The Kodiak Shuttles arrived, and we had to spend some time securing the Makos to their undercarriages, after which we packed into the shuttles themselves like sardines in a barrel, with Liara purposefully climbing into the shuttle I was in.
However, nothing much came of that story, so we soon reached the SSV Normandy, where the landing immediately took place.
"Alright, Li, unfortunately, there isn't much room on the ship, so I simply have nowhere to house all the huntresses. So talk to Charles Pressly, he's the XO, and he'll tell you exactly where the girls can stay."
"Understood."
"And I also wanted to ask you for a small favor..."
"A favor?"
"Yes..."
I gestured for her to follow me, then also gestured for Jane, and together with them, I headed to the medical bay.
"So, why do you need me, especially considering you brought this Asari along?"
"This Asari's name is Liara."
There was a note of reproach in my friend's voice.
"Well, sorry..."
As she said this, Jane didn't look embarrassed; rather, she even seemed to be slightly mocking Liara.
"Well, I wanted Liara to practice the Embrace Eternity with you."
"What?!"
Liara stared at me with shock and indignation.
"Wait, you want your friend to fuck me?!"
Jane wasn't lagging behind the blue one.
"Jane, you had contact with the beacon; there's a jumble of images in your head right now that you'll be sorting through yourself for several years. And Liara, despite her youth, can quite calmly structure what you received."
"I..."
Jane blinked in confusion, but in Liara's gaze, I saw a slight obsession. She hadn't known that it was Jane who contacted the beacon, and now, realizing she had the chance to learn some information from the beacon...
"Hey, hey..."
"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt; you might even like it."
"That's what I'm afraid of!"
Jane tried to take a few steps back, but I caught her by the shoulders, and Liara was able to close in on her, her eyes already turning black.
"Embrace eternity..."
A hint of obsession was heard in Liara's voice, and Jane couldn't look away as my Asari's hands gently rested on Jane's face.
* Ten minutes later. *
"That was..."
Liara pulled away from Jane.
"...interesting. So much information, so much pain..."
"It was a warning."
Shock and even some fear were heard in Jane's voice.
"I agree. It looks very much like a warning. It seems the Protheans were fighting an enemy that couldn't simply be defeated. And this beacon is a message to us, so that we prepare to meet those who will seek to kill all living things..."
Liara nodded slowly and, stepping aside a bit, sat down on a cot.
"So it turns out war is unavoidable..."
Jane said this in a slightly lost voice and, without even realizing it, sat down next to Liara.
"Alright, girls, I'd like a detailed report on what you were able to understand from what the beacon passed to Jane. Meanwhile, I'm off to report to the Citadel Council."
"John..."
A note of reproach was heard in Liara's voice, and a slight look of hurt appeared in her eyes.
"Huh?"
"Did you forget something? We only just met, and if my memory serves me, we should greet each other."
"Ah... yes... sorry..."
I smiled apologetically and, going up to her, kissed her on the lips, and she returned the kiss with great pleasure.
"Good to see you."
"Yes."
She smiled at me affectionately.
"I'm glad to see you too."
"So there's something between you two, huh?"
A slight tension was heard in Jane's voice.
"No..."
Liara, pulling away from me, blinked her eyelashes in confusion a couple of times.
"...we're just friends."
"Friends?"
Doubt was heard in Jane's voice.
"Yes, friends. I am, of course, trying to persuade Liara into a relationship, and Matriarch Benezia would also be happy if we started one, but Liara is holding out for now. Alright, I have to go report."
I waved to the girls and left the medical bay, heading for the comm room.
"Shepard..."
As soon as the Councilors answered, Sparatus showed me his attitude toward the situation with his voice. He was ready to lecture me, but a short gesture from Tevos stopped him.
"Shepard, we need explanations."
"Yes, yes..."
I made it clear with my whole appearance that I didn't care about their grievances.
"...I'm transmitting the data on the destroyed criminals to you. I also want to note that Liara T'Soni was rescued; she has already performed the Embrace Eternity with Jane Shepard and was able to sort out the implanted memories."
"And what did she understand?"
"It was a warning. A warning about some ancient enemy that came from the dark regions of space, and with whom it was impossible to negotiate."
The Councilors frowned.
"Shepard, if you think we'll believe these fairy tales..."
"Councilors, I don't give a damn about your attitude toward the data I'm transmitting; I'm just stating the facts. Especially since I'm sure every Council race has its own beacon that no one else knows about. So you can try to get data from them and compare it with the information I've provided. Especially knowing what to look for—it's much easier that way."
"Shepard, you are overstepping!"
Displeasure was heard in Sparatus's voice.
"Not at all, I'm just telling it like it is, and if I can't do anything as a Spectre, then as the head of a corporation, I can certainly start arming the colonies under my control. As well as increasing the security staff."
"Shepard..."
A slight reproach was heard in Tevos's voice.
"...do you really believe in this nonsense?"
"Councilor, it essentially makes no difference to me whether it's true or not. If it's true, I'll simply be ready for a confrontation with a powerful enemy that destroyed the Protheans. I have no illusions, of course, and I understand that my colonies won't last long, but as their manager, I'll give them at least a few extra years of life."
I paused to read a short message from Joker, in which he reported that we were already far enough from the planet and were now drifting.
"And if it's all garbage and just a stupid Prothean joke, then I'll use the accumulated strength to develop a few more planets."
"I understand your point of view."
Valern joined the conversation.
"However, you also destroyed the Prothean ruins, which was completely unnecessary. And we would like to understand why you did that?"
"For the reason that Saren Arterius already knew about them and might have tried to get some information. So it was easier to destroy them."
"Fine... We understand your motives, though we do not approve of them. Continue your work. And we will be keeping a close eye on your actions."
"As you wish."
The connection was cut, and I was left with nothing but to mentally curse the Councilors for their somewhat inert thinking. However, it was good that in a private conversation they didn't try to tell me that the visions we decoded were all nonsense and there was no danger. At least, from Tevos's look, it was clear she would try to find out the truth.
"So... what to do next?"
I looked thoughtfully at the ceiling; however, the plan had already been made, and I knew where we were going next. To Noveria, because that's where Saren Arterius has some kind of laboratory. And according to canon, there were Rachni there, so that threat needed to be dealt with.
"Joker..."
I contacted our pilot.
"Set a course for Noveria."
"Understood, Captain."
After standing for a few minutes and thinking about what I might have forgotten, I decided to do one more important thing, even though it would sideline a biotic for a few days.
"Kaidan Alenko, to the med bay."
The short order I transmitted over the ship's internal comms should have been passed very quickly to our biotic, who likes to play the dying swan but is generally not such a bad soldier.
When I reached the medical bay, not only Kaidan Alenko but also Jane was there.
"Captain?"
Ignoring the biotic's question, I turned to Karin Chakwas.
"Dr. Chakwas, you were given a small box after the upload on the Citadel, weren't you?"
"Yes, sir."
She nodded briefly, then hurried to get the box and place it on a nearby table.
"Here it is. I've read the accompanying documentation, but... sir, I've never heard of such implants for biotics..."
There was a slight uncertainty in her voice.
"That's right, my corporation's development is for internal use only, so if Kaidan Alenko hadn't joined my team, he wouldn't have known about these implants for another two or three years, and by the time he did, they would have cost a fortune. And my corporation would have a new version by then."
"I don't understand anything..."
Kaidan shook his head.
"...can you explain to me what's even going on here?"
"It's quite simple."
Karin smiled at him affectionately.
"This is the latest biotic implant, the L3-M-V3. And based on the data I was given, it's essentially a version of the L2 implant you have installed, just without the drawbacks in the form of headaches."
"And the power level?"
Kaidan Alenko frowned slightly.
"I heard that the L3's power is lower than my implant's. That's actually why I didn't want to change my implant to the third generation."
"No, the power level will remain the same."
"This..."
Kaidan Alenko looked at me.
"How long will he be out of the team?"
"For a few days. Overall, the operation isn't difficult for our medical bay..."
I cast a questioning look at Karin, and she nodded in agreement.
"Yes, I don't have much experience in such work, of course, but the operation really isn't difficult. Especially since some equipment came with the implant that will make this operation even easier. So..."
She shrugged nonchalantly.
"I can perform the operation right now."
"But a few days."
"Is it really critical for us?"
I looked at Jane with slight surprise, then turned my gaze to Kaidan.
"He's a biotic, of course, and that's important, but right now we have a squad of biotics on board, and not just biotics—they're Asari huntresses. And they, believe me, will outmatch Kaidan Alenko in both biotics and training. And not just him... perhaps there are only a few individuals on board right now whom they couldn't outmatch on his own field."
"Like you?"
Jane curled her lips mockingly.
"They could outmatch me. Not all of them, of course, but there are some veterans there who could play against me and win. But that's not surprising; after all, they live longer than me and have more experience. No, I mean Tali'Zorah and her technical skills, Wrex with his skills and experience, and they won't be able to beat Joker. He seems to have been born with a flight stick in his hands and an engine in his ass."
"Hey!"
Joker's indignant voice came over the internal comms. However, he was only indignant for show; we all clearly heard that he was mostly embarrassed.
"That's all well and good, but do you really think they'll obey you?"
"They'll obey me."
Liara stepped out of the inner room of the medical bay, which she had apparently managed to claim for herself.
"And I'll support John. So they'll listen to him too. Although my intervention won't be necessary, as my mother will be on Noveria, and she'll give a personal order to obey John."
"Yeah... but after Noveria, the huntresses will leave the ship anyway. Well, maybe one or two will stay as your protectors. And the rest will go with Matriarch Benezia to one of my colonies, where work will be found for them."
"Well, that's for you and mother to decide..."
Liara shrugged nonchalantly.
"So?"
I turned to Kaidan Alenko.
"What have you decided? Are we putting in the new implant or not?"
"I... Captain, is it true? Well, that it'll just get rid of the pain? I won't lose power? No, don't get me wrong, I've already heard the answer to that question, it's just..."
"It's true."
"Then I agree."
***
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