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A Helping Hand	By : MercurAlav Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 9237 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, nor the characters from it. I make no money from writing this story.

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Liara sat down heavily at her console. It had been a busy few weeks to control the vast empire that was the Shadow Broker's legacy. Day and night she had toiled over this machine, piecing together bits that could be helpful to the Normandy and her crew. For the past week, she had woken up on the couch with a blanket tucked around her and no memory of how she'd gotten there from the console. Feron was a good friend, perhaps better than she deserved. He'd risked everything with her to retrieve Shepard's body, and endured two years of torture because of that decision.

Shepard. The asari let out a sigh, pushing herself away from the lines of data. She had promised not to be a stranger, but that was before the responsibilities of her job had eaten her head. The Shadow Broker's network was immense, dwarfing her operation on Ilium by several exponents. Then again, he'd had a lot longer than her to set it up.

There had been no restrictions on the data access, no hidden passwords to crack; it made settling into the role of the Shadow Broker easy. Almost too easy. There was nothing going on in the galaxy that Liara T'soni could not find out about through at least a dozen different contacts. Manipulation of those scenarios was easier still. She relied on her agents for secrecy, but they ultimately were nothing more than pawns. Replaceable.

She shook her head, getting to her feet and starting to pace. No. This wasn't her. She had lost part of herself when the Normandy had broken apart, lost part of herself when Joker finally turned on the comm in his life support pod to break the news that the Commander had not made it. But now...Shepard was alive again. She hadn't believed the reports coming into her office on Ilium when the first sightings had happened; too many false positives, too many times of chasing down the leads only to find that the source was out of their mind or had thought they'd seen a ghost. It had hardened her, those two years of mourning.

Seeing Shepard standing in her doorway, flanked by Tali and an unknown face... She'd barely been able to control herself enough to keep from vaulting her desk and dragging the human down to the floor. Two years of mourning... The niggling thought that the person standing in her doorway was an imposter sent to kill her had crossed her mind, but not with Tali there. Tali'Zorah vas Neemah would not have followed a look-alike.

The Spectre had a few new scars on her face, but that was to be expected after Cerberus' reconstruction. If the only mark of bringing someone back from the dead was a few scars, Liara would pay that price and more several times over. Her smile, her eyes, her breath, her lips... The kiss they had shared in the office had been entirely too brief, but people were watching her. Always watching her. She wasn't going to let Shepard be pulled into her politics.

Except she had. Shepard had gone and volunteered to help like she always had. Stubborn and persistent...only a few of the qualities that had drawn Liara towards her like a star towards a black hole. It was hard enough to keep things professional between the two of them, but barriers had started breaking down when Shepard gave her intel on the Shadow Broker.

Liara massaged her temples. After some of the things she had said, she hadn't expected the Spectre to stick around. Frustration combined with stress had led her to lash out at the one person who she least wanted to hurt. Most people would have walked away at that point. Not Shepard. Not Commander Ferik Shepard.

She made her way back over to the console, fingers drumming across keys with a practiced ease. A picture of Shepard filled her view, green eyes still as vibrant as ever. Maybe Feron was right. Maybe she did need a vacation.

A few more keytaps brought the VI over to her side, the floating orb eagerly awaiting orders. "What is your wish, Shadow Broker?" Part of her wasn't certain she was ever going to get used to being referred to as the Shadow Broker; however, part of her was afraid she would. "Current coordinates of the Normandy SR-2."

The VI whirred for a moment. "Current coordinates of the Normandy SR-2: Hourglass Nebula, Sowilo System."

They're nearby?

Trying to contain her excitement, the asari forced herself to take a deep breath and let it out. "Purpose of visit?"

"Right now, Shadow Broker, it appears they are in orbit around Hagalaz. You have some correspondence from the Normandy if you wish to read it."

Liara could feel her heart beating faster. She hadn't expected them to come here; it had been several weeks since she had last seen the red-headed human. Not that it wasn't appreciated, of course.

"Pull it up on the console, please."

"Certainly, Shadow Broker." In a few moments, Liara had the letter in front of her eyes. It wasn't from Shepard, though it was from someone she considered rather close. Dr. Chakwas and she had had a few chats about their respective lives when Shepard had been off on missions, and the asari had found a unlikely companion in the older woman.

Her eyes skimmed the words, half-reading the lines. She had gone through so much data since the yahg's death that it was almost exhausting to peruse a simple communication. This one, though, was no simple correspondence. It dealt with Shepard.

She paused, lips tightening. Shepard was working herself harder than ever and starting to snap at the crew for it. This didn't sound like the Commander she'd left a few weeks ago smiling and breathless in the Normandy's loft. Chakwas was worried enough to send her a letter about the situation, which meant that not even the medic knew how to deal with it.

Liara didn't even bother to close the letter before running up the stairs and into the back room. She had a mission.

Feron was bent over the video console when Liara walked in, checking in on a few of the feeds they had set. The drell glanced up from his task and blinked owlishly at the sight before his eyes; the asari was disrobing as fast as possible with no regard for anyone who might catch a glimpse of her body. Feron averted his gaze and cleared his throat, a slight blush darkening his cheeks.

"Might I know the reason for this unexpected visit and your lack of clothing?"

Liara glanced at his back. She didn't have time for modesty right now. She was needed elsewhere, and as far as she was concerned, speed was of the essence. "I need you to take over operations for a little bit. I have some business to take care of."

"Business?" The surprise made Feron look over his shoulder. Thankfully, Liara was just tugging on a shirt and filling a small bag with a few more articles of clothing. An N-7 shirt, the drell noticed with a bit of interest. "How long will you be gone?"

"Unknown. You know how to get in touch with me if something comes up."

The drell turned to face her completely, eyebrow rising. "Liara. Can you explain further, or are you going to leave me to pick out the mystery on my own?"

The asari's eyes met his own, and Feron unconsciously inhaled. The look in those deep blue eyes...he would not have wanted to face her on a battlefield right now. "Shepard's not doing well. The Normandy is in orbit around Hagalaz right now waiting for my arrival. A friend requested my presence, and I'm going."

Feron nodded. It certainly explained Liara's mood; he still remembered what she was like when they were trying to rescue Shepard's body. Sadness mixed with determination. The fierce spark in those blue eyes, refusing to give in even against the odds. The chances that Shepard could be brought back were slim, but still Liara had been willing to sacrifice everything to retrieve her lover's body, to keep the hope alive. "I'll keep the place running while you're gone."

"I appreciate it." Liara shouldered the bag; she was almost to the door when Feron interrupted her.

"One more thing." The asari glanced over her shoulder. "Yes?"

He managed a smile. "Take as long as you need, Liara."

Liara nodded, returning the smile. "I appreciate it, Feron."

Then she was gone, and Feron was left with his thoughts echoing around the empty room, the machines his only company. A small sigh escaped him. Two years of intermittent torture for the theft of Shepard's body. Two years of not knowing whether Liara still lived. Then she had come back for him... No, -they- had come back for him. Her and Shepard. He had seen the look pass between them, had excused himself from the room with Shepard's companion to give them some privacy.

Fingers tapped across the console, pulling up the next vid in the sequence as a sad smile tugged at his lips. "She was taken before you ever met her," he reminded himself, looking up at the frozen camera feed. "Even with Shepard's death, she was still taken."
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A Helping Hand