Notes:

Anam Cara - Soul Friend/Mate (Gaelic)

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Kaffe - equatorial Thessian vine, seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of same name, taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate (Thessian; Source: CDN)

LEAP - League of Earth Alliance Patriots

Próidh - aggressive omnivorous mammal resembling a wolverine, but weighing 70+ kg when full-grown. Extremely dangerous nocturnal hunter frequently takes prey many times larger than itself. As with all Thessian life, employs eezo to generate biotic effect; utilizes form of biotic charge to tackle and overcome prey (Thessian; also Irish for bear)

The Prothean Accord

Council Offices, CGC, Widow System – 2 Nov 2190

During their casual dinner conversation, Tevos had initially been surprised by Liara's change of heart but quickly realized she should not have been, as digging up the secrets of the Prothean Empire had been the young Asari's lifelong goal. Now, with the Reaper War over and an offer of Prothean assistance on the bargaining table, Rae should have known such a proposal would be virtually impossible for Liara to resist. Not only would she have the opportunity to actually live amongst the Protheans… but now, she also had the looming prospect of learning about an even earlier culture, the Inusannon. Rae was ecstatic for her young friend, and simply tabled the formal portion of the discussion for the next day, with the full Council. "Tonight is about enjoying dinner with our newest galactic partners and getting to know one another better… any and all remaining business can wait until tomorrow."

They each took turns describing their youth and everyone from the current timeline quickly realized the surviving Protheans never really had one. Their generation had been born into a devastating war, one which had already claimed more than two-thirds of their population, and the pace of destruction was accelerating. Their story was the much the same as many of the current galaxy's generation – doing what they could to keep the children oblivious to the destruction that rained down around them, only to fail, time and time again, to protect the ones they loved.

Liara's heart ached for them, knowing only too well the sense of loss as you watched everything you knew being destroyed, with those around you – whom you loved with all your heart – being stolen away from you, and knowing death would likely end up being a mercy, better than the fate of possibly being taken by the Reapers and converted into one of their many perversions. At the same time, she also realized her sense of loss paled in comparison to what the Protheans had endured, their war having lasted for centuries, only to be lost in the end.

The Protheans had not won their war; instead, they had been forced to witness the very fabric of their existence being torn to shreds, one sector at a time, one world and one system at a time, over and over again during the course of their long war. There were, however, minor victories within the loss; many different from those the current time had experienced, but some the same, like the discovery of the Crucible. Then, the heartrending discoveries that those within had been indoctrinated, sabotaging the work and keeping the device from ever being deployed.

Therein laid the major difference between the then-defeat and the now of their survival – the stubborn dedication of a single woman who had refused to succumb… refused to surrender to the inevitable conclusion of defeat. Shepard had simply refused to die… within which, of course, Liara had played a major role. They, as a team, had somehow managed to come back from every challenge, every defeat, and, in the end and with a lot of help, had managed to beat the Illusive Man and his indoctrinated Cerberus soldiers. Against all odds, as dictated by generations upon generations of previously failed attempts, Shepard somehow managed to survive it all and activate the Crucible, to win the war with a single red wave of indescribable power.

"Our tale is one of loss and pain… deceit and sabotage… betrayal… and finally, defeat," stated Aelia. "Yours, however, is a tale of hope." She somehow managed to smile as she added, "And now, we also have hope. Hope for a new beginning, a future, all because of you."

Shepard had simply smiled as Liara responded, "Our victory was because of your beacons… the data you seeded into the galaxy. Even though you and your people remained physically hidden during the war, your electronic presence was large. We couldn't have won the war without you and the information you provided."

As the meal concluded, so did the retellings of the past, and the conversations began to dwindle. Everyone was tired, and the social time began to feel almost forced, so Tevos simply excused herself. "This evening has been extremely… educational, but I will leave you to your rest. Thank you for asking me to join you for the meal; it has been an honor and a privilege. It is an amazing opportunity, whenever one gets to meet a new people and be introduced to a new culture on a peaceful basis, rather than at the business end of a weapon. Even if the major topic was the past war, we can look forward to the future building of a relationship between our peoples."

Tevos pushed back her chair and stood, turning her focus to Liara. "I will be in my office early tomorrow morning. Please come see me first thing in the morning, as there are things we need to discuss before the Council meeting tomorrow, regarding your change of heart and your potential acceptance of a position with the Protheans… be it Emissary or Ambassador."

Liara stood as well and, turning to the Prothean group, she smiled warmly. "Your offer truly is a wonderful opportunity for me, so… thank you. Hopefully we will have at least reached a preliminary decision regarding whether or not I will accept your proposal… and in what form… prior to our meeting with the Council. We will discuss this with the councilor first thing in the morning, and I look forward to seeing you in the full Council session."

Jorè stood with her and dipped his head. "The honor of hosting both you and Shepard will be ours, Doctor. We will simply assume some form of positive response and will begin planning accordingly." Looking between the couple and the councilor, he smiled. "I must agree with your assessment, Councilor. This truly has been a wonderful beginning to what I hope to be a long and rewarding relationship between us."

Tevos offered an answering nod. "I will leave you in Dalis' capable hands to escort you back to your quarters… and we will arrange to have breakfast delivered to your rooms at nine, so you will have time to eat before our morning Council session, which starts at ten. Acceptable?"

"That sounds perfect, Councilor." Jorè smiled. "We will see you all mid-morning."

Upon returning to the room, Liara was much too excited to sleep, her thoughts running wild with the possibilities. She paced the living room of their CGC quarters as she said, "Goddess, this is going to be amazing, Samantha! Not only living and working with real live Protheans… but now I have a new race to rediscover, with the Inusannon! Who would have ever thought? As soon as we have anything substantial to convey, I will need to contact Serrice University and update them on our status! I cannot imagine us not receiving additional funding… and, very possibly additional school-sponsored manning… especially knowing we'll also have a Council-backed Colonial Relations Team providing support!"

She could feel a surge of heartfelt support… and not a small amount of amusement… swelling from Shepard, who was watching the Asari's excited pacing, along with the blue hands waving around in the air as she always did when she was completely enthralled by a topic. She came to an abrupt halt and grinned sheepishly at her bondmate. "I'm sorry. I just can't help being excited by all the possibilities!"

Shepard chuckled softly and closed in on her, knowing now that she could safely approach without getting inadvertently smacked by the no longer wildly waving hands. Wrapping Liara in her arms, she whispered soothingly, "You don't have to apologize to me for that, Blue. I've told you this before, but it's always worth repeating. I absolutely love this side of you and will be happy to help you follow your dreams, no matter where they may take us. I promise to be at your side through it all…" She paused, her trademark, lopsided grin firmly in place, and ended with, "… even when you get so wrapped up in your work you hardly even know I exist."

Letting out a happy sigh, Liara looked into her positively wonderful bondmate's beautiful emerald orbs. Taken in by her affectionate, understanding gaze, she whispered softly, "Goddess, I do love you, Samantha Shepard. How in the galaxy did I get so lucky as to find someone like you?"

Shepard laughed huskily, Liara's body pressing into hers igniting a bright passion within, even as she joked, "I'm pretty sure it was me who found you, T'Soni. You don't get to take the credit for that one."

"Agreed." Liara only answered with one word before kissing Samantha hungrily, the woman's building passion having provided the perfect outlet for the release of all of Liara's pent up, excited energy.

CGC, Widow System, At Large – 3 Nov 2190

Liara woke surprisingly early, without the aid of either her alarm or Samantha, and had the opportunity to call Thessia to have yet another long conversation with Mozia and Aethyta regarding a formal position with the Council. They had mostly concluded their conversation by the time Shepard joined them.

"Ah, Samantha. Good morning!" Mozia smiled softly. "Always good to see you both healthy and hale. We'll leave you to today's business and let Liara pass on what we have discussed. Enjoy this time of discovery… such opportunity rarely raises its head. You must take advantage of it while you can."

"Take care of each other, as I know you two can do… and come home safe." Aethyta gave a quick nod just before the screen went black.

Looking at the pensive Liara, Shepard asked aloud, "And what, exactly, was all that about?"

Liara turned and gave her a quick good morning kiss before answering, "I'll tell you over breakfast. After last night, I'm starving!"

They made their way to the kitchen, grabbing convenient, pre-made breakfast bars before Shepard brewed a cup of Kaffe and Liara heated water for tea. Liara spoke while they prepared their morning drinks. "Surprisingly, Mozia and Dad are in complete agreement, supporting our decision to work for the Council… but they did offer a couple of suggestions we should discuss."

"Such as?" asked Shepard, her right brow raised in question.

"Well…" Liara began, "They are in complete agreement that this is an unprecedented opportunity… one for which I would never forgive myself if I passed it up. Mozia, however, recommends I take a position as a Cultural Attaché, not as the Ambassador. That way, I would be available to lead the archaeological team myself. The Ambassador position would be much too demanding of my time and, as Dad believes, with which I agree, should be left to a Matriarch with greater political experience… assuming the position is even filled by an Asari at all. It should fall to the Council to select the most appropriate and capable representative… someone who we will ensure is neither you nor me by formally declining any such offer and requesting different positions."

"That sounds great, actually." Shepard smiled as she poured her finished Kaffe into a mug. "Leave it to Mozia to come up with a better solution. So, where does that leave me? I can't imagine Aethyta didn't have an idea for what role I should be playing during all this."

A contented grin on her face, Liara had to chuckle. "You know my father too well, Samantha." Pulling the tea ball from her own mug and setting it on the edge of the sink, she picked up her breakfast bar and mug and moved to the table, along with Sam, to sit and finish both their breakfast and their conversation.

"Dad says you would be best suited for the position of Military Attaché to the Council-selected Ambassador, whoever it may end up being." Liara gave her a loving, devoted gaze as she continued, "That way, you would be the advisor to the Embassy's Military Support Group and will have final authority over the security teams responsible for our safety." Liara shrugged as a smile appeared on her lips. "Essentially, your daily schedule should be very light, thus allowing you to maximize the time you spend with me and the archaeological team. If all goes well, your duties shouldn't be very demanding at all… much like your current arrangement with Liv."

"The opportunity to have you with me during the day would be an unexpected treat," Liara continued, her smile converting to a smirk as she added, "Ilos is a rather hot, tropical world… where I could easily endure a repeat performance of watching you help Tyson keep up with artifact packaging and storage." Her memory of Shepard working in a tank top and shorts, her lithe, sweat-soaked body glistening in the sun, suddenly flashed across the link.

Shepard almost spewed her Kaffe across the table. Swallowing quickly to recover, she looked, wide-eyed, at her Anam Cara, "You imposter! Who are you and what have you done with my shy, conservative bondmate!"

"Oh, come now, Samantha…" Smiling coyly, Liara continued softly, "It's not the first time I've said something like that. You should be getting used to me being a bit bolder with you… especially when we're alone together… just you and me."

"Yes… just you, Shepard… and the entire commando team." They both started in surprise when Riana's voice sounded from the behind and to the side, causing T'Soni's face to darken to a brilliant shade of deep blue.

"By the Goddess!" Liara turned to see, quite literally, her entire personal protection team standing at the entrance to the kitchen, all of them having decided it was time to gather for a group breakfast, and all of them trying extremely hard – with varying degrees of success – to refrain from laughing… at least, everyone on the team except for Riana.

While all Riana could do was laugh aloud at Liara's surprise, Lieutenant Cy Axeuss actually managed the wherewithal to apologize. "I'm sorry, Lady Liara. We had no idea you and Shepard would be up and about so early. Shepard, perhaps, but you?"

Shepard couldn't help but to shake her head, a rueful smirk on her face. "It is barely eight, Liara. She's got you there. You normally wouldn't be up for at least another hour. They may have known better had we remembered to tell them about this morning's early meeting with Tevos."

"Wait." Riana was instantly all business. "You're leaving the flat early?" All she needed to do was glance at the team and they immediately knew what to do. Returning to their rooms, they immediately geared up, then returned to the kitchen to grab a quick bite, along with tucking a few rations bars in their waist-packs.

"That's really not necessary, Ri," started Shepard, who was silenced with an intense glare.

"Yes, it is, Captain. It is our job… our sworn duty… to protect you both." Riana blew out a quick sigh. "I remember a casual stroll on the Citadel that nearly got Karin Chakwas killed in an assassination attempt on you. I will not assume the CGC is any more secure, nor that there are no longer any vestiges of Cerberus, Earth First, or LEAP still sneaking about, simply waiting for that one moment of opportunity where you drop your guard, even if only for a second, to gain their long-awaited revenge. It would take only a single assassin… a single shot… to kill either one of you and destroy the future which we have all fought so hard to preserve. As you have said many times in the past… not on my watch."

"Roger that, Captain Iregos." Shepard gave her a wink and added, "Thank you for the reminder. But, there is no reason to hurry. Take your time eating, as we're just heading to the Council offices… a what, ten-minute walk at most? So, you have thirty before we have to leave."

Council Hall, CGC, Widow System – 3 Nov 2190

Having explained their desired outcome to Tevos, the threesome had walked, together, into the Council Hall. Tevos gave them a quick nod before proceeding to her seat on the stage, while Shepard and Liara took front row seats in the section reserved for people who had current business with the Council. As far as Liara was concerned, the seating area was one of the major improvements in the CGC over the old one.

You would never know it from the directness with which Liara had conducted business with the Council during the war, but Liara had never liked addressing them from the small, isolated and extended platform within the chambers on the Citadel; it always made her uncomfortable. Truth be told, it was one of the reasons she was so direct and brief when she spoke with them; she was in a hurry to be done and get out of the Council Chambers. The new seating layout and the proximity of the speaking dais to the real-life Council members, rather than just their holograms, made the new arrangement seem much more… intimate… and less intimidating to Liara, even with the greater number of councilors, all sitting in a double-rowed semicircle before them.

Perhaps it is just because we worked with each and every one of them so closely during the war. Now, they are simply people who needed… still need… our help. A group of representatives who we somehow managed to convince to care about the galaxy as a whole, instead of just power brokers and dictators concerned for only their own race's advancement. If it could only last.

Hearing the thought, Shepard chuckled reservedly and reached over to give Liara's hand a gentle squeeze. {Don't go all crazy on me, T'Soni. We both know this won't last forever… Matter of fact, it has already started to break down, and it hasn't been that long since the end of the war.}

Their private conversation was interrupted with the appearance of the Protheans. The entire gallery fell silent but for a few whispers as the alien race walked into the room, heads held high, their footsteps in perfect cadence, echoing through the room like a drumbeat. There was a tension in the air, almost as if an oversized, high-powered Van de Graaff generator had been energized somewhere nearby. The Prothean envoys walked all the way to the front of the room, with Jorè taking one more step forward than the other three.

He dipped his head slightly, in respect to the Councilors seated before him, and started to speak. "Councilors. It is a privilege to be standing before you today – the leaders of a united galaxy who managed to finally defeat the Reapers… the bane of the Milky Way's existence for an untold number of millennia. We congratulate and salute you for your great victory."

Tevos stood and dipped her head briefly in acknowledgement, a slight smile offering a welcome to her newest, 'could be' friends. "We welcome you, Jorè Lentos, and your representatives, to the Center for Galactic Cooperation. It is our honor to welcome those who provided the technology and the data that was necessary for us to build the Crucible – the key piece of equipment… the incredibly powerful weapon… that gave us the victory of which you speak. It is our honor to receive you here today, and our hope to establish meaningful relations with your people."

Jorè smiled in return. "That is our hope as well, Councilors; it is the reason we finally emerged from our hiding places to come forward. We are here today to petition for membership in this great union of races, this Council, and would like to begin negotiations, in earnest, for a fair exchange of technology… and, at a minimum, to regain possession of at least one of our previous planets, Ilos, so we can, once more, live openly and have someplace we can call home. The rest will be decided as we discuss the terms of our potential membership, should you express the same interest in us joining your coalition."

Since the Councilors had already spoken amongst themselves and agreed to the negotiations, Tevos paused for effect as each member either nodded to the affirmative or spoke a verbal confirmation. Once all had indicated approval of such action, Tevos turned her eyes back to the Prothean leader. "It is unanimous. We agree to granting you Ilos as a starting point for our negotiations, so my only question will be one of timing."

She glanced around the semi-circle of chairs, receiving a number of nods, indicating she should continue her thought. "We will grant you a homeworld, unconditionally, simply because it is the right thing to do. Everyone needs a place to call home, and Ilos is obviously a world you once occupied. If that is your first choice, then it is yours." Looking down at her screen as it chimed with incoming messages, she continued, "That said, a few of the Councilors are curious as to whether you want to return to Ilos first, to begin your relocation and settlement, or if you would prefer to initiate at least the first round of negotiations before you depart."

"We can do both, Councilors." Jorè did not hesitate in the slightest to offer his response. "We will send word to our people that Ilos is ours once more. Those we left behind are quite capable of organizing for the relocation, while we stay here to begin formal negotiations. Once we hear the various proposals, we will determine who I need here with me as advisors, to best negotiate the details. At that point, we may ask for a brief halt, while we exchange personnel, as required."

Again, Tevos glanced around the circle to indicate she wanted input, then looked once more at her screen as the chime rang again, repeatedly. After a moment, her datapad fell silent and she looked up. "Unanimous approval, Administrator." She smiled, looking around the room, to include the audience. "This special session is concluded. Thank you all for coming."

Looking back at the Councilors, Tevos added, "I imagine we all need a bit of time to prepare for the actual negotiations… and we need to pick a representative to lead the discussions. I believe that conversation should be held in closed session, to both pick the lead and define rolls and responsibilities for all parties involved…" Her gaze wandered to the audience area and back again as she finished, "… to include the future positions of Doctor T'Soni and Captain Shepard."

"Agreed." Councilor Quentius nodded. "They have made it quite clear they are not interested in the Ambassador position but, given Doctor T'Soni's interest in the research opportunity, I cannot imagine her leaving this opportunity completely behind. In that vein, I assume we can convince her to work with the Protheans in some official capacity, Rae. Have they said anything to you in that regard?"

Tevos smiled to soften her gentle rebuttal even more. "You know if they had, it would not be within my authority to reveal that personal discussion to you… yet. But I will say I believe you are correct in your assumptions. I cannot imagine either of them walking away from Liara's lifelong dream. I will discuss the options with them while we seek someone to lead the venture, and bring you their proposals, just as I would do with any other negotiation, Quentius."

The Turian Councilor chuckled quietly as he responded, "As always, the polite hammer, Rae. I'm sure we will all be thrilled with their choices, as I can't imagine this initiative going well without them, so we'll take whatever we can get."

Valern, speaking quietly, was much more direct. "Shepard and T'Soni are critical to this effort, and we must insist they take some appointment within the Embassy team. We simply tell them they must take an official position, or they cannot be involved at all."

"Ha!" Jara immediately scoffed. "Like you have the authority to dictate anything to them regarding private enterprise? That's the pettiest thing I've heard spoken in session, yet!" She scowled at the tiny Salarian. "Since when does the Council have any say in legal, individual business transactions? And who would be stupid enough to tell the Protheans the two people they most wanted to speak to… the only two people in the galaxy they were even willing to speak with… are now prohibited from dealing with them? Answer me that!"

"Enough!" Tevos stood and held her hands up to stop the argument. "This is unacceptable behavior. We should be discussing this in closed session, and not be quibbling in the open. Let us relocate to the private chambers to continue this discussion."

As the Councilors were having their final discussions, Liara and Shepard were oblivious to the fact they were the center of the conversation. Instead, they had risen from their seats and moved to speak with their future Prothean partners. "An excellent beginning, I think," said Liara with a smile.

"Yes," responded Jorè, all the Protheans nodding in agreement. "But now, the real work begins. I assume they will contact us with a time and place for the start of the negotiations, in earnest?"

"I would think so." Liara paused, pensive. "I imagine they need to decide on a negotiations lead, and I'm not sure who that will be. In days past, it very well could have been my mother… and I have too vested an interest… so, I honestly have no idea who they will select. Perhaps the Ambassador question will come into the picture, and the Council could test their skill as a negotiator through this process."

"That's actually a good idea, Li. You should send that as a note to Tevos." Shepard smiled softly, impressed by the concept and delighted that Liara came up with it so quickly. "I think they'll grab onto that like a drowning swimmer to a lifejacket."

Jorè nodded in agreement. "Yes. It would be good to know who we will be working with in the future, if there is to be someone else besides one of you as the lead for the Council contingent on our homeworld. From your statement, I assume you are refusing our proposal? This makes me sad."

"Oh, no," answered Liara quickly. "I just don't want to be tied to an office, trying to establish a new embassy." She and Shepard then went on to explain the morning's conversation with Mozia and Aethyta, each point making the entire Prothean group happier.

"That is absolutely wonderful news!" Aelia's eyes shone bright at the prospects, as did Arick's. "I do believe it would be the most beneficial arrangement for all involved. We receive the benefit of your expertise and all your connections, and you get to ignore all the politics and dodge any involvement in conflict resolution."

Ruso also had a wide smile on his face. "And I get to work directly with you on military issues, Shepard. How to best integrate our forces, and possibly exchange war stories as we get to know one another. As it was for us, even in our defeat, there must be some good ones, some worthy victories mixed in with the bad; especially for you… seeing as you won, after all."

Shepard replied softly. "Yes… even during the war, there was some joy. That and hope are what kept us going." A reluctant grin appeared on her lips as she finished, "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

Jorè smiled. "This is all good news, as far as I am concerned." He looked directly at Liara. "Send your note to the Councilor… and also inform her of your desired assignments, so they are not left guessing and chasing paths that are not open to them." His smile opened to a happy grin. "Then, come to our rather large suite and join us for lunch?"

"That sounds wonderful, Jorè." Liara smiled in return. "We'll see you soon!"

Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves, Athena Nebula – 4 Nov 2190

"Matriarch. You asked to see me immediately?" Zan entered the office at a quick pace, speaking as soon as she crossed the threshold. "The request sounded urgent; has something happened?"

"Yes." Marisha rose from behind her desk, approaching the nature guide and walking past, toward the door. "I need you to accompany me to Containment Pen 3. We apparently have some sort of situation that only you can take care of."

"What in the galaxy could be going on that Duke cannot handle?"

"I am unsure." Marisha shook her head and scowled. "We just need to go find out."

The matriarch was silent and brooding as the transport took them to the site, so Zan dared not breach her thoughts. Sitting silently and staring out the window, Zan simply could not fathom anything that Duke couldn't handle… unless something had happened to Duke. That thought made her stomach turn. Had he been in the containment area and been careless enough to leave a gate open? Zone 3 was in the heart of Próidh territory and the unwanted images that suddenly danced through her mind made her shudder. By the Goddess… let that not be the truth of what happened!

As the transport screeched to a halt, Zan didn't want to leave the vehicle, but had no option as the Matriarch stood and stepped boldly out through the doorway. Jumping to her feet, she made haste to follow, only to be greeted by a loud and confusing cheer. She stopped and blinked, not understanding what she saw before her. Many of the resort staff were all here and she looked at all their happy faces in confusion. She looked at Marisha, who had a rather smug expression on her face. "What is going on?"

"What is going on is that the Matriarchal Council did not hesitate to grant my adoption request!" The matriarch's face split with an ecstatic grin. "So, today, we have the honor of celebrating your first birthday as Carlina Zan S'Vatyne! Happy birthday, Zan!"

She stood motionless, staring at the Matriarch for a moment in dumb silence, finally squeaking out, "But… we just submitted the request two days ago! You said it would take a month…"

"Yes, I did. But all the matriarchs know me… and, more importantly, they know you. They have all been guests here, at one point or another, were all pleased with the excellence of our service, and impressed with your knowledge and care for them as they experienced nature like they never had before. You have an excellent reputation, and they completely understand the reasoning – and the love I feel for you – that is the basis for the petition. They sent it out immediately for an electronic vote and it was approved, unanimously, within a single day. The adoption certificate came in by special courier no more than two hours ago… which is how long it took us to come up with this idea and have Duke set up the safety barriers around the site."

Zan stared at her for only moment before tears of joy began to stream, uncontrolled, down her face. She swallowed hard and dropped her gaze to the ground, embarrassed by the swell of emotion that had overcome her.

Marisha simply smiled and stepped forward, wrapping her in a motherly embrace as she kissed her cheek, whispering, "Happy Birthday, Zan S'Vatyne. It is my honor to call you daughter."