Notes:

A Grá - My Love (Gaelic)

Anam Cara - Soul Friend/Mate (Gaelic)

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

Transitions

T'Soni House Armali, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 11 May 2190

"So…" Liara had explained their situation and proceeded with what she assumed to be a rather innocuous query. "How do you feel about us accepting the Council's proposal?"

"I don't see why you have to get your tits in such a twist over this." Aethyta growled in annoyance. "They have plenty of Spectres, so just fucking say 'no' for a change. You don't have to support the damned Council every minute of every day and single-handedly hold up their entire fucking plan for galactic order. Let someone else do their Goddess-be-damned work for a change!"

"Thyta!" Mozia rolled her eyes. "Don't you think that is overstating the matter a bit? As you well know, Liara and Shepard are already going to be there anyway and, with their skills and experience, are an obvious fit for the task. I can easily understand why they were asked."

"Overstating?" Aethyta growled out a rough laugh. "Fuck no. If anything, I'm understating! The Council used and abused Benezia until the day she fucking died… and Shepard's been to her own Human Hell and back, dying and being resurrected – twice for Goddess' sake, and she and Liara have already pulled their Council asses out of a fucking burning eezo pit more times than I can count!" She waved her hands in frustration and continued, "And for what? Just so they can stick their needy little hands out and keep asking for more? Fuck 'em! They've used up their favors with House T'Soni. Tell 'em to take a damned long walk off a short pier and ask someone else to take care of this one, for a change."

"So, Aethyta…" Shepard was almost crying, laughing hard before finally wheezing out, "Tell us how you really feel." Her sentence was broken by bits of laughter over the Matriarch's rather animated response regarding them becoming a Council Emissary team. "That has to be the Krogan in you coming out!"

"And don't be such a damned smart-ass, Shepard, or I'll change my mind about you being good enough for Liara and head-butt you into the next fucking century!" She sounded angry, but Shepard's comment actually was kind of on point and it made the aging matriarch crack a smile.

The smile lasted only a moment before Aethyta turned back to the House Regent. "Seriously, Moz. Let me mention the few incidents I can think of off the top of my head, and then you can tell me if you still agree this is a good idea. For starters, look at what happened on Parnack. Then, Shepard's first contact with the Collectors over Alchera. We also know the results of Nezzie and her Commandos trying to steer Saren to a 'gentler path,' and lastly… and more to the point, the attitude and actions of the only Prothean they came into physical contact with… Javik. His smug, imperialistic-self stabbed and poisoned Shepard… and just may have succeeded in killing her if my Little Wing hadn't arrived in time to turn him into a fucking jellied sponge sack." She huffed in disgust. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired of the Council risking our kids' lives against forces we know little to nothing about! We are no longer in the middle of the Goddess-be-damned Reaper War and Liara and Shepard deserve time to enjoy the future they secured!"

It was apparent to Liara that Mozia had become more convinced with each one of Aethyta's points. Now, looking at it from her father's point of view, she unexpectedly found herself in complete agreement, as did Shepard, if what Liara felt through the link was any indication. She was about to say as much when Mozia shook off her surprise and responded, "I take it back, Aethyta. In this case, you are absolutely correct. We should exercise caution."

The Regent drew a deep breath and blinked very slowly before shifting her gaze to settle upon the true leader of House T'Soni. "Given your father's points of fact, I must say I suddenly find myself in agreement with her, Liara. As of yet, you have no heir. If something… unfortunate… were to befall you, it would be the end of the T'Soni line and, by default, your great house. Therefore, in my official capacity as Regent, I strongly recommend declining the Council's offer, no matter your particular skillset or language knowledge. I believe conducting the initial research to locate the Protheans would be acceptable but oppose you acting as an Emissary or making any type of initial contact."

"Thank you, Matriarch." Liara smiled softly and nodded. "You will not get any complaints from me over your recommendation. As much as I thought we needed to do this, Dad has just made a rather pointed argument as to why we should not. As she stated, we are no longer at war and this is not about life and death, as were our actions when the Reapers invaded." She released a sigh of relief; an emotion that was somewhat unexpected given her and Shepard's previous decision. She immediately knew they had made the decision based solely on their sense of duty… one which, for Liara, had come from her mother's constant droning about duty to the house and, for Shepard, came with her military upbringing.

It had taken Aethyta's impassioned diatribe to make Liara see the other side of the argument. Over the past few years, everyone had taken on certain responsibilities and abnormally high levels of risk, but Liara now realized they had already taken on more than their fair share. It truly was someone else's time to step up and take over; the passing of the torch, so to say. "I will inform the Council that we must decline the appointment and confirm that I…" Liara's focus shifted to Shepard for only an instant before she continued, "… that we will share any information we discover regarding the Prothean base location, if and when we manage to discern it. We will then do simple station-keeping until their chosen Emissary arrives on site to make first contact."

"As for the language barrier," Shepard added, "I suppose I could still act as a translator, even remotely if necessary. But we shouldn't forget how quickly Javik learned our language… simply through touch."

"Agreed," responded Liara. "If I am not going to risk my life during first contact, I most certainly won't risk yours either, Samantha." Liara couldn't help the sheepish smile that slipped onto her lips nor the blush showing at the edges of her collar as she added, "You're an important half of the T'Soni heir equation. I have no intentions of completing that part of my responsibilities to House T'Soni without your contribution."

With a loud guffaw, Aethyta practically shouted with glee. "That's my girl!"

Even Mozia laughed and shook her head, whispering, "May the Goddess save us all!" before guiding the conversation in a new direction. "With that now decided, how about we move to the reception room and have the discussion you actually came here for… finalizing and approving the agenda for Nayla and Lyana's upcoming bonding ritual. As hard as it is to believe, it is less than two weeks away!"

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 17 May 2190

Liara's eyes cracked open but wanted to immediately roll back into her head with the sensations that were emanating from her lower region. She gasped, "Goddess!" and arched upward into the skilled strokes that already had her dripping. "I thought I was in a dream!"

{It started that way, T'Soni… but dream-share something like that while I'm awake, and it's not going to stay a dream for long!} Samantha's chuckle caused an additional vibration that almost tipped her quickly over the top, except for the quick nip at a rather sensitive location.

"Aahhh!" Liara immediately dropped her hips in a late attempt to get away, adding, "That's not nice, Shepard!" All thoughts of what was and wasn't nice vanished in a flash as her siame immediately resumed her previous ministrations. It was then that Liara felt the gentle sweep across her left butt cheek. Shepard's hand was moving upward, then sliding gently into her lower back folds, sending the Asari into waves of pleasure. Her eyes went obsidian as Shepard merged into her awakened mind through the link, as well as expanding her touch to the physical locations that the woman was teasing and tantalizing with her expert fingers.

"Shepard! I'm… I'm…" Liara stuttered for a moment before her body shuddered in what she thought was a final pleasure pulse as she squeaked, "By the Goddess!"

Even as she came, Shepard did not relent, raising her quickly to a second and then a third peak before Liara finally collapsed into the sheets, sweaty and spent, gasping for breath. Unable to keep her eyes open, she slipped easily into an exhausted slumber.

When her eyes did open once more, Shepard was still at her side, a loving smile on her face as her hand drew lazy circles on Liara's abdomen. "Good morning, Blue."

"Yes, it most definitely is." Liara felt a pang, but only as a memory when one of Shepard's circles dipped a little lower, and she chuckled. "I do not believe that is a physical possibility at the moment, Samantha… at least not until I eat something to regain my strength."

"I couldn't have worn you out that fast, T'Soni," she answered with one of her absolutely adorable lopsided grins. "I know you have far more stamina than that!"

Reaching up to gently trace her bondmate's lips with a blue fingertip, Liara sighed in contentment. "Did you forget I am still recovering, Sam… another what? Nine or ten days?"

"Ah, shit. You're right; I honestly did forget… but only because you have been doing so well."

Liara's heart suddenly ached at Shepard's look of chagrin, so she sat up and placed a kiss on the lips she had just been tracing. "Truly, it's alright, Sam. I was just teasing you. I did not mean for you to feel badly about it." She smiled softly and kissed her again, longer the second time, slipping her tongue out to take over the task her finger had been doing. "I certain don't. This morning was positively magnificent."

She placed a hand in the middle of Shepard's chest and pushed the woman over gently onto her back, the teasing smile disappearing from her lips as they moved to say, "And now, turnabout is fair play, Captain. It's your turn. Prepare yourself for payback."

As Liara dived into her, body and soul, Shepard let out a groan of anticipation. "Bring it on, T'Soni…"

It was nearly lunchtime when they awoke again, both starving, but happily content. "Goddess, how I've missed that, Samantha." Liara traced the woman's jaw with a finger and placed yet another soft kiss on welcoming lips. Contented smiles resided on both of their faces as Liara turned to sit up in the bed, hanging her legs over the side. "Join me in a shower, so we can be presentable enough to get something to eat in the kitchen?"

"You know I wouldn't miss that for the world!" Shepard rolled out and headed for the shower. Glancing over her shoulder, she smirked, "You know I'm talking about lunch, right?"

"Oh, you!"

She hastened her steps as Liara chased her to the bath.

They had remained busy most of the afternoon, completing a final validation of Liara's most desired personnel list and sending the initial team invitations. They had then planned some semblance of a route for all the locations they currently knew possessed Prothean technology. It wasn't until after dinner when Liara remembered what day it was, her mood immediately turning more somber. She looked at Shepard, suddenly realizing exactly what the woman had been doing since they had awakened – the first time. "You have purposely been keeping me occupied all day, haven't you?"

"It almost worked, didn't it?" Shepard smiled guiltily and shrugged. "I suppose maybe it could have if we hadn't stopped working, but we both needed to eat."

Liara drew a deep breath and sighed softly. "Yes, we did, and I truly do appreciate the effort, Sam. It made the day remarkably… pleasant." She stood slowly and held out a hand. "Walk with me?"

Shepard hummed quietly in acceptance and joined her without hesitation, taking the offered hand. "You know I will; always."

Barely a week had passed since they had last been there, but they made their way through the gardens to Lady Benezia's memorial just the same, to sit once more upon the stone bench. Liara couldn't hold back the tears that trickled slowly down her cheeks. "It is hard to believe it was seven years ago today."

"I know. Looking back, it seems the time has flown by." Shepard shook her head in disbelief. "Even though while everything was happening, it seemed like there would never be enough time to finish what we needed to do but, somehow, we managed."

Liara felt more so than heard the appreciation in her siame's voice, so she voiced what they were both thinking. "We succeeded because we did it together."

Shepard smiled softly. "We do make one Hell of a team, don't we?"

"Yes, we do." Liara sat quietly for a few moments, contemplating how seven years could fly by so quickly, and her meltdown only a week ago seemed to be already fading into the past.

Shepard caught the thoughts and reached over to take her hand. "It's okay, Liara. That was a random event, caused by a nightmare brought on by the unexpected discussion of your mother." She huffed in disgust before continuing, "The Council could have easily asked the same of us without Valern bringing her into the discussion. With their short life span and rapid processing, I don't think he realizes how much the loss of a parent hurts longer-lived species. I mean… seven years to an Asari is barely a blink in a thousand years, but to a Salarian? It's nearly twenty percent of their entire lifespan. They have to process and forget it quickly, or it could be crippling."

Liara understood the logic, but it didn't honestly ease the ache in her heart. Even Shepard understood that no amount of science or reasoning could lessen the pain; just as it had been when her father was killed, only the passage of time could do that. It seemed a horrible thing, but Liara knew she would eventually adjust to her mother's absence; it would gradually become… normal. She released a heavy sigh and squeezed Sam's hand.

Her eyes misty but without tears, she smiled at her siame. "I love you, Samantha… and I love everyone who came with you into my life to help fill that void. Mom is a wonderful human being, and her acceptance of me goes a long way to filling the emptiness left by Mother's passing. With you and the House, we have a huge family filled with love and devotion which, sadly, many never get the opportunity to experience. I do realize just how fortunate I am… but I still have to wonder… Throughout the remainder of my life, will this date ever be a happy one?"

"It may not be exactly happy, Liara…" Sam leaned in and placed an extended kiss upon Liara's lips, leaving their foreheads touching as she concluded, "… but, it doesn't need to always be a sad one, either."

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 22 May 2190

"Thank you, Lady Liara, again… for letting us use this positively beautiful beach for our ceremony, just as you did for your bonding with Captain Shepard." Ana was grinning ear-to-ear, with her new bondmate standing happily at her side, glass of Thessian Red in hand.

"Yes," said Nayla. "And thank you for the amazing gift! I still cannot believe you are giving me a full two-week absence… with a stay at the Záhrada S'Vatyne Resort, no less! Even if Matriarch Marisha is a friend of the family!"

"It's not like I would want to force you to remain at work after you've just been bonded; you both deserve time to celebrate!" Liara rolled her eyes and chuckled as she continued, "I very much doubt you would be able to stay focused on your job immediately following such an event, anyway. This is time you need away from your duties, to solidify your union."

"And no need to worry, Nayla; we've got it covered." Shepard stepped up to wrap an arm around Liara's waist. "I'm quite confident Alestia will do fine without you, otherwise she wouldn't be leading House Armali First Team. Besides, you still have Aethyta there, and it's not like Liara and I are going anywhere, either. We can always step in if a true emergency arises."

"Exactly," stated Liara. "Our invitations have gone out to my prospective expedition members, so we'll be staying right here to coordinate the arrival of those who accept the offer. Once they start flying in, we'll be here to welcome them, in person, then get them oriented and settled in. Once everyone is here, we'll begin the personnel and mission briefings, to make sure everyone is on board and honestly understands the risks we will be taking at some of our planned destinations. As you well know, they aren't exactly in the safest parts of the galaxy."

"Agreed." Nayla nodded solemnly. "Which is why I loved Councilor Tevos' adamancy about returning the T'Soni corvettes to our service, for the duration of the expeditions. I feel much better knowing they will be providing top-cover."

"But none of that is happening until long after you get back, so don't fret over it." Shepard grinned, wearing the lopsided expression that always made people wonder what she was thinking, as she added, "We're bunkering in for the duration, so you two can enjoy your stay at S'Vatyne and not worry about things here. And, again, congratulations!"

Liara and Shepard moved along so everyone else in the reception line could offer their well-wishes. Sitting at a table off to the side, they watched the beaming couple as the entirety of House T'Soni offered their felicitations. Liara felt more relaxed than she had been in decades, a peace settling into her soul, happy as could be with the woman of her dreams sitting beside her. She gently squeezed Shepard's hand. "I can't help it, but this reminds me of our bonding, Samantha."

The warmth emanating from her Anam Cara was palpable, and Shepard turned in her seat to place a gentle kiss on Liara's cheek. "Me, too, Liara." She smiled softly as she continued, "Though, they have a definite advantage over us." Liara blushed softly, hearing Samantha's unvoiced comment through the link. {While we are not quite there yet, they are old enough to think about having children!}

"Oh, Shepard…" Liara couldn't help but feel the emotions that came along with her bondmate's unspoken words. "I believe you will make an absolutely wonderful father, and it will be absolutely delightful for us to have children running about the Estate again. It has been too long since small feet have graced the gardens… be they ours or those of Nayla and Ana."

Shepard couldn't help but to smile at the thought as she answered, "They'll be ours soon enough, A Grá."

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 24 May 2190

Only one week to the day from when Liara had sent her team invitations out, Rasha Medis was stepping out of the T'Soni VIP-1 onto the parking apron of the Estate. Liara could hardly believe her Drell friend from Kahje had not only agreed to join her team but had called to tell her she was ready to depart immediately, if Liara could use her that soon. Following their excited conversation, Rasha had booked a berth on the first available transport headed to the Serpent Nebula. From there, she had been picked up by Liara's personal pilot, Lusmeni Thoni, for the short hop to the Athena Nebula and Thessia.

Liara crossed the tarmac at a fast walk, almost beating Rasha to the base of the walkway from the ship. Rasha was beaming as the two fell together in a happy embrace. As they separated, Liara smiled amicably. "Even though you likely know exactly who she is, I would be remiss if I did not properly introduce my bondmate… Captain Samantha Shepard."

"It's an honor, Captain." Rasha smiled and stuck her hand out.

"Same here, Rasha… and please, call me Shepard. All my friends do," she grinned before adding, "and if everything Liara tells me is even remotely true, of which I have no doubt, I imagine we'll be friends before long. Welcome to House T'Soni."

"Thank you, it's a pleasure to be here, Shepard. The place is positively gorgeous!" The Drell grinned happily as she turned back to her new employer. "I almost didn't believe it when I received your missive, Liara! The three hours I had to wait before I could call you nearly killed me! Damn time differences!"

"Goddess! I couldn't believe my good fortune when you answered within the first day!" Liara's heart swelled at the idea of having Rasha working at her side once again. "I mean… I honestly didn't want to run a dig without you as the Site Manager… but it's been thirteen years, Rasha! I haven't exactly been good at keeping in touch, and I was afraid you'd be angry with me, or maybe have a great job you couldn't bear to leave…" She stopped as another possibility entered her mind. "… or worse; that you didn't survive the war or its aftermath."

"Nonsense, Liara! I could never be mad at you, and Shepard ensured Kahje was safe and sound, from that lunatic diplomat! Had Zymandis succeeded, things may have turned out very differently." Rasha laughed off the Asari's concerns with a wide smile, both turning to walk toward the house – with Shepard in trail – as they continued chatting.

"When we parted, you were busy finishing your Doctorate… then, you got that incredible offer from the Guild to lead the Therum Expedition… and then, well… quite literally, the galaxy exploded!" She smiled broadly and stopped to give the Asari another hug. "And I wasn't exactly easy to locate! The Hanar recognized my skill and kept me busy at a number of sites, eventually promoting me to a regional director position. At one point, I was supervising operations at five sites."

"That's wonderful, Rasha!" It was Liara's turn to stop, a concern suddenly crossing her mind which she simply felt compelled to voice. "So… if things are going so well for you, why are you so willing to leave all of that behind, to come work for me?"

"That damned analytical mind of yours never stops, does it, Dr T'Soni?" Rasha's smile shifted to a small smirk before a poignant sadness overtook her expression. "The expulsion of the Ministers from Kahje caused quite a stir, especially among the members of the Department of Religion and, subsequently, rippled through the Department of Archaeology… largely because of the Prothean religious sites." She shook her head as she continued, "I hate to admit this, but I refuse to hide the truth from you. My presence was suddenly viewed with suspicion by those who knew I had worked with you… and who knew that we had become not just coworkers, but friends as well. I was questioned regarding our last contact and, while there was obviously no evidence to be found to the contrary, I very much doubt they honestly believed it had been more than a decade ago. There was too much speculation floating about."

"So, they suspect you of being our inside source…" Liara frowned. "Or, at the very least, believe you provided us some form of confirmation for our accusations of the Ministry's use of coercion against the Drell." She sighed, her heart suddenly aching for her friend. A flash of regret came across the link from Shepard, adding to Liara's distress over the unforeseen consequences of their action. "We are so sorry, Rasha. Did it cost you your job?"

Both Rasha's laugh and her voice were tinged with sarcasm as she responded, "They were stuck in an impossible position. If the rumors were false, there was no need to fire their best site manager… but if the rumors were true, given my supposed continuing relationship with you, they didn't dare; the political ramifications would be more than they dared chance with their pending application to the Council."

Shepard frowned and responded, "I sense that left you in a working environment which was not the most comfortable."

"No, it wasn't. Nothing at the work sites has been the same, since. My Hanar friends have distanced themselves, and the Drell who knew me… who were aware of my friendship with you… began to blame me. Not because I likely told you about the conditions there, but because they knew I had not. Many resented that I had not told you… because, given the current result, they believe there was a good chance conditions could have been improved years ago. It is like they blame me for having to live that way, unnecessarily, for the past decade."

"That's ridiculous!" Liara couldn't help but feel indignant over such an accusation, even if only implied. "Even if I had known back then, I didn't have the political clout necessary to influence change! I was nothing more than a beginning researcher, fresh out of my doctoral program!"

"I know that, Liara… and so do they." Rasha shrugged and smiled sadly. "But intellectually knowing something and being able to actually change the way you feel in your heart? That doesn't always go hand-in-hand. The resentment they felt toward me was palpable, even as undeserved as it was, so I was more than happy to get that invitation from you… an excellent reason to leave Kahje. Believe me."

"But, won't that make it worse?" Liara frowned at the implications. "They'll believe we were in contact… and that you have now run off to the safety of my House."

"My closest friends will understand, but anyone who can treat my friendship and my integrity so casually? I don't give a pile of Pyjak shit about what they think." Finding peace with the situation, Rasha flashed an honest smile and continued, "It's not like I'm ever going back. If you will have me, this will be my new home. And, if I find it necessary to leave Thessia at some point in my future, I'll not be returning to Kahje. Ever. Perhaps I'll head to the planned settlement on Rannoch."

Shepard's gaze floated across the surprise on Liara's face before looking to Rasha. "You know about that?"

"Of course, I do. There were daily announcements throughout the slums, plus Luz and I talked about it during the flight here." Rasha's grin spread happily as she continued, "It's a huge win for everyone. The disadvantaged Drell have a place to start over, with their move paid for by the Primacy, and the Hanar get rid of the blight on their honor… and their pockets." Seeing the confusion in the Human's face, Rasha explained, "They would never let us starve. If word ever got out, it would have been just as much of a public relations nightmare as the situation with the Ministers. But sustenance isn't free, even when it only comes in the form of military ration bars. If the… unsponsored… can't find a job to support themselves, they get compulsory military time equivalent to however long it takes to pay off their debts. There has never been another option until now. Because of everything that has happened, I honestly believe many Drell will be leaving as soon as they can arrange transport for their entire family… once the joint housing project officially begins on Rannoch, that is."

"Goddess," was the only word Liara was able to utter.

Shepard shook her head and huffed in absolute disgust. "Then it's a damned good thing all this came to light and Huulik and Eri came up with the idea to help out! I'd say I can't imagine what it was like… but I have witnessed some pretty horrible living conditions in my years in the military."

Liara felt surges of both guilt and relief, with all the known reasons mixing together to explain them both. Reaching over to take Shepard's hand, she replied quietly, "None of which were of your making, Samantha. Now, come, Rasha. Let's get you situated in your rooms." She smiled conspiratorially as she added, "We've put you up in the guest suite closest to our private offices, assuming we'll be talking quite a bit of business regarding equipment and camp set-ups before the rest of the team shows up."

"I'm just one Drell. Why do I get a suite?"

"Because." Liara grinned as she continued, "We can't have my senior site lead living in anything else… a simple room would be below your station. You need space to have meetings with your staff, should it become necessary."

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 27 May 2190

Over the next few days, Liara continued to receive confirmations from the staff she initially invited to join her team. Tyson Launt, the structural safety engineer, was the next to respond following Rasha, also with an enthusiastic yes and saying he would call as soon as he had a moment to breathe. Much to Liara's dismay, it turned out that a rather prominent Turian field archaeologist she had invited had not responded at all, either to the positive or to the negative. When she mentioned the name to Garrus, he regrettably informed her that Paullius Salvitus had not survived the war.

Garrus was chagrined for his friend as she told her, "I'm sorry, Liara, as Paul would have been an excellent addition to your team. From what I can tell, his daughter, Nuna, is following in his footsteps, but is a rather junior field worker… I very much doubt you want to take her to some of the places you'll be going. She is nothing like her father… at least not yet. Maybe another ten or so years of experience, but I know you won't wait for her. You can't."

After they talked long enough to get caught up with one another, Liara said her farewells. Rasha had been working at her side and obviously heard the news. "I have a possible suggestion to fill the vacant position, Liara, should you be open to it."

"Of course!" Liara looked to her friend. "I could always go back to my list and invite whoever is next, but I'm open to a new name or two, should you have them."

"My second; another female Drell by the name of Calixte Druas." Rasha grinned. "She knows everything I ever learned, from both you and the Ministry, regarding Prothean ruins. She's only 27, so it is unlikely she took over my position when I left. Even if she is available, she may not want to come with the other options now open to her… but I can certainly send her a note asking if she would be interested. Before coming to work for me, she was one of the unfortunates I mentioned earlier… so she even has five years of military training prior to her five in archaeological field work. I see that as an added bonus, given our discussions about the potential locations where we may find ourselves."

"You obviously trust her, or you wouldn't recommend her," answered Liara with a shrug. "I trust your judgment, so I don't see why not. Give her a call!"

"I'm sorry, Liara, but there is no possible way I can get to Thessia that quickly." Tyson drew a deep breath and blew it out. "But you darn well know I want the job… so, I have a suggestion."

"And I want you as my safety engineer, Mr Launt, so what are you thinking?" Liara cocked her head and waited patiently.

"Well, I've managed to open up a number of new tunnels here, with tons of artifacts that need to be examined and dated, and computer stations that have yet to be powered and checked for data…" The man paused as a sly grin crossed his face. "So, I'm thinking once you get everyone together, minus me, you bring your entire team here as a sort of 'safe environment' dry run. See how they work together as a group on an actual dig site, before you go and deploy to some godforsaken ruin in the middle of nowhere, where pirates and thresher maws abound."

He grinned and offered up a one-shoulder shrug. "By then, we'll hopefully have my replacement here and I'll be free to leave with you. In the meantime, I'll be available for however many vid-cons you need me to attend… assuming I get sufficient notice and I'm not working deep in a cavern somewhere, without any semblance of communications signal."

"That's not a bad idea," commented Shepard, who was standing immediately behind Liara's left shoulder. "You wanted to get back to Eden Prime anyway, to see if there was any new data that pointed to possible additions to our travel plan…"

"Yes, I did… but I was assuming it would just be a quick trip with you and I." Liara turned back to the screen, asking, "Tyson… you mentioned computers. Have you seen anything resembling the Prothean virtual intelligence terminals?"

"Afraid not, Liara." Tyson shrugged. "But that doesn't mean there isn't one here, as I've never actually seen what they look like. Are they noticeably different from a standard terminal?"

"No," Liara sighed. "Not really. They only differ from normal terminals by the presence of a small projection nub. It's easy to miss, so I suppose we will just have to look when we get there.

Tyson's eyes were alight with hope, making it obvious to Liara he really wanted to come along on the expedition as he asked, "So, is that a yes to my proposal?"

She smiled and nodded as she responded, "Well, I can't see us going without you, and Shepard approves of your proposal, so yes; absolutely."

"Excellent!" The man practically jumped for joy, a beaming smile taking over his face as he pumped a fist in victory. "I'll give Mayor Walstad my formal 30-day notice immediately, so she can start the hunt for my replacement. She shouldn't be too surprised when I tell her; she knew I'd be leaving eventually. She just didn't know exactly when."

Liara let out a soft chuckle. "We'll be in touch. If the team comes together as I planned, we should be showing up in your part of the galaxy in roughly three weeks. Then, depending on the dry-run, we'll either take some time to adjust our final deployment package… or start making our way out to the Rosetta Nebula. Our plan is to go out to the farthest point and then work our way back… unless, of course, we find something unexpected in your tunnels that pushes us in a different direction. We'll just have to wait and see."

"After we met that first time, I don't know if I dared to believe I would ever be joining one of your future expeditions." Tyson shook his head, still finding it hard to accept his good fortune. "Whenever you get here, I'll be ready! I really can't thank you enough, Liara, for this amazing opportunity."

Shepard chuckled and replied, "Let's see if you're still thanking us when you're freezing your butt off on some asteroid in the middle of nowhere."

"Ha! I'm looking forward to it, Shepard!" With a final wave, he was gone.

Liara imagined him running through the hallways of the complex to get to Camilla and Shepard chuckled, catching the thought through the link. "Well, he'll certainly bring a lot of energy to the expedition team."

"Yes, I believe he will." Liara sighed in contentment. She relaxed her shoulders, closed her eyes, and drew a deep breath, realizing her dreams of getting back into archaeology were honestly about to come true, despite all the odds that had stacked against them – Sovereign, the Collectors, the Reaper War. Blowing it out, she reopened her eyes to look at her undeniably wonderful siame and smiled. "I am ready for lunch and a relaxing walk on the beach. You?"

"With you for company, Doctor T'Soni? Absolutely."