Location: Hourglass Nebula / Sowilo System / Hagalaz / The Shadow Broker's Base of Operations

"This is the Shadow Broker. The situation is under control."

Startled, Jacob looked at the speaker above his head. The announcement was being broadcasted ship-wide.

"Wait, if the Broker is transmitting…" Jack asked before cursing.

"We experienced a power fluctuation while upgrading hardware. It disrupted communications momentarily."

"… then what the hell happened to Shepard and his team?!" Jacob finished. "Tali, take Feron and find a place to hide. The rest of us will—"

"I'm coming with you," Feron said. He shook off Tali's arm and jogged/limped to the command center.

Jacob didn't bother arguing. He checked the status of the heat sink in his shotgun and sprinted ahead, setting the pace for everyone to keep up.

Even with Feron's weakened condition, they crossed the length of the ship in relatively good time. Easy, considering that all hostile forces aboard were probably dead.

The door was open, so Jacob sidled up to the opening, held his weapon ready, and waited for his team to do the same. At his three-count, they entered rapidly and prepared to engage the Shadow Broker.

~o~O~o~

"However, we are now back online. Resume standard procedures," Liara ordered.

She double-checked to ensure she was broadcasting on the Shadow Broker's encrypted, but general channel to reach all the operatives out in the field, as well as leaving behind the same recorded message to those that were not actively listening to receive later. Finally, a last check showed that the voice-masking program was active, which ensured that the same guttural voice the former Shadow Broker had always spoken in was heard.

Nearby, Shepard, Miranda, and Garrus were staring at her in stunned silence.

"I want a status report on all operations within the next solar day. Shadow Broker out." When she finished, the full ramifications of what she had done crashed onto her. She leaned on the console and forced herself to take another deep, shuddering breath.

"No way…" Kasumi gasped out.

"Goddess of oceans… It's you. It's really you," Feron whispered. "You… how?"

Liara whirled around when he spoke and her eyes widened. "Feron!"

"I think I had the same look on my face when I heard you were here of all places. And with Shepard of all people," Feron joked, though his voice remained hoarse.

Liara ran up and hugged him, an action that he returned.

"I missed you, too… but… ow?" he said before groaning.

"Oh!" She gasped and let him go before checking him over herself. "Did I hurt you? !"

"No. Believe me, I've been hurt. That was nothing, but let's not tempt fate," he assured.

"Wait, so… Liara?" Jacob prompted before looking around at the gore-stained room. "Uh… whoa. Is—was all this…?"

"The Shadow Broker," Garrus confirmed.

"What's left of him," Miranda added.

Jack let out a low whistle. "Damn… you guys fucked him up, huh? And now Blue has a new job or what?"

Liara released Feron and turned to everyone. "Well, everyone who's ever seen him in person is dead, so…"

"… you're the new Shadow Broker," Feron finished in awe.

"Oh, wow!" Kasumi gushed. "This is exactly like 'The Princess Bride'! Except the leading hero was a guy, but that just makes this so much better! And the Broker? What was he? Don't leave us in suspense!"

"We'll explain later, so you'll have to endure being in suspense," Garrus said. "I'm just glad we'll have some reliable intel we can access for once… Shadow Broker."

Liara chuckled humorously. "I'm not sure I'm ready for any of you to call me that. I'm not sure about any of this."

"Are you okay about it, though?" Shepard asked. "I mean, is taking over as the Shadow Broker a good idea? Do you think you're up to it?"

"It had to be done," Liara staunchly said. "Can we afford to lose everything? His contacts, his trading sources. All of this can really help us."

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. But with it, she marveled over what had just happened. Yet another twisting turn her life had taken since she had met Shepard: From a humble, nearly solitary archaeologist digging around on Prothean ruins to a well-known information broker on Illium… to this. "With the Shadow Broker's information network, I can give you… I can…" she uttered before trailing off. What she could do couldn't be put into words at the moment. Looking back at the main command terminal, she nearly felt overwhelmed with the possibilities at her fingertips.

"Liara?" Tali asked hesitantly. The quarian walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're here for you, you know that, right? No matter what."

At that, Liara sobbed and turned around to embrace the younger woman. "It's over… it's finally over… after two years…"

"It's all right. We're still here. All of us," Tali said and patted the asari on the back.

"I know," Liara said before sniffling, but smiling again. It felt so good. "Shepard, Feron, Garrus, you… you're all here…"

Shepard and Garrus walked up to them. "After something like this, I think you deserve a break. And a vacation," the turian joked.

Liara hiccupped before laughing. "It's tempting, but let's see what we got here first."

She released Tali and wiped away the tears before looking back at the console. "No safeguards or user restrictions. It's like he never anticipated anyone but himself being here," she said before half-turning to the assembled group behind her. "And it's all ours."

"What kind of information are we talking about?" Miranda asked. She was staring at the monitors with undisguised curiosity.

"I'm not sure. I'll need to go through everything," Liara replied distractedly. The sheer number of informants alone looked daunting.

"We'll go through everything," Tali said. She faced Shepard "We're not about to leave you alone on a ship with no crew. We can stay for a bit and help, right?"

"We don't really have any new pressing business at the moment," Garrus concurred.

"Except me," Jack reminded. "Shepard still has to get my record purged… but hiding out here isn't bad, I guess. Not like anyone else can find me here."

"Are you sure you're okay, Liara?" Feron gently asked.

Liara chuckled, though it was hard to tell if there was humor in it or not this time. "I came here to kill the Broker… and rescue you when I heard you were still alive. You're asking me if I'm all right?"

Feron shrugged before groaning. Jacob was at his side in an instant and eased the drell to the floor to sit down.

"Are you okay?" Liara asked in alarm.

"Never better," Feron said with a wave of his hand. "Just gotta remember how to breathe again. Air in, then out, right?"

"We'll get him to Chakwas," Jacob said. "Don't worry, man. We got a doc aboard our ship. One of the best. You'll remember the little things soon enough."

Liara looked around the room she was in. As much as she wanted to explore, Feron's well-being was far more important. "I'd like to go with Feron. It's not as if this ship is going anywhere now."

Shepard nodded to her before issuing his orders. "Garrus, Tali, and Miranda… fine, you too, Kasumi. You four stay here with me. Garrus, Kasumi, and I will check for any holdouts left—"

Kasumi cheered. "Exploring the Shadow Broker's ship?! Yatta!"

"Securing it," Garrus corrected. "Keep the thievery to a minimum… unless you find something really good. Then I call dibs on it first."

"No way!"

"Miranda, you and Tali poke around and see if anything needs to be done, either for the ship, or the info network. Keep us in the air and in charge," Shepard continued over their argument. "The rest of you will head back to the Normandy. Tali, mind getting in touch with Joker and letting him know we're okay down here as well as signaling Hawthorne for a pickup?"

"On it!" Tali said and moved up to the terminal to contact the Normandy.

Miranda stepped up to a different part of the massive console and started checking on the ship and information network status.

"Cleanup duty, yay…" Garrus complained good-naturedly.

Kasumi patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure we'll find something interesting around here!"

"Dibs."

"I just told you! You can't call dibs on something until we find it!"

Liara moved over to Feron and offered him a hand. He smiled and took it to pull himself back to his feet. "Let's go, Feron. You're going to be okay now."

"I already am. I just want to be better than 'okay'," he replied.

She smiled at him. "I think we can manage that."

~o~O~o~

Location: Hourglass Nebula / Sowilo System / Normandy SR-2 / In Orbit Above Hagalaz

"How is he?" Liara asked, trying to keep the urgency out of her voice.

Dr. Chakwas smiled, which offset her worries. "He's fine. Resting now. Honestly, I think the battery of physicals I had to give him tired him out more than his ordeal. And he wasn't happy when I told him about the nanites."

"Nanites?" Liara repeated.

"For the SMART scan. Simultaneous Mediated Axial Radiation Tech Scan," Chakwas clarified patiently. She smiled wistfully. "I love that machine."

Shepard winced in sympathy for his fellow man. "Out of one torture room and into another."

Chakwas leveled a glare at him that caused him to look away and whistle innocently. "Anyway, he'll need to undergo further treatment for more of the… ah… 'invasive' procedures he underwent. I don't foresee any complications, but I'd feel much more comfortable if he were examined and resting at a hospital rather than the medical bay of a warship."

Liara exhaled in relief. "Yes, of course, Dr. Chakwas. As soon as it's possible, I'll see to it. Anything else?"

"There's nothing more I can do for him. For a man that underwent intermittent torture for two years, he's in better shape than I expected. Amazingly resilient," Chakwas replied. "Well, you're welcome to see him. Just avoid any undue stress."

"I will," Liara promised.

After the good doctor left, Liara turned to Shepard.

"The ship is all clear. Most of the systems were automated, so there really wasn't much of a crew. Maintenance drones and people to look out for any problems, but nothing else. EDI was right. That thing can barely fly outside the storm, let alone space," he said. "Tali reported everything is fine for now, and the automated systems can handle most of the tasks. Miranda looked over information network and some of the reports that are already coming in. As far as she can determine, no one is any the wiser."

Liara nodded and leaned against the nearest bulkhead. "I imagined so many things… dreamed of all sorts of scenarios… but this?"

"I can't say I saw this coming, either," Shepard admitted wryly.

Liara smiled and walked out of the Med Bay. Shepard followed closely behind her.

"Shepard, is it wrong that part of me wants this? To be the Shadow Broker?" she asked when the door closed behind them. She turned around to face him. "I should've gone with you on your mission. I'm not abandoning you again. With the Shadow Broker's—with my network, I can help you. I can turn this operation into something better."

"You're not going to be a stranger this time?" Shepard asked teasingly.

"No, not this time," Liara replied. She felt more like she did two years ago now. More animated, more free from her self-imposed shackles. "For you and our friends? The doors will always be open. I have a feeling the Shadow Broker doesn't get many visitors."

Shepard nodded and looked down at Feron's sleeping form. "Why don't you go check out your new ship? I'll stay with him."

"Are you sure?" Liara asked.

"Yeah. I think he's going to need a sympathetic ear after he goes to the bathroom."

She tilted her head. "What does that mean?"

Shepard grimaced before chuckling self-depreciatively. "I think I'll let him explain it when he wakes up."

~o~O~o~

Liara rubbed her eyes to ward off her exhaustion. She had spent the last few days by herself aboard her new ship, familiarizing herself with every facet of the former Shadow Broker's operations so she could believably play the part and not arouse suspicions.

Feron had opted out of any hospital stays, stating: "I'd rather keep a low profile… and I want to keep living, thanks. Pissing needles doesn't feel like it'll help with that."

Even with his opinion said, he was still physically drained from his ordeal and had stayed with her aboard the empty ship. He had helped her when he could, but spent most of the time resting. Tali would also fly in to help her. She was able to manage her duties as Chief Engineer for the Normandy to moonlighting as the sole engineer for the Broker's ship. More than once, Liara had caught the quarian furiously taking notes, recording, and studying the inner mechanisms of the ship in-depth.

Occasionally, Garrus would come with her, but only to poke around for a bit to satisfy his curiosity before leaving again when he got bored.

A ping and a flash from the monitor in front of her showed that she received another message. Reports from all the agents trickled in, as per her orders. It seemed that each one demanded her attention to organize, catalogue, and prioritize.

What felt strange and familiar was how she did it. It almost felt like she was back on Thessia; sitting alone in libraries, studying Prothean artifacts, scriptures, or reports from her colleagues, before she went out to do field work. All the information she needed had to be done almost the same way.

Her console beeped. A flick of her hand and a scan showed the Normandy was still in orbit above her. What caught her eye was a shuttle that was casually cruising toward the ship.

After a few minutes, a call came in. "Liara, it's Shepard. Mind if I dock?"

"By all means," she answered happily.

Standing up and stretching to relieve the aches in her body, she walked to the door and waited patiently. After a few minutes, Shepard walked in, dressed in civilian clothing this time.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hello, Shepard," she returned, keeping her voice upbeat to mask her exhaustion.

"Welcome back, Shadow Broker!"

Shepard snapped his head to the right, and then took a few steps away when a white drone floated up to him. "What's this?"

Liara giggled. "That's the old Broker's VI assistant. It's actually been helpful with rebuilding the network."

"Please let me know if I can organize anything else for you, Shadow Broker," the VI chirped.

Shepard raised an eyebrow at the drone before turning to Liara questioningly.

"Ah, yes. It also thinks anyone in the room is the Broker. I'll play around with the settings later," she added.

"My manual is ready whenever you have a moment!"

"Okay…" Shepard drawled out. He walked in and took a look around the office. He even sniffed the air.

"Cleaning was the first thing I did… as well as disinfect," she said. "Tali reprogrammed some maintenance drones to assist with that."

"A good idea," he replied. With the pleasantries done, he faced her fully to regard her. "How are you doing, Liara?"

"I'm a bit overwhelmed, to be honest. The Shadow Broker has more resources than you can ever imagine," she answered before moving to the main console at the rear of the office. "Here, come on over."

A couple of button presses, and Shepard's eyes widened at the reports displayed on the main monitor. "Is this right?"

Liara nodded. Even now, she had some small disbelief over the vast network her predecessors had created, even with the proof at her fingertips. "He had top-level access to the turian and asari governments, and more than one salarian dalatrass traded intel."

"That'll irk the STG if they ever knew," he commented.

"And now it's ours," she finished with aplomb.

"You're not going to turn into a recluse with creepy information on everyone in the galaxy, are you?" Shepard joked.

Liara smiled to offset any worry he might have. "I can understand the temptation. I've got all the secrets of the galaxy at my fingertips. Give me ten minutes and I could start a war… or ten." She looked him in the eye. "But I've got a purpose: helping you stop the Reapers. That will keep me honest. Well… relatively speaking."

"And after?"

"I have a few ideas that will make sure I don't become like my predecessor," she enigmatically answered. "I know I haven't given you much reason to lately, but I'm asking you to trust me. I'll do everything in my power to keep your faith in me."

Shepard rubbed his forehead before walking to the console and played around with the screens a bit. Some reports he studied with some measure of scrutiny, while others he passed on entirely. After a bit, he said, "Part of me wants to keep this. It's way too useful to get rid of. Another part thinks we might be in over our heads; that we should crash this thing and walk away."

"I know," she whispered. "But part of me feels like I belong here. Working on my own, I was always hunting for leads. With the Shadow Broker's resources, it's about organizing, cataloguing."

"You did say being an information broker was a lot like archaeology," he said.

"I've got everything; almost limitless resources here. This is a dream job…" she replied before turning to the window and watching the perpetual lightning storm outside rage ever onwards. "Although the location could be better."

Shepard paused at one report and read it intently. "What the hell is this?"

Liara read over his shoulder and nodded. "Ah, yes. It appears the Shadow Broker learned about the Reapers. He actually offered to help prove Saren's guilt to the Council."

"According to his notes, he didn't want Saren to succeed," he muttered. "And wait…"

"He somehow learned that the Collectors were the repurposed Protheans, all set to be the Reapers' puppets. I'm still trying to figure out how he knew and for how long," Liara said. She crossed her arms and frowned. "There's even some data on the Protheans… some of it is actually from my research. One of my reports was something I published only five years ago."

"And my mission two years ago," Shepard said. He tapped the screens a few more times to keep reading. "I take back what I said. We definitely need to keep this base."

Liara nodded. "I think he knew what was coming and was looking for a way to survive."

"Considering the Reapers were after him, I doubt he had long," Shepard commented darkly. "Why the Protheans, though? They gave us the warning and the Conduit at Ilos, but we've used those."

"I did find something," Liara said. She nudged him aside and manipulated the console to search for a specific report. "The Shadow Broker seemed to think there was more out there. Some plan the Protheans had… ah, here."

She put the report on the main monitor.

Shepard raised his eyebrow at the title. "The Crucible?"

Liara shrugged. "At first, I thought he was grasping at anything that offered some hope, but there might be something here. This report suggests that more information could be found at the data cache at your home system of Sol. At the Mars facility."

"Really?" Shepard asked skeptically.

Again, Liara shrugged. "I don't know, and neither did he. But I confess, I find myself supremely curious. I was thinking of petitioning the Alliance for access to their Mars base to gain access to their records."

Standing straight again, Shepard turned away from the monitors to face her. "How's Feron doing?" he asked as gently as he could.

Liara smiled at his tact before frowning in worry. "Dr. Chakwas disapproves of his decision for dedicated hospital care, but he's been animated, and so far, nothing appears out of the ordinary."

"That's good to hear," Shepard said.

"For now, he wants to work, so I'm letting him help. Maybe it takes his mind off it," Liara said.

"So… are you and Feron…?"

At that, Liara blushed. "No. Tali and Kasumi asked the same thing. He's been through a traumatic ordeal. He's emotionally fragile and needs to heal. He's very grateful to me for saving him, but it would be irresponsible of me to take advantage of that."

Shepard nodded approvingly. "That's probably for the best. There's no rush after all."

Liara smiled and furiously willed her blush to leave. The topic was eerily reminiscent of the fact that she had once harbored supposed feelings for Shepard after he had saved her life as well, but he exercised his own restraint to avoid taking advantage of that fact.

Exhaustion overrode her embarrassment. She tried to suppress a yawn, but it still came out anyway. "Excuse me."

"When was the last time you slept?" Shepard asked.

"Too long, I think," Liara answered honestly.

"Do you need anything? Any more help here?"

"What I need right now is a friend… or several," she said. "I can't leave for too long, but spending all my time on this ship…"

"Creepy recluse."

"Let's do what we can to avoid that."

"You haven't really had time to explore the new Normandy, have you?" he said thoughtfully.

"No, but it sounds wonderful."

"Why don't you come with me? And Feron too? Just for a bit. A break will do you both good."

Liara nodded. "Okay, let me freshen up, then? I'll only need a few minutes."

"I'll be here," he promised.

~o~O~o~

After Liara left into the depths of the ship, Shepard poked around the console some more. After a couple of minutes, he could see why Liara was exhausted. He was tempted to settle in and look at some of the galaxy's darkest secrets himself. There was even a dossier on him as well.

Oh, man. I wonder who else is in here.

The invitation was great –too great– to pull up any dossiers on his friends, his squadmates, or even Miranda, but he resisted and reluctantly pulled away.

Sighing, he looked around for something to distract himself with before the allure of information pulled him back. He settled for casually exploring the office.

The Shadow Broker's office…

There were times where if felt like this place was the stuff of myths and legends… that no man could have so much power and knowledge of the galaxy's inner workings like the Shadow Broker. And now, he was standing right in the seat of his information empire. Or rather, her empire now.

And I'm actually friends with her.

His musings were cut off when he noticed the parlor room in the back. Inside was Feron, sitting back and relaxing. Shepard changed direction and walked over to him.

"Commander!" Feron called out when he spotted him. The drell stood up to greet him when he approached. Shepard didn't bother correcting him on the rank. Instead, he subtly looked him over from head to toe. "It's good to see you. We didn't have much of a chance to talk these last few days, did we?"

"Take is easy, you've been through a lot," Shepard said.

Feron nodded in agreement and sat back down on the couch. "You're probably right. But I never did say thanks for the rescue."

"It was all Liara. She never gave up on you, Feron. I just helped."

"I'm still amazed Liara came for me," Feron said with a shake of his head. "I'll never forget what either of you did."

The drone zoomed up to Feron's elbow like an overexcited puppy. "I can log that into the archives for you, sir."

"I see you met the secretary," the drell muttered dryly.

"Don't worry about it. We're even. I actually wanted to thank you, too," Shepard said, "for saving me from the Shadow Broker. It must've been a tough call."

"I'm –was– an information trader, not a slaver," Feron said. "I don't know what the Broker wanted to do with your body, but it didn't sit right with me… that and I was pretty impressed with the lengths Liara was going for you, even if you were dead. If you were alive, I imagine she would be even more impressive. You keep good friends."

"Well, count yourself among them," Shepard easily said.

"I still think I owe you," Feron said. "You did help Liara take this base from the Shadow Broker and I'm in one piece… mostly. And I got a pretty nice promotion out of it."

Both men laughed.

Shepard sat down across from his new drell friend. "For two years, Liara didn't stop looking for you. You two must have been close."

"She's a good friend. Better than I deserve," was all he said on the matter.

I wonder what Kasumi would make out of this?

"So how are you holding up?"

Feron rolled his eyes. "Is Dr. Chakwas still worried about me?"

"That's what she does," Shepard replied.

"I'll be alright. I wasn't always tortured and drell can mentally escape into old memories. It came in handy on the bad days."

"Solipsism," Shepard said.

Feron shot him an impressed look. "You know about it?"

"A good friend of mine is a drell. He told me a bit about it," Shepard said. "Were you in that contraption a lot?"

"Yeah, more than I cared to count. It was mostly showmanship for the guards, though. He'd make them watch as an example," Feron bitterly answered.

Shepard changed the topic before the drell could lapse into his solipsism. "What are your plans now that you're a free man?"

"Rest and relaxation sounds nice. I also want to help Liara rebuild this place, but after that…" Feron said before thoughtfully trailing off.

The drone moved into Feron's face, forcing him to lean back in annoyance. "Your schedule's getting full, sir. Let me sync it to your omni-tool!"

He glared at the white orb. "No, thanks, I'm fine."

"I heard Liara's version, but now I'm curious to hear it from your point of view. How did you and Liara team up to look for my body?" Shepard asked. He leaned back in his seat and attentively waited for his answer.

Feron shrugged. "Cerberus head-hunted me and Liara to steal your body from the Shadow Broker. I was working for the Broker at the time and he's the one that scraped up your remains in the first place."

"But you eventually betrayed him."

"I learned the Broker was working with the Collectors and you weren't his first victim. Like I said, it didn't sit well with me. I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of, but slavery just crosses the line."

Shepard checked his chrono. "How do you think Liara is doing as the new Shadow Broker?"

"Operations are almost fully recovered after a slight dip in efficiency," the info drone chirped.

"Liara's been glued to the archives these past few days," Feron cut in before the drone could continue. "I've caught her sleeping at her desk more than once. She's busy, but I think she likes it that way."

"I thought so, too, but a break every now and then is a good thing," Shepard said. "By the way, I don't know if she mentioned this, but she's getting ready to visit the Normandy. Do you wanna come with us?"

Feron smirked. "Is Dr. Chakwas going to dote on me again?"

Shepard shrugged and grinned back. "Probably, but she also knows when to be discreet."

"I shall note this for your schedule, Shadow Broker!"

Shepard eyed the drone that seemed glued to Feron's side. "Making another new friend, I see."

"The drone follows everyone. I don't know why the Broker kept it around," Feron muttered.

"I'm a shell for a specialized data-processing VI custom-built to your specifications, Shadow Broker!"

"It helps coordinate the network's massive information feeds, but it could use a different interface tone," Feron added, before shooting the drone a dirty look.

"You deemed my default personality sufficient for your needs, Shadow Broker!" the drone 'reminded'.

"I wish Liara would tear herself away from the archives to change its settings sooner rather than later. She always said she'd get around to it, but…" Feron complained before sighing in resignation. "Given the choice between Chakwas and this thing? I'll go with the doctor. At least she's better for conversation."

"Shepard, I'm ready! Let me ask Feron if—Oh! I suppose you beat me to it," Liara said. She entered the parlor, looking much more refreshed and clad in a dress, rather than rumpled slept-in clothes.

"I'd like to properly thank his crew for their rescue… and maybe get out of this storm a bit," Feron said. He stood up and stretched before groaning and rubbing some troublesome spots on his chest. "It'll do me some good, I think."

Shepard stood up as well. "Shall we, then?"

~o~O~o~

Location: Hourglass Nebula / Sowilo System / In Orbit Above Hagalaz / Normandy SR-2

"And here is the new and improved engine room," Tali said and gestured her workspace. "These are my engineers: Ken and Gabby."

Both of them looked up and waved at them, offering tandem, but jumbled greetings before getting back to work.

Liara stepped in and looked around. "I understand you're the Chief Engineer now."

"Our lives are in her hands. Great feeling, isn't it?" Garrus joked, which earned him a glare from the quarian. He chuckled back.

"Does anyone else help you down here?" Liara smoothly cut in, though she smiled at their familiar antics.

"Kasumi and Legion both have shifts here," Tali answered.

"Although, in the interest of self-preservation, EDI also reports anything wrong if it warrants attention," Kasumi added. "It's her heart that we're playing with after all."

"I thank you for your care," EDI said. Her avatar popped up at the nearby pedestal. "However, it would be more accurate to add that 'self-preservation' does not just include myself, but everyone aboard my 'body'."

Kasumi grinned and twiddled the tip of her shoe on the deck. "Am I tickling you?"

Liara laughed. It took her a moment to calm down so she could take a better look around. "AIs and geth. Certainly not your regular sort of acquaintances," she commented to Tali.

"Believe me, that's something I say to myself all the time," Tali replied with an amused shake of her head. "Of course, travelling with Shepard had to warp my galactic views. Reapers, Collectors… why not AIs and geth?"

When Tali mentioned his name, Liara frowned. "Do you think he's alright?"

At her question, Garrus shrugged. "Dealing with the Council? Probably not."

Feron, who had been a quiet spectator this entire time, snorted in disdain. "I can't say I've ever been a fan of politics."

Liara sighed. When they boarded the Normandy, Kasumi, Garrus, and Tali had been in the hanger to greet them. Shepard had only just showed her the Common Area of the Crew Deck when Miranda appeared and told him that the Council 'requested' a meeting with him. Shepard had sighed like a man condemned and excused himself to speak with them in the Comm Room. Kasumi and Tali had taken over the tour at that point and were just wrapping up with the Engineering Deck.

"Shall we head back to the Common Area?" Tali suggested.

Liara nodded and they all left, with Ken and Gabby staying to work.

Once back on the Crew Deck, Garrus finally turned to her and said, "Okay, Liara, I have to ask: how did you know what species the Shadow Broker was?"

At his question, Liara smirked. "I didn't."

Garrus blinked at her. "You didn't?"

"I had no idea what to expect when we finally found him," she confessed. "But I researched pre-spaceflight cultures during some of my Prothean studies. To see if they influenced any races during their empire, like the hanar."

"So… what are yahg?" Tali asked.

"I know they're a fascinating culture… and a terrifying one," Liara simply answered. "I'll send you some reading material if you're interested."

"I wish I could've been there to see him. And if Garrus was telling the truth about how he fought something three times his size with just his combat knife all by his lonesome while the rest of you cheered him on," Kasumi teased.

"I didn't say that!" he indignantly sputtered out.

Liara and Feron took a seat at the nearby table. "Any other local gossip that you can share with me?" Liara 'innocently' asked.

Kasumi's face lit up. She bounced over to the table and sat across from her. "Let me see… what else did I forget to tell you when we were docked at Illium… Oh! Did you hear about Miranda and Shepard? !"

~o~O~o~

Shepard set down a pair of wine glasses on the coffee table before opening the bottle in his right hand and pouring the contents into them. The door opened just as he finished.

"So, did you enjoy the tour?" Shepard asked when Liara walked into his cabin. He passed her a glass.

She took it before looking around his cabin. Unlike her previous visit, she took her time to admire his new lodgings. "Yes, it's a beautiful ship. And I took the time to see Joker. He seemed happy to see me," she said before taking a sip of wine. "He also asked if I'd 'embraced eternity' lately."

Shepard rubbed the back of his head. "Of course he did."

"I also spoke with Dr. Chakwas, although this time, it was a far more pleasant conversation. I'm glad she's doing well," Liara added. "She told me of your heroics to save her and the crew from the Collectors."

"I didn't—"

"—do it alone. Yes, she made a point of that as well," Liara finished with a smile. She took another sip, which prompted him to pick up his glass and take a drink as well.

Liara moved over to his desk, where she looked over some of the sundries that he kept cluttered around. Her fingers brushed over his Star of Terra before she faced him again.

"I brought you something," she said. Setting her glass aside, she opened the handbag she was carrying and took out a thin, rectangular box. "It took some digging, but I recovered your tags."

Shepard carefully took the framed tags and gazed at them. A tiny part of his mind went back to the fateful day he had last worn them. The fires, the klaxons, the screams and shouts, the last time he saw the SSV Normandy SR-1…

Mentally pushing aside the despondent memories, he smiled and ran his fingers along the imprinted letters and numbers. "I thought I'd never see these again. I was there, you know. Alchera. The Normandy's final resting place."

Liara tilted her head at him. "Are you alright?"

"I put it behind me. It's still there, but that's it," he assured. He looked down at his tags again. "I didn't find these there, though. I found the other crewmen's, but not these. I have to confess, I was kinda looking for them."

Liara looked past his glass trophy case and saw his old N7 helmet on top of an end table. "It looks like you found something else."

"I'm surprised you didn't find it," Shepard teased. He carefully set the frame next to his other medals.

"I probably would have… except I had found evidence that I wasn't the first on-site."

"Right," Shepard said knowingly. "Blue Suns and Legion."

"Just the Blue Suns. I left immediately after that. I can't believe I missed Legion's presence… unless he—it arrived after me," Liara said. She shot him a penetrating gaze. "So, how are you doing? I mean really, not what you tell your squad to keep morale up."

For anyone else, it would've been a loaded question, but for him, he just shrugged back.

"Everything I've ever told them was the truth, Liara. I don't need to keep their morale up because they can handle it," he answered.

"You didn't answer my question."

Again, he shrugged. "I have no idea how we're going to do this, but the only thing I can do now is figure it out. We know what's coming, we have more info, and we're actually trying to do something about it, even if others aren't. We'll get it done. We have to. Because the only other alternative is… well, it's the end of life as we know it. We're either all in or all out."

"You made a strong start, better than any other civilization before us. You and your team destroyed the Collectors and walked out alive," Liara said encouragingly. "You even stopped Sovereign and delayed the invasion itself two years ago."

"It's a step, but there's a lot more to do. EDI intercepted one last transmission from the base before it blew. The Reapers are abandoning their original plan. No more Citadel Relay, no more ambushes or controlling the central hub of relays. They're flying in from Dark Space. A mass invasion at the edge of the galaxy," Shepard said grimly. "War is coming, whether we're ready or not."

"Any other information?" she asked intently.

"No… Not for a lack of trying, though. We just don't have any more leads; no idea where the Reapers will appear at or how long we have," he muttered. That particular bit of truth was always with him, like a rock that took up space in his stomach. Every waking moment was spent wondering: where, when, would they be ready, would they fail…?

"I don't know if I told you this, but I'll be 109 in a couple of months," Liara suddenly said.

He recognized her obvious ploy to change the topic and he smiled in gratitude for it. "I'll get you something nice," he replied.

"You're alive again. Feron is alive. I've got everything I want," she happily said.

"Happy birthday, then," Shepard said.

Picking up her glass, she took another sip of wine before tilting her head thoughtfully. "So, tell me what you want. What are you fighting for?"

"Lots of things, I guess. It's hard to put to words," he answered with a shrug. A memory popped into his mind which caused him to smile. "Mordin mentioned that to me once. It's hard to take in a galaxy full of strangers and find reasons to care beyond the call of duty. 'Easy to depersonalize', he said. He narrowed his focus on his favorite nephew for our fight against the Collectors instead."

"Well, let's narrow your focus," Liara suggested before giving him a catty smile. "For instance, the future of humanity as evidenced by the perfect Miss Lawson?"

Shepard rolled his eyes and took a sip of his wine in order to buy time to gather his thoughts. "Kasumi? Or was it Tali?"

"Kasumi," Liara confessed freely.

Shepard chuckled. "It's as good a reason as any, if not better."

"So you and Ashley…?" she tried to ask as delicately as she could, but trailed off when words failed her.

He smiled to offset any worries Liara might've had about offending him. "We're friends. Just friends."

Liara nodded and looked off to the side. Her eyes rested on the aquarium and the fish swimming within, though her gaze was on her memories. "She was so cold when I first met her. Miranda, I mean. Completely focused on her duty."

"I don't know if she's lightened up that much," he joked. "But I trust her."

"She has, believe me. You have no idea how much you've changed her… or perhaps just helped her become more of herself," Liara assured. "She's...different around you. Warmer. Dare I say, happier?"

Before either of them could speak more on the subject, EDI softly chimed in from her pedestal to get his attention, but didn't appear.

Shepard spoke up. "EDI?"

Now the avatar popped up. "My apologies, Shepard, but the Council wished to have your report within the next hour," EDI said.

At the reminder, he grimaced and said, "Tell them they'll have it."

"Relaying message. Logging you out."

"What did the Council want with you?" Liara asked.

"A full accounting of what happened on Illium. The police found Vasir's body. The Council assigned another Spectre to investigate her death. Without constraints, his investigation was quick. He knew I was there, he learned that Vasir and I were together and our shoot out on Azure wasn't exactly subtle. They demanded a report once they learned I was directly involved and responsible," Shepard said.

"Are you in trouble?" Liara asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Shepard answered honestly. It wasn't like he could lie from her now, not with her new resources. "What happened… I can't say I'll know what the future has in store for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I killed a Spectre without their authorization. Worst case scenario? The Council might revoke my own Spectre status for it," Shepard muttered. "It's not like I can say she was working for the Shadow Broker."

"What did you say during your meeting?"

"I said that Vasir had tried to assassinate you and I had no idea why. I investigated the shooting since you and I are friends, found out that Vasir was behind it, and told her to stand down. She chose to fight, and I defended myself," he replied. "I also said that she was working with an unknown mercenary force and that they blew up the Dracon Trade Center on her orders, killing dozens of civilians just to try to kill you."

"Did the Council believe you? Will they?"

Shepard shook his head again. "They knew I was working with Cerberus, but I had their permission. They also know that the point of that partnership was to go after the Collectors and now we're done. I didn't lie to them and they owed me their lives. Still, that partnership might make me suspect."

"It's a fact they won't ignore," Liara said.

"Right now, all I can do is reinforce the fact that Vasir blew up a building and killed dozens of innocent people just to kill you. Having chased down one rogue Spectre, I was obligated to chase down another," he said before grunting in frustration. "Unfortunately, I can't say why she blew up the building. Telling the Council that one of their elite operatives was actually working for the Shadow Broker sounds about as believable as telling them about the Reapers."

"Then they're still investigating the incident and they're wary of you," Liara speculated out loud.

"I'm on thin ice, most definitely." He knocked back his glass and set it down before rubbing his face. "At this point, there's not much more I can do."

"I should let you get back to work, then," Liara said, though she seemed distracted by something. She looked like a woman on a mission. "Thank you for letting me aboard your ship. I'll say my goodbyes to the others and have Mr. Hawthorne fly me back to my base."

"Take care," Shepard said.

"Oh, I will," she assured. He had the distinct feeling there was more to her words than he knew. Still, when she stepped close to hug him, he returned the gesture warmly.

"Good night," she said before taking her leave.

When the doors closed, he sighed and sagged down at his terminal to begin typing up his report to the Council.

~o~O~o~

Location: Hourglass Nebula / Sowilo System / Hagalaz / The Shadow Broker's Base of Operations

"Hello, Shadow Broker," the spherical VI greeted.

Miranda raised an eyebrow at the VI, but otherwise ignored it. Her eyes turned to the only occupant in the room.

"Ah, Miranda," Liara called out. She waved her closer.

Miranda nodded in return and crossed through the expansive office. Like before, she took in the environs, but this time, she privately marveled at the fact that she was now standing where the previous incarnations of the Shadow Broker managed their information empire.

She didn't consider herself overly sentimental, but moments like these should be savored before she grew accustomed or jaded to the face of reality at hand.

Still, as a trained intelligence asset, her face and mannerisms gave nothing away to her host. "I got your message. What did you want to speak to me about?"

"Let's talk in the parlor. I think we'll be more comfortable there," Liara suggested. She led the way at a sedate pace, with Miranda falling into step right next to her. The VI dutifully followed them.

Once inside, the former Cerberus officer looked around. "Feron isn't here?"

"He's resting in his room. After spending two years in captivity, he wanted to roam around the ship, work… anything to keep from being idle. However, his time here had taken its toll. He doesn't quite have the stamina he possessed, though Dr. Chakwas believes he will make a full recovery," Liara answered. "We can speak comfortably here."

"And privately, I assume," Miranda replied with a hint of humor.

"This room is routinely swept for any signal abnormalities as per your orders, Shadow Broker," the VI said.

Liara sighed irritably. "Maybe I should consider reprogramming that thing sooner, rather than later…"

"Shepard told me about its quirks," Miranda said with an amused smile. Her countenance became more serious. "Now… about why I'm here?"

"I understand that you're currently unemployed," Liara conversationally stated.

Miranda arched an eyebrow. "Tali or Garrus?"

"Both, though it was mostly from Kasumi. We all finally made time to sit and talk about your mission against the Collectors in detail," Liara answered plainly. "And no, Shepard made no mention of your status."

"I didn't expect him to," Miranda said approvingly. "So what of it?"

"I'll be blunt: I would like you to work with me," Liara said.

Miranda crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at the asari's declaration. "As an agent for you?"

"No, I said work with me, not for me," Liara clarified. "As a partner."

At that, Miranda was shocked. "As the Shadow Broker? Why?"

"There are several reasons."

"Enlighten me, then," she requested.

"Very well. I'll start off with the practical reasons. Since the Shadow Broker was a yahg, his species is relatively unknown to the greater galactic community. He had no public face, no reason to ever really leave this ship. In some ways, you could say he kept himself a prisoner here," Liara explained. "However, I'm well-known on Illium and other parts of the galactic community. Also, there are a very select few that are aware of my vendetta against the Shadow Broker. If I stay here, remain missing… they may start asking certain uncomfortable questions: Did the Shadow Broker kill me? Or worse: Did I find the Shadow Broker?"

"Questions like that would jeopardize your new operations," Miranda said.

"Exactly. At some point, I have to go back and continue as if nothing had happened, not to mention mitigate the circumstances surrounding Vasir's assault through Illium. However, therein lies the problem. Without me here, there's no one else to manage the Broker's information network," Liara said.

"Feron?"

"He's more suited as an agent, rather than any position that requires administration," Liara replied. "His drell memory would serve me well in the short-term, but understanding, utilizing, or interpreting all the information we'll have to deal with on a daily basis? He expressed concerns to me about that."

"So I would be the Shadow Broker in your absence," Miranda said. "Thereby taking any and all suspicion away from you."

"And as a partner, you're welcome to act as you see fit. Whenever I return, you can act as an agent and personally oversee any operations you want… just a suggestion," Liara said. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. "And let's face it: you don't have a job history, an unfinished school record, and much of your adult life is mired in secrecy. Now, maybe the Alliance might be aware of your existence and identity as well as your previous affiliation with Cerberus, or they might not; though I can hardly see you working for them voluntarily. Too constricting. As far as job options go, you don't have much left in the foreseeable future, even as brilliant as you are. And even if you could find a job, would it ever compare to what you've been doing? Would it ever be as important or as challenging as what you're doing now?"

Miranda frowned. "Why ask me?"

"This is something you're uniquely qualified for. You have a vast and experienced background in intelligence, in the field and off. You know how to handle administrative duties while overseeing operations requiring a personal touch if needed and still maintain anonymity. You're strong, determined, an asymmetrical thinker… Perhaps most importantly, though, Shepard trusts you… and so do I."

"How do you know Shepard trusts me?"

"He told me as if it were a statement of fact."

"Kasumi told you about us," Miranda said with a roll of eyes. "Garrus and Tali too, I wager? Or Legion?"

"And EDI," Liara added with a smile. "Although Garrus did mention that Legion was the one that found the two of you out."

"A lapse in judgment on my behalf, it shames me to say," Miranda admitted with a half-smile. She leaned back in her seat as well and considered the opportunity that was being offered to her.

Being the Shadow Broker was something that could tip the balance of power in her favor for once. Her father and Cerberus would no longer be a threat to her life or lifestyle. It would like everything she had done in Cerberus… except she didn't answer to anyone anymore. It would be her choices, with her consequences… a chance to control her own destiny now. Maybe even prove to herself that she was more than what her father created. The culmination of perfection and imperfection that Shepard always said she had.

Already, the possibilities seemed endless.

"Well? What is your answer?" Liara asked.

In the end, all she said was: "I'll need time to think about it."

Liara nodded as if she expected that response. "Of course. I would be disappointed if you didn't. Take your time. Feron and I will be able to handle things in the interim. However…"

Miranda raised an eyebrow and waited for the asari to drop the catch, just as she knew it would happen.

"To 'sweeten the pot', as you humans say, I've taken the liberty of establishing protection for your sister."

Again, in so many minutes, Miranda found herself shocked.

"The previous Shadow Broker was looking for her. His notes indicated that he expected your father, Henry Lawson, to pay him for information regarding her new whereabouts soon. Without Cerberus' interference, I fear it wouldn't have been long before he found out where Oriana is now. I believe the new protection she has is adequate," Liara stated 'thoughtfully'. "Though if you were charge, you can establish whatever safeguards you deem is necessary."

Miranda saw her ploy and wryly smiled at her. "Well played, Miss T'Soni. Well played."

"Thank you," Liara graciously returned. She smiled back as if she already knew what Miranda's answer would be. Maybe they both did. "Once again, take your time. I'll be waiting."

~o~O~o~

Author's Thoughts:

And that ends this arc. Yay!

This was inspired by some theories about Cerberus' fate after the Mass Effect trilogy would end. All that crazy stuff was created during ME2, but well before ME3, but I never bought into the whole "Illusive Woman" thing. It was too… odd. However, I can't deny that it spawned this idea instead.

And yes, it plays to how Miranda will have a more prominent presence in ME3. Theorize away!

Now, on to Arrival!