Just a Mass Effect Fanfic

Spare Time PT2 (Short)

(The Normandy is on the way to Noveria. Joker set the Normandy to autopilot so he could catch a break)

(Shepard knocks on a door)

Liara: Come in

(Shepard walks in, and Liara smiles)

Liara: Shepard. Are you coming to check up on me?

Shepard: You look much better now. How are you feeling?

Liara: Dr. Chakwas assures me I am going to be fine. I was impressed with her level of knowledge on asari physiology

Shepard: You're in good hands. Dr. Chakwas knows what she's doing

Liara: I get the feeling you want to ask me something

Shepard: Do you enjoy your line of work?

Liara: I love my work. Seeking out history's lost secrets has a special appeal for me. You were actually touched by working prothean technology. Marked by that prothean beacon on Eden Prime

Shepard: You find me fascinating? Sounds like you want to dissect me in a lab somewhere

Liara: What? No! I did not mean to insinuate-... I never meant to offend you, Shepard. I only meant that you would be an interesting specimen for an in depth study. No, that's even worse!

Shepard: Calm down, Liara. I was only joking

Liara: Joking? Oh, by the goddess!

(Liara facepalms)

Liara: How could I be so dense? You must think I am a complete and utter fool. Now you know why I prefer to spend my time in the field in solitude with data discs and computers. I always seem to say something embarrassing around other people

(Liara blushes and crosses her arms)

Liara: Lets just... pretend this conversation never happened

(As Shepard and Liara chat, Ashley is on a transmission with her sister when Thorne walks in to make some adjustments to his loadout)

Transmission: Oh, before I go, you said you're serving with Matthew Thorne? We saw him on the news with Command Shepard. He's cute! Later, sis

(Ashley mentally facepalms because Thorne walked in right before the "cute" comment)

Ashley: Tell me you didn't hear that

Thorne: Sorry. Didn't mean to eavesdrop. Your sister, I assume?

Ashley: Until I get home and kill her... That was Sarah. The youngest

Thorne: Your family seems to be important to you

Ashley: Yeah. We've always been close. Especially me and my sisters. With dad on duty so much, I had to help mom raise them. Do you have any siblings?

Thorne: Plenty of brothers and sisters in arms, but I was an only child

Ashley: Things were tense between me and Sarah for a while, then we... bonded

Thorne: Ooh. Sounds like a good story. Can I hear it, or is it personal?

Ashley: I think I can trust you with this

(Ashley tells Thorne the story of how her sister Sarah had a boyfriend who was very pushy about doing the deed, and how she clocked him right in the face)

Ashley: The Williams women are a decisive bunch, Lieutenant-Commander. We do things when we're ready. Not before, and not after

Thorne: Interesting story. And with a moral too