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Glyph’s glowing orb bobbed into view, “Doctor T’Soni, you have not hydrated in the last three hours.”
A weary sigh escaped through Liara’s nose. Ache settled into her fingers from typing and scrolling through the endless information feeds in front of her tired eyes – knowing dread crept up the back of her neck as she avoided looking at the time.
‘Late’ would have to suffice. And there was still so much to be done.
“Thank you, Glyph.” She powered down the keyboard and turned from the looming monitors. “I’ll take a break. Perhaps make myself some tea.”
“Mr. Cortez sent a message that he procured some more of the blend you prefer. He wished to express that it would be ‘exactly what you need.’”
Liara’s face softened with a smile; Goddess, bless that man. “Please let me know if there are any urgent updates, I’ll be in the observation lounge.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
Only the gentle hum of the vents greeted her when she stepped out onto the crew deck. The galley was empty and the lights in the med bay were dimmed nearly to black. There were no loud echoes drifting from the port side lounge.
Quite late, then.
Liara set some water to boil and searched the pantry for her tea tin. She found it in the back corner, hidden behind other cans and rations, out of sight of curious hands. James had once mistaken it for ‘asari chicken seasoning’ and used it on his dinner…to mixed results. A hiding spot was suggested after that to avoid any further culinary mishaps.
She popped open the lid and inhaled deeply, sweet herbal fragrance swept up and into her nostrils. It smelled like home – verdant spring, tranquil waters and the color yellow…
Liara made a mental note to buy Steve a thank you gift the next time the Normandy was on the Citadel as she arranged the kettle, tea, and a cup on a tray. She walked with light steps past the crew quarters and elbowed the entry button to the starboard observation lounge.
It was not empty. Kaidan turned away from the large window toward the hiss of the door opening.
“Oh!” Liara let out a small shout of surprise, rattling the contents of the tray in her hands.
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.” Kaidan crossed the distance in two steps, took the tray from her, and set it down on the nearby table.
“Goddess, no, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect anyone to be in here this late.” She glanced down at the singular cup on the tray, “One moment.” She trotted back to the galley, returning with a second cup. “Would you like to have some tea with me?”
A smile spread over Kaidan’s face – tired, but warm. “I’d love to.”
Kaidan swiftly rearranged the table and recliners so they had a good view of the nebula drifting by the observation window and gestured for Liara to join him.
Liara poured tea for them both. She studied his face as she handed him a cup, “You’re still not sleeping well?”
“Too restless.” Exhaustion sagged Kaidan’s shoulders. The stress of the war had been harsh in taking its tribute from all of them. “Shepard finally fell asleep an hour or so ago and I snuck down here.”
He sipped his tea, “What about you? Why are you still up?”
Liara let the warmth of the cup seep into her hands. ‘Restless’, Kaidan had said. Yes, that was certainly a good word for it. “I…lost track of the time.”
“Glyph had to tell you to take a break again, didn’t he?” She chuckled; Kaidan knew her well. He smirked and leaned back into his recliner, getting comfortable.
Together, they watched the nebula swirl by and quietly drank their tea. The bursts of colorful clouds danced with each other, coalescing around newborn stars. From their vantage point, it seemed like all was calm in the galaxy – no war, no Reapers.
How Liara wished it were so, but childish wishing would not make it all disappear.
A sliver of shame flashed through her. It wasn’t childish to hope for something better, although, it was difficult to be hopeful when she felt so depleted. The tea – the tiny piece of home Steve had found for her – helped. She savored it and let the gentle sweetness sit on her tongue.
Steve had been right, it’s what she’d needed.
“Liara,” Kaidan set his half-empty cup down on the table, “are you familiar with wishing on stars?”
Not for the first time in their friendship, Liara wondered if Kaidan could see inside her mind. “Not on stars, no.”
“It’s something from a vid I watched with my dad when I was little. Then in the summer, he and I would lay out in the grass and look up at the stars, making wishes.”
Liara could imagine Kaidan small, earnest and caring even then. “And now you spend a great deal of time among them…” she poured herself more tea, “what will you wish for?”
“My wish is that when this is done, Shepard will come back home with me, stretch out on the grass at the orchard, and hold still for more than five minutes.” Kaidan rested his hands behind his head, watching the stars go by, a bright grin crinkling his eyes. “He’ll have to get over the bugs in the dirt first, but some things you just can’t wish for.”
‘When this is done.’ Not if. When.
Shepard’s hope came through in his actions, you could see it if you knew just which lines to look between, but Kaidan had always worn his hope openly on his face. Liara admired that about him.
“It won’t always be like this.” That hope was twinkling in his eyes as he turned to her, “What will you do, Liara? When it’s all over, I mean.”
Liara paused and considered. She had slid into the role of Shadow Broker so easily and completely that now she had a hard time picturing herself disconnected from it. There would be an abundance of work to be done, planets to rebuild, agents to coordinate. Feron could help lighten the load, but it would be unfair to push it all off onto him…
Kaidan’s low chuckle broke her from her revery, “I’m gonna have to wish on another star to keep you from trying to solve all the galaxy’s problems on your own, aren’t I?”
A blush crept over her cheeks. “It’s complicated.”
“I know it is.” Kaidan reached for his cup and drained the remainder of its contents. “Feels like everything is riding on this one ship.”
Liara hummed in agreement. “The whole galaxy is depending on us. And on Shepard.”
Especially on Shepard.
“We are going to make it to the other side, Liara. He will find a way… And when he does, I’ll be standing right next to him.” Kaidan reached over, placing a firm, gentle hand on her shoulder, “And so will you.”
She squeezed his hand, “Yes. We will face whatever lays ahead together.”
Kaidan smiled at her and poured himself more tea. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He raised his cup to her, “Let’s hope we can get some sleep between now and then.”
She clinked her cup against his with a smirk, “You first.”
The nebula sailed by the window, entrancing Liara until her eyelids grew heavy. I’ll rest them for a moment. Just for a moment and then back to work…
“Doctor T’Soni…”
Liara groaned and stirred in the recliner. She cracked open an eye, squinting at Glyph’s light. “What time is it?”
“It is 0730, Doctor.”
Startled, she had both eyes open now and looked down at herself. A blanket had been draped across her and the tea service had been cleared. Kaidan’s doing, no doubt.
“Major Alenko requested that you not be disturbed until this time. He was…” Glyph flickered, “Insistent.”
Of course, he had been. Liara smiled despite herself, grateful for the rest. Another mental note was made to get Kaidan a gift, along with Steve’s. It would be good to treat her friends while there was still the opportunity.
Liara stretched the sleep from her muscles and sat up in the recliner. She checked her omni-tool for any important missed alerts, but it appeared that Feron had it all in hand. And Glyph had already been steadily at work sorting the newest incoming data for her review at her earliest convenience.
Relief washed through her – nothing was burning down in her absence. Perhaps Kaidan’s wishing on stars had some effect, after all.
She scrolled lazily through her messages and found one from Kaidan.
‘I hope you slept well and thank you for the tea. Let’s do it again soon…but maybe at a saner hour. -Kaidan’