Prothean Digsite, Eden Prime - John Shepard

March 29th, 2183

"Commander Shepard. We we weren't expecting you again so soon," Commander Williams said as she saluted.

"I admit, I didn't expect to be back so soon again Williams," John replied, returning the salute. "I hate to skip the pleasantries, but time is of the essence. Show us what you've got."

Williams glanced at Shepard's companion. "With all due respect Commander, should we really be doing that with ah, the present company?"

"I am Doctor Liara T'soni. I am something of an expert on prothean technology, and the League has asked me to consult on this operation."

Williams nodded her acknowledgement, but didn't budge. "I respect you and your work Doctor, but this is a classified area. I wasn't notified of your presence, or that you were coming. We have our own experts working on this."

"Asari biology makes her uniquely qualified for this operation, Commande Williamsr. We need all the help we can get. I've tried to contact Arcturus over the QEC, but they're bogged down in the war. No one's gotten back to me." Shepard really had tried to contact Arcturus and pass on his intel, but apparently a major defeat had resulted in League withdrawal from the Hawking Etta cluster, meaning anyone who could give him authorization was otherwise occupied in crisis management.

"I understand. We do have our own insight into this situation, and I assure you that Doctor T'soni will not be necessary. I have been ordered to bring you into the presence of our Agent, Commander Shepard. Doctor T'soni will not be-"

"Is she here? Is she really here? Oh goddess, please let it be true!"

Williams gritted her teeth, and half turned. "Why is she here?" she hissed to one of her soldiers.

"I don't know ma'am, we'll get her back to-"

"Tyri?" Liara gasped. "What on Thessia- Why are you here?"

"Get her out of here, now!" Williams ordered, and several of her marines moved to lay their hands on the new asari, who looked rather careworn and disheveled to John.

"NO! No, I have to see her! Please, just five minutes, I have to talk to her! I won't say anything classified, I promise!"

"Back off," Liara ordered, and with a sweep of her hands knocked the advancing marines to their feet with a biotic wave, which also shoved aside Commander Williams.

John was staggered himself, though he was back on his feet with his pistol aimed at Liara in a heartbeat. "Liara! What's going on?"

Ignoring John, Liara stepped forward to meet Tyri. The other asari dropped to her knees and began to weep. "I did what you told me! Please, Liara, you have to forgive me! You don't have to take me back, I just need to hear you say it. Say that you forgive me. Please. I'm so sorry, so very sorry. I was wrong. Please."

Williams looked at John in confusion, her own weapon out and pointed at Liara. He could only shake his head at her. "I don't know what's going on, but I think it would be best if we didn't shoot anyone. Have your men lower their weapons," John said, suiting action to words as he holstered his own pistol.

"Weapons down people," Williams ordered. "Keep your fingers on the trigger, but I don't want either of these women shot unless I order it."

Turning his attention back to the asari, John saw Liara gently rest her hand on Tyri's forehead. "'And as the sea forgets the wake of those who sail upon it, so shall I forget the wrongs you have done me. Go, and walk in blamelessness.' Saint Lehria 4:36. Rise, Tyri. I forgive you. As the Goddess forgives me." Gently, Liara took Tyri by the chin and lifted the other woman to her feat.

"Thank you," Tyri whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you."

Liara nodded, then embraced Tryi. "What was between is is no more. I forgive you, Tyri, but we cannot live in the past."

"I know," Tyri gasped, still weeping. "I know."

With that, Liara stepped back, and Tyri slumped in a nearby chair, still weeping softly.

"Well. Your asari seems to have broken mine," Williams said, straightening and putting her rifle away. "Anyone mind telling me just what the hell is going on?"

"Tyri betrayed me once, while we were lovers," Liara said, turning her back on the other asari. "I was...harsh...with her. I bore a strong grudge for her, thinking she never loved me. Now I see that in some way, she must have, though that did not stop her treachery. She must have spent these last seven years in captivity fearing she would never see me again."

Thunderstruck, Williams shook her head. "Wow. Ok. That's uh, huh. TMI does not even begin to cover it. Well. We need an asari for this op, and apparently you're the only mentally stable one around. You sure she's safe Shepard?"

"I have every confidence that Doctor T'soni has only the best interests of the people of the galaxy at heart. She knows who the real enemy in all this is."

That made Commander Williams grimace. "The real enemy right now is the Council, of which her race is probably the leading member. Still, I know what you mean. The Reapers must have their tentacles in this somehow. Alright, I guess we don't have any choice. I'm making the call: we go forward with Doctor T'soni. Come on. The capsule is this way."

Update on me:

Well, I know to many of you I fell off the face of the Earth after starting a campaign. Don't feel bad, because I actually DID almost fall off the face of the Earth. Or rather, I fell into some very severe medical problems. I'm not going to bore anyone with the gory details, though I will say I could have updated my profile before now, but chose not to due to a desire to get a chapter out first. That's not going to happen for a while. Let it suffice to say that I have had a series of life-threatening medical emergencies and am at this moment waiting for one, possibly two more, surgeries to correct the issue. This is a problem that has plagued me since I became an adult, and hopefully the surgeries will alleviate, if not remove, the problem entirely. Currently I am not in any immediate danger, just in a great deal of pain and still on some really awesome meds that make it very hard to focus or do much of anything.

As for the writing, I've not been able to being in and out of the hospital, and on some very good meds. I've had to take a great deal of time off of work, but thankfully I've not lost my job as a teacher. I still have my insurance, which has covered most everything save for a relatively minor amount that I'm basically good for. I hope to get back to the stories once I am fully recovered, especially The Heavens Shall Tremble.