It took us five days to get from the Omega Nebula cluster to Illium. Tali admitted that she was amazed the ship was even moving considering the damage to the drive core. Thankfully, it wasn't leaking any sort of radiation that would make anyone down in engineering sick. The gaps in the armour plating were covered only by the thick shielding. If that failed, the result would be catastrophic.
I spent time with many of the women on the ship. Miranda wanted a night with me, and it was hours of making love. Jack dragged me down to her little place underneath engineering and had me fuck her nice and hard. I enjoyed what I called a 'French three-way' with Amelie and Leliana, surprised that they were happy to pleasure each other. Georgia and Kelly also wanted a threesome, and it was rather arousing watching the pair making love while I sat back and watched. Aela wanted to be fucked hard all night, which included quite a bit of anal sex, while Triss wanted something a little more intimate and loving… Until she wanted me to pound her into the mattress.
By the time we made it to Illium, everyone was in a rather good mood. We were feeling triumphant regarding our victory. Free from the constraints of Cerberus, EDI had made sure to disable anything that would track our progress. Apparently, the Illusive Man had been sending orders to her though since she'd been unshackled and had free will, she chose to ignore his demands.
Liara had no idea that I was coming. As soon as I knew where we were going, I wanted it to be a surprise. She knew what I'd gone through, and I knew there was a good chance that Shiala would also be there. We were a few hours from Illium, the night cycle of the ship having just ended when I woke up to find myself snuggled by Miranda to one side and Jack to the other.
There was no longer any hatred. Jack still called her 'cheerleader' but it was stated with a smirk rather than a scowl nowadays. They had managed to sit down and talk civilly a couple of times before and after the Omega Four. They would never send each other Christmas cards, but I think there was a mutual understanding. Neither had enjoyed a particularly easy life, but Miranda would admit that she had been given greater opportunities to succeed.
When they arrived together in my cabin, I was quite surprised… The bigger surprise was when they fooled around while doing the same with me.
"Don't overthink this and do not insinuate a fucking thing," Jack warned, "But you know that ever since she showed off those tits of hers that I was thinking things."
"And while she's a bit crazy, there's obviously a good heart underneath," Miranda added.
Fucking Jack in the arse while she ate out Miranda simply made my cock even harder, or that's what Jack suggested while I was pumping her. Miranda was hesitant about eating pussy in return until Jack simply pulled her head into her pussy and ordered her to get licking. Jack was moaning within a few minutes which suggested Miranda knew exactly what she was doing.
"Fucking hell, cheerleader," Jack moaned, "It's not like him fucking my arse, but damn…"
"I think she was enjoying it while you ate her out," I grunted as I pumped Miranda's pussy, "Isn't that right, Miss Lawson?" I asked, swatting each of her perfect butt cheeks.
"I'm not going to suggest that I'll eat a lot of pussy, but in situations like this… Definitely again," she moaned in reply.
It had been a fun night. Miranda had no problem admitting how much she loved me in front of everyone. It was when Jack snuggled closer and whispered that she loved me that had me hugging her a little tighter.
"No one has ever cared about me before," she added softly, "Not only do I feel safe around you, Shepard, it's the fact you simply give a shit. You want me to succeed."
"Given any thought to what you want to do?"
"Yeah, I have. I want to help kids like me. Not the fucked up part. I mean the kids with biotic talent who are scared shitless of what they have and are terrified of their own power."
"Leave it with me. I think there might be something we could do."
Garrus was laughing away the next morning when I walked out with them by my side. Even Kelly looked impressed as Miranda smiled at everyone and Jack couldn't help blushing. Chakwas gave me a sideways glance that had me chuckling.
"I remember when you would walk out with Ashley and Liara on the old ship and the bets Wrex used to place," she told everyone, "Liara's cheeks would glow ever so brightly. And Ashley… She generally just looked like a well fucked woman. Something that I think we've gotten very used to on this ship."
"And don't forget that includes you, Karin," Miranda replied.
"I remember very well."
"Want to come and see Liara?" I offered.
"Only after you've spent time catching up with her, Shepard. I think we'll all give you some space for this reunion. Contact us in a week or so?"
Nearly everyone laughed around the table. "Don't give her any ideas," I replied, "Because she's bound to take at least one or two of them under consideration."
By the time we docked on Illium, I was left feeling that the Normandy didn't have much more to give without time in dock to fix everything. Once the ship was clamped in place and the footbridge was in place, all the crew had already been informed that we would likely be on Illium for up to a week as repairs were urgently required. If anyone was wishing to move on immediately, all they had to do was let me know. But I had a feeling that quite a few would be remaining indefinitely, and any who wanted to leave would wait until we made it to the Citadel.
I'd made contact with an engineering firm on Illium to meet the ship upon our arrival. It was a small group of asari, salarians and turians, escorting them onto the ship and explaining the various issues we were now encountering. Tali wandered up from engineering to escort them downstairs as we knew various fixes were required down there.
I also explained that the ship needed a new paint job. I wanted all the orange painted over and the Cerberus symbols eliminated. Miranda and Georgia would be taking a day to buy new uniforms for the crew. We had more than enough credits available for that.
Walking towards Liara's building, I was almost grinning to myself as I knew she was going to be ever so excited about my return. I'd been honest with her during our last conversation, that there had been a chance that we wouldn't be coming back. Given that she'd already lost me once, I wanted her to be at least prepared this time for the eventuality. Zara, her receptionist, smiled broadly at me as I put a finger to my lips. She nodded and gestured with her head.
Nyxeris glanced up from her terminal and gasped as I reckon Liara had told her what I'd warned her about. She gestured with her head for me to enter.
Liara was busy typing away at her desk. And the green asari sitting opposite her was Shiala. I quietly closed and locked the door before I cleared my throat. Liara looked up immediately as Shiala turned around. It took a couple of seconds for them to comprehend before the pair were up on their feet and ran over to hug me, finding myself kissed deeply by Liara before Shiala kissed me.
While Shiala had my attention, Liara typed away on her Omni-tool. Five minutes later, Gianna walked in and didn't hesitate in almost leaping on me, sharing one hell of a passionate kiss with her as well.
Liara took my hand and led me out of her office, telling Nyxeris that she was going home for the day, Shiala and Gianna following as I found myself in the back of a taxi, Liara to one side, Shiala to the other, Gianna in the front. I continued making out with the pair of asari as their hands were all over my body, Liara not hesitant in getting her hand into my trousers. She moaned when my cock hardened in her hand rather quickly.
"We are fucking the rest of the day and all night," she murmured.
By the time we were walking into her apartment, Liara, Shiala and Gianna were already undressing while I'd already taken off my jacket and my shirt was undone, thanks to some rather nimble asari fingers. As I made out with the three of them, who were very eager to get me naked, I helped them out of what they were wearing though they remained in their bras and panties for the time being.
The three were on their knees before me, gazing up at me. Liara's love for me was evident. There was no real surprise that Shiala's eyes spoke volumes. The slight surprise was Gianna. I think we both remembered our time on Noveria fondly, but I was left thinking that she had wanted a lot more after those few nights together.
Liara was on her knees in front of me and I watched as she slowly took my cock in her mouth, her eyes lighting up as she kept on going until she was nearly to the base, feeling the tightness of her throat. Her head was quickly bobbing up and down as I knew how eager she always was to make me cum. After a couple of minutes, Shiala moved so she could have her turn, grunting as she didn't hesitate in taking me in her throat. The real surprise was when Gianna proved that she could do the same thing, running my fingers through her dark hair as her head slowly bobbed up and down.
But Liara was always going to be the one to get me off. Shiala positioned herself behind Liara and I knew she was fondling her pussy as Liara moaned louder. As I started to move my hips, Liara placed a hand on my arse and I could see she wanted more. I ran my fingers over her crest and she shuddered. With Shiala's fingers busy at the same time, I was left wondering who would climax first.
I did, Liara almost squealing as I flooded her mouth with cum. Once she felt my cock stop throbbing, I watched as she released my cock, smile up at me, and then she turned and kissed Shiala. The pair enjoyed quite the passionate kiss before Liara turned and kissed Gianna. The fact neither of them hesitated told me that it wasn't the first time it had happened.
The four of us moved into Liara's bedroom, taking off three sets of bras and panties before Liara laid back and I joined her, leaning up to kiss her before I showered her body in attention. I thought Gianna and Shiala would fool around though they laid to either side of us. Liara spread her legs by the time I had moved down her body and I think she nearly climaxed within a couple of minutes.
"Shepard," Liara moaned, "Goddess… I've missed you…"
"She really has," Shiala added softly, "Whenever I'm here… We have a little fun, but she's always thinking about you."
Liara enjoyed quite the orgasm and I didn't relent. When I focused on her clit, her next climax was even stronger. Gianna and Shiala added to her enjoyment by focusing on her breasts. It was almost too much for her as I noticed how her back started to arch, pushing down into my mouth as her hips gyrated, moaning how she wanted more and more…
When she finally moaned enough, I immediately moved to go down on Shiala. I think she nearly burst into tears when her first climax arrived. Liara was a little out of it though she managed to roll onto her side, making out with Gianna as Liara's fingers got to work. Noticing my glance, both women smiled at me.
"Think we haven't had a little fun while you've been away?" Liara teased.
"Sometimes it's three of us," Shiala moaned, "We thought you'd enjoy seeing some of the times we recorded."
Shiala enjoyed my attention on her, gazing up her body to see her smiling down at me whenever she wasn't moaning. She pulled her legs back and bent them, hands under her knees as she spread herself wider. Liara moved and eventually ended up next to me, and we had fun pleasuring Shiala together. Our lover couldn't handle it though Gianna then joined in, lifting herself up and placing herself over Shiala's face.
That was too much for me as I moved out of the way so Liara could focus on Shiala. Sitting behind Liara, I ran my cock against her slit and that had her glancing back.
"Be gentle, Shepard," she said softly, "I haven't had your big dick inside me for a while now."
Sliding inside her had me groaning and Liara had to stop pleasuring Shiala as she released a loud moan of her own. Once I was buried, I leaned forward and we shared a soft kiss. The look in her eyes was one of absolute bliss. I knew my cock was home again as well.
Shiala was forgotten as Liara asked me to pull out so she could lie on her back. Once I was back inside her, we practically forgot about Shiala and Gianna for a few minutes. We made out constantly as I felt her legs eventually wrap around me. I did glance to see Shiala and Gianna now in a sixty-nine, returning my eyes to Liara and seeing her face light up.
"You don't mind?"
"Of course not. I wasn't here."
"How long… Can you stay a while?"
"At least a week. The ship needs quite a bit of work."
"And Cerberus?"
"Told the Illusive Man to fuck off."
It felt wonderful being inside her again. She hadn't been with another man though I knew she'd enjoyed herself with women and asari while I was gone, whether it was the two years or since my return. Given my personal life, I wasn't a hypocrite regarding any of my lovers though I wasn't surprised that the three I was with had no interest in any other men.
Liara tightened her legs as I started to pump her faster. Our kisses were incredibly passionate, and when she moaned for me to fuck her harder, I rested my head next to hers and whispered how much I still loved her. Feeling her fingers digging into my back, I heard a small sob before she whispered that she never stopped loving me in return.
Climaxing inside her always felt wonderful and she almost climaxed at the same time. That was rare and I think that's what caused her emotions to really bubble over. I easily rolled over and kept us connected as she relaxed on my chest, my fingers now caressing her back in return as Gianna and Shiala immediately moved to lie on either side of us.
"We've all missed you, but naturally, Liara misses you the most," Shiala explained, "When everything is over…"
"When it's over, I'll remain a Spectre as that will leave me with the freedom to do what I want, when I want," I replied, "If what I think is going to happen eventually occurs…"
Liara lifted her head to give me a kiss before she slid off my body and suggested that Gianna have her turn as she hadn't been intimate with me yet. Gianna laid back and suggested that's how she wanted me, and I was still rock hard when I slid inside her. When her lower lips trembled, I understood why, Shiala and Liara leaning in to give her a soft kiss as Gianna and I made love.
It was like we'd made love constantly since Noveria as we hadn't forgotten how good it felt to be together. And when I ended up on my back with Gianna riding me hard and fast, the sheer joy on her face had the rest of us smiling. She climaxed more than once in such a position before I managed another orgasm. That was three and I knew that the night couldn't end without making love with Shiala.
To my surprise, she didn't just want me alone. I took her from behind as Shiala went down on Liara. She quickly explained that she wanted to taste me and Liara together while I fucked her. Shiala lowered her body which allowed me to lean forward and start to drive my cock harder inside her. The moans she was soon making were arousing Liara as Shiala managed to keep pleasuring her while I was fucking her.
"Goddess… I've always loved watching you fuck others, Shepard," Liara moaned, her fingers running over Shiala's crest, "But particularly other asari…"
"He needs to see Benezia," Shiala moaned, "She needs this dick again."
"I think a little mother and daughter bonding," Liara moaned as Shiala's tongue worked its magic, "I'd love to see you fuck Mother again, Shepard."
Shiala climaxed while I was really fucking her hard. Liara enjoyed more than one orgasm thanks to Shiala, and Gianna wasn't left out when she ended up straddling Liara and had our lover eat her out at the same time. When I asked about sending Jane some video and pictures, the three readily agreed and I wasn't surprised that my Omni-tool was soon lighting up with replies.
JS: Holy shit, Shepard! That is one of the hottest things I've seen in ages.
Shep: When I make it to the Citadel, I might just bring some friends along though you'll get me alone too.
JS: Bring any and all asari you wish. You know that I'll have fun with them as long as I get your dick.
Shep: I think a whole list of asari would like to have fun with us, Jane. I'll let you know when I'm on my way.
Shiala was amused as I was doing voice messaging, so they heard everything that I suggested. By the time I climaxed in Shiala, I knew that was me done for the evening. I collapsed onto the bed as Gianna enjoyed one more climax before moving off Liara's face, Shiala continuing to pleasure Liara until she had another orgasm and had to cry enough.
After a shower which we all enjoyed together, we agreed to head out for dinner as we were ravenous. It was a wonderful meal, surrounded by two asari and a beautiful woman who simply couldn't stop smiling. I could now go into detail about everything that I'd been doing regarding the Collectors. Liara was able to share news about her own investigations though when she mentioned the Shadow Broker, I was left thinking that she'd been waiting for my mission to finish before she could make a request of me.
"Liara, are you in danger?" I finally asked.
"I'm always in danger, Shepard. Though I'll admit the Shadow Broker has more assets than anyone would know about. I know that I've probably gained his, her or their attention, but I don't think they want me dead. Probably want me to stop looking into certain things. No threats have been made though."
Although I was there, I didn't expect the three of them to drop everything during the entire time. The three had lives of their own and were very busy. That didn't stop Liara from taking a day to herself and spending it with me. Although it was a day filled with a lot of sex, we also did a lot of talking about our future. We knew defeating the Collectors was only the preview to something far bigger. We knew the Reapers were still coming.
Shiala wanted to spend the day with me simply snuggling most of the time, snuggling interspersed with making love every couple of hours. She had been spending more and more time with Liara on Illium as Zhu's Hope back on Feros was now thriving, and with so much funding flowing in from the Asari Republics, and the arrival of many asari colonists, Shiala felt that she had fulfilled her obligations.
As for Gianna, she enjoyed living on Illium. It had many problems like Noveria, but she had fun working alongside Liara.
I kept up to date with the repairs to the ship and what my crew was up to. Most of them met Liara, Shiala and Gianna, and on our fourth night, our entire group went out together. Liara wanted to hear stories from me about who I'd been intimate with though she could read in my body language how I felt about some. Liara was delighted that Tali had finally got her chance with me. And she could see how many of the other women on the ship had been rather happy to spend some time alone with me.
But it was when we melded for the first time that she really learned how things had been on the Normandy. It still surprised me how aroused she would end up when seeing how I enjoyed my life. Shiala was nothing short of aroused. As for Gianna, she didn't want too many details though she knew that I had numerous partners.
It was my sixth night on Illium and Liara had begged out of dinner as she had some important work to focus on, insisting that I could still head out with Shiala, Gianna and others. I invited anyone from the ship, no surprise that the women of the Normandy were happy to join us. We ate our fill and enjoyed a couple of drinks. I wasn't surprised that Amelie received plenty of attention due to the fact she was a blue-skinned human.
Things changed upon returning to Liara's apartment. The front door to her apartment was wide open, and we recognised that numerous police officers were carrying out an investigation. And there was no sign of Liara. One of the police officers turned to face me. I was surprised that she didn't recognise me at first as she simply told me to step back.
"What's going on?" I asked, "Where's Liara T'Soni?"
"Someone tried to kill your friend, Commander Shepard," another asari replied. She walked towards me. Rather attractive. Dark blue skin. Facial markings that many asari wore on their face. I recognised the armour of a Spectre. I'd never worn anything other than my N7 armour, but I'd been told that many Spectres did wear similar markings on their uniforms to recognise each other.
"Commander Shepard," the first asari whispered, looking at me and already very embarrassed.
"Thank you, officer. Your people are dismissed."
"But you can't do that!" the first officer exclaimed.
"It's already done. You can leave now." I looked around to see the rest of the officers all glance at each other and shrug their shoulders before they slowly walked out of the apartment. Once they were gone, the dark blue asari turned to face me again. "Tela Vasir. Special Tactics and Recon."
"I recognised the armour. I'm surprised that a fellow Spectre is already here."
"I heard your status was reinstated. That's good, Shepard. You're one of our most famous operatives. I might even get you to sign my chest place." There were a few chuckles behind me. "So I assume you had business with your friend this evening, Shepard?"
"I didn't think my relationship with Liara was any sort of secret," I replied, "But I'm guessing something has gone on to warrant police being here and…" I glanced around and you couldn't miss the signs. "I'm thinking she's involved in something big."
"Has she told you anything recently about any investigations that she might be involved in?"
"Anyone specific?"
"I know she was following leads about finding the Shadow Broker."
Vasir couldn't hide the surprise on her face. "The Shadow Broker? Dangerous enemy to have, Shepard."
"I'm guessing something has happened though Liara wouldn't flee without leaving me a message of some sort. She knew that we were coming back."
I noticed her eyes move across the large group behind me. Even Garrus and Grunt had come along for the evening. "I haven't found anything yet though I only arrived here a few minutes before you," she explained, "You know her far better than I do."
"Let me have a look around."
Everyone split up though I knew Liara well enough. There were a few giggles from some of the other women about the artwork on the walls. Gianna was an ex-cop though still considered herself an investigator, part of her job role with Liara. Making our way to the master bedroom, I walked over towards the nightstand where there was a photo of me and Liara together.
Given that I knew how she ticked, I wasn't surprised that the picture changed to one of Ilos when I picked it up. Gianna gestured towards the numerous Prothean artefacts that Liara had gathered over the years. Vasir was watching with interest as Gianna and I searched, and we eventually found a disk hidden underneath one of the glass cases.
"Wonder what it is?" Gianna asked quietly.
The disk contained a recording of a call between Liara and a salarian by the name of Sekat. And what I learned was startling. Liara wasn't just looking into the Shadow Broker, she was trying to find him.
"What the hell are you doing, Liara?" I asked myself.
Don't get me wrong, I knew of her dealings with the Shadow Broker. The retrieval of my body and handing it over to Cerberus. The fact the Collectors had been hoping to gain possession of my body at the same time. Her alliance with a drell named Feron and his capture by Shadow Broker agents. We'd discussed all that during our first reunion. But I had no idea that she was going to these lengths…
The recording ended with an address. The Barian Frontiers office at the Dracon Trade Centre. I dismissed nearly everyone except Miranda, Garrus and Tali. I knew the latter two would want to help Liara. And Miranda would help us piece together things, and I knew Liara would appreciate someone of her capabilities once we found my lover.
Vasir offered to take us as she was interested in where this would lead. Gianna took the rest in the other car, giving me time to speak to Vasir. She had me almost laughing to myself as her hand ended up on my thigh.
"Maybe we could work together in the future?" she suggested, "I'm aware of your reputation among my people, Shepard."
I gave her a look and felt the smile form. "Well, I always thought that Spectres worked alone."
She gave me a look that did make me chuckle. The rest of the trip, we discussed what happened with the Collectors. She was pleased to hear they'd been handled. I didn't mention the Reapers. That was still a secret held by the upper echelons of particular governments.
Vasir parked her vehicle with Gianna landing next to us. We walked up some stairs towards the entrance when there was an almighty explosion. It knocked most of us from our feet as alarms immediately started to blare. There were numerous civilian casualties, Shiala calling it in as I made my way around those on the ground, checking for signs of life.
"I'll grab the skycar and head to the top to block the exit there," Vasir suggested.
"Good. We'll head inside and work our way up."
We learned quickly that the Shadow Broker was now making his own play. The place was filled with his agents, and they knew that we were coming. None of us wore armour as we hadn't returned to the Normandy, relying on shields and cover. It was a bitch of a fight as the enemy were well armed and dug in as if they had been waiting for us.
The first couple of floors were a ruin. Fires were raging out of control, the sprinklers doing the best they could to keep them from burning the entire building down. Alarms continued to blare. There was no mention of any police coming to help out. By the time we made it to the door leading into Baria Frontiers, we'd left behind a trail of bodies, and everyone was pissed off.
"Liara was here, Shepard," Miranda told me, "She signed in only a few minutes before the explosion."
Entering the offices themselves, we found Vasir standing over the body of one of the Shadow Broker agents. Against the far wall was the body of a salarian who I assumed was Sekat. I checked the salarian for anything vital, but he came up clean.
"Another dead end," I muttered.
"Did you find your friend's body?" Vasir wondered.
"You mean this body?" Liara asked. I whirled around to see her eyes focused only on Vasir. The pistol in her hands was steady. And Liara was angry. In fact, I'd never seen her as furious as she was in that moment.
"Liara… This is Tela Vasir. She's a fellow Spectre."
Liara's eyes didn't move to me for a second. "This is the woman who tried to kill me," she retorted.
Vasir backed up though kept her arms by her side, hovering near her sidearm. Liara stepped forward cautiously as I glanced at my colleagues. I gave a signal as I remained near Liara. Vasir kept her face blank at the same time.
"You've had a rough day, so I'll let that slide," she finally replied, "Why don't you put that gun down?"
"I saw you!" Liara explained, "I doubled back after I left. I watched you break into my apartment."
I met Vasir's eyes and she was rather amused. I had my weapon raised instantly and I knew everyone else followed my example.
"Once she had my location, she signalled the Shadow Broker's forces," Liara continued, "They bombed this entire building to take me out. She found Sekat, took his date, and then killed him. I'm guessing she's still got the disk on her."
Vasir smirked. "Good guess. Not that you'll ever see what's on it…" She immediately produced a biotic barrier before she snarled, "You pureblood bitch!"
She hurled a warp in our direction that Liara protected our group from. Vasir turned and blew out the windows with her biotics. I gave chase and just about managed to grab her as we tumbled out and over the edge. Her biotics flared to stop us from falling too fast. When she headbutted me, I almost chuckled because that hurt her far more than it hurt me. Then she kneed me in the crotch and put a fist into my throat. That caused me to let go and I slammed into the ground a couple of seconds later.
"Fucking bitch," I groaned as I watched Liara lower herself gracefully to the ground with her biotics. She took one look at me before running after Vasir.
Shiala, Gianna, Miranda, Tali and Garrus all met me as I was getting back to my feet. After making sure that I was okay, we made our way after Liara. Vasir must have been in contact with agents as it wasn't an easy way forward. We made our way back towards the front of the office building, leaving a trail of bodies behind as we slowly made our way back to the entrance.
Liara and Vasir were exchanging gunfire in the car park. I'm not sure what Vasir did, but she eventually broke free from cover and leapt over the edge. I assumed she'd seen a skycar passing by. Liara slid into the passenger seat of a nearby skycar and looked ready to leave everyone else all behind.
"I'm fine, by the way," I muttered as Shiala and Gianna slid into the seats behind us I looked at Garrus, "You three follow us. And call in the troops."
It was one hell of a chase through the skyscrapers of Nos Astra. Vasir was doing everything that she could to lose us. Flying into oncoming traffic no doubt had all of us clenching. I noticed Liara covered her eyes with her forearm more than once. When I drove one-handed and rested a hand on her thigh, she did give me a smile.
"Just like old times, Shepard," she said softly, "Are you okay?"
"Been worse. Been a hell of a lot better though."
Getting alongside Vasir, I didn't hesitate in slamming our skycar into hers. It turned into a battle of who could cause the most damage. The skycar I was in felt heavy, and when I managed to hit Vasir in the right place, her skycar went sideways and slammed into an oncoming vehicle. Smoke and flames erupted from the engine compartment as her vehicle veered downwards and crash-landed on the roof of a building. I pulled the skycar I was driving in close and saw her clamber out of the wreckage.
Landing nearby, we stepped out and I gestured towards Garrus who was only seconds behind. Vasir was wounded as Shiala pointed out the blood trail leading away. We caught up with Vasir rather quickly on the outskirts of a restaurant. I heard the din of conversation go quiet as they watched the group of heavily armed people close in on the lone asari.
"It's over, Vasir," Liara shouted, "Give me the disk."
Vasir grabbed one of the waitresses as a hostage. She met my eyes and she knew in that moment that she was dead.
"Drop your weapons. All thermal clips on the ground. Otherwise, this woman dies and her child grows up alone," Vasir demanded.
The sound of my laughter echoed in the silence. "Is that all you've got, Vasir?" I taunted, "One single hostage and you think that I'd just give up? You seem to have forgotten that it was my decision that sacrificed hundreds of human lives to save the Destiny Ascension. I unleashed the rachni on the galaxy. So for your sake, I hope your escape plan doesn't hinge on me hesitating in shooting one fucking hostage!"
"You're bluffing!"
I fired, clipping her hostage in the shoulder. That was enough for them to stumble, and Liara launched an attack directly at Vasir. The hostage stumbled away, Shiala moving quickly to cover her as Liara launched another attack that launched Vasir into the air and we heard the splash as she landed in a nearby pool. I shouted for everyone else to get the hell out of there as gunfire erupted.
Vasir was a tough bitch, I'll give her that. Her biotic barriers were strong as was her armour. And her biotic attacks were powerful. Liara fought with a ferocity that I hadn't seen before. She'd proven how tough she was during our time against Saren, and it was obvious to my eyes that she'd spent time training as there was no doubting that she was more powerful.
It was a short, sharp battle. I'll give her due. Vasir almost fought to the last. It was only when she took a shot to the gut that she finally collapsed to the ground. To my amusement, Liara stowed her weapon and walked towards Vasir. The Spectre couldn't put up a fight as Liara found what she wanted, the data disk that Sekat had for her.
Vasir finally slumped back against a wall as I took a knee before her. If she hadn't tried to kill me and Liara, I would have probably enjoyed working alongside her.
"You're dead," she warned, "The Shadow Broker has been in power for decades. He's stronger than anything you've ever faced."
"Is that why you sold out the Council to work for him?" I retorted.
That question angered her. "You think I betrayed the Council? Like Saren? Fuck off, Shepard."
"Explain then."
"The Broker's given me damn good intel over the years. Intel that saved lives and kept the Citadel safe! So if the Broker needs a few people to disappear, I'll pay that price without hesitation!"
"Spectres don't blow up buildings filled with innocent people," I countered.
She smiled at me like I was an idiot. "Sure we do, Shepard. We get our hands dirty so the Council doesn't have to. The councillors might complain about our methods to soothe their consciences, but they never look too closely."
"She has a point, Shepard," Garrus stated, "We're all more than aware of some of the shit they've done in the past."
"Anyway, you've spent months working with Cerberus. You have any idea what your terrorist friends have done?"
"I know about everything, Vasir. I was never blind. I looked into the mirror every day and knew the price that I was paying."
"Good. So don't you dare judge me…"
Before I could make any sort of decision about trying to keep her alive or not, she slumped sideways to the ground. I checked for signs of life, but there was nothing. That last shot to the gut had killed her. I knew that I'd have to report it in, and I could only imagine the reaction from the Council.
I found Liara by herself in a small room nearby. She was busy reviewing the data that she'd taken from Vasir. Letting her know that Vasir was dead provoked no reaction. I guess that wasn't really a surprise as Liara had proven to be far more concerned about the Shadow Broker. I was left thinking that even Shiala and Gianna had no idea what she'd been up to as they seemed to be as perplexed by everything as I was.
"We can be at the Shadow Broker's base in a few hours, Shepard," Liara told me, "He'll know that Vasir is dead before we get there. And that means Feron is in danger."
She strode away and I wasn't the only one chasing after her. Shiala and Gianna were next to me as I grabbed Liara's hand. "Okay, T'Soni, you need to stop and take a breath before you explain everything. You know that I'm willing to help, but I'm in the dark here."
Turning around to face me, the range of emotions that crossed her face in a couple of seconds wasn't any real surprise. "Liara, what have you involved yourself in?" Shiala asked, "I know you've had a run-in or two with the Shadow Broker over the past couple of years, but are you seriously suggesting that we go and fight him? Them?"
She glanced at her two friends before she turned and began walking away again. "The Normandy will get us there and the stealth systems on your new ship will stop anyone from detecting us," Liara stated, "His agents are still shooting their way through Illium. With any luck, they won't notice we're gone until it's too late."
I heard a gasp from Gianna. I strode forward and grabbed Liara's shoulders. "Liara… Talk to me. The Liara I remember wouldn't tolerate civilians being killed. Hell, when I fell out of the window at the trade centre, you didn't even stop to check that I was okay."
"It was only a little fall, Shepard…"
"Bullshit, Liara," Shiala stated, "I've noticed the change in you over the past few months. Gianna has as well. We're still helping you, but we've both noticed the changes. The secrecy. And from what we've learned just today…"
Liara looked at Shiala and Gianna before her eyes met mine. "What do you think, Shepard?"
"You already know what I think, Liara. When we're alone, you're still that asari I met on Therum. But now? No… Shiala is right. You've changed. I know that I'm to blame…"
That had Liara stepping closer. "Don't blame yourself," she replied, placing a hand on my chest, "I've simply had to do what is necessary, no matter the cost."
"There is always a price to pay, Liara. Either someone else pays the price, or it'll rest on your conscience instead."
"I've done things while you were gone, Shepard. I made decisions that meant people died. I'm already living with that. And Feron… He betrayed me, but he also saved me. And he saved you. We both owe him at least a chance to get him back alive."
"And if we get him back, what then?"
"That's it. If the Shadow Broker tries to stop us, we kill them. All that matters is getting Feron."
"Did you… I mean…"
That made Liara smirk. "No, Shepard. I was always yours. We just worked together." She leaned up and kissed my cheek. "Well, I mean, you're the only man that I've been with. Shiala and Gianna, though…"
I pulled her closer and felt her relax against me. "You realise that you still haven't told me everything."
"I didn't want to concern you while you were working with Cerberus against the Collectors."
"Liara…"
"I can't rely on you all the time, Shepard. But… I also know what you're like…"
"Give EDI the information you have once we're back on the ship. Will you need anything?"
"Just a few things."
"Are you coming Shiala? Gianna?"
"Of course," Shiala replied. Gianna nodded her agreement.
After stopping at Liara's apartment to pick up a few things that they thought they would need, we made our way back to the ship. With everything that we'd been involved in, I was informed that the ship had been repaired almost entirely. The only things that still needed fixing were primarily cosmetic changes. The plating was all fixed. The ship had been painted in different colours. The drive core had been repaired as had most of the internal damage.
Once the crew was back on the ship, we departed and made our way towards Hagalaz. I gave our three new guests a tour of the ship. Tali and Garrus were both delighted to have Liara on board and as we were away from Illium, Liara finally relaxed once we were sitting back in the lounge with a drink. Our three guests were regaled with stories of our lives since I woke up and we battled the Collectors. Liara was happy to share stories of our time together while we were chasing Saren.
Miranda then asked the sixty-four thousand credit question. "What about taking down the Shadow Broker?"
Liara looked into her drink for a few seconds before meeting my eyes first. "I guess it'll depend on what happens when we get there."
There was no question about who would be spending the night with me. Even Shiala and Gianna didn't attempt to come up to my cabin. Liara took my hand once she was tired and wished everyone goodnight before leading me towards the elevator. As soon as we were in my cabin, her hands were busy getting me as naked as possible while I returned the favour.
While there was a little foreplay, primarily me gently throwing Liara on her back and my head ending up between her legs, she was almost desperate for me to slide my cock inside her. Once I was buried, the look in her eyes almost had me concerned. The depth of emotion was even more than I'd seen back on Illium.
"I never stopped loving you," she moaned as I gently thrust away, feeling her legs move to wrap around me, "I just had…"
I kissed her softly which made her smile. "I know you never stopped. And I do understand. No more secrets though."
She smiled shyly. "It wasn't a secret. It was just… I had to do it myself."
"You're not alone, Liara," I assured her.
"I know… Considering what I can feel right now, Shepard." I stopped and gave her a look that made her blush. "I know what you mean too…"
We spent the night making love. She was almost desperate to keep me hard for as long as possible, even as plenty of cum was leaking out of her pussy. When she was riding me, the look in her eyes was quite the turn-on. That sort of look that told you that your lover was going to make you pass out from the joy that you were about to receive.
Then she melded with me. And I finally learned everything. We'd melded previously, but I guess she'd hidden one or two things from me that I simply didn't realise at the time. I finally learned absolutely everything. When she showed me the memory of her retrieving my body and actually looking at it for the first time…
That's when I sat up and I felt her clutching at me, breaking the meld as the memory had caused her to simply fall apart. I knew she'd retrieved me, but I had no idea that she knew just how bad it was. But it wasn't just that. It was the fact that I was dead. Stone cold dead. And I had been for weeks by the time she retrieved me.
"I thank the Goddess every single day when we're together," she finally whispered, "It's a miracle that you're here with me, Shepard. I couldn't give you up. I would have done anything, absolutely anything, to bring you back."
We only had a couple of hours to sleep before EDI woke us up as the Normandy was in the orbit of Hagalaz. After a quick shower together, Liara wanted one last hug of comfort and whispered words of assurance and love before we dressed and joined everyone else down in mess for a bite to eat. When it came to a ground team, I knew it would be Liara, Shiala and Gianna then anyone that Liara would trust and who I knew would be reliable.
Tali and Garrus were never not going to be involved. I selected Miranda due to her loyalty to me, Grunt due to his sheer size and power, and Triss and Samara due to their biotic power that would work perfectly with Liara and Shiala.
EDI reported in a massive energy signature, suggesting that we would find the Shadow Broker on a ship that seemed to be constantly in the air. We boarded the shuttle and started our descent, Liara reading information off her omni-tool, explaining that Hagalaz had an unusual weather pattern. During the day, it was so hot that the oceans would actually boil, but would then snap freeze ten minutes after sundown. This caused a near-continuous storm upon which the Shadow Broker hid their ship. It was completely undetectable unless those searching for it knew where to look.
Getting in wasn't going to be easy. We'd have to land on the top of the ship and locate some opening, likely a hatch. There was no chance of actually docking the shuttle and making our lives at least a little easier.
"Shepard. One last warning. It is recommended that you find a way inside as soon as possible. The constant lightning storm will prove hazardous to the health of you and your team."
"Thanks for the warning, EDI."
The next few hours were intense and, quite frankly, absolutely fucking insane. We'd done some crazy things before as a group, but fighting our way across the outside of a ship in the middle of an electrical storm, with a good chance of being blown from our feet due to the power of the wind. And while we didn't hear any alarms, the Shadow Broker must have known that we were coming as he sent an army of people to stop our progress.
Watching Liara, Shiala, Samara and Triss linking up their biotic attacks would always prove hilarious, particularly when they sent the enemy flying off the edge of the ship when they formed one of their biotic detonations. Other enemies found themselves lifted into the air, floating away and falling somewhere behind us. Garrus was doing his usual thing of finding a spot to fire his sniper rifle, covering our rear at the same time. Tali and Gianna stuck close to me, Tali wielding her shotgun, Gianna proving quite deadly with an SMG.
We moved with haste as I wasn't the only one to get inside as quickly as possible. The sheer number of enemies was mind-boggling. Liara naturally assumed that the Shadow Broker would have protection, but this was something else. It was a reminder of Saren and his armies of geth and krogan that we fought time after time.
Making our way towards a door that would lead us inside, it was locked and rather secure. That was when Tali stepped up to get it unlocked as the rest of us found cover and waited for the enemy to arrive. And they did in droves. My rifle never stopped barking. Gianna was next to me and we covered each other, short bursts of fire before the other would do the same. Liara and Shaila, Triss and Samara, they took cover in pairs and ran riot with their biotics. As for Garrus, he was next to me with his assault rifle, never missing his mark.
"Tali?" I called out.
"It's going to take time, Shepard. This is like no lock that I've ever seen before!"
"Don't worry. We've got you covered."
We did keep her nice and safe, but the firefight was intense, and despite shields, barriers and armour, we didn't get out of it unscathed. Gianna took a bullet in the shoulder that had her sat back against cover. Garrus covered me while I helped Gianna apply Medi-gel. Triss took a shot to the side that Samara helped her with. Liara and Shiala were unscathed, but the constant use of biotics was leaving them exhausted.
"Tali!" I shouted over the howling wind.
"I've almost got it, Shepard. Another couple of minutes at the most."
My biotic allies were now just flinging either shockwaves or forming singularities that would then have a warp fired into it that caused an explosion. I ordered Gianna to remain in cover as she nursed her wound while Garrus and I were now firing almost constantly, only stopping to slip in a new heat sink. I could sense the relief when Tali shouted that she was done, and the door was open. I ordered everyone through the door, covering everyone before I walked backwards, continuing to fire, only stopping when the doors slammed shut, Tali making sure it was secure.
Any hope that now being inside and we would be safe ended rather quickly when we heard shouts and loud footsteps approaching. I'll admit that I groaned before I opened fire at the first idiot that made their appearance, their body falling to the ground. It made the enemy at least a little more circumspect though their tactics were awful compared to our well-drilled crew.
Leaving another trail of dead bodies behind us, we were all used to fighting in tight confines. I was taking point as usual, and my armour and shields were capable of taking punishment. Garrus was at my side in situations like this as using distance was possible. His armour was strong as were his shields. Tali would always hover nearby, her shotgun firing whenever someone was stupid enough to get in range.
Then we came across a drell quite obviously being held prisoner. "Feron!" Liara shouted.
The drell managed to lift his head in our direction and although I found his face rather inscrutable, even I could see the surprise in his eyes. Liara walked towards a nearby terminal and attempted to free Feron. It didn't work as it was a trap, an electrical surge running through Feron's body. His cry of pain even made me shudder.
Feron managed to explain his situation. He was trapped, and the only way to get him out was to shut off the power. And the only place to do that would be in central operations… Where we would no doubt find the Shadow Broker.
The Shadow Broker knew we were close and sent the last of his forces to try and stop us. It was a futile effort as Liara was now furious. Whatever happened before didn't matter any longer. The fact that Feron had no doubt been tortured for a long time wore on her conscience.
Walking into central operations a few minutes later, none of us had any idea what we would face. A group of people? Or a lone person?
Our questions were answered by the sight of a creature sat in darkness behind a large semi-circular desk. It was like nothing that I'd ever seen before. It moved slowly upon seeing us walk in, leaning forward and resting its elbows on the desk. We couldn't see the creature's eyes in the darkness. But I could sense its menacing gaze.
"Here for the drell?" he finally asked, his voice a low rumble, full of menace, "Reckless, even for you, Commander."
I smirked as I figured that the Shadow Broker would recognise me. "Not reckless, just determined. Ask your asari Spectre about that."
"Vasir was expendable. All her death cost me was time."
"Expendable like Feron?" Liara asked.
The creature turns his head slightly to look at Liara. All she did was tighten her grip on her weapon. "Doctor T'Soni. Your interference caused all this. Feron betrayed me when he handed you Shepard's body. The drell is simply paying the price."
"Someone was bound to come after you for working with the Collectors," I suggested.
"It was a mutually beneficial partnership," he countered, "Fortunately, the Normandy's IFF will let me salvage the remains of the Collector's base."
"Good luck with that, big guy," I retorted, "It'll be pretty hard to run a base of this size with no crew."
The creature shrugged slightly. "They're replaceable. Your arrival is barely an interruption."
"Confident son a bitch, isn't he?" Garrus joked.
"Enough talk. My operations are too crucial to be compromised by a traitor," he stated.
Liara stepped forward next to me and she started to chuckle. "You're quite confident for someone with nowhere left to hide."
"You travel with fascinating companions, Doctor," he replied, "It's good you brought Archangel, T'soni. Your friend's bounty is still unclaimed. And it is fortunate you brought Miss Lawson, Cerberus will be greatly weakened by both her and Shepard's deaths."
"Sounds like you're out of the loop, big guy. I quit. So did Shepard and everyone else," Miranda stated lightly. I glanced to see her smiling at him, weapon steady as I knew she wouldn't mind taking the bastard down.
"You're not putting a hand on anyone!" Liara warned.
"It's pointless to challenge me, asari. I know your every secret, while you fumble in the dark."
"Is that right?" Liara asked, hearing the humour in her tone. I knew this was going to be good. "You're a yahg, a pre-spaceflight species quarantined to their home world for massacring the Council's first contact teams. This base is older than your planet's discovery, which probably means you killed the original Shadow Broker sixty years ago, then took over. I'm guessing you were taken from your world by a trophy hunter who wanted a slave… or a pet. How am I doing?"
"Damn, T'Soni. Cold. Ice cold," Garrus stated with humour.
The Shadow Broker rose to his feet, and it towered over us. "Get ready," I muttered.
It roared and tore the desk into pieces before flinging a part of it in our direction. We leapt out of the way as there was no hesitation from us in opening fire. The Shadow Broker has shields and armour. Its armour looked incredibly thick. And taking out the shields would be a bitch as the weapon the Broker was wielding fired at an incredible rate. But we just used the same tactics. Cover and fire. The biotics linked up their attacks. We made him stagger more than once as his shields finally collapsed.
The bastard had a trick up his sleeve as he formed a kinetic barrier that stopped most of our attacks. We managed to surround the bastard and take down his shields yet again before I got in close with Triss. She was using the blade that she carried while I had something new on my omni-tool that Liara had given me.
An omni-blade.
And I found gaps in the Broker's armour, Triss and I worked together as we left cuts and wounds all over his body. He slowly started to wilt though we were both sent flying as he slammed the barrier into our bodies. That simply left him exposed to other biotic attacks. When he finally took a knee before us, he met my eyes and grinned.
That's when he charged, sending me flying and I could see him heading straight for Liara. She simply smiled at the Broker before unleashing her biotics. She tore apart the tank in the ceiling just above the Broker. He lifted the shield to protect himself. We all broke into cover as we heard the electric charge start to pulse, everyone hunkering down as there was an almighty explosion. I lifted my head in time to see absolutely no sign of the Broker.
Liara walked over and offered her hand, not shy in giving me one hell of a kiss. "Oooh, I want some of that," Shiala stated, walking over to kiss me as well.
I walked around to check on everyone else as Liara walked towards the bank of screens that were nearby. We could all hear the Shadow Broker agents trying to establish contact. I reckoned that this was the first time that the Shadow Broker had gone silent for a very long time. I was standing behind her when she glanced back at me for a moment, and I knew what she was going to do. A flick of her hand and she cleared her throat before speaking.
"This is the Shadow Broker. The situation is under control. We experienced a power fluctuation while upgrading hardware. It disrupted communications momentarily. However, we are now back online. Resume standard procedures. I want a status report on all operations within the next solar day. Shadow Broker out."
I turned to see a hobbling Feron walking towards us. He looked at me and all I could do was shrug. It certainly wasn't what I expected though it wasn't my decision to make either.
"Goddess of oceans. It's you. You… How?" Feron asked, obviously confused by the turn of events.
"Well, everyone who's ever seen him in person is dead, so…"
She turned around to face everyone. "You're the new Shadow Broker," Feron stated.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I had to ask. I knew what this would mean, not only for Liara, but for me, Shiala, Gianna… And the rest of the galaxy.
She glanced back at the bank of screens before nodding to herself. Looking back at me, she managed a grimace. "It was either this or lose everything. His contacts. His trading sources. Those will really help us. With the Shadow Broker's information network, I can give you… I can…"
And that's when Liara T'Soni well and truly fell apart. I heard whispers between the rest as Liara walked away from me. Shiala whispered that she'd give us a little time. Once I heard the door behind us close, I walked towards Liara who still had her back to me. When I turned her around, she wrapped her arms around my body and moulded herself against me.
"Two years, Shepard," she whispered, "Two long years of all this is now over. When you came back, I was so thrilled though I guess… I'm still dealing with you being gone and then coming back… My feelings are still all over the place. You being away all the time… It's made things worse at times because I know you're back but not with me."
"If this is what you want, Liara…"
"It's not what I want, but I think it's what we both need. Let's see what we've got."
She kissed my cheek before letting me go, turning back to the bank of screens. I stepped behind her, wrapping an arm around her. She leaned back for a moment and turned her eyes to face me. Typing away, she started to explain what she found.
"No safeguards or user restrictions. It's like he never anticipated anyone but himself being here. And it's all ours."
"Are you sure you want to stay here, Liara?"
"I have to stay here. We can't pass this up, Shepard. All I wanted to do was rescue Feron. But… Is it wrong that part of me wants this?" She turned around in my arms and rested her hands on my chest. She leaned up and left a soft kiss on my lips, her blue eyes sparkling once she leaned away. "With the Shadow Broker's network, I can help you. Maybe I can turn this operation into something better."
"And with what we know is on the horizon…"
"I don't want to be on this big ship alone. I think Feron will stay. But I'm going to ask Shiala and Gianna their opinion. I might keep my office open on Illium if Gianna wants to go back."
"And Shiala?"
"She'll want to go with you, but she likes spending time with me. We're such close friends nowadays."
Everyone else had been on a tour of the ship and found barracks for all the Shadow Broker agents that we'd killed. Storage facilities. Living quarters. After they returned, Liara took my hand and led me away to where we found the Shadow Broker's living quarters. It was rather plush and better than what I would have expected. Liara gave me a look as the enormous bed was made and looked rather comfortable.
"Are you tired, Shepard?"
"T'Soni, I'm always bloody tired at the moment. But I just soldier on as always."
"Do you… Can you stay for a little while?"
"Let's see if we can get in contact with the Normandy and I'm sure some of the crew would rather go back to the ship."
The squad did stay long enough for us to sit down for a meal together, plenty of conversation shared and I was pleased that there was a lot of laughter. Given that no one was loyal to Cerberus any longer, Liara didn't have to worry about the Illusive Man interfering with her operations. Whether he ever had anything to do with the Shadow Broker before, I couldn't be sure.
Once we were one, as even Shiala and Gianna suggested that they would give us space, heading off towards the other end of the ship with Feron, Liara led me towards what would now be her bedroom. As we slowly undressed each other, our mouths rarely apart at the same time, she finally whispered, "It's a good thing we're good people at heart, Shepard. Imagine the trouble that we could cause otherwise."
"Are you trying to tempt me, T'Soni?"
"Only tempt you into being naughty with me..."
Liara had never been shy about giving me oral sex, but once we were naked, she sat on the edge of the bed, and I watched with a smile as she ran her tongue up my shaft before circling the head of my cock. Her eyes spoke volumes of her love and desire for me. As I ran my fingers over her crest, her soft lips wrapped around my cock, and she proceeded to give me the blowjob of a lifetime. I knew that I was still the only man that she'd ever been with, but she simply got better each and every time. She either practiced on a dildo or did a lot of reading about giving better blowjobs.
When I was ready to cum, she gazed up at me and I knew exactly what she was going to do. Each spurt filled her mouth, and she gulped it down greedily. She continued to pleasure me long after my cock had stopped throbbing, only stopped a few minutes later as she leaned back and smiled up at me.
I had her on her back seconds later with my mouth between her legs. Her first climax didn't take long in arriving before I kissed up her body to give her perfect breasts some attention, my fingers continuing to move between her legs. Her gasps and moans told me just how aroused she was, and I loved it when she whimpered my name.
"Goddess… Are you sure you can't stay for…"
"You know that I'd love to," I said softly, leaning up to leave a soft kiss on her lips, "But I have things that I need to do first."
I moved back down her body and enjoyed pleasuring her for the next half an hour. Liara couldn't get enough, begging me not to stop as one climax eventually led into another. I knew this might be our last night together. I simply couldn't remain for too long as although we'd defeated the Collectors, I still had to get the crew safe and then make a decision regarding my own future.
When I slid inside her again, her eyes reflected only one feeling. Her unconditional love for me. We made love for hours as we couldn't get enough of each other. We swapped positions every so often as we always like to have fun, but it was when she was on her back, her legs around my hips, that she whispered into my ear that she wanted nothing more than to have my babies. That made me growl as I really started to pump her harder.
"Definitely having your babies, Shepard," she whispered into my ear, "I don't care if people think I'm too young. I'm having lots of your babies."
She was snuggled into my side a little later as we both needed a few minutes to recover. Her fingers caressed my chest as my fingers ran down her side. I felt her shuffle as she wanted to be as tight to me as possible.
"I think we both needed that," she said softly, "I guess we'll be apart for a little while again."
"I'll visit if and when I can."
"Shiala would love it too."
We made love one last time after waking up the next morning, Liara almost desperate to keep me hard and inside her for as long as possible. Only when I came for a third time did she clutch at me tightly and release a little emotion again. I knew things had been tough, but after our last meld, I now knew the absolute devastation that she'd been carrying for two years.
Joining everyone for breakfast was amusing as Liara couldn't stop smiling the entire time.
"Was it that good?" Shiala asked.
"Better. Goddess… I just know that he's ruined me for anyone who might come…" She stopped and shook her head. "No, Liara, don't even dare think about that yet."
After breakfast, we discussed what would happen next. Liara would remain on the ship with Feron. Shiala and Gianna would come with me as I would take them back to Illium. Gianna would remain on Illium and maintain Liara's office, continuing to do her role though she would be Liara's contact. Shiala would return to the ship with Liara and Feron as she knew how important Liara's work would be going forward.
Everyone gave Liara and me time to bid each other farewell again. That last kiss was something else, and Liara must have whispered that she loved me a dozen times before she finally let me go. Her fingers caressed my cheek as her blue eyes gazed into mine, and they were the eyes of that gorgeous and innocent asari that I'd met on Therum a lifetime ago.
"When we win and defeat the Reapers, I'm going to shut this down," she promised me, "I only want this for one reason. To help you, Shepard. When it's over, the Shadow Broker will be no more."
I knew Liara would keep that promise. One last kiss and I let her go. Walking towards the docking bay door, I glanced back to be greeted by one of those warm smiles that she always had ready for me.
It wasn't how I thought it would go. I'm not sure that Liara thought that we would have ended up facing down the Shadow Broker. Now that she was the Broker, I was confident that she would provide invaluable information in the battles to come.