?"

"Potentially. According to reliable sources, their leader has a high-maintenance asari partner. He has a penchant for asari wine. As for his larger family, that information is still unknown."

Arius pondered briefly before an idea struck. "A gesture from my personal collection could sway him. I propose a contract worth five million for the year, a 2% cut, and a case of vintage 2108 Armali wine. Furthermore, we should purchase the information about their previous employer. That could be useful later."

"Ah, yes, your personal collection," Liara quipped. "You paid quite a premium for that Armali shipment."

Arius met her gaze, acknowledging her remark; it appeared the Shadow Broker was keeping tabs on him too, but kept his composure. His relationship with Liara was a delicate dance of mutual benefit and sometimes playful professional rivalry. She was a formidable force in her own right, and their jabs kept them on their toes.

"Perhaps I did pay a little too much," he conceded, "but in times of war, vices become more valuable. As do connections, particularly familial ones. Don't you agree?"

Liara met his gaze, understanding the implied disclosure behind his words. She chose not to respond, leaving the statement hanging.

"The problem is we have no guarantee they won't betray us for a higher offer," he returned to the task at hand.

"They won't because we'll go the extra mile," Liara replied confidently. "We'll include a personal card with the wine, addressed to his mistress by name and location."

"Ah, I see," Arius mused, understanding her strategy. "A touch of blackmail, then?"

"Think of it more as a gentle nudge," Liara retorted, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

With the offer prepared, Arius returned to his list. "About that missing shipment I mentioned earlier, have you made any progress in tracking it?"

"I have," Liara responded calmly, displaying an image of a krogan on the screen. "The hijacked shipping frigate was last seen entering the Terminus Systems. The leader of the group is Grirgal Crego, a seasoned Blood Pack pirate who is well-known to those with deep pockets. While I haven't been able to identify who hired him, it appears he refuses to release the ship until a new price is negotiated. It's clear the contents of the cargo are more valuable than initially perceived."

"Indeed. Some of the items are mine. They were exceedingly difficult to obtain and are, unsurprisingly, uninsurable. I am open to negotiations, provided the price is reasonable. What is he demanding?"

"The latest demand is for five hundred million credits."

Arius nearly choked. "Five hundred million for a hijacked shipment?" His surprise quickly turned to suspicion, and he narrowed his eyes. "Is there any additional information regarding the other packages being transported? There must be exceptionally valuable items within that cache."

"I have no details on the other packages, only that the attack was meticulously orchestrated. It seems someone with considerable resources specifically hired him to target this shipment."

Arius stared at the screens, mulling over the situation. He paced back and forth, re-reading the information Liara had collected.

Finally, exasperated, he grumbled, "I'll need to retrieve the items personally. Please gather any information you can on the location and any offers. Forward me everything you find. I will not trust intermediaries with this. My cargo is too precious to risk, and the other items warrant a careful examination. You'll be compensated appropriately for your efforts, per our usual arrangement."

The Shadow Broker nodded and began rapidly typing a message to a cell of her agents in the Terminus Systems. If Grirgal demanded five hundred million for stolen goods, their market value would be even higher.

With the main agenda items covered, Arius sank into a nearby chair, his intense aura gradually fading as he slumped into contemplative brooding, burdened by the myriad tasks looming over him. Despite knowing the importance of taking breaks, he couldn't help but question the point of their collective endeavours, a thought that often haunted him. His musings wandered through history, retracing past failures, before inevitably landing on Shepard.

"You seem deep in thought, Arius. May I ask what's bothering you?" Liara asked, her tone filled with genuine curiosity.

"Contradictions," he responded, absently scratching the side of his face. "Shepard is no optimist. She acknowledges the grim reality of our situation, understands the odds we're up against, and often makes tough, pragmatic decisions. And yet, something within her seems to believe we can win this war. I can't fathom it."

Liara looked at him, puzzled by his words. "Forgive me, but that seems like a strange statement coming from you. Are you suggesting that you don't believe we can win?"

"No," Arius answered her plainly, "at least with my understanding of the current state of things. We're underdeveloped offensively. The function of the Crucible is still unknown. We need more coordination, more time. Our trajectory lies squarely with extinction."

The asari narrowed her eyes in disbelief, "Then why…."

Arius didn't immediately answer. He rested his head on his supporting arm and turned his head slightly to look off silently into some distant memory.

"There's a story from Earth's history," he finally began, "that a traveller once shared with me about a queen. This queen's reign was a period of great prosperity and peace, and her ambitions made her one of the most prolific builders of the ancient world. To celebrate the sixteenth year of her governance, she ordered the construction of twin obelisks of grandeur unmatched, destined to overshadow the grandest structures of the past.

The scale of the task was overwhelming, and the expectations were monumental. Day by day, week by week, craftsmen laboured, chiselling the stone from dawn till dusk to coax out the true form of the obelisks. But, within the heart of the stone, a hidden flaw lurked, threatening their tireless efforts. The flaw revealed itself one fateful day, causing the enormous structure to fracture, its impending grandeur now a mere dream.

The labour, hope, and countless hours under the sweltering sun—all amounted to nothing. The giant stone lay abandoned and unfinished, a quiet testament to what could have been."

Liara, caught in the threads of Arius' tale, couldn't help but question the moral. "So, are you saying it's possible to do everything right and still lose?"

"Indeed," he confirmed, his voice tinted with sorrow. "I've witnessed such undertakings firsthand. Perhaps our efforts are destined to fail due to some unforeseen flaw, large or small. Maybe the best we can do is uncover this flaw for the next cycle. To leave our marks on the unfinished obelisk of our struggle."

It was a melancholic kind of hope, one that gestured toward a distant better day that they may never witness. A creeping doubt gnawed at him - the nagging possibility that all his sacrifices, all the years of his life, had brought them no closer to their desired victory.

"If we lose, will you try again?" she inquired.

"No," swiftly came the answer, "I will not." He did not expound further.

To this, Liara replied gently, "That's why I've been working on a contingency plan, Arius. A beacon for future cycles, in case we fail."

Arius raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Oh?"

"I'm preparing a time capsule," she explained, her voice determined. "A beacon filled with data about the Reapers, our technology, our cultures. Everything the next cycle might need to stand a chance if we don't make it. It's not a path I take lightly," Liara admitted, her eyes betraying her own struggle with the idea. "I still believe we have a chance to win. But should we fail, we owe it to those who come after us to give them the best chance possible."

Arius absorbed her question with a measured nod. "Has Shepard agreed to contribute her experiences?"

"She has," Liara confirmed. "I'm hoping you'll provide your perspective as well. How would you wish to be remembered?"

Caught off guard by the candidness of her query, Arius paused, meeting her gaze with quiet contemplation.

He once read a thesis arguing that the essence of organic action was in the denial or postponement of its inevitable demise. Organics didn't just fight for survival; they battled to protect their cultures, histories, and values - the immortal symbols of their otherwise ephemeral existence. So, what would be his symbolic immortality, his legacy? Would it be the skirmishes he had engaged in, the wisdom he had amassed, or the relationships he had cultivated during this continuing conflict? Or was it something more elusive—perhaps a persisting hope or resolute determination, even when pitted against overwhelming odds? How would he like his journey, his exertions, and his sacrifices to be remembered? What message would he convey to future civilizations?

He had lived for an exceptionally long time, long enough to see the rise and fall of individuals, organizations, races, empires, and even entire cycles. Many had aspired to secure a place at the summit of immortality for all time, but such dreams were hubris. Even the most mighty beings and the enduring works they erected were transient; their legacies seemingly fated to crumble into oblivion. Was he to leave behind yet another weathered statue sinking beneath the desert sands bearing the inscription: "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!"?

He finally broke his silence, answering with an unexpected simplicity. "My mistakes."

"Your mistakes?" Liara echoed, surprise etching her features. "Nothing else?"

"Nothing else will matter."

"I see," she said finally, her voice soft, yet thoughtful. "It's... humbling, in a way. And quite profound."

Arius shrugged, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "It's just the ramblings of an old soul," he demurred. But his eyes were bright, alight with an intensity that spoke of a wisdom earned through millennia of lived experience.

"Since I have you here," he asked her, "and since we've settled into an oddly contemplative mood, may I ask for your opinion? Having spent the last cycle on Earth, it is only recently that I can speak objectively of humans with another. Tell me, Liara, what do you think of them?"

It didn't take long to elicit a response. "Humans? Let me see. They are tenacious beyond reason. Impulsive. Brash. Like… children in many respects. But I suppose that lends its own charm."

Arius nodded thoughtfully, for all these things were true.

"What do you think?" the asari asked him. "What draws you to them? You would not have chosen to spend such a long time with them unless you saw something."

"That is a good question. Sometimes even I forget." He chuckled to himself, revealing a semi-truth through his jest. "How familiar are you with human history?" He asked.

"I have some formal education."

"Then you can agree that even those with a cursory interest will note the near-constant bloodshed - of unspeakable horrors and limitless cruelty they have inflicted against one another, from the elite to the common, in every region, in every time stretching from the yesteryear to the stone age. Not to make a case for the exceptionalism of humans, but plainly, and in comparison to most others, there is enduring darkness in their hearts. The veil hiding their true intentions is also easily thrown; such a trait was never equivalently present among the people I previously associated with. Among the Prothean, asari, and even my own, such obscurity would have immediately marked them as deceitful on principle."

"That's quite a perspective, Arius. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you suggested humans should be despised."

"And that is just it," he revealed to her. "I have found reasons to despise them. I, on multiple occasions, have had to run from their sharp points and prejudiced judgements, not to mention all the times I have stood alongside and watched them burn each other to the ground. They are in many ways worthy of our contempt."

Liara's expression was mild confusion, unsure where the point of Arius' elucidation would arrive. "But… that is not all humans are," she offered, "they would not be where they are today if that was all they were capable of."

"And so we arrive at the terminus of my argument. Tell me, which is more virtuous? To be born good or to overcome evil nature through great effort?"

Liara, finally understanding his argument, nodded in agreement. "Ah. I understand."

"Therein lies my admiration," he affirmed.

Arius let the moment linger, and, satisfied with their progress, he stood to leave. "Another productive session and enjoyable conversation, Liara. I will update you on the contacts discussed. Ah, before I forget. Glyph?" he asked openly.

"Hello, Arius!" the gleeful, bow-tie-wearing VI chirped as its spherical form floated towards him. "How can I be of assistance?"

"What's the progress on the volus dreadnought Kwunu print?"

"Time to completion is fifteen minutes and thirty-nine seconds."

"Thank you."

Before he could turn away, he heard Liara remark, "I didn't take you for a model ship collector," while continuing to type away at her console.

"Ah, well, I'm not. The print is for Shepard. She was absolutely gushing to me about the specifications of the Kwunu the other day, and I thought she would appreciate a new addition to her collection."

Liara looked over slightly, with the corners of her mouth upturned in amusement. "Hmm. You care for her, don't you?"

"I think you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone aboard this ship who doesn't," Arius replied, maintaining a stoic demeanour.

Liara regarded him for a moment, scrutinizing the depth of his gaze. "True," she responded, her eyes shimmering with something akin to understanding. "But not everyone aboard this ship will go out of their way to gift her a custom-printed model of the Kwunu… or a racing trophy."

His gaze snapped back to Liara, a question written in his eyes, but then he resigned. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

A cheeky grin spread across the asari's face. "Come now, Arius. I am the Shadow Broker, after all. It's my job to know things," she said, her tone bordering on teasing.

Arius couldn't help but chuckle, the sound rumbling deep within his chest. "Fair enough, I suppose."

At that moment, the slight undercurrent of tension within the room lessened, replaced by a warm camaraderie that almost radiated. There was silent, mutual understanding, a sense of solace in the shared realization that they were, in the end, not just numbers in a war but people who cared.

Just as Arius was about to leave, Liara spoke again, her voice softer now. "Arius," she began, causing him to halt his steps, "I've been meaning to tell you this for a while now… Thank you."

Arius turned, eyebrow raised in a silent question. "For?"

"For being there for Shepard," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her gaze. "She's carrying a burden none of us can fully understand. But having you around… I believe it helps her, more than she might let on."

Arius nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "We all help in our own ways, Liara. That's why we're here."

With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Liara in the quiet hum of her consoles, Glyph blinking curiously at her. But Liara just shook her head, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips as she returned her focus to the screen in front of her.