by Cole Price
She rose from her chair and bowed to Shepard. Rather deeply.
“For all of that, I apologize. If need be, I will do so in public, to you and to Councilor Osoba as a representative of all your people.”
Aethyta and I sat motionless, frozen in astonishment. Tevos had made a gesture in which high-status asari rarely saw fit to indulge.
Shepard watched Tevos for a long moment, and then he rose from his chair once again. He gave Tevos a very asari bow in turn, and I marveled at how carefully he measured his own gesture.
I do not forgive, his body language said, but I am willing to move forward.
The Councilor read him very plainly. “Thank you,” she murmured as she returned to her seat.
Shepard nodded curtly and sat down as well. “We still need to decide what to do. Liara can’t help fight a war against the Reapers if she has to keep defending herself against her own people.”
“Quite.” Tevos cocked her head, examining me closely. “May I ask when you took over as the Shadow Broker?”
“Not quite ten months ago. Two days after Tela Vasir did her best to assassinate me, on the previous Broker’s orders.”
“I see. So when the Broker contacted me to insist that Commander Shepard should be reinstated as a Spectre . . .”
“That was me, yes. Almost the first thing I did after taking over.”
“Then I must congratulate you on your acting ability. You spoke and behaved very much like your predecessor. I did wonder at the time about the Broker’s reasons for making such a demand.”
I nodded grimly.
“I thank you for intervening. Knowing what I did at the time, I would have hesitated before moving to reinstate an apparent Cerberus agent as a Spectre. That would have been yet another grave error. I am glad you motivated me to act more directly.” She folded her hands together on the desktop. “I must admit to some curiosity. Who was your predecessor?”
“A yahg.”
That got her attention. Her eyes widened in astonishment. “How . . .”
“It’s a very long and convoluted story, Councilor. Suffice it to say that he held the role of the Shadow Broker for over fifty years.”
She stared for another long moment, and then shook her head in dismay. “I suppose it isn’t relevant now. The fact remains that you, Liara T’Soni, an asari maiden and the daughter of an infamous traitor, have somehow accumulated so much power that none of the Matriarchs see any way to keep you under control.”
“My heart bleeds for the Matriarchs.”
Aethyta stirred uneasily. “Careful, Liara.”
“I know.” I sighed deeply. “I’m aware of the problem. I have no more desire than anyone to find myself on the run from assassins. Especially asari assassins. But I am done deferring to the Matriarchs. If they want me neutralized, they are going to have to work for it, and I fully intend to defend myself.”
“Even now, with the Reapers on the border of asari space?” asked Tevos.
“That only means that they would be very stupid to attack someone who is using all of her resources to defend her people.” I sat quietly for a few moments, thinking hard. “Councilor, I am detecting a number of contradictions here, and they disturb me greatly.”
She cocked her head in interest. “Specify.”
“The Asari Republics claim to be founded on a number of basic principles. One of these is that political decisions are to be made transparently and in the open, with every citizen afforded the opportunity to voice her opinion. Yet here we have a cabal of Matriarchs concealing absolutely vital information from the public, making crucial decisions on behalf of our people with no transparency whatsoever.”
“That is true.”
“Another principle is that every asari citizen enjoys freedom. She may pursue artistic or athletic excellence, become an expert in the sciences or a technical discipline, build her own business, seek political influence, anything that pleases her. The only limits are those imposed by her own nature and talents. Yet here I am faced with Matriarchs who fear my success, so greatly that they may be tempted to arrange for my death.”
Tevos only nodded soberly.
“Councilor, I submit to you that I am not nearly the greatest threat currently posed to the asari people. Even if we all manage to survive destruction at the hands of the Reapers, are we in danger of losing that which makes us asari in the first place?”
Her eyes dropped, not meeting anyone’s gaze.
“I don’t know,” she said at last.
Shepard cleared his throat. “Councilor, isn’t it your job to know? To respond? To lead your people away from temptation?”
Tevos took a long, deep breath. When she spoke, her voice seemed smaller, devoid of its usual calm authority. “I don’t know if I can.”
All of us stared at her. I don’t know what the others felt. For me, it was raw disbelief.
“If the asari people have gone astray, if we have forgotten how to pay more than lip service to the principles we claim to uphold . . . This is not something new. It has been in progress for many centuries. I serve a system that privileges the Matriarchs, permits them to circumvent all our democratic processes and ideals. That system built the Asari Republics. For that matter, it built the Citadel Council. I am a product of that system. I am not cut out to be a revolutionary.”
“What a load of crap,” said Aethyta harshly.
Startled, I glanced at her, saw a spark of anger in her reddish-brown eyes.
“Back before I got laughed out of politics, I talked about this a lot. How we ought to get maidens taking life more seriously. Course, the other piece of that is getting us Matriarchs to let the maidens out from under our thumbs, so they can go out and do more worthwhile things. You want to call that a revolution, I won’t argue. Been a few times I wouldn’t have minded nailing a battle-standard to a pole and storming the damn Assembly.
“Thing is, none of that matters right now. We don’t have time to fix asari society. What we need to be thinking about is surviving the next few years. Maybe the next few weeks. How do we keep those idiots on Thessia from sabotaging my kid and her bondmate, one day at a time, while they get on with saving us all from the Reapers?”
Tevos straightened in her seat. “True.”
All of us sat quietly for some time, thinking hard.
Then Shepard cleared his throat. “Councilor, I may have a proposal.”
“What is it, Commander?”
“I’d like to offer you Normandy.”
“Intriguing. Please continue.”
“My current assignment from Admiral Hackett is to act as a roving envoy, representing the new turian-human-krogan accord. Before we formalized that accord, Normandy spent time operating against Reaper forces throughout that part of the galaxy. Small missions: hit-and-run raids, recovery of critical resources and personnel, that sort of thing. It was effective in building up trust, creating an atmosphere in which final, binding agreements could be reached.”
Tevos nodded slowly. “I see. You believe the same approach could reassure the Matriarchs.”
“Sure. The asari have plenty of resources, but Normandy is unique, with capabilities no other ship in the galaxy can match. Liara and I are one of those capabilities. We are very effective in the field. We have a lot of influence over the new alliance’s strategy. We carry a lot of political weight. Most important, she and I are partners, on a basis that every asari can recognize. The Matriarchs may be bigots, but they’re not fools. Tell them you’ve persuaded me to place Normandy at the disposal of the asari High Command, and they’ll see the implications.”
“Dr. T’Soni? What is your opinion?”
“It seems workable. I doubt the Matriarchs are any more inclined to trust Shepard than they are me, but if you make it appear that this move is the result of your efforts . . .”
Tevos nodded. “Quite.”
“I do have one request. Do you have any way to contact the cabal to which my mother belonged?”
“Perhaps. They seem to be in considerable disarray ever since Benezia went over to the enemy, but I know the names of two or three of them. Matriarch Thessala, in particular. I can exert some pressure.”
“Please do that, if you are able, and ask them to release as much Prothean data as they have.”
Tevos nodded. “You still hope to find clues to our present crisis.”
“Yes. All those data currently under Matriarch’s Seal may contain vital clues we need for the completion of the Crucible project.”
“Of course, I will do what I can.” The Councilor looked at me for a moment longer. “Dr. T’Soni, before we break up this meeting, may I offer some advice?”
“Certainly.”
“I am forced to question whether you would be wise to continue concealing your identity as the Shadow Broker. A secret can be used as a weapon, but once it escapes your control . . .”
She stopped, because I was grinning at her.
“You may wish to check the news,” I said.
Bemused, she touched controls on her desktop, calling up a holographic window. Then another, and a third.
BREAKING NEWS: Identity of Shadow Broker Revealed!
Videos of the crowd I had left behind at the base of the Council Tower, dozens of asari milling about. A close-up of Vara T’Rathis giving a speech to the crowd. More close-ups vids and stills, of some of our friends and allies: Primarch Victus, Admiral Hackett, Urdnot Wrex, Aspasia Lehanai, Matriarch Pytho . . .
While Tevos watched the news in fascination, I opened my omni-tool. “Glyph.”
“Yes, Dr. T’Soni.”
“Execute Case White.”
“At once, Dr. T’Soni.”
I looked up to catch the Councilor’s expression of curiosity.
“I’ve just ordered my assistant to send out a pre-composed message to all of my leading operatives, the ones directly on my payroll who know they work for the Shadow Broker. Now they will know who the Broker is.” I smiled at her again, but it wasn’t a kindly smile. “They are also receiving orders that if anything should happen to me under suspicious circumstances, they are to respond with extreme prejudice. Something else you may want to pass along to the Matriarchs back on Thessia.”
“You planned for this?”
I shrugged. “I suspected it might become necessary at some point. Too many people already knew the Broker’s new identity. I’ve spent months reorganizing my network, replacing operatives I couldn’t trust, redesigning command and control, so I could stop imitating the yahg’s obsession with concealment. I doubt I will lose more than ten percent of my operatives after today, and it won’t be the best ten percent.”
A slow smile spread across her face. “Dr. T’Soni, you may have things to learn about manipulation and practical politics, but I see there is nothing wrong with your strategic sense.”
“Thank you. Is there anything else we must discuss?”
Tevos shook her head. “Not at present.”
* * *
I took a deep breath as soon as we entered the lift, on our way back down to the Presidium ring. “Goddess. I’m glad that is over.”
“Surprised that she turned out to be so reasonable?”
“Maybe a little.” I smiled at Shepard. “Remember, she may still be manipulating us to get what she wants.”
“You can bank on that,” Aethyta grumbled. “Notice that she got Normandy for the asari without promising much of anything in return.”
“I noticed,” said Shepard. “Still, it gives us a chance to bring the asari into the alliance we’re trying to build. That’s a win, no matter how we got there. We can worry about shaking up the Asari Republics once we know we’re all going to see another day.”
“I agree,” I said. “Although I think there will have to be a reckoning, once this is all over.”
Aethyta cocked her head at me. “Liara?”
“Let’s just say I’m beginning to feel a few revolutionary urges myself.”
“Good for you. Give me a call and I’ll come running.”
“Thank you.” I reached up to rub tension out of the back of my neck. “Unfortunately, right now I have to give a press conference.”
Shepard grinned at me. “We could sneak out the back . . .”
“No. I’m finished running and hiding. I am the Shadow Broker, but that doesn’t mean what it did even a year ago. It’s time for the galaxy to understand that.”
“Or at least as much of it as the galaxy can handle,” my father muttered.
I gave her a sharp glance, but refused to rise to her bait. Instead we crossed the lobby of the Council Tower in silence. I was first through the doors, out into the brilliant light of the Presidium, facing the sudden roar of a frighteningly large crowd.
Chapter 33 : Home Front
I see no need to describe the public address and press conference I held on Concord Plaza. The press documented the occasion quite thoroughly. No doubt the recordings remain easy enough to find on the extranet.
I should observe that the occasion proved yet another turning point in my life.
It certainly did not seem so at the time. In fact, most of my life’s critical moments have become visible only in hindsight. When Shepard rescued me on Therum, I had no idea he was about to become the great passion of my youth. When I first turned to intelligence analysis during our war against Saren, I had no notion of the power and influence that awaited me as an information broker.
That day, when I gave my speech and stood up under a barrage of questions from the press, not even the remotest possibility of a career in politics entered my mind. Having just left Councilor Tevos’s office, my opinion of politicians was not very high at that moment. Yet looking back, I can see that occasion as a first step on the path that led me to the Presidency.
It’s just as well that the path took me fifty years to walk. That gave me plenty of time to grow accustomed to the idea.
* * *
24 May 2186, Presidium/Citadel
Once the event had finished, my acolytes formed a small but formidable phalanx around Shepard, Garrus, and me. The crowd made little attempt to follow us, but had a harder time escaping from the press. Vara carried out a rather clever subterfuge, misdirecting our pursuers long enough for us to board an unmarked aircar and escape. Sitting in the back seat of the vehicle, Nerylla and Garrus in the front seat, I could finally lean back, close my eyes, hold Shepard’s hand, and just breathe for a few moments.
“Where are we going, despoina?” asked Nerylla.
“Back to Normandy?” I groaned.
“Hmm.” Shepard squeezed my hand, encouraging me to open my eyes and see him shake his head. “There’s a problem with that. Admiral Saneyoshi contacted me while you were dealing with the press. Seems Normandy is overdue for repair and refit. Not to mention the crew has been running hard and without a break, ever since the war started.”
“I’ll say,” rumbled Garrus. “By my count, Normandy has fought almost twice as many engagements as any other ship in the Alliance Navy.”
“That’s what it means to be the tip of the spear,” said Shepard. “In any case, the admiral convinced me to hand the ship over to a refit team for a couple of days, and give everyone shore leave.”
I stared at him for a moment, feeling an irrational burst of annoyance. “Oh Shepard. After the last few hours, I rather looked forward to retreating back to the ship.”
“I can imagine. Don’t you have a place on the Citadel?”
“Not really. As the Shadow Broker, I own a small office building on the Presidium. A few analysts and network administrators work there. I sometimes use it for office space when I’m on the Citadel, but I usually get a room in a hotel for after-hours.”
“I suppose we could do that.”
“Despoina, I can arrange a high-security suite for you and your bondmate,” Nerylla suggested.
I sighed. “It’s too early in the day, and I have too much work to do. Let’s go to the office instead. Nerylla, con
tact Vara and the others and have them meet me there.”
“As you wish, despoina.”
Garrus stared at Nerylla for a moment, and then turned to look at me with amusement dancing in his eyes. “Spirits, Liara, how did you get a squad of asari commandos to swear fealty to you?”
“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure.”
“By being who she is,” said Nerylla, not glancing away from her work at the controls.
“Huh. We turians don’t have anything like that. Seems odd that you asari do. You’re usually so independent-minded in comparison.”
“Turian loyalty is to the group,” Shepard observed. “Asari loyalty is always to an individual, but it can be extremely intense.”
Garrus glanced at me. “I’ve had a chance to see that, yes. You’re a fortunate man, Shepard.”
I looked away, embarrassed.
“I know.” Shepard leaned over to place a gentle kiss on my crest. “Liara, I’ve got some chores to take care of myself. I should go back to Normandy, just long enough to make sure everything’s in good order for the yard dogs. I can pick up some of your things while I’m there. Can you have one of your acolytes drive me?”
Nerylla glanced over her shoulder. “Once the others arrive to watch over our principal, I would be happy to do that, Commander.”
“What about you, Garrus?” I asked.
The turian made a fending-off gesture. “No need. I should probably check in with Sparatus. I can call a cab once we get to this office of yours.”
“That sounds like a plan,” I agreed. “Shepard, call me early this evening? We can decide where to stay, and maybe arrange for a little downtime for ourselves for a change.”
“It’s a deal.”
* * *
The office was not a refuge.
As soon as I sat down at my usual desk, I opened up my message queues, and then sat staring at them in disbelief for a long moment. Half the galaxy suddenly wanted to speak to Liara T’Soni.
Fortunately, something similar had happened to me before. A similar deluge arrived on the day the Council released its farcical report on the Battle of the Citadel, calling the T’Soni name into serious disrepute. This time I had more resources to deal with the problem. I turned Glyph loose on my inbox, knowing the VI more than capable of flagging the most important callers, and producing polite please go away messages for the rest.
