A/N: Shorter than normal chapter this week… between my work and weather, things the past two weeks did not go as planned, but we still wanted to deliver something on the regular schedule… and came to a place that made a good breaking point. Hope you enjoy it!

Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

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

Shifts of Perspective

Serrice University, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 10 Aug 2192

With everything going on at the research site on Thessia, the return student trip hadn't happened, so they had ended up going to Sol over the last weekend of July, which was not nearly as much fun – and nowhere near as rewarding – as the previous location. The site had long-since been picked over by looters so, if nothing else, Liara used it as a demonstration of what happens when archaeologic sites are discovered by 'other than professionals,' particularly the damage they do to items they believe of little value.

Common items that were used every day and may have had a story to tell about the people using them lay scattered in pieces across the floors, many with indications they had been used for target practice… or simply destroyed because it met the looters' definition of 'fun.' Liara scoffed as she explained her observations to the students. One of them made a comment regarding Shepard seeming to be an exception to the barbarism of the rest of her race. To that, Liara had responded with basically the same comment Shepard had at their luncheon following their initial Prothean presentation at the University.

"All races have their criminal element and we Asari are no different." Liara had shaken her head, the disgust in her voice evident. "There will always be those who believe their path through life is to take from others, rather than earn their gains on their own merit."

Now back at the university and with finals complete, Liara was extremely busy grading, trying to finish up so she wouldn't have to work through the weekend. Even with Glyph doing the technical scoring, she still had to write up the finishing assessments for all sixty students. Her anniversary trip with Samantha was upon them and the last thing she wanted to be doing was entering final grades into the system when they were supposed to be departing for the resort. A knock on the door grabbed her attention just before the panel slid to the side; of some surprise, the person requesting admittance was none other than Professor Alayna – the Asari with whom she had a brief altercation, her very first week on campus.

Liara rose from her chair and fixed the professor with something of a cold stare, declaring, "Now is not a good time. I am attempting to complete the grading of my students' finals, as I am supposed to be departing on an anniversary trip with my bondmate, first thing Monday morning."

"Apologies, Doctor T'Soni… but I simply have something to say to you before this semester completely escapes us… and your First deemed my purpose worthy of the interruption, else I am confident I never would have made it to your door."

"True enough." Liara nodded in agreement. "Say your piece."

Alayna drew a deep breath, then continued, "Primarily, I am sorry. I spoke out of turn our starting day, without knowing the true circumstances. I do my research, Doctor… so after your First challenged me… and you gave me names of people to speak with… well, I did so. I was wrong and I want you to know I am very sorry I offended you with my ignorance. Your mother was a great Asari, and never again shall her name be besmirched by me… nor will I allow ignorant rumors to pass by without speaking up for your mother and your family name. The Asari owe much more to Matriarch Benezia and House T'Soni… including you, now… than what is commonly known. Secondly, even if you do not like to speak of it, I most certainly will, because what House T'Soni has done deserves the recognition it currently lacks. As much as you may not like it, you have earned your place in history."

"Thank you, Alayna… I appreciate the intent, but we – being Shepard and me – receive much more attention, along with all the interruptions it causes in our lives, than we care to. We simply want to enjoy our victory by living whatever remains of our time on this mortal plane in peace."

Alyna smiled softly. "That is very difficult when heroes walk amongst us. You are part of history now… as your First so adamantly pointed out to me. Contemporary history is my forte, and I would be remiss if I did not include the significant events of the previous decade in my teachings. The war, its challenges… and the primary participants who overcame them… cannot be skipped, nor written out of history. Surely you know this."

Liara sighed and gestured to the small sitting area in the corner of her office. "Can we sit?"

"I thought you were too busy, trying to get out of town?" Alayna chuckled and smiled, shaking her head. "Relax a bit, Liara. I can't just change my curriculum on a whim. Just as you did, I need to request the revisions through the board…" She paused and canted her head slightly as she added, then asked, "And, if it is okay with you, I would like a chance to actually sit down with you and Captain Shepard… to get the full, unadulterated truth about the fight with the Reapers. If I am going to revise the curriculum correctly, I need to do my research. I realize there are likely many painful memories involved, but… would this be possible after your return?"

Liara's brow wrinkled as she chatted very quickly with Shepard via the link, finally answering after a few moments, through which Alayna waited patiently, simply believing Liara was thinking about her request. "We would likely be amenable to that. However, to be fair, you would need to get everyone's perspective. So, we could help you get an appointment with Raesia Tevos… and she could likely help you with the other councilors. Dominic Osoba could possibly help you speak with an Alliance representative but, unfortunately, many of the principles did not survive… like Admiral Hackett, ex-Councilor Udina, and Admiral Anderson. Perhaps you could speak with Fleet Admiral Ines Lindholm. She is actually a personal friend now… so Samantha could likely help you obtain an appointment with her. Ines does enjoy visiting us at the Estate on occasion… so, just maybe, we could invite her for an informal chat on neutral territory?"

"By the Goddess, Liara!" Alayna simply stared at her, open-mouthed for a moment, before pulling her chin back up and finishing her thought. "You really do know just about everyone in a position of power, don't you?"

"We worked with every one of them… for nearly every race." She chuckled and grinned as she added, "I am being quite serious… if you're brave enough and would care to hear the Krogan perspective, I could even arrange for you to have a chat with Urdnot Wrex and Bakara." With a small chuckle at the expression on Alayna's face, she added, "Wrex likes to sound tough, but he's just a big stuffy toy when it comes to Shepard and me."

Alayna had to laugh at the picture that formed in her mind, while shaking her head at the same time. "I think if I speak with the Krogan, it would be with you and Shepard at my side. I am not nearly so brave as the two of you!" She looked away to glance at the door. "And I have taken much more of your time than I anticipated. Get your grading done and enjoy your retreat! There will be plenty of time to discuss this upon your return… and Liara?"

She waited until Liara's eyes met hers before she finished. "I truly was an idiot and I hope you can forgive my horrible lapse in judgment. Everyone I spoke to had nothing but good to say about both you and Shepard… and the minister certainly set me straight regarding your mother. I feel honored to know you. Going forward, I hope to be a much better colleague to you than I was this semester."

"I would like that… being colleagues… and then, just maybe, we could work on becoming friends." Liara smiled, adding, "Just so you know, Shepard and I are tired of being treated as heroes. We just did what needed to be done when no one else would. And, quite honestly, we didn't do it for anyone other than ourselves and the ones we love. We wanted our future… so, quite simply, we just couldn't let the Reapers win."

Alayna's face held a thoughtful smile as she nodded and answered, "I can understand that. Fighting for what you love is one of the most powerful motivations known… and I am very, very glad you and Shepard found the strength you needed to win the war. Thank you… both for what you've done and your willingness to hear me out. Enjoy your retreat, and I look forward to seeing you again, next semester."

With that, Alayna stood and quickly made her exit. Liara simply sat and watched her go, thoughts tumbling about her mind in a bit of confusion, hardly believing her fellow professor had made such a turnaround. She smiled and shook her head, returning her attention to her screen. These final student assessments aren't going to write themselves, and I have no intention of being late to my own anniversary trip!

Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, Sanves, Athena Nebula – 15 Aug 2192

Liara had finished up and they had easily made their departure time, largely due to Shepard and the rest of House T'Soni making sure everything was packed and ready to go. Lyessa had dispatched the necessary transports to pick up the various guests and they had all arrived in a timely fashion, including Sal, Rix, and the entire archaeological team. With all the activity surrounding the arrival of the new batch of Protheans, they were actually happy to get away for a while.

Even though some had just arrived the night before, Liara had arranged with Matriarch Marisha for a special expedition on the day of their actual anniversary, with the resort's tracker, Tarrenis 'Duke'Dukette, and the new nature guide, Tatharae 'Rae' Makeshi. Everyone who came along for the trip would be going… except Liara and Shepard – and, of course, Riana and the Personal Guard. Liara made it clear that they would either go on the expedition or find other 'outside' entertainment for the day, as staying in the compound with the honeymooning couple was not an option. She had finished the announcement with, "It's a resort. There are many, many excursions and things to do for the day. Go… shop, see a show, explore all your options… and please don't take it personally, but we don't want to see anyone back here until night fall."

Several chuckled, understanding the couple's desire for some modicum of privacy, teasing them both just a bit before cordially acquiescing to the request – which was good, seeing as they really had no choice in the matter. As the last taxi departed, Liara looked at Shepard somewhat coyly. "Are you ready for this?"

Shepard couldn't prevent the blush that spread across her face as she responded, "I promised I would… as your gift… so, ready or not, I'm going to do it."

"Can I help?"

Shepard's eyes widened for just a second before she chuckled and nodded. "I suppose so. Wouldn't be the first time you helped me get naked."

As Liara slowly reached across the gap and started to undo the buttons on her bondmate's shirt, Shepard smiled softly and whispered, "You know, Rio had… still has, I guess… clothing optional sections on the beach, but I could never make myself do it. It simply made me feel, I don't know, too vulnerable? It's weird, and really hard to explain, for me, anyway."

"I find it hard to think of you as vulnerable, no matter the circumstances… except for when I think of your heart. You've had it broken a time or two in your life. My goal is to make sure that never happens again, except when caused by the nature of old age. That's one we have yet to conquer… though you're making a good run at it." Liara added the last part with a grin as she undid the last button, then untucked Samantha's shirt and pulled it open so she could run the back of her hand down the woman's magnificent abs.

Shepard drew a sharp breath at the coolness of Liara's hand against her hot skin, in great contrast to the warm summer day. "You're a terrible tease, T'Soni."

"Who's teasing?"

Recognizing the Asari's playful tone, Shepard could feel herself relaxing under Liara's gentle touch. "You are, and you know it. I have never skinny-dipped, even when I was younger… mostly, I think, because that's really tough to do in space, where I lived most of my life. It just wasn't a normal or routine thing for me to do. Aunt Karin, Mom and I were vacationing in Rio one summer, and I remember the group of Sol kids I was hanging with teasing the hell out of me, because I wouldn't shed my clothes and jump in the ocean butt naked. We were all maybe… fifteen or sixteen?" Shepard shook her head and chuckled. "I guess I cemented their beliefs that spacer kids were weird… well, different from them, at the very least."

At that, Liara laughed. "You are still different than most Humans I know, and that is a good thing. Certainly nothing to be embarrassed or self-conscious about." Turning away, she said, "My turn."

It took only a moment or two for exactly what her Ionúin Álainn was talking about to register in Samantha's mind. She smiled and stepped close before reaching up to slowly draw the zipper on the back of Liara's gown down to her waist. She induced shivers to race up and down Liara's spine by feathering soft kisses across the exposed pebbly skin.

"Now who's teasing?" whispered the suddenly breathless Asari.

"I'm going to let you finish getting undressed while I get out of my pants," Shepard chuckled. "Then, I'll join you in the pool."

Later in the evening, Liara and Sam sat in the private hot tub in their quarters, simply chatting about the day and about life in general. They spoke of how much Liara enjoyed being a professor, now that she had survived her first full semester, and how much Shepard was enjoying playing second fiddle to the leader of House T'Soni. Finally, they got around to speaking of the war and the request from Alayna.

"As much as we both hate the idea, Alayna has a point," agreed Shepard. "The answer has to be yes… but getting some of those meetings arranged won't be exactly easy. It's gonna take time… but it could also make for some amazing guest speaker opportunities, don't you think?"

"Goddess. That thought never crossed my mind! If anyone is willing to talk about the war, she could have people come speak about their experiences… contemporary history quite literally brought to life in the classroom!" Liara looked at her in amazement. "You see! This is exactly why I keep you around, Shepard. You come up with the most fabulous ideas."

Shepard shook her head, her smile fading as she remembered their most recent speaking engagement, with the one idiot in the audience asking such personal questions and nearly ruining what should have been a triumphant day for Liara. "Yeah. Just no question-and-answer periods after they speak."

"Certainly not for us, anyway." Sensing Shepard's thoughts, Liara rolled her eyes and added, "And yes, I agree. We are never doing that again." Her smile returned as she met the positively endearing gaze of her bondmate. "So… I'm about ready to call our anniversary date complete, Siame. You ready to go to bed?"

"The night is still young, Liara, so that depends on the purpose of your question." Shepard grinned. "By our standard, it's early yet. Are you at all sleepy?"

Liara chuckled happily as she responded, "Not in the slightest."

Aletheia, Chasca, Matano – 22 Aug 2192

The entire vacation had been a lovely break from routine, particularly for Liara, with Shepard making her best effort to embrace Asari customs more fully. They also had some excellent quality time with the entire archaeological team, getting to know one another on a much more personal basis. Being far away from the dig site, Liara had placed a temporary ban on speaking about work; as it turned out, it was a rule that had been violated a number of times. The recent discovery of yet more Prothean stasis pods – right there on Thessia – was simply too exciting a topic to ignore.

Surprisingly, when their vacation was over and the team was in transit to return to Ilos, the Asari Council of Governesses had opted to declare the pyramid ruins a Prothean City-State, independent of Asari control. They basically ceded the entire pyramid site to the Protheans – an act of good faith – to deal with however they saw fit. Jorè Lentos had immediately accepted, just before asking for enough territory surrounding the archaeological site to build permanent housing… along with permission to turn the entire site into the first Prothean Embassy on the Asari homeworld. That particular request immediately caused a firestorm within the Galactic Council, with the Turians and Salarians suddenly wanting the same arrangements.

Shepard couldn't stop laughing when she heard Jorè had deadpanned his response without a moment's hesitation. From what Tevos told them, he had turned to Councilor Valern, who was the most vocal of the group, and said, "Certainly. We will do so the moment one of you finds a Prothean pyramid on your world, with live Protheans still in stasis within it, and turn it over to us with an appropriately sized parcel for us to work with, without demanding a single credit in compensation… just as the Asari have done without our prompting. That is a true demonstration of trust and friendship that can lead to such an arrangement."

Quentius had then apparently sputtered, "That's preposterous! We have never located any pyramids anywhere on Palaven! That condition is impossible to meet!"

"I never specified Palaven. Ever located one on any of your settled planets?" Jorè asked. "It does not necessarily need to be your homeworld."

"But an embassy would need to be on Palaven! That is where our government is!" Quentius blinked a few times before adding, "Anywhere else would be ridiculous!"

"If you truly believe that, in this age of interstellar travel and vid communication capabilities, when you can speak with someone on the other side of the galaxy within moments, or in person within a few days travel…" He shrugged and shook his head before adding, "Then you are still living very much under the limitations of the past, and do not deserve to have an embassy with us."

Tevos had simply started laughing at that point, unable to continue her narration. When she finally got herself under control, she added, "I couldn't believe the look on Quentius' face! Oh, by the Goddess, I have never seen him so… undeniably angry. It was a sight!"

"Holy shit! What the hell happened after that?" Shepard was incredulous that Jorè would actually say something like that to anyone, much less a galactic councilor.

"Honestly? Not much!" Tevos grinned. "Quentius was so mad he couldn't even manage to form a full sentence… and Jorè didn't really give him much of a chance. Your Prothean friend stood up, thanked the rest of us for our time, and walked out. He did pause at the door just long enough to say that when the time came, he would speak only with Primarch Victus directly, whenever the Turians were honestly ready to begin negotiations, rather than dictate terms. A blink later, he was out the door and gone."

"Oh… my." Liara, who had remained quiet throughout the telling, leaned back in her chair, and asked, "Is it horrible of me to wish I could have seen that in person?"

That question simply made everyone break out into nearly hysterical laughter again. Eventually, it was Samantha who commented, "Gods, T'Soni! You really do have a wicked sense of humor when you let it run. You're killing me!"

"It shouldn't surprise you at all, Shepard." With a sly grin on her face, Liara looked at the woman sitting next to her at the comm terminal. "Just who do you think I learned it from?"

"Okay, I've got to give you that one." Shepard managed to quell her laughter to intermittent giggling as she explained, "Council sessions are recorded on video, Blue. If we're unable to obtain or view a copy with Tevos help, I'm sure our Ms Traynor can acquire a copy for us."

Liara's look of amazement brought another round of solid laughter from Shepard. "Samantha! I find it hard to believe you would sanction something so… illegal!"

Before Samantha could respond, Tevos chuckled and replied, "I am confident I can get you a copy of the entire session without trouble, Liara. After all, it was not a closed session, so we had an audience in the balconies… and, anything they can see in open session will be made public. I'll simply send an advance copy to Ambassador Colis, immediately, before anyone thinks to retract it, in part or in its entirety. As you are still technically on his staff as his Prothean Cultural Attaché, and you just happen to be arriving at the colony within a couple of hours…" Tevos grinned. "Well, you get the point. Once you make your transit to the colony, go straight to the embassy and ask to view it. Actually, ask Furant to view it with you, as it holds significant political importance that he needs to know about… before the Dalatrasses think to pressure him for help."

Even before Liara responded, Shepard was nodding. Of course, Liara received Sam's input via the link, so answered Rae's unasked question immediately. "We'll do that as soon as we land. He always meets us on the ramp, so we'll simply tell him we have a small bit of business that cannot wait." She glanced at Shepard quickly before looking back at Tevos and adding, "Assuming he isn't already on a call, just as we are currently speaking with you."

"True enough." Tevos nodded sharply. "And, with that, I'll let you go. You can't leave the relay until we quit talking, so I'll let you be on your way. Call me tomorrow if something significant happens, so the Council can be ready."

"Certainly," answered Liara. "I'll call you either way, simply so you don't have to wonder."

"Thank you, Liara. Safe journeys!"

With her last statement, the screen went black. Shepard gave Liara a nod and tapped her comm unit. "We're done, Lus. Take us to Ilos, please, with all possible speed… something has come up and we need to speak with Ambassador Colis as soon as possible."

"Understood, Captain. New arrival time will be…" The thrusters engaged and the ship immediately began accelerating as Lusmeni paused in her sentence, finally finishing, "… approximately 1920 hours, Captain. Best I can do is shave about forty minutes… and the Ambassador will likely be at dinner, so I will send a burst update regarding our new arrival time, before we're out of range of the relay transmitter."

"Thanks, Lus. Appreciate it. I didn't even think about that."

"Speaking of dinner… once we make speed, set auto and alarms, then join us for the meal."

Both Liara and Shepard could hear the smile in her voice as Lusmeni asked, "Have you already made your noodles, sauce, and garlic bread?"

"Yup."

"Sweet! I'll be back there in just a few minutes!"

Shepard grinned and looked at Liara, shaking her head as she asked, "It's just simple noodles and sauce. What is it with Asari and spaghetti?"