- It looks like John, Svetlana, you have already agreed about everything. - Anderson said, getting up to meet the commander's cabin logged in exec and his wife. - Sit down. Contact Alla need, Svetlana?
- No. Position Alla unchangeable. And you know it, David. - Svetlana settled into a chair, took the most comfortable position for themselves. - We are indeed negotiating with John to discuss most things and I can formulate an acceptable solution for both of us, which is very much hope it will be supported by the command of the frigate.
- And what is the solution, Svetlana? - Asked Chakwas.
- Liara should distance themselves from John for the period of the war. To love, and if he wants to be able to, another earthling, to marry him. The rest - how much they will decide for themselves. Scripts are standard and you, Karin, are well known. But with John it can support only remote relationship. I do not mind a rare meeting on the circumstances, but I am categorically against to Liara I tried to predict, plan, and seek from John some situations that entail joint management sector or the birth of children, as well as the establishment of the marital relationship.
- John? - Anderson looked at who was sitting next to Svetlana Shepard.
- Svetlana outlined our common position. I have nothing to add.
- Yavik? - Anderson looked at the proteanina, to remain silent and not even squatting or in one of the vacant seats.
- Svetlana right, David. Liara - child. For all conceivable standards. And the unthinkable - too. Yes, it runs, but it jumps above his head, but for the autonomous existence with the support of mom and dad, when you stay at home parent racial planet - a legal, safe and acceptable. But if she wants to move beyond this shell - then inevitably begin complexity. You can give her the opportunity to work on complex projects and issues - the general scheme, David, you know, so I will not repeat. But no more. John already have enough difficulties, we will travel the galaxy, and sometimes even fight, if it is absolutely pripret. Switch to a closer level of relationship with Liara T'Soni in these circumstances, I consider counterproductive and agree with the position of Svetlana. We risk becoming initiators Liara strain of the organism, and this,
- Confirm. Such a threat exists, colleagues. - Chakwas briefly donned psihokokon military surgeon.
- ... Which is not acceptable in today's environment. Do not argue, at the end of such a war will be hard to do much to Liara did not feel abandoned or devoid of emotional and sensual make-up, but that - in the future, and we need to solve certain quite modern and kratkoperspektivnye challenges and problems.
- Karin, is supposed to act? - Anderson asked.
- Liara definitely remains on edge when it comes easier, colleagues. So I guess that she slept until the next morning. In the afternoon we spoke to her in this line-up and in the evening she would return to his Tess, and we can prepare for the care of the Citadel.
- No objection, if I understand correctly, no? - Anderson made sure that none of those present at this conversation not in a hurry to argue. - Then, Karin, do everything that she slept until eleven o'clock tomorrow. You ought to know that this should be done. And yet we will discuss questions of our future work on the Citadel. - Anderson laid out in front of colleagues readers of neat pile. - Recent excerpts from radio intercepts and layout diagrams situations generated by our experts and Synthetic CIC. We have here, this situation ...
Chakwas returned to sickbay, made sleeping Liara necessary injections, connect the tracking and diagnostic systems, and then left the room, the curtains zadёrnuv screen.
Troop commanders of the meeting ended after four hours. After lunch at Gardner, officers went to their cabins. Svetlana routinely settled in the cabin of John and immediately plunged into work on documents. Shepard defended starpomovskuyu watch, made a two-hour tour of the ship, after which he returned to the cabin.
- Come to bed, Svetlan. Morning may well be wiser evening.
- Let's sleep. - Agreed Streltsov. - Tomorrow night we'll be on the way to the Citadel.
- Let's Svetlana. - Shepard turned off the light in the cabin, leaving only the soffit above the bedside table. - A relaxing holiday.
- And you, too, John.
Though Shepard planned to get up at ten in the morning, but the habit of getting up early and worked this time. Svetlana this early lifting reacted with understanding:
- We go to eat in Gardner and go through the ship. I am sure that normandovtsy already aware of our decisions on Liara. I would like to track the response.
- Already, Svetlana. No changes. Most only for that Liara and later worked on over the Tessier feasible for her problems.
- I believe you, John, but I want to make it myself. And while it is necessary to kill the conversation. It is unlikely that it will take more than an hour, but you know yourself - it's not the length, the point of saturation.
- Maybe.
After breakfast in the dining room in Gardner, John and Svetlana walked through the cruiser frigate, visited the main positions and the main compartments, talked with many normandovtsami. Not only with respect to Liara, but also on many other issues and problems. Communication was productive and efficient, so that by noon, when Karin has sent a message that sleep off Liara ready to accept them in his room, Svetlana and John just finished a conversation with Jeff on the issue of reconciliation with the piloting in hazardous areas.
- Come on. - Svetlana said, when the door of the cockpit was left behind. - Right skin feel her displeasure, John. I know. Saying he will, and I and Karin only poprisutstvuem. If it is necessary - I am connected. And do not worry, scratch and I'm not going to bite - not the situation.
-We will see. - John remained calm, really hoping to sleep off and rested Liara rebounded slightly emotional balance and will not get bogged down in the unpredictable actions.
- John ... Why did not you tell me that I'm going to sleep almost half of the day? - Liara with a stay on the bed, sat back and looked at the newcomer Shepard's few discontented look.
- Formally - one and a half days, Liara. - Chakwas said, sitting on a rotating medical stool next to the bed, on which sat Liara.
- Because here - the owner, Karin, and I do not, Liara. - Shepard said, sitting on a stool. Svetlana remained standing, his whole appearance indicating that he would not say anything.
- Clear. And if you're here and Svetlana ... then ... I feel that you have something to all this time decided about me, John. I've been sleeping under a drug ... and you ...
- Liara. You should have a rest and your fortune to me as a doctor, I was too well understood. It required my professional reaction. - Chakwas said. - We already talked about this. John has nothing to do with you such a long stay in sickbay. And even more so - to your daily sleep over.
- I once read that people love one principle: one for all and all for one. Now I have to see its effect. - Said the younger T'Soni.
- We are guided by different principles, Liara. - Shepard looked at Chakwas and Svetlana. - Leave us.
- As you say, John. Come on, Svetlana. - Chakwas first stood up, stepped out of the chamber. - John everything he says wrong.
Svetlana left the room in silence, sliding the curtain for a screen. Liara looked at who was sitting across from Shepard and did not recognize him.
- John ... What's going on? - Finally she asked, not really expecting that get right answer. - Svetlana clearly dissatisfied with something. And I suspect that it is dissatisfied with me.
- Yes, Liara. She is dissatisfied with you.
- According to her, I threatened her with you?
- Yes.
- And so ... I'd better fall in love with some other Earthman?
- Yes.
- And stay to Tess? Being away from you and the Troop as how long this war?
- Yes.
- Okay, John. At least you do not bustled and not wishful thinking. - Liara stood. - You said everything honestly and accurately. With a large and capacious overtones. Is carried out before the shuttle?
- Spend
, Liara. - Shepard stood up.
- At least Svetlana sure that I flew with the "Normandy". - Said the younger T'Soni, leaving the chamber. - Everything is already gone.
- We are preparing for departure to the Citadel. - Shepard said, opening the door sickbay.
- Yeah. You as always - a lot of work. - Liara stopped and did not utter a word. Greg has already received all the information, I nodded Shepard and Liara from the shuttle left the hangar frigate, cruiser.
Half an hour later the boat came back.
- Landed in the underground of the residential complex. I wanted to hold up to the apartment door - refused. - He said, entering the cabin XO, where Shepard checked the availability of new guns.
- All right, Greg. Thank you. - The captain put the weapon in the holster, locks poschёlkal sling.
Greg did not know what Liara went through the entire residential complex, and out the other side through the other main output. It is no longer happy with dense enough silence to Tess, do not howl and roar interrupted tools, grinding and crumbling buildings rustling rushing to his victims charges.
Younger T'Soni trying to understand itself after left aboard "Normandy", after a talk with Shepard. It is, of course, well done, he asked everyone to leave - and his wife and the chief doctor of the frigate. Well done, that did not sink many words answers to her questions, she did not lie. Not refused to carry out, it did not try to talk, cause to be frank. It is unlikely that she could then say something wrong.
She did not need to go into details ... She gave no final answer "no" to the unspoken question of whether it will be able in the future to connect with Shepard, to be his wife. It simply provided an opportunity to return to their home planet and live their own lives. Such as it deems necessary for itself.
Glancing at the clock on instrumentrone, Liara decisively went to the lab. We had to work. There was no need to poison the soul of reflections on the impossible. A squad preparing for the care of Tess, leaving the Citadel. And there ... there it was waiting new planets and star systems, new challenges and new issues and challenges. Now she does not want to think in detail about what happened, realize that the subconscious mind is not all understood. Calm on Tess is about to end and almost detachment will leave ... Reapers can attack again. It is necessary to use the remaining hours with the maximum benefit.
In the laboratory, almost no one had to explain where and how she spent those hours. They loved and knew how to work, not to talk about work. So Liara, standing at the laboratory bench, quickly pushed happened during those hours in the farthest corner of consciousness. Yes, and what actually happened - she just flew to the "Normandy", he saw his wife and Chakwas Shepard. Nothing unusual.
Citadel. series Troubleshooting Troop forces
Returning to the Citadel, this time for Shepard was heavy. Svetlana flew to his "Volga", considering their task of saving the family from invasion performed, besides Allah she insisted that she was before her eyes bright for the passage of the next medkontrolya. Tess was left far behind, and had yet to understand what you need to be tackled at the station.
Leafing through the Bid formatki Shepard ёrzal in his chair and hurried prihlёbyval poluostyvshy herbal infusion from the glass, trying to focus. Good thing Anderson understands his condition and insists that he is senior assistant, cast toil experiences and fully drew attention at last on a charge of second senior officer on the ship. David saw that Shepherd is doing everything that it can, and as long as there was no special need, do not ship the captain of any job.
Parking on the Citadel again assumed to be short. Bearing in mind that the concept of time every reasonable yet a little, but their Shepard laid aside readers with information about the problems that had to do as soon as possible upon arrival at the station. Up to this point there were still at least two or three days.
One of the first tasks was to find documents on the latest guns, entered service "Cerberus" in the past few decades. Yes, the organization and its staff have become final at the position accomplices Reapers, so special it could not isolate, but preferred the squad to deal with specific matters and the fight against "Cerberus" has been and remains one of those specific cases.
Customer documentation became BRP. No, Garrus Vakarian personally, and one of its officers, agents. Service was detained freighter arrived at the Citadel, in which the hold of new tools have been found. More precisely - modernized. The ship's captain, as usual, neither sleep nor spirit did not know anything about the nature of the cargo - container has a container, and even discharged guns were no different from what any pig iron security level for the transport and for his team. But when and who could stop BRP, sniffing each arrived at the station the ship from bow to stern with the utmost thoroughness? That sniff.
An officer of the Special Assignments Squad headquarters met with senior dress out in a container transporter these guns. As often happens, the serviceman appeared determined not only to fulfill their obligations under the inspection of a particular vessel, but also to try to solve the problem as a whole. And so the conversation officer for special assignments and C-Sec officer was continued in a meeting room of the main building at headquarters. The conversation was long and interesting - it was the result of a request sent to all the worlds, where they could be found "hooks". And, behold, a few minutes ago, one of these "clues" manifested.
The holder of this clue was the Rex. Communications equipment Tuchanka could not, unfortunately, for many reasons, "finish" to the Citadel, so an information package was adopted Synthetic Corps. Back to Tuchanka left "receipt", upon which Rex stopped trying to communicate directly with node communications headquarters on the Citadel and turned to other important issues and questions.
For an explanation of the information package brought Alix Anderson. The commander of the ship, having familiarized with the contents of the document, ordered him to acquaint with the exec and have what Shepard will meet on arrival at the station with the C-Sec officer and give him a complete package. Alix knew the commander of the frigate, cruiser on the right and left Tuchanka inquiry now from Troop requested to forward any and all additional information under the encryption of the deep. Puzzled Rex said that in the near future, he will gather the requested information and will forward. Given the distance and the environment, it should be understood that all this will take a considerable part of the two or three days, during which the squadron had to go to the Citadel and take their places in the outer roads.
- Allow me, John. - Alix entered the cabin starpomovskuyu when Shepard finished reading The specified version of the work plan for the documentation to the guns Cerberus. - Anderson ordered to transfer it to you. - Kiborgessa put on the table two reader. - Additions to the documentation. We are waiting for clarification from the Rex, but it ...
- The case for a long, Ali. - Shepard looked at Alix and I realized that she wanted to ask him for at least a few questions, and these questions are in no way relate to this documentation. - Come on, Ali, ask. We now have time ... - he sighed, pointing kiborgesse view of the neighboring chair. Alix one conjoint motion moved and comfortably settled into the open arms of the chair, looking at the Shepard's questioning gaze.
- Tell me, John ... Why it happens ... Well ... with love for people ...
- I do not know, Ali. - Honestly Shepard said. - Every person - your answer to your question is. Yes, maybe the answers are more or less similar, but they will still be different. Although it is believed that we, the people, in its history, have tried a lot of different scenarios, but ... every person in one way or another have to learn from their own experience. The world around us is complicated, just as we, the people, give yourself the trouble to understand something more. And this understanding is not always easy and pleasant. It is believed that ... we follow in their behavior and in their interaction certain patterns. Maybe it is so ... But ... unfortunately, the pattern - it is the mind, and we still have emotions and feelings. For a long time the children do not know their fathers at the dawn
of humanity. There was a matriarchy, was carried out at the expense of kinship mother, then it is time to patriarchy, ... then some time equality, but it could not compete with patriarchy - all the same functions and roles too different, though common. But this time, equality gave us to understand that in any case, we should respect the variety of choices made by others. They like polygamy - please, they want polyandry - no problem. Want to same-sex family with adopted children - no questions asked. They want a family where the husband - a European, and the wife, say, Asian or negritoska - one against not bude. Diversity. And this diversity requires one thing - understanding and responsible attitude. Yes, like humanity as a biological species, more than half a million years, but this figure is, fortunately, not been definitively confirmed. Sometimes it is possible to believe that we, the people, as a form of reasonable organic beings, much younger, sometimes - a lot older. Nope consensus on this matter. Because ... because we are paying a very high price for our choices made including those in love. We protect and defend their choice, knowing that he ... ... in the future may prove not so and reinforced concrete and definitive, that things can change, and once very strong and friendly family ... can break. Maybe - for nothing can be - due to something more serious. Yes, the children will suffer - big or small for age - still suffer. But suffering and adults for life again from the beginning - will not work. Because, probably, people have always aspired to immortality, or at least, a significant increase in the duration of human life. Including, perhaps, because, to be able to make a different choice, and to know the depth of it sufficiently. Even if the memory of the progress and results of the last elections is too short and too incomplete. - Shepard stood up. Alix remained seated, watching the captain with his attentive, all notices sight. - I know Ali, you are interested in what happened to Tess, and then - on the "Normandy". Svetlana had the right to act as she went - I in no doubt about it. Can long list of the right reasons, you can. And I do now ... I will not. - Shepard went to the closed window bronezaslonkoy cabin, stopped just stared at his own reflection in the glass. - All standard and at the same time ... new. We want to be masters of their family and the world at the same time we want to own the world - whether it is a planet or a star system or star cluster unit. Perhaps that's the case ... - he paused. - For us, the people, in my opinion, it has always been a problem of choice. Not only it was, but it remained a problem, and in the present and in the future. Choice and responsibility for it. I do not know, Ali, if I answered your question. Words, it is difficult to express.
Darcy's Starry Sky Page 215
