Notes:

Anam Cara - Soul Friend/Mate (Gaelic)

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

Chandra - insect resembling a honeybee, same name as sweetening nectar it produces (Thessian)

Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Proposals and Purpose

Oasia, Ilos, Refuge – 24 May 2191

Apparently, Aria T'Loak was not in the best of moods, answering the comm call from Ilos with a rather irritated, "What the fuck do you want, Shepard?"

Shepard's response of "Bad day, Aria?" certainly didn't help much. Thinking she actually heard Omega's pirate queen beginning to growl in a close approximation of a Varren, she expressed her regret immediately. "Apologies, Aria. That was uncalled for." In as conciliatory a tone as she could manage while attempting to avoid chuckling, she asked, "What's going on?"

"What's going on? Let me enlighten you. Quite a few of the Batarians I employ as day-laborers have started packing their shit to leave Omega, Shepard… and that miserable fucking Darner Vosque has become an even bigger pain in my ass – actually daring to tell me I have to stop them from leaving the station… or he will do it himself! Apparently, they have been doing more shit for him than I realized."

"Oh!" Shepard's voice echoed genuine surprise, even as she continued, "I truly am sorry, Aria… I never thought Darner Vosque would actually be stupid enough to challenge you. So…"

She hesitated just long enough for Aria, who sounded beyond annoyed now, to immediately chip in. "So… I ended up doing exactly what you said I should have done in the beginning. Neither Sayn nor Gryll have the spine or desire to challenge me, so we've pulled the groups together – including the Talons – and are in the process of eliminating the Suns of Omega… and wiping the fucking smirk off Vosque's ugly human mug. I'm going to personally rip his tongue out of his head and shove it up his asshole for the last butt-fuck he's ever gonna get. And… I'm going to make sure he's still breathing and awake through the entire process, to ensure he suffers the pain and humiliation of it all, before I finally snuff his miserable life out of existence."

"That's… just a bit more info than I really needed, but I guess I asked for it."

"I'm not done, Shepard. I want you to know exactly what you and T'Soni caused with this whole fucking Prothean deal." Aria growled again, this time accompanied by the sounds of multiple biotic explosions, followed quickly by her added response. "Because, when I'm done with his tongue, I'm going to cut off his cock and shove it down his throat with my shit covered hand, so he can choke to death on his own shit-covered dick!"

An amazing quiet suddenly fell over the line; when it lasted longer than Shepard thought it should, she asked, "Aria? You okay over there?"

Her answer began with a thoroughly evil laugh. "I'm fucking great, Shepard. We just won the goddess-be-damned war and, of all people, Sayn is, quite literally, dragging Vosque to me. So… you have about thirty seconds to tell me why you actually contacted me in the first place."

"I'm sending a Batarian shuttle back your way… a female took it from her mate to escape to Ilos. He chased her here, but we're protecting her and sending him packing. I'm having Captain Nevada C'Valli, aboard the T'Soni cruiser Liberation, escort the shuttle back to Omega, where I'll need a full resupply for both vessels and provide two days secure dockage for the shuttle. When you get a moment to breathe, transmit the bill and we'll immediately transfer funds to cover those costs. As you've just reminded me, Omega is your show, so if he's late, what happens from there is up to you."

In a much better frame of mind now that she was watching a struggling Darner Vosque being dragged towards her by a group of Omega-loyal Eclipse, Aria actually chuckled. "Never realized you could be such a vindictive bitch, Shepard."

"Normally, I reserve that for people who injure or kill someone I care about… but I can't seem to help myself on this one. I don't like assholes any more than you do."

At that, Aria laughed outright. "You say that like you mean it, Shepard… but you seem to like me, and I'm the biggest asshole in the Terminus systems."

Shepard had no chance to respond, the connection going dead as soon as Aria finished her sentence. Liara had listened in to the conversation and smirked as she said, "I think it's better you didn't have the chance to say what you were thinking, Samantha."

Shepard turned to her Anam Cara and asked with a smirk,"Why not?"

"Because you should let her continue to believe you actually might like her, Shepard. I think she is much more… amenable… that way, rather than knowing you simply tolerate her because she's an Asari of her word and that you actually trust her, because it helps you predict her actions and reactions to events." Liara chuckled quietly. "That is what you were thinking to say, is it not?"

"Give me at least a little credit, T'Soni. You know darned well that what I think of Aria T'Loak and what I say to her face are usually different things… very different things." Shepard grinned, adding, "Now, come on! We promised to help our very first Batarian family get settled in!"

Judea Voni's Residence, Dassus, Thessia – 26 May 2191

It had been nearly a week since Kasumi Goto had brought Spectre's Rose to the massive paint facility on the grounds of T'Sere Shipwrights. Paint facility manager Jalira T'Nadri had just sent Kasumi a progress report, in which she assured the master thief her ship was almost ready for application of the heat-resistant primer coat. After curing, the first of three independent color coats would be meticulously applied, with a 'baking' cycle between each.

Judea had seen the messages and commented, "I believe Spectre's Rose will look unlike any other vessel in the galaxy when Jalira's crew is done." She gathered the few breakfast dishes and utensils, carried them to the sink and began washing up while continuing, "I'll slip in after the primer coat has cured… take a look around inside. It'll be virtually inaccessible once they've moved it from the prep area to inside the main paint application clean room."

Kasumi stepped up beside her, picked up a towel and began drying the dishes. "I won't be leaving the minute it's complete, Jude. You will most certainly have time to poke around inside after the job is done, and I will need to re-provision and refuel before my little jaunt back to Sol."

Judea's golden eyes picked up a hint of mischief as she handed wet utensils to Kas. "I actually have a treat in store for you today." Upon receipt of a quizzical look, she continued. "I want to take you on a tour, Kas… show you a bit of Thessia from the air and give you a taste of how much fun it is to fly in a high-performance sports craft."

Kasumi smirked as she put the dried utensils away. "Didn't Miri give me a warning about you, and your sport corvette? The Hesaldia, yes?"

Miranda, quietly listening up to this point, provided an answer before her amantia could respond to the question. "You remember correctly, Kas, and I'd certainly be cautious about flying with her if I'd just had a full meal." Snarky expression firmly in place, she approached and wrapped her arms around the Asari from behind before continuing. "She almost always flies with the inertial dampeners set to a hundred percent, but…" Miranda planted a loving kiss on her neck before continuing, "she's been known to switch them off on occasion… usually without warning. Says it's the only way she can share the full body experience with her passengers."

Kasumi laughed at Judea's expression of apparent annoyance. "There were times when Jon and I had to perform evasive maneuvers in Gurji's Promise that had me hanging from the harness in my seat. I should be fine."

Miranda shifted her gaze to Kasumi as she released Judea, beginning with, "When you return green around the gills…" then concluding in a sing-song voice, "… don't say you were not warned."

Judea – strapped into the pilot's seat with a four-point harness and seat belt, and with Kasumi Goto belted into the seat beside her – lifted Hesaldia clear of its docking cradle and pointed the nose west. Even though she was flying at a conservative velocity, necessitated by her minimum altitude, they quickly crossed the northern plains of Dassus; after cutting across the southwestern corner of Serrice, the Hesaldia entered the airspace over northeastern Armali, where Jude corkscrewed the ship down to within 150 meters of Lake Sirala's pristine surface.

An isolated gem, the lake was surrounded by dense forest that extended into the three adjoining republics, including Attena to the north. Jude slowly circled around the lake twice so Kasumi could get a good view, then returned to cruising altitude by climbing straight up at nearly full power. Setting her course for the Dancing Bird Straits – not that she would be able to fly among the rocky spires without a prior reservation – she explained she wanted Kasumi to see them at a distance, from out over the ocean. As they slowly flew cross-country, she pointed out Thaptos Vineyards, home to one of the three premium wine producers in the republics.

After viewing the awe-inspiring sight of the pinnacles and needle-like spires of Dancing Bird, Judea approached the small, coastal city of Victoria from the north, telling Kasumi, "We'll set down there for a spot of lunch."

After enjoying a light lunch of grilled fish and salad, accompanied by a finely crafted local beer, the trio was back in the air once more. Judea pointed the nose southeast, and soon they were flying over the seemingly barren plains of northern Attena, then those of Serrice. Judea pulled up a special haptic interface, entered several commands, then turned to Kasumi.

"Care to put 'er through her paces, Kas?" She chuckled slightly at the woman's look of surprise. "Flight controllers know we're here. They are more than aware of my… proclivities… for enjoying what I do." With a wave of her hand, a haptic control interface materialized in front of Kasumi. "Go ahead. Take the controls… get a feel for how she responds."

Kasumi hesitantly did as Judea instructed, as she asked, "Are you sure, Jude? I've never flown a ship such as this." So saying, she entered a steep climbing turn to port before quickly putting Hesaldia into a tight, gut wrenching, descending turn to starboard. Flying straight and level once more, she flicked her wrist, sending the corvette into a triple barrel roll; coming out of that maneuver, she pulled them up hard, into a screaming, full-throttle vertical climb. Abruptly cutting the power after climbing nearly 10 kilometers, Kas held on until their forward speed had dropped nearly to zero, then used her last bit of remaining momentum to perform a 'wing-over' 180-degree turn to a vertical dive. Rapidly approaching their normal cruising altitude once more, Kas performed an eight-point roll before effortlessly leveling Hesaldia out, returning to their original course and speed. With a smirk playing along her expressive mouth, she said, "It's really responsive, Jude. Handles like a dream!"

A speechless Judea gazed in wonder at the master thief, while Miranda, who had hollered rather loudly in protest at Kasumi's final maneuver, offered, "I stand corrected, Kas. Looks as if you didn't need a warning about Judea after all; I didn't realize I should have warned her about you."

Judea had finally rediscovered her voice. "By the Goddess! I would hate to see how well you'd tear up the sky if you had flown a ship such as this. You have some impressive flying skills for someone without a piloting background! How… or when, did you learn to fly so well?"

Kasumi, seemingly embarrassed by Judea's comments… and praise, dipped her head briefly before looking at Judea and shrugging. "There have been a few times in my past… perhaps more than a few, in which I needed to outrun pursuing authorities… police… security guards… military. I had to fly better than anyone that managed to get on my tail." With the beginnings of a grin toying at the corners of her mouth, she concluded, "Desperation to avoid capture was my motivation to get better. During my time with Jon, Spectre's Rose saw a fair share of desperate chases as Gurji's Promise. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn there are a few stress fractures in the ship's frame."

T'Sere Plantation, Dassus, Thessia – 28 May 2191

Kasumi smiled softly at the sight of the normally reserved Judea practically running down the ramp, to wrap the waiting Asari in her arms.

"Momma! It is so good to see you!" Judea beamed as she hugged her mother warmly, before stepping back and waving the waiting Human forward. "Momma, it is my pleasure to introduce another of my friends from the war, a member of Captain Shepard's crew since the Collector Campaign… Kasumi Goto." After only the briefest of pauses, while Kasumi made her way down the ramp, Judea continued. "Kas, this is my mother, Daenia Voni, and her siame, Teana Java. They both work in the Chandra gardens, here on the plantation."

Kasumi stepped forward and placed her hands out, which Dae immediately reached for, feathering her own hands across the upturned palms, the touch so light it almost tickled. "It is definitely my pleasure to meet the mother of such an accomplished engineer and pilot." Of the Human before her, Dae could see only the lower part of her face, but immediately noticed her lips curling into a smile, along with the joy in her voice as she continued. "You have raised a positively wonderful daughter."

Dae nodded as she replied, "Judea has been a blessing to many, but she is much more like her Salarian father, than me. Soldan was her primary inspiration to mature into who she has become… I see his intellect, and much of his humor, within her. We were blessed by the Goddess with her birth, and I will always have her to help me remember him, no matter how many centuries may pass us by." She looked at the now-blushing Judea and smiled, adding, "And I know Soldan is watching over her, proud as any father could possibly be."

Kasumi's smile faded a bit as she nodded in understanding. "Salarians, in particular, leave us much too soon…" She paused to clear her throat, suddenly congested with emotion. "… do they not?"

To spare Kas the pain, Judea stepped in quickly to explain. "Kas just recently lost her own Salarian partner, Momma… The Spectre, Jondum Bau. They worked together during the war."

"Oooh," sighed Dae. "I am so sorry, Kasumi. My grieving for Soldan has long since passed so I did not think. Had I known, I would not have brought Judea's father into the conversation." She shook her head, annoyed at herself. "Apologies."

Teana laid a gentle hand on Dae's arm, whispering, "You didn't know, babe. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"Teana is right, Daenia…" Kas forced a strained smile onto her lips. "You did not know, so there is no offense taken. And it's nice to know a bit more about Jude… she can be pretty tight-lipped about her past."

"That is because she is humble, as well as smart." Teana let out a soft chuckle, watching Judea turn an even more brilliant shade of violet. "See what I mean? She hates it when we call attention to her absolute brilliance as a designer and engineer!"

"By the Goddess, Teana! You, too?" Judea had to laugh, or she was going to die of embarrassment. "We need to go say hello to the Matriarchs… but would one of you be willing to give Kas a tour of the Chandra gardens later? They're positively fascinating!"

"Wait a minute…" Kasumi scowled, not understanding. "Chandra… gardens? I thought Chandra was either bugs or a sweetener?"

"See?" Judea laughed. "And that, my dearest Kasumi, is exactly why you need the tour!"

As they approached the plantation house, Kas slowed perceptibly, catching Judea's attention. "Kas? Everything okay?"

"Yes, of course." Now that Judea had noticed her slowing, she simply stopped dead in her tracks and took in the vista. "It's just so… beautiful! I mean… how many hectares is that? And… it's all flowers! I expected this to be a production facility tour!"

A good-hearted chuckle burst from Daenia before she replied, "But, it is, Kasumi. What do you know of Chandra?"

"Not much, honestly, except that it is a sweetener. I assumed… oh, wait! Are those plants with all the multicolored flowers the Asari version of sugar cane?"

"No," answered Daenia. "But now you are definitely heading in the correct direction with your thoughts. Chandra is the name for both the sweetener and the insect that produces it, very similar to your honey and the honeybee. The flowers are specially selected varietals for the type of nectar they provide to the workers who make the chandra." Dae gave her a wide smile. "Come! Let us get closer, so you can start to pick up the aromatics of the various flowers."

As they walked, Dae and Teana took turns explaining about the multiple types of flowers they grew, each providing its own little piece to the final flavor of the honey that House T'Sere was known for. "We have the Human equivalent of just over 242 hectares – very small as commercial honey producers go – with roughly five hives per hectare, where each hive gives us roughly 30 Kg of Chandra a year."

"That's a lot of Chandra!" Kasumi gasped in surprised wonder.

Laughing softly, Daenia smiled. "Yes, it is… as it adds up to roughly 24 or 25 kiloliters a year… which, as I stated, is still relatively small for a commercial production center." She paused only briefly before going on. "Ever since we learned of your culture, it has amazed me how similar our worlds are. We have Chandra, you have honeybees… and all the ratios are nearly identical."

"What do you mean?" asked Kasumi. "What ratios?"

Teana smiled as she explained, "It's a bit freaky, if you ask me, but the foragers of both types of hives, be they on Sol or Thessia, need approximately one million flowers to make 110 grams of the sweetener, no matter its name. A full hive contains roughly 45 thousand insects, have the same hive density per area, they produce basically the same amount of raw sweetener, have the same lifespans… the similarities are seemingly endless!"

Even Judea stared at Teana in wonder. "You're kidding."

"No, daughter, we are not." Dae shook her head slightly. "Given recent events, and the data regarding the Protheans having groomed so many of our current cultures… I have to wonder if the other similarities are just odd coincidences… or by design."

"But… they have been in stasis for the past 50,000 years!" Judea exclaimed.

"Perhaps their period of stasis is why we are as different as we are." Dae chuckled at the expression on her daughter's face. "Don't let it bother you, Judea… it is not something we can prove one way or the other and, even if we could, such knowledge would not change what now surrounds us or who we are, so it does not matter. Just enjoy life as it is."

Kasumi, who had been following the conversation with great interest, smiled as she gently poked Judea in the ribs with her elbow. "I agree with your mother on this one, Jude. Even Humans have a saying that follows along those lines, with most of us knowing it as the serenity prayer… Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." She shrugged, adding, "There's a bit more to it than that, but you get the gist."

"I like that!" Daenia looked at Kasumi and smiled. "Would it be possible for you to send me or Teana a copy of that, in its entirety?"

"Certainly, Daenia!" Kasumi's face held a mischievous grin as she added, "But it will cost you…"

"Cost me?" Daenia gave Judea a questioning glance, but before either could say anything more, Kasumi started laughing.

"Don't worry… it's not much." She grinned widely and continued, "I'm just thinking you must have a quality control room for your Chandra production… maybe with a tasting center? A center which could be included as a part of my tour?"

"Oh, Goddess!" Teana began laughing. "She wants to try a few samples, Dae! Of course!" Continuing to chuckle, she added, "You need not worry… that is most definitely a part of the tour that everyone looks forward to, Kasumi. The tour includes samples from various stages in the process… from raw to flavored finishes! Come! Let us make haste, so we finish up and get back in time for dinner!"

While supposedly casual, dinner was quite the affair, making Kasumi pull Judea off to the side to ask, "They didn't do all of this just for our visit, did they? I mean… this is incredible!"

"And if they did?" Judea asked with a smile.

"It's too much! I mean… a fish-fry back home consists of just one type of fish thrown on a grill, maybe along with some vegetables, some sushi, some rice… and maybe some rice wine. This is…" She paused and looked around one more time. "… all more than a bit overwhelming."

Miranda chuckled. "Don't tease her, Judea. You have to remember how private a person Kas is. Even if it is a normal Saturday evening for House T'Sere, having the entire clan here… all at the same time… from Kasumi's perspective?" More serious, she looked at Kasumi and added, "Just do not cloak. The commandos do not know you like those of House T'Soni do… but, even there, Shepard warned you about the risks of that, yes?"

"Heard and understood, Miranda." Kasumi let out a long sigh. "Perhaps it would be better if I simply retired to the shuttle for the evening?"

"Or Judea escorts you and me to the important people, so we can say hello and thank you… and then we join Dae and Teana in a quiet corner somewhere." Her eyes shifted to Judea as she added, "Even I haven't been here long enough to be introduced to everyone who lives at the plantation."

Judea's face held a slight frown as she responded, "You are correct… both of you, on all counts, and I apologize for my insensitivity to those concerns. I guess I'm just so used to it all, I don't even think about it anymore. First on the list will be the House matriarchs, Sashia and Tralis."

Upon seeing Sashia for the first time, Kasumi assumed she was positively ancient. "Just how old is the House Matriarch?" she asked quietly.

Judea raised her left brow as she began her reply. "Lady Sashia was born in the early 1200's… very early… but I do not know her exact age. What I do know is she was a commando of great note back in the day… and became a Matriarch in the same year as the Morning War."

Miranda looked at Judea in astonishment. "That was 1895! Nearly 300 years ago!"

"Which means she's roughly a millennium…" Kasumi quickly did more math in her head and added, "And her eldest daughter, Gianna is in the midst of her matriarchal transition, so must be somewhere around 700ish."

Judea nodded in approval, a smile on her face as she provided yet more information on their family tree. "Which is why Gianna runs the plantation and is heiress to House T'Sere. The Commando Captain, Jaquia, is Gianna's daughter, and just passed into her matronhood, ohhh… maybe 15 or 20 years past? And, of course, nearly everyone meets Neyna as soon as they step out of whatever vehicle brings them here. She's super busy after storms… or Reaper attacks…" she added with a wicked grin, "but general maintenance around the plantation and shipyard isn't very demanding, so she fills in for other duties, wherever and whenever is necessary."

"So," started Kasumi. "Is it a deep, dark secret, like Aethyta was for Liara, or can you tell me who everyone's father is?"

"Oh, that's Matriarch Tralis, from the shipyard," Judea stated, rather matter of fact. "She has been a fixture here since she was originally hired to run the shipyard. Back then, Sashia ran the plantation for her mother, who hired Tralis from an apprenticeship at one of the major shipyards. Back then, T'Sere was a simple repair shop, albeit one with an excellent reputation. Love at first sight, from what I've heard… bonded, and had Gianna within 14 months of Sashia making her rather quick transition to matronhood." Judea chuckled. "I'm probably getting ahead of myself, as they both love to tell that story, so you'll likely hear it all over again."

Judea's guess turned out to be spot on. After Kasumi was properly introduced to the House matriarchs, both of the older Asari were very open regarding their lives together. At one point, Sashia paused and glanced at Tralis with a sad smile. "We both love children… and my dear Tralis makes a wonderful father. Our only regret is that she has no one to carry on her family name. She is the last one… at least as far as we know."

Tralis immediately filled in the glaring gap, answering the question before it was asked. "It is not by choice, but neither does it bother me. I was involved in a vehicle crash when I was very young… only 24. It damaged my still-forming uterus, and Asari medicine was not so advanced back then, so they could not repair it. By the time our medical technology advanced enough to help me, my injury was too old, and everything surrounding it had atrophied beyond fixing. It is something I have lived with for a very long time, so do not feel sorry for me." She smiled happily and reached over to take her siame's hand. I am a proud father of three… and beyond happy with the family I have with Sash."

Sashia smiled and waved her free hand in dismissal. "Now, you three must have much better things to do with your time than chatting up a couple of aging matriarchs. Go! Enjoy your time here with your friends and family… and tell Dae and Tea hello for us!"

Oasia, Ilos, Refuge – 1 Jun 2191

"Good morning, Liara!" The enthusiastic greeting came through the link as Dean Tevany's smiling face resolved on the screen. "I hope all is well on Ilos?"

"It is, thank you very much." Liara could not stop a wide grin from spreading across her own face as she continued, "I assume my monthly update was waiting for you upon your arrival in your office this morning?"

"If I am to be honest, I saw it pop in last night and took a quick peek… immediately realizing I would be calling you first thing this morning. The update is positively stunning!" The dean shook her head in disbelief. "I cannot believe the Geth – Sorry, long-seated habits tend to linger – the SILC managed to decode some of the Inusannon language!"

"It is only a start… and still very much a hypothesis, Dean Tevany." Even with her cautionary statement, Liara could not stop smiling. "While it seems the SILC have identified the most commonly used words, we still need to develop context, to determine exactly what those common words are… and there is an immense amount of analysis yet to be done before we can truly say we have the beginnings of a workable codex."

"Of course, Liara." Tevany's smile faded slightly as she continued, "You do, of course, realize the moment there is a breakthrough, I expect you to come home to present your findings to the University Board of Archaeology… yes?"

"I…" Liara's smile vanished, and she blinked in surprise. "I did not think of that… so, I suppose, no. I did not realize this would necessitate my immediate return home. Such a presentation would involve lengthy preparation and travel time, which could conflict with my duties here, as the Ambassadorial Cultural Attaché; particularly now, with the number of Batarian arrivals expected to increase exponentially over the next few months."

"Understood, Liara." Tevany simply nodded and continued, "Given the circumstances, it can certainly wait for a bit. I imagine, though, that with the SILC processing power, they will have it solved in relatively short order. So, you should be prepared to do the presentation sometime this year or early next… perhaps during your planned trip back to Thessia over your winter holiday time?"

The dean chuckled at the look on Liara's face. "Oh, come now, Doctor. You'll be here anyway, so you might as well combine the trips and save yourself some travel time. Saleesha seems to be progressing quite nicely, both in her archaeological studies and in her leadership skills, based on your latest report. With Rasha at her side, I imagine she could easily run the dig site for a couple of extra weeks while you are here. You'll even have your August anniversary trip to give her a trial run… with the months of September and October to correct any deficiencies, before you head home again."

"You have apparently given this much more thought than I have, Dean Tevany." Liara released a sigh of resignation. "And why do I feel this is all in preparation for something more, following my presentation?"

Tevany chuckled, her grin returning as she replied, "Because you are very perceptive, Liara… and very correct. Honestly..." Her laughter stopped and her grin softened into a simple smile. "You are the best archaeological student to come through this university in centuries, Liara T'Soni. Despite everyone on your review board disliking your theories, you presented them anyway… and brought a good enough case to receive your doctorate… your dual doctorates, plural. None of the senior reviewers supported you, no one offered to fund your continued research… even so, you did it anyway."

Here, Tevany paused; any semblance of merriment faded as she continued, "And worse yet, you were correct… with the Reapers showing up to rain death and destruction upon the galaxy. Had anyone paid attention to what you were saying, we could have been better prepared. The Archives may have been opened to you earlier…" She stopped and closed her eyes for a moment before continuing, "And, I am loathe to admit, your mother may not have been driven to attempt stopping Saren Arterius on her own; she may have had help… a lot of help."

Liara drew a shaky, surprised breath, somewhat shocked at the dean's words, but was instantly calmed by a silent ping through the link. Following a silent 'thank you,' Liara replied, "I tend to believe things happen the way they do for a reason, Dean Tevany. While it is true, just perhaps, my mother could still be with us… the war would have still been fought, no matter how prepared we were, or were not. Had things been different, I may not have been alone in that ruin on Therum, and I may not have needed rescue by Commander Shepard. With those differing circumstances, Samantha and I may not have teamed up. Without Shepard and I working so effectively together, as a team, the war could have ended very differently… very badly."

Tevany "Yes, I suppose there is much truth to that; more than I care to admit."

"But it did not happen that way." Liara smiled wistfully and quietly continued, "The Reaper War was horrible beyond description… but I will admit to very much appreciating the final outcome of our trials, even if my mother did end up sacrificing herself for all of our futures… along with many other persons of every race. Now, however, the entire galaxy has a chance at a new start, with more – and better – cooperation between the various races, we have a chance at a brighter future than ever before."

"And thoughts like that are exactly why I want you to present your findings, Liara." Tevany paused, a light smirk playing at the corners of her lips as she asked, "Do you know the requirements for becoming a full professor, Liara?"

"Well, of course I do. First one must successfully complete their final presentation to the board of advisors to earn their doctorate, then…" Liara paused, seeing the amused expression resolving on the dean's face. It took only a moment before Liara's eyes opened wide in surprise. "You can't be serious! I've only been employed by the University for what? Not even a year and a half?"

"Of course, I'm serious, Liara!" Tevany laughed joyfully at Liara's astonishment. "Albeit a rather unconventional research path, you discovered more about the Protheans in the past 20 years than most researchers manage in their fields over their entire multi-century careers! Then, to top it all off, you found survivors! Living, breathing Protheans who can tell their own stories and reveal to us even older races! By the Goddess, Liara! Then, to top off your unofficial resumé, you are more mature and more responsible than any of the matrons currently in our numerous doctoral programs. Why would Serrice not offer you a full professorship?"

"Because I am so young!" Liara actually frowned. "And what would that even mean for me? I enjoy what I am doing here, and don't know if I am either ready or willing to settle into a full-time teaching job… not at the moment, certainly… and, once I am ready, who would run the research program here?"

Tevany couldn't seem to stop smiling. "That's why we haven't yet extended the offer… not officially, anyway. You need time to come to terms with your brilliance, your… exceptionalism. As for who will replace you, you will train Saleesha to take over for you. According to all of your reports, she is progressing very quickly through the program markers you have established… and has happily stepped in as interim lead for short periods of time."

"But that is under Rasha's supervision…"

"Who has proven herself an excellent teacher, has she not?" Tevany grinned, knowing she was about to gain another point in favor of her decision. "Did she not train Calixte Druas, who you say is doing wonders with the artifact cataloging and preservation?"

"Alright, alright. I'll speak with both Sal and Rasha as soon as it seems right." Liara shook her head in semi-defeat. "But it has to be on my timeline and all three of us…" She paused to give Shepard a quick glance before continuing, "… and Shepard, so four of us, must agree we believe it is the best way forward for everyone involved; not just for the research and the University of Serrice College of Archaeology. Only then will I take the proposal to the Ambassador and the Prothean leadership."

"If that is your answer, then I have to accept your terms, Liara." Tevany actually managed to smile as she made her reply.

"Though, I will again remind you of my other position here, as the Cultural Attaché." Liara drew a deep breath before continuing, "We have just begun preparations for a major Batarian resettlement, based on the Council's offer of clemency for any of their race who care to become citizens of Ilos. We identified a Batarian representative, whose initial recruiting efforts have been far more successful than we had anticipated. So, for that project to be successful, the ambassador will need both Shepard and I for an indeterminate period of time. As such, we cannot even begin to consider starting discussions regarding your university proposal… not until the Batarian resettlement project reaches some semblance of normalcy."

"Understood, Liara." The dean gave an understanding nod. "No matter your timeline, I can guarantee the offer will remain open to you. The chancellor is very adamant that we do whatever necessary to retain you at a position within the Serrice University system. However, you must know that whatever your answer, it will not affect our relationship. I understand what you have endured over the past few years, and I hold the utmost respect for you and everything you suffered. I will offer the same level of respect to whatever decision you may come to regarding your future." Tevany gave her an earnest smile. "It is your future, after all… so it is you who must choose the path."