"John, glad to see you…"
Benezia answered my call very quickly. I had the impression she'd been waiting for it. Still, she didn't show it outwardly.
"I am too, Benezia, I am too. I decided to contact—"
"It started?"
She cut me off, and her gaze turned extremely serious.
"Yes. Where is Liara right now? Saren showed interest in her… and…"
"She's on Therum. Prothean ruins were discovered there, and she rushed into yet another expedition, not listening to anyone."
"Well…"
I shrugged carelessly.
"…You didn't let her go without protection, did you?"
"Of course not. My commandos are with her, and I planned to leave for her myself any day now. But as I understand, I won't make it in time?"
"You won't."
I shook my head, looking at that powerful asari and feeling glad I'd managed to change her fate.
***
A look into the past.
***
"And why did you summon me here?"
Benezia looked at Aria with displeasure. Aria was sitting in a comfortable chair beside me, while Liara's mother sat in the chair opposite, clearly… bewildered by my presence.
"Why? Let's say I want you to fuck this boy's brains."
"What?!"
Benezia stared at her in outrage. Her voice practically asked, "Have you lost your mind?"
"Aria, how old is this boy? Actually… no, that doesn't matter. What matters is he's younger than my daughter, and you're suggesting I sleep with him?"
"Well, not exactly… I'm not suggesting it, I'm insisting. And not just sleep with him—remember your youth, when you did industrial espionage."
Benezia calmed slightly and looked at me carefully. Her eyes asked, "Boy, what is it about you that makes Aria propose something like this?"
"Maybe you'll give me details?"
"No. But I will tell you that what you see will affect the rest of your life. Drastically."
"And what could possibly be there?"
"Look up information about yourself, your daughter, and the Reapers."
Benezia frowned.
"If this is some stupid joke…"
"Check first. Then talk in that tone."
Benezia exhaled and stood, stepping toward me. She leaned down slightly, and her magnificent bust swayed right in front of my eyes.
"You're looking in the wrong place, boy."
Open amusement was in her voice.
"My eyes are higher."
"Ahem… I'm sorry."
I pulled myself together and looked into the matriarch's eyes—and then I fell into a black abyss.
When I opened my eyes, tears were streaming down Benezia's cheeks.
"I won't allow it… I won't allow it…"
I didn't even have time to react—she grabbed my shoulders, yanked me up, and pulled me into a tight embrace. My face ended up in an extremely attractive prison.
"…I don't know who you are or why you decided to help, but thank you."
"Ahem-ahem."
Aria drew Benezia's attention. Benezia didn't let go of me.
"I didn't forget about you. And I'm grateful to you as well, but… this young man was already ready, even without your help, to contact me and warn me of the danger threatening me and Liara, even at risk to his own life."
Benezia squeezed me tighter. I started to run out of air, so I lightly patted her back.
"Huh?"
"You're choking him."
Aria's voice carried mockery, but honestly, dying like that… maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Still, the moment Aria said it, Benezia let me go.
"Sorry. It's just… what I saw in your head…"
She shook her head.
"…It doesn't fit in my picture of the world, and I…"
"Started acting like a brainless maiden."
Aria couldn't resist a comment.
"So what? Jealous?"
"Me? Jealous? Not at all. But it seems to me you can thank John later. He won't mind if you visit his room."
She said it with a hint that made me blush. Benezia only smirked, as if saying, "Maybe I will, but it's none of your business."
"I only want us to focus on the task now. We have very little time. Ten to fifteen years."
***
Back to the present.
***
Yes, that time was very interesting, but unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—Benezia never came to my room. Still, after we drafted a rough plan, she left and returned about a month later with Liara…
Whew, what a meeting that was!
***
A look into the past.
***
"Sweetheart, meet my savior—John Lawson."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lawson."
Liara nodded shyly. She looked at me with confusion and gratitude at the same time. It was obvious she didn't understand how some young guy could save her mother, but she didn't allow even the thought that Benezia might be joking.
"The pleasure is mine, Miss T'Soni."
I decided to keep things formal.
"Alright, stand down!"
Benezia took two steps toward me, grabbed her daughter by the hand, pulled her close, and practically shoved her at me.
"Hug and kiss! We have a lot of work ahead together, and I don't want all this formality…"
"Mom!"
Liara pulled away, glaring at Benezia with outrage.
"I said hug and kiss."
Benezia's tone became stricter, and Liara didn't dare disobey. She wrapped me in a hug, and about ten seconds later she pulled back slightly and kissed me on the lips. The kiss was clumsy—childish, even—and her eyes were squeezed shut.
In that moment, it felt like my entire previous life's dream had come true. It would've been even better if Tali kissed me too! And if—
I hurriedly drove away thoughts of anything more.
"Heh. I actually meant a kiss on the cheek, but I'm even glad my hopeless daughter, who only cares about science, finally took interest in a boy—so I bless your union."
"Mom!"
Liara flushed and glared at Benezia, but I carefully took her hand.
"Hey. Believe me, your mom has reasons to act like a maiden with a spike up her ass."
"Pfft…"
Liara laughed softly.
"Hey, I was trying for you two! I wanted your pair to work out! And then…"
"And I'm taking Liara's side against you, so you could say—"
I didn't finish, because I took a light biotic smack to the back of the head.
"Actually, I already said you not only can, but should, address me as 'you.' And I'll punish formalities."
"Sorry…"
I smiled faintly.
"…It's just hard to accept that you can be so spontaneous. And I think you'll learn everything soon."
"Well… she already told me part of it, but it's hard to believe."
"I don't want what I know to be true either, but I don't think we have the right to dismiss the possibility. Just so that if any of it is true…"
"I understand…"
Liara nodded decisively.
"Alright. Kiss again and let's go work…"
I tugged Liara toward me by the hand I still held and caught her lips with mine. Startled, she didn't pull away—just hugged me awkwardly.
"Good job!"
The moment we pulled apart, Benezia gave me a thumbs-up.
"But if you hurt my daughter, I'll personally twist your head off!"
"Mom!"
Liara blushed and hurried to hide behind my back.
***
Back to the present.
***
"Too bad… then we'll meet on Noveria?"
"Yes. And be careful. Remember there are people who will be upset if something happens to you—and I'm not only talking about me and Liara, but Aria as well. You've had very close relations with her in recent years."
"Tch…"
Benezia twitched her shoulder.
"I'll remember. And you remember I expect you to return my daughter in one piece. And if you don't…"
She stared at me closely.
"Then you'll personally twist my head off. I remember."
"Good. And one more thing—you understand our lives can unfold in different ways now? All the plans we built with such difficulty… can collapse the moment they meet reality…"
"I understand."
"Then if something happens to me, take care of Liara. And keep an eye on Aria too, so she doesn't do anything stupid."
"You'd better get Aria to Noveria. We'll need her there."
"Alright. I will."
Benezia nodded, and the connection ended. I calmly left the comm room and looked at Presley.
"Is the ship ready to depart?"
"Affirmative."
"Plot a course for Therum. That's our first destination. We're going to rescue the archaeologist Saren is hunting."
"Sir…"
Presley looked at me with mild doubt.
"…Do you want to address the crew?"
"Address the crew, huh?"
I looked at the XO thoughtfully, then nodded.
"Alright. I will."
I stepped up to the console used for shipwide announcements. At least, it's where the captain should issue them. In reality, he can do it from anywhere on the ship.
"Crew of the Normandy…"
My voice carried through every speaker.
"Many of you already know me, but I'll introduce myself anyway. My name is John Shepard, and the Normandy has been transferred to me by the Alliance so that the first human Spectre has high mobility."
Yeah—and also because they don't know where to officially assign a stealth frigate. Humanity's never had one, and they simply don't know what to do with it.
"The task the Council assigned us is extremely dangerous. It's possible not everyone will return. But I want you to know this: I will do everything in my power to make the number of those who come back match the full crew, so we don't have to bury comrades."
I paused for a few seconds.
"I want you all to know that a great deal depends on us. No one is saying it openly yet, but it's possible Saren has connected with someone—or something—that could threaten not only our colonies, but every species in Citadel space."
A quiet ripple of whispers ran through the ship. I could tell by watching the crew members in the CIC.
"We have no right to make mistakes. So I ask you all—work as if the life of someone you love depends on it. Your child. Your sister. Your brother—people who are safe right now. And when this is over, we'll drink to a successful mission and to saving the galaxy—or we'll laugh at me for being paranoid. Forward, Normandy!"
"Yeeeeah!"
A thunderous roar from the entire crew answered me.