Persistence of Memory (Miranda/Liara, NC-17) 1/8
Title: Persistence of Memory
Characters/Pairings:Miranda/Liara
Rating: NC-17 eventually
Warnings: Violence and some discussion of child abuse in later chapters.
Summary: Liara has information critical to restoring Shepard. Miranda will do anything to get it. She'll even teach Liara how not to get killed. Facing her own past-and her attraction to Liara-was never part of the bargain.
Miranda checked the address one last time and looked up at the skyscraper towering above her. Liara had done well for herself. The Halledan Towers had opened the previous autumn, and businesses had raced to claim office space here. The location was excellent-within a few blocks of most government buildings and any officials that might need bribing-but it was a status symbol as well, proof that you needed easy access to all those officials. And Liara's office was on the twenty-first floor.
She'd been surprised to learn of Liara's change in career. The buying and selling of information was, at best, a morally ambiguous business. Liara had shown great physical courage three months ago when she'd retrieved Shepard's corpse, and no one could question her dedication or her biotic skill. She was also fiercely idealistic. She'd felt guilty about Feron's death even though the drell was just another agent for the Shadow Broker whose loyalty had been for sale to the highest bidder. Miranda had half-expected her to be dashing across the galaxy in search of his corpse. At least her current occupation made her easy to track down. She took one last moment to enjoy the feel of the sun on her face and stepped inside
The lobby served the same purpose as the lobby of every other major building in Nos Astra: impress or intimidate newcomers and inspire pride in those fortunate enough to work there. Halledan succeeded better than most. The floor has been overlaid with green Thessian marble. A vaguely humanoid statue, no doubt created by the flavor-of-the-week-darling of the art world, dominated the center of the room. The air was clean and cold and Miranda instinctively pulled her jacket close. Maidens and matrons in brightly colored dresses hurried past. Miranda almost smiled. Illium's business wear seemed to show more cleavage every year. A tall asari who couldn't have been older than one hundred and fifty sported a dress the color of champagne with a slit down the middle that left half of each breast exposed. Well, that was one way to distract her opposition during a negotiation session. Miranda wondered if the temperature bothered her, but perhaps the showing off was worth it.
The elevator was packed. Miranda squeezed into a spot against the back wall. Anxiety curled in her gut. She'd never expected to see Liara again, and certainly not just three months after the operation on Omega. That was before the Lazarus Project's latest attempt at a purely organic reconstruction of Shepard's nervous system had failed. They would be moving to a bio-synthetic fusion, augmenting various low-level processes with a VI. Theoretically, Shepard's personality and reasoning abilities would remain unaffected; but she would no longer be able to simply compare a scan of Shepard's brain taken before her death with a scan of the finished product to ensure her personality and memories were intact. Miranda needed to know every scrap of detail she could find about Shepard. Some things were a matter of public record. Others could be excavated and pieced together from classified Alliance intel. The important things were murkier. No intelligence report could tell Miranda what had been going through Shepard's mind when she'd left Ashley Williams to her death or why she had set the Rachni Queen free. She needed the memories themselves. She needed Liara.
How she was going to get Liara to provide those memories was as yet unknown. The elevator doors opened, and Miranda took a deep breath. She would find a way. She had never failed to complete a mission before. The Illusive Man believed that Shepard was the best option for combating the Reaper threat. He needed Shepard back exactly as she was when she defeated Sovereign. Miranda would deliver, no matter the cost.
Liara's offices were surprisingly modest. The outer office was bare of any of the expensive marble or art that had characterized the lobby. A large desk dominated the center of the room. A maiden Miranda supposed was Liara's secretary sat hunched over a console, the light turning her skin a sickly orange. Elaborate facial markings that reminded Miranda vaguely of warpaint covered her forehead and cheeks. Her dress was modest by Illium standards, covering everything from her neck to her shoes. The colors were dark and didn't quite suit her. If Miranda hadn't been staring right at her, she would've faded into the background. Odd, that. People came to Illium to be noticed. This one might bear watching.
Miranda approached her desk and stood over her. The secretary did not immediately look up. Probably her way of throwing Liara's potential clients off balance and giving her employer an edge in negotiating. It might work on an overly anxious middle manager, but not Miranda. She remained where she was.
Finally, the secretary looked up. Her gaze swept over Miranda. Once, twice, as if she were information to be sorted and cataloged. "Can I help you?" Her voice was soft and slightly fawning. Perfect for her job.
Miranda rested one hand on the edge of the desk. The metal was cool against her bare skin. "My name is Miranda Lawson. I'm here to see Dr. T'Soni." She disliked using her normal identity on missions-especially on Ilium, where anything she said or did might be recorded-but it couldn't be helped. Liara had known her as Miranda Lawson.
The secretary started. "So you're Miranda? Liara spoke of you often. She said you helped her with something after her gurlfriend died, but she wouldn't give me the details. She'll be delighted you've come, I'm sure. Friends are rare enough in her job."
Miranda thinned her lips and took in the new information. Liara spoke of her often. Strange. Miranda had assumed she'd want to forget everything associated with the operation on Omega and the Lazarus Project. Stranger still that she'd spoken of Miranda in a way that led the secretary to believe that they were friends. Liara had seemed consumed over her misguided guilt at handing Shepard's body to Cerberus the last time Miranda had seen her. No doubt Liara had imagined dozens of atrocities that Shepard would be forced to perform as payment for her resurrection. She had assumed Liara would hate Cerberus, and Miranda had been the face Cerberus for her. If she had spoken of Miranda with fondness... She closed her eyes. No. It meant nothing. No matter how much she wanted it to. Such thoughts would only be a distraction from her true purpose.
Still, it couldn't hurt to get a better sense of Liara's state of mind. Miranda lacked the charisma or oratorical skill to force Liara to do what she wanted by sheer force of personality. They would have to negotiate, and negotiations favored the party who was better prepared. The secretary might know something useful. "I haven't seen Liara in a very long time. I understand she's done well for herself."
The secretary nodded and smiled. Her teeth had the blinding whiteness normally found only in advertisements for various teeth whitening products. "Indeed. Liara has established herself as a promising information broker. There are those who say she's too ambitious, and that causes difficulty for her in some circles. She is very driven and resourceful. In time, she could become the most powerful woman on Illium if she weren't so focused on her personal goals."
"And what are her personal goals?"
The smile turned sly. "Why don't I let her tell you about that? She's finishing up a call to a client, but I'm sure she won't mind if you go on in."
Miranda responded with a smile of her own, betraying none of her frustration. Of course the secretary wouldn't tell her so easily. Secrets were Illium's unofficial currency, never given away freely but always bartered for something. Miranda, as yet, had nothing to offer. "I'll do that."
Liara's office was almost as spare as her secretary's. A coffeemaker had been shoved into one corner of the room. This smelled of the grounds still lingered in the air. The desk was crafted from unpainted metal. Sturdy enough, but unlikely to win Liara a place in the list of Nos Astra's most fashionable offices. The unoccupied chair similarly looked as if it had been designed to be used rather than as a showpiece. It was too well-padded and lacked the gleaming whiteness currently seen in the business fashion magazines.
Liara stood with her back to Miranda, facing a holographic image of a salarian. Perhaps it was merely a trick of the light, but her skin seemed paler than Miranda remembered. She smoothed a wrinkle from her dress. "I'll get you the information you want. I just need a bit more time." She didn't sound frightened, only tired. No, exhausted.
"And what do the asari consider 'a bit more time'?" The salarians lips curled into a sneer. "My clan doesn't have the luxury of waiting months while you find a way to get the Palon family genetic data. Reproductive contract negotiations start in four days."
"You'll have it by then. I give you my word."
"I see." He fixed his gaze on Liara and was silent for a moment. "I hope you are more honorable than your mother."
Liara's shoulders tensed. Her left hand clenched and unclenched. A flicker of biotic power passed over her and died just as quickly. "I'll contact you when I have the data." She waved a hand, and the transmission ended. She turned, and Miranda got her first good look at Liara T'Soni in months.
There was no mistaking it now; she was paler, her flesh a sickly teal. Her freckles stood out prominently against her skin. Her pupils seemed larger as well. Dilated. She's been taking stims, and recently. The emerald green dress she wore was modest by human standards, and downright prudish by Illium's. Everything from her throat downwards had been carefully covered up. Miranda frowned. Liara had always seemed the type to be more comfortable in her labcoat or armor than in a dress. She belonged at a dig site somewhere, poking through ruins light years away from civilization, not playing at being an information broker. It would've been easier to believe that the woman before her was a different person entirely.
Her eyes, though, were the same brilliant blue that Miranda remembered. Her fingers were still long and thin, almost delicate, though the small calluses betrayed of decades spent exploring and excavating. An old lust raced through Miranda, and she inhaled sharply. Liara had not changed quite enough. She was still beautiful. Miranda had hoped that time or distance would cure her of her inconvenient attraction. Obviously not. She shoved the feeling back down among all the other half-buried emotions she had no time for. Securing Liara's cooperation was critical to the success of the Lazarus Project. Now wasn't the time to fantasize about things she would never have. She nodded at Liara. "Good to see you again."
Liara simply stared at her, as if she were the one who had risen from the dead. She opened her mouth. Nothing came out. Not precisely the warm welcome that her secretary had predicted fo her but better than being thrown out on sight. Miranda tried again. "Mind if I sit down?"
The utter banality of the request was enough to galvanize Liara into speech. "I-yes, of course." She sat behind the desk, while Miranda perched on the edge of the chair opposite. She watched as Liara arranged her features into something Miranda assumed was supposed to be friendliness but looked like anxiety. "How are you?" How's Shepard? Have you brought her back? remained unspoken, but Miranda heard it all the same.
"Well enough. We've confirmed Shepard is salvageable, though there have been complications. I need your help."
That got Liara's attention. She went very still. "Are you insane?" she whispered. "You can't talk about Shepard here. This is Illium. Everything we say is recorded."
Miranda smiled. "Really?" The omni-tool she normally used on covert missions was less powerful and more specialized than the one she used on Lazarus Station, no different from the ones used by thousands of techs every day in Nos Astra and therefore far less likely to attract attention than a military-grade model. Still, it would do the job. She pressed a button. "For the next ten minutes, any listening devices on this floor are going to be assailed with so much junk data that we'll go unnoticed."
"Won't that attract suspicion?"
"Eventually. Fortunately, there are about a hundred people in this building alone who would dearly love to have a conversation without anyone listening in and have the skills to pull it off. I just bought you ten minutes worth of Nos Astra's most precious commodity: privacy."
Liara blinked. "Just like that? Though I suppose you must be skilled at foiling surveillance devices in your line of work."
"Among other things." The truth was she had always been skilled at using and subverting computers, omni-tools, and similar devices. How could she not be? It was in her blood. Her father was the President and CEO of Ellison Computing, and he had expected his designated heir to understand the devices they made. That her studies had made her even more useful as a Cerberus operative was a delicious irony. "I'll tell you all about it later. Right now, I need your help." She leaned forward slightly, careful not to overbalance. "Shepard needs your help."
Liara picked up a datapad and glanced at it. She did not look at Miranda. "I killed people to get Shepard back. I let Feron be captured so I could get Shepard back." Her voice was soft and monotone. "I let Cerberus have her even after I knew what you would do with her. Tell me, what else do you need me to do?"
Miranda steepled her fingers and thought. There was no way to make what she was asking less enormous that it was. She doubted Liara was the sort to appreciate some pretty lie. No tricks, then. "Shepard's nervous system was in worse shape than we thought. There was significant decay of large swaths of her brain. We were able to offload some reflexes and sensory data reception onto a VI, but-"
Liara went even paler, if that were possible. She clutched the edge of her desk with both hands. "You're turning her into some cyborg?"
Miranda felt the skin on the back of her arms prickle. Not this again. "Her higher brain functions-memory, personality, and such-will still be controlled by her brain. And what would it matter if we had to upload some of those higher brain functions? She would still be Shepard. My job is to bring her back exactly as she was on the day the Normandy was destroyed. I refuse to let that mission fail because we're limiting ourselves to organic means."
Liara pushed back her chair and stood up. "Are you certain? I'm beginning to believe I was right the first time. We should have let the dead rest. I was too blinded by grief to see that. It feels unnatural somehow."
Miranda bristled. Unnatural. Freak of nature. Inhuman. Insults used by those who feared change. She'd heard them all her life and done stupid things before she'd learned that nothing she could do would ever prove a thing to those Luddite wound was old and well-healed. Mostly. "No more 'unnatural' than a greybox or biotic implant." I'm as human as anyone. Shepard will be human, too. Please, be as intelligent as I think you are. Please.
Liara turned back to the window. "I know," she whispered. "You didn't come here for my permission. What do you really want?"
Miranda stood and followed her to the window. She owed it to Liara to at least look at her when she asked. Outside, aircars zipped by. The trading floor spread out below them like a cross between a fairytale kingdom and a bazaar that sold everything from designer clothing to red sand. The late afternoon sun bathed everything in a reddish-gold glow. Asari, volus, and humans blurred together in an indistinct mass of dots no bigger than her thumb. Oriana might be down there now buying her parents an anniversary gift. This was when she was fighting for. All these people-Oriana, Niket, everyone she had ever known and loved-would die if the Reapers were not defeated. Liara would die. Miranda's throat tightened. No, none of them would die. Not if she had her way.
"As I was saying, we were him and able to transfer some functions to VI, but it makes a simple before-and-after brain scan useless. I need an alternate comparison method. We'll be running extensive psychological testing, but the standard tests won't tell us everything we need to know. She placed a hand on Liara's shoulder, just as she had months ago when they'd first seen Shepard's corpse. Her dress was thinner than the lab coat and this time she could feel the warmth of her skin beneath the material. "I know she was your lover. I know you melded with her. You've touched her mind. That means you know her better than anyone." She took a deep breath. "And that means you're the only one who can help me. I need your memories of Shepard."
Liara's eyes widened, but she remained silent. Miranda glanced at her chrono. Four minutes gone already. "I know it's a lot to ask..."
Liara laughed at that. It wasn't an ordinary laugh. It was the slightly hysterical laugh of someone who was about to either burst into tears or go insane. "You want me to share these personal, private things just so Cerberus can use her for Goddess-knows-what? Even if I wanted to, the only way I could share those memories would be to pass them into your mind. Human brains aren't built to withstand that kind of stress." She turned. Miranda let her hand fall away. They were looking at each other now. She could see herself reflected in Liara's eyes. "I'd kill you, Miranda. I have too many deaths on my conscience already. I won't add yours."
Her throat tightened again. Liara cared whether she lived or died. How very... touching. Not that it meant anything, of course. She'd read the reports on Liara before the operation on Omega. All of them had mentioned her extraordinary compassion. She had expressed pity for Saren and counseled mercy at every opportunity during the hunt for the Conduit. Concern for Miranda was practically guaranteed. And entirely unnecessary. "It may not kill me. I've been augmented with a greybox. The added processing power and storage space should allow me to receive the memories safely." Theoretically.
She could practically see the wheels turn in Liara's mind. "Maybe... no, it's still too dangerous."
"More dangerous than running around Omega, getting shot at by Blue Suns, and sneaking into a Shadow Broker base?" She allowed herself a small smile. "I'd say you gave up the right to start talking about danger some time ago. Especially when you're playing at being an information broker in Nos Astra. Illium thrives on intrigue. It's a thousand times more deadly than Omega."
Liara's eyes flashed and her lips thinned. Her nostrils flared slightly. Miranda had seen that look before. It had normally been followed by Liara biotically crushing someone. "I'm not playing at being an information broker. It's the best chance I have of killing the Shadow Broker and finding Feron."
Miranda took an involuntary step back. Liara was planning on doing what? No. No. No one in their right mind would attempt to eliminate the Shadow Broker. He was the most powerful man in the galaxy. Cerberus wielded considerable influence, but even the Illusive Man had only spoken of thwarting the occasional scheme when the Broker's plans would prove particularly troubling. The rest of the time, he had been a necessary evil that they had used while trying to give up as few of their own secrets as possible. And then he tried to hand Shepard's body to the Collectors. Miranda would have dearly loved to see his head on a pike, but Cerberus didn't possess the resources to take on the Shadow Broker directly, even before the Lazarus Project. What chance did one person have? There were rumors of assassins and mercenaries who had tried to kill the Broker for one reason or another. No one had ever seen them again. And now Liara was joining their number. "And you called me insane. What is this? Some twisted form of asari nobility? Feron is dead because of you, so you're honor bound to throw your life away avenging him?"
Liara turned away. She clutched her arms, as if to ward off the cold. "I had a choice, Miranda. I could either save Feron or I could save Shepard. I chose the dead body. I've condemned Feron to either a slow death or something worse. And all because I couldn't let one human go." Her voice cracked. "The least I can do is make sure the Shadow Broker never makes another bargain with the Collectors. The Shadow Broker claims to be neutral, but all he's done is spread more death and misery throughout the galaxy. I can stop him. Shepard will never forgive me for handing her body over to you, but perhaps I can forgive myself. Besides, if I don't stop him, who will?"
"Look at me." Miranda seized Liara by the shoulders and spun her so that they were once again facing each other. Liara's eyes glittered, either with anger or unshed tears. It didn't matter which. She had to make Liara understand. The girl was too brilliant and driven to throw her life away. "I've been with Cerberus for over half my life. I've tortured people for information. I've had to kill people who didn't particularly deserve it because that was the most efficient way of accomplishing the task at hand. That's the world you're walking into. You'll be killed."
"And there's a very good chance you'll be killed if I give you Shepard's memories."
"I know." She shrugged. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. "I'm willing to risk it."
Liara's lips quirked upward slightly, and for a moment she looked precisely as Miranda had remembered her when they first met on Omega. Her chest jolted. "It seems we both have a death wish." Her eyes darkened, and the spell was broken. "Though I would prefer we both survived."
"So would I." And perhaps there was a way for Liara, at least, to survive. Miranda felt herself trembling slightly. Yes, there was a way. "Let's make a deal, T'Soni. If you give me Shepard's memories, then I'll teach you everything I know about acquiring information. I know a great deal: the proper way to bribe an official without giving offense, when to use charm and when to use force, how to find someone who can hack into the databases of a prominent salarian family and steal a copy of their genetic data..." She let the last few words hang in the air. Liara remained silent. "You say you want to survive this? Then let me help you."
Liara bit her lip, thinking. "No," she said at last.
"No?" Her voice felt hollow. She felt hollow. It was one thing to be thwarted when she wanted something. It was quite another to fail in a vital mission. She'd thought Liara was better than this, that she would do what she had to to ensure that Feron's sacrifice meant something. She wasn't supposed to be stupid and selfish. She wasn't supposed to be anything like Gail.
"No. I don't want you to tell me how to find someone to get the data for me. I want you to teach me how to get the data myself."
"Oh." Her voice wavered, and Miranda silence cursed herself. She should not be sounding like an overeager schoolgirl. And yet... Liara will help. Liara will help. I wasn't wrong. "I can do that."
Liara held up a hand. "One memory for one lesson. After that, we'll see how it goes. If I think the strain is proving too much for you, then I'll stop the transfer then and there. Understood?"
"Perfectly." It would not be too much for her. The mission was too important. She would teach Liara. Liara would either acquire the tools to survive on her insane quest and learn how to succeed as an information broker or she would give up after learning she had to get her hands dirty. Either way, she wouldn't die. Not soon. "We can start this evening. I have an apartment here in Nos Astra. More of a safehouse really." She tapped another button on her omni-tool. "My address. Is 8:30 acceptable?"
"Fine." Liara sounded a little dazed, as if she couldn't quite believe she had agreed to this. "You do realize that, even if this does work, and I don't accidentally kill you, that It will take time. Perhaps as much as a month. "
A month. A month with Liara. "I think you'll find I can be a very patient woman."
Liara smiled and nodded slightly. Miranda's omni-tool gave a warning beep. One minute more of privacy. They returned to their seats. "First lesson and this one's free: it's going to look very suspicious if I leave immediately after the surveillance system comes back online." Miranda arranged her features into the bright, uncomplicated cheer of someone reconnecting with an old friend. "It's been too long. We should go out for drinks sometime. This is your city. Where's a good place to go?"
Liara started, but only for a moment. "Eternity. I think you'll like it. It's not as...exotic as some of the other establishments in Nos Astra."
Eternity. Liara had good taste. It was quiet, the drinks were excellent, and the clientele was less obviously nouveau riche than those who frequented the nightspot of the moment. Miranda had met with Lantaeia there several times and used it as a dead drop location. Perhaps she and Liara could have drinks there eventually. "I can't wait."
Next
Characters/Pairings:Miranda/Liara
Rating: NC-17 eventually
Warnings: Violence and some discussion of child abuse in later chapters.
Summary: Liara has information critical to restoring Shepard. Miranda will do anything to get it. She'll even teach Liara how not to get killed. Facing her own past-and her attraction to Liara-was never part of the bargain.
Miranda checked the address one last time and looked up at the skyscraper towering above her. Liara had done well for herself. The Halledan Towers had opened the previous autumn, and businesses had raced to claim office space here. The location was excellent-within a few blocks of most government buildings and any officials that might need bribing-but it was a status symbol as well, proof that you needed easy access to all those officials. And Liara's office was on the twenty-first floor.
She'd been surprised to learn of Liara's change in career. The buying and selling of information was, at best, a morally ambiguous business. Liara had shown great physical courage three months ago when she'd retrieved Shepard's corpse, and no one could question her dedication or her biotic skill. She was also fiercely idealistic. She'd felt guilty about Feron's death even though the drell was just another agent for the Shadow Broker whose loyalty had been for sale to the highest bidder. Miranda had half-expected her to be dashing across the galaxy in search of his corpse. At least her current occupation made her easy to track down. She took one last moment to enjoy the feel of the sun on her face and stepped inside
The lobby served the same purpose as the lobby of every other major building in Nos Astra: impress or intimidate newcomers and inspire pride in those fortunate enough to work there. Halledan succeeded better than most. The floor has been overlaid with green Thessian marble. A vaguely humanoid statue, no doubt created by the flavor-of-the-week-darling of the art world, dominated the center of the room. The air was clean and cold and Miranda instinctively pulled her jacket close. Maidens and matrons in brightly colored dresses hurried past. Miranda almost smiled. Illium's business wear seemed to show more cleavage every year. A tall asari who couldn't have been older than one hundred and fifty sported a dress the color of champagne with a slit down the middle that left half of each breast exposed. Well, that was one way to distract her opposition during a negotiation session. Miranda wondered if the temperature bothered her, but perhaps the showing off was worth it.
The elevator was packed. Miranda squeezed into a spot against the back wall. Anxiety curled in her gut. She'd never expected to see Liara again, and certainly not just three months after the operation on Omega. That was before the Lazarus Project's latest attempt at a purely organic reconstruction of Shepard's nervous system had failed. They would be moving to a bio-synthetic fusion, augmenting various low-level processes with a VI. Theoretically, Shepard's personality and reasoning abilities would remain unaffected; but she would no longer be able to simply compare a scan of Shepard's brain taken before her death with a scan of the finished product to ensure her personality and memories were intact. Miranda needed to know every scrap of detail she could find about Shepard. Some things were a matter of public record. Others could be excavated and pieced together from classified Alliance intel. The important things were murkier. No intelligence report could tell Miranda what had been going through Shepard's mind when she'd left Ashley Williams to her death or why she had set the Rachni Queen free. She needed the memories themselves. She needed Liara.
How she was going to get Liara to provide those memories was as yet unknown. The elevator doors opened, and Miranda took a deep breath. She would find a way. She had never failed to complete a mission before. The Illusive Man believed that Shepard was the best option for combating the Reaper threat. He needed Shepard back exactly as she was when she defeated Sovereign. Miranda would deliver, no matter the cost.
Liara's offices were surprisingly modest. The outer office was bare of any of the expensive marble or art that had characterized the lobby. A large desk dominated the center of the room. A maiden Miranda supposed was Liara's secretary sat hunched over a console, the light turning her skin a sickly orange. Elaborate facial markings that reminded Miranda vaguely of warpaint covered her forehead and cheeks. Her dress was modest by Illium standards, covering everything from her neck to her shoes. The colors were dark and didn't quite suit her. If Miranda hadn't been staring right at her, she would've faded into the background. Odd, that. People came to Illium to be noticed. This one might bear watching.
Miranda approached her desk and stood over her. The secretary did not immediately look up. Probably her way of throwing Liara's potential clients off balance and giving her employer an edge in negotiating. It might work on an overly anxious middle manager, but not Miranda. She remained where she was.
Finally, the secretary looked up. Her gaze swept over Miranda. Once, twice, as if she were information to be sorted and cataloged. "Can I help you?" Her voice was soft and slightly fawning. Perfect for her job.
Miranda rested one hand on the edge of the desk. The metal was cool against her bare skin. "My name is Miranda Lawson. I'm here to see Dr. T'Soni." She disliked using her normal identity on missions-especially on Ilium, where anything she said or did might be recorded-but it couldn't be helped. Liara had known her as Miranda Lawson.
The secretary started. "So you're Miranda? Liara spoke of you often. She said you helped her with something after her gurlfriend died, but she wouldn't give me the details. She'll be delighted you've come, I'm sure. Friends are rare enough in her job."
Miranda thinned her lips and took in the new information. Liara spoke of her often. Strange. Miranda had assumed she'd want to forget everything associated with the operation on Omega and the Lazarus Project. Stranger still that she'd spoken of Miranda in a way that led the secretary to believe that they were friends. Liara had seemed consumed over her misguided guilt at handing Shepard's body to Cerberus the last time Miranda had seen her. No doubt Liara had imagined dozens of atrocities that Shepard would be forced to perform as payment for her resurrection. She had assumed Liara would hate Cerberus, and Miranda had been the face Cerberus for her. If she had spoken of Miranda with fondness... She closed her eyes. No. It meant nothing. No matter how much she wanted it to. Such thoughts would only be a distraction from her true purpose.
Still, it couldn't hurt to get a better sense of Liara's state of mind. Miranda lacked the charisma or oratorical skill to force Liara to do what she wanted by sheer force of personality. They would have to negotiate, and negotiations favored the party who was better prepared. The secretary might know something useful. "I haven't seen Liara in a very long time. I understand she's done well for herself."
The secretary nodded and smiled. Her teeth had the blinding whiteness normally found only in advertisements for various teeth whitening products. "Indeed. Liara has established herself as a promising information broker. There are those who say she's too ambitious, and that causes difficulty for her in some circles. She is very driven and resourceful. In time, she could become the most powerful woman on Illium if she weren't so focused on her personal goals."
"And what are her personal goals?"
The smile turned sly. "Why don't I let her tell you about that? She's finishing up a call to a client, but I'm sure she won't mind if you go on in."
Miranda responded with a smile of her own, betraying none of her frustration. Of course the secretary wouldn't tell her so easily. Secrets were Illium's unofficial currency, never given away freely but always bartered for something. Miranda, as yet, had nothing to offer. "I'll do that."
Liara's office was almost as spare as her secretary's. A coffeemaker had been shoved into one corner of the room. This smelled of the grounds still lingered in the air. The desk was crafted from unpainted metal. Sturdy enough, but unlikely to win Liara a place in the list of Nos Astra's most fashionable offices. The unoccupied chair similarly looked as if it had been designed to be used rather than as a showpiece. It was too well-padded and lacked the gleaming whiteness currently seen in the business fashion magazines.
Liara stood with her back to Miranda, facing a holographic image of a salarian. Perhaps it was merely a trick of the light, but her skin seemed paler than Miranda remembered. She smoothed a wrinkle from her dress. "I'll get you the information you want. I just need a bit more time." She didn't sound frightened, only tired. No, exhausted.
"And what do the asari consider 'a bit more time'?" The salarians lips curled into a sneer. "My clan doesn't have the luxury of waiting months while you find a way to get the Palon family genetic data. Reproductive contract negotiations start in four days."
"You'll have it by then. I give you my word."
"I see." He fixed his gaze on Liara and was silent for a moment. "I hope you are more honorable than your mother."
Liara's shoulders tensed. Her left hand clenched and unclenched. A flicker of biotic power passed over her and died just as quickly. "I'll contact you when I have the data." She waved a hand, and the transmission ended. She turned, and Miranda got her first good look at Liara T'Soni in months.
There was no mistaking it now; she was paler, her flesh a sickly teal. Her freckles stood out prominently against her skin. Her pupils seemed larger as well. Dilated. She's been taking stims, and recently. The emerald green dress she wore was modest by human standards, and downright prudish by Illium's. Everything from her throat downwards had been carefully covered up. Miranda frowned. Liara had always seemed the type to be more comfortable in her labcoat or armor than in a dress. She belonged at a dig site somewhere, poking through ruins light years away from civilization, not playing at being an information broker. It would've been easier to believe that the woman before her was a different person entirely.
Her eyes, though, were the same brilliant blue that Miranda remembered. Her fingers were still long and thin, almost delicate, though the small calluses betrayed of decades spent exploring and excavating. An old lust raced through Miranda, and she inhaled sharply. Liara had not changed quite enough. She was still beautiful. Miranda had hoped that time or distance would cure her of her inconvenient attraction. Obviously not. She shoved the feeling back down among all the other half-buried emotions she had no time for. Securing Liara's cooperation was critical to the success of the Lazarus Project. Now wasn't the time to fantasize about things she would never have. She nodded at Liara. "Good to see you again."
Liara simply stared at her, as if she were the one who had risen from the dead. She opened her mouth. Nothing came out. Not precisely the warm welcome that her secretary had predicted fo her but better than being thrown out on sight. Miranda tried again. "Mind if I sit down?"
The utter banality of the request was enough to galvanize Liara into speech. "I-yes, of course." She sat behind the desk, while Miranda perched on the edge of the chair opposite. She watched as Liara arranged her features into something Miranda assumed was supposed to be friendliness but looked like anxiety. "How are you?" How's Shepard? Have you brought her back? remained unspoken, but Miranda heard it all the same.
"Well enough. We've confirmed Shepard is salvageable, though there have been complications. I need your help."
That got Liara's attention. She went very still. "Are you insane?" she whispered. "You can't talk about Shepard here. This is Illium. Everything we say is recorded."
Miranda smiled. "Really?" The omni-tool she normally used on covert missions was less powerful and more specialized than the one she used on Lazarus Station, no different from the ones used by thousands of techs every day in Nos Astra and therefore far less likely to attract attention than a military-grade model. Still, it would do the job. She pressed a button. "For the next ten minutes, any listening devices on this floor are going to be assailed with so much junk data that we'll go unnoticed."
"Won't that attract suspicion?"
"Eventually. Fortunately, there are about a hundred people in this building alone who would dearly love to have a conversation without anyone listening in and have the skills to pull it off. I just bought you ten minutes worth of Nos Astra's most precious commodity: privacy."
Liara blinked. "Just like that? Though I suppose you must be skilled at foiling surveillance devices in your line of work."
"Among other things." The truth was she had always been skilled at using and subverting computers, omni-tools, and similar devices. How could she not be? It was in her blood. Her father was the President and CEO of Ellison Computing, and he had expected his designated heir to understand the devices they made. That her studies had made her even more useful as a Cerberus operative was a delicious irony. "I'll tell you all about it later. Right now, I need your help." She leaned forward slightly, careful not to overbalance. "Shepard needs your help."
Liara picked up a datapad and glanced at it. She did not look at Miranda. "I killed people to get Shepard back. I let Feron be captured so I could get Shepard back." Her voice was soft and monotone. "I let Cerberus have her even after I knew what you would do with her. Tell me, what else do you need me to do?"
Miranda steepled her fingers and thought. There was no way to make what she was asking less enormous that it was. She doubted Liara was the sort to appreciate some pretty lie. No tricks, then. "Shepard's nervous system was in worse shape than we thought. There was significant decay of large swaths of her brain. We were able to offload some reflexes and sensory data reception onto a VI, but-"
Liara went even paler, if that were possible. She clutched the edge of her desk with both hands. "You're turning her into some cyborg?"
Miranda felt the skin on the back of her arms prickle. Not this again. "Her higher brain functions-memory, personality, and such-will still be controlled by her brain. And what would it matter if we had to upload some of those higher brain functions? She would still be Shepard. My job is to bring her back exactly as she was on the day the Normandy was destroyed. I refuse to let that mission fail because we're limiting ourselves to organic means."
Liara pushed back her chair and stood up. "Are you certain? I'm beginning to believe I was right the first time. We should have let the dead rest. I was too blinded by grief to see that. It feels unnatural somehow."
Miranda bristled. Unnatural. Freak of nature. Inhuman. Insults used by those who feared change. She'd heard them all her life and done stupid things before she'd learned that nothing she could do would ever prove a thing to those Luddite wound was old and well-healed. Mostly. "No more 'unnatural' than a greybox or biotic implant." I'm as human as anyone. Shepard will be human, too. Please, be as intelligent as I think you are. Please.
Liara turned back to the window. "I know," she whispered. "You didn't come here for my permission. What do you really want?"
Miranda stood and followed her to the window. She owed it to Liara to at least look at her when she asked. Outside, aircars zipped by. The trading floor spread out below them like a cross between a fairytale kingdom and a bazaar that sold everything from designer clothing to red sand. The late afternoon sun bathed everything in a reddish-gold glow. Asari, volus, and humans blurred together in an indistinct mass of dots no bigger than her thumb. Oriana might be down there now buying her parents an anniversary gift. This was when she was fighting for. All these people-Oriana, Niket, everyone she had ever known and loved-would die if the Reapers were not defeated. Liara would die. Miranda's throat tightened. No, none of them would die. Not if she had her way.
"As I was saying, we were him and able to transfer some functions to VI, but it makes a simple before-and-after brain scan useless. I need an alternate comparison method. We'll be running extensive psychological testing, but the standard tests won't tell us everything we need to know. She placed a hand on Liara's shoulder, just as she had months ago when they'd first seen Shepard's corpse. Her dress was thinner than the lab coat and this time she could feel the warmth of her skin beneath the material. "I know she was your lover. I know you melded with her. You've touched her mind. That means you know her better than anyone." She took a deep breath. "And that means you're the only one who can help me. I need your memories of Shepard."
Liara's eyes widened, but she remained silent. Miranda glanced at her chrono. Four minutes gone already. "I know it's a lot to ask..."
Liara laughed at that. It wasn't an ordinary laugh. It was the slightly hysterical laugh of someone who was about to either burst into tears or go insane. "You want me to share these personal, private things just so Cerberus can use her for Goddess-knows-what? Even if I wanted to, the only way I could share those memories would be to pass them into your mind. Human brains aren't built to withstand that kind of stress." She turned. Miranda let her hand fall away. They were looking at each other now. She could see herself reflected in Liara's eyes. "I'd kill you, Miranda. I have too many deaths on my conscience already. I won't add yours."
Her throat tightened again. Liara cared whether she lived or died. How very... touching. Not that it meant anything, of course. She'd read the reports on Liara before the operation on Omega. All of them had mentioned her extraordinary compassion. She had expressed pity for Saren and counseled mercy at every opportunity during the hunt for the Conduit. Concern for Miranda was practically guaranteed. And entirely unnecessary. "It may not kill me. I've been augmented with a greybox. The added processing power and storage space should allow me to receive the memories safely." Theoretically.
She could practically see the wheels turn in Liara's mind. "Maybe... no, it's still too dangerous."
"More dangerous than running around Omega, getting shot at by Blue Suns, and sneaking into a Shadow Broker base?" She allowed herself a small smile. "I'd say you gave up the right to start talking about danger some time ago. Especially when you're playing at being an information broker in Nos Astra. Illium thrives on intrigue. It's a thousand times more deadly than Omega."
Liara's eyes flashed and her lips thinned. Her nostrils flared slightly. Miranda had seen that look before. It had normally been followed by Liara biotically crushing someone. "I'm not playing at being an information broker. It's the best chance I have of killing the Shadow Broker and finding Feron."
Miranda took an involuntary step back. Liara was planning on doing what? No. No. No one in their right mind would attempt to eliminate the Shadow Broker. He was the most powerful man in the galaxy. Cerberus wielded considerable influence, but even the Illusive Man had only spoken of thwarting the occasional scheme when the Broker's plans would prove particularly troubling. The rest of the time, he had been a necessary evil that they had used while trying to give up as few of their own secrets as possible. And then he tried to hand Shepard's body to the Collectors. Miranda would have dearly loved to see his head on a pike, but Cerberus didn't possess the resources to take on the Shadow Broker directly, even before the Lazarus Project. What chance did one person have? There were rumors of assassins and mercenaries who had tried to kill the Broker for one reason or another. No one had ever seen them again. And now Liara was joining their number. "And you called me insane. What is this? Some twisted form of asari nobility? Feron is dead because of you, so you're honor bound to throw your life away avenging him?"
Liara turned away. She clutched her arms, as if to ward off the cold. "I had a choice, Miranda. I could either save Feron or I could save Shepard. I chose the dead body. I've condemned Feron to either a slow death or something worse. And all because I couldn't let one human go." Her voice cracked. "The least I can do is make sure the Shadow Broker never makes another bargain with the Collectors. The Shadow Broker claims to be neutral, but all he's done is spread more death and misery throughout the galaxy. I can stop him. Shepard will never forgive me for handing her body over to you, but perhaps I can forgive myself. Besides, if I don't stop him, who will?"
"Look at me." Miranda seized Liara by the shoulders and spun her so that they were once again facing each other. Liara's eyes glittered, either with anger or unshed tears. It didn't matter which. She had to make Liara understand. The girl was too brilliant and driven to throw her life away. "I've been with Cerberus for over half my life. I've tortured people for information. I've had to kill people who didn't particularly deserve it because that was the most efficient way of accomplishing the task at hand. That's the world you're walking into. You'll be killed."
"And there's a very good chance you'll be killed if I give you Shepard's memories."
"I know." She shrugged. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. "I'm willing to risk it."
Liara's lips quirked upward slightly, and for a moment she looked precisely as Miranda had remembered her when they first met on Omega. Her chest jolted. "It seems we both have a death wish." Her eyes darkened, and the spell was broken. "Though I would prefer we both survived."
"So would I." And perhaps there was a way for Liara, at least, to survive. Miranda felt herself trembling slightly. Yes, there was a way. "Let's make a deal, T'Soni. If you give me Shepard's memories, then I'll teach you everything I know about acquiring information. I know a great deal: the proper way to bribe an official without giving offense, when to use charm and when to use force, how to find someone who can hack into the databases of a prominent salarian family and steal a copy of their genetic data..." She let the last few words hang in the air. Liara remained silent. "You say you want to survive this? Then let me help you."
Liara bit her lip, thinking. "No," she said at last.
"No?" Her voice felt hollow. She felt hollow. It was one thing to be thwarted when she wanted something. It was quite another to fail in a vital mission. She'd thought Liara was better than this, that she would do what she had to to ensure that Feron's sacrifice meant something. She wasn't supposed to be stupid and selfish. She wasn't supposed to be anything like Gail.
"No. I don't want you to tell me how to find someone to get the data for me. I want you to teach me how to get the data myself."
"Oh." Her voice wavered, and Miranda silence cursed herself. She should not be sounding like an overeager schoolgirl. And yet... Liara will help. Liara will help. I wasn't wrong. "I can do that."
Liara held up a hand. "One memory for one lesson. After that, we'll see how it goes. If I think the strain is proving too much for you, then I'll stop the transfer then and there. Understood?"
"Perfectly." It would not be too much for her. The mission was too important. She would teach Liara. Liara would either acquire the tools to survive on her insane quest and learn how to succeed as an information broker or she would give up after learning she had to get her hands dirty. Either way, she wouldn't die. Not soon. "We can start this evening. I have an apartment here in Nos Astra. More of a safehouse really." She tapped another button on her omni-tool. "My address. Is 8:30 acceptable?"
"Fine." Liara sounded a little dazed, as if she couldn't quite believe she had agreed to this. "You do realize that, even if this does work, and I don't accidentally kill you, that It will take time. Perhaps as much as a month. "
A month. A month with Liara. "I think you'll find I can be a very patient woman."
Liara smiled and nodded slightly. Miranda's omni-tool gave a warning beep. One minute more of privacy. They returned to their seats. "First lesson and this one's free: it's going to look very suspicious if I leave immediately after the surveillance system comes back online." Miranda arranged her features into the bright, uncomplicated cheer of someone reconnecting with an old friend. "It's been too long. We should go out for drinks sometime. This is your city. Where's a good place to go?"
Liara started, but only for a moment. "Eternity. I think you'll like it. It's not as...exotic as some of the other establishments in Nos Astra."
Eternity. Liara had good taste. It was quiet, the drinks were excellent, and the clientele was less obviously nouveau riche than those who frequented the nightspot of the moment. Miranda had met with Lantaeia there several times and used it as a dead drop location. Perhaps she and Liara could have drinks there eventually. "I can't wait."
Next