I'll come along if that's what you want 83%
"I'd like to come along," Fluttershy softly said after thinking about it for a moment, a smirk creeping onto Shepard's face for some reason.
"Great! Come on up, the others should be there already." He said helping Liara up the stairs, turning into the comm room after reaching the CIC. Garrus, Wrex, Tali, and the two human members of the ground team, Ashely Williams and Kaidan Alenco were already present as Fluttershy took a seat between Garrus and Wrex, Shepard putting Liara in one of the empty chairs before taking his place at the back of the circular room.
"That was too close Commander, ten more seconds and we would have been swimming in molten sulfur. The Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes, they tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull! Just for future reference." Joker said over the intercom from his place on the bridge. A couple of the attending members chuckled though Fluttershy and Liara didn't quite get why.
"We almost died out there and your pilot is making jokes?!" Liara said baffled at Jokers statement.
Shepard just shrugged, "It's a coping mechanism, you'll get used to it."
This clicked within Fluttershy's mind as she remembered how Pinkie and Dash had gone on a pranking spree after they had beaten Discord, Joker was possibly doing the only thing he knew to do to blow off tension. "I see, it must be a human thing. I'm sorry Commander, I do not have a lot of experience with your species,"
That makes two of us, Fluttershy thought, quickly banishing it again as she followed the conversation.
"No harm, no foul," Shepard said as he made a dismissive motion with his hands, "Though we should get back on topic, Saren wanted you for a reason. Do you have any knowledge of something called the 'Conduit'?"
Liara shook her head, "I only know that it's connected to the prothean extinction, that is my real area of expertise. I have spent the last fifty years of my life trying to find out what happened to them."
Fluttershy's eyes went wide at hearing that, "Fifty years?!" She pretty certain that even Twilight wouldn't be able to stay interested in something for that long.
"I hate to admit it but I'm only a hundred and six," Liara said seeming to be really self-conscious of that fact, Fluttershy and human crewmembers looking at her in awe.
"Damn, I hope I look that good when I'm that old." Ashley chuckled.
"A century may seem like a long time to a short-lived species like yours but among the asari, I'm barely more than a child, That's why my research hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, because of my youth other asari scholars dismiss my theories on what happened to the protheans," She explained, it made a bit of sense to Fluttershy as this was probably how the Princesses looked at the ponies in Equestria.
"Did your research turn up anything interesting?" Shepard asked.
"What is interesting is what I didn't find, There's remarkably little archeological evidence of the Protheans and even less that might explain why they disappeared," Liara explained, a small smile on her face that reminded Fluttershy of Twilight when she went into lecture mode, "It is almost as if someone did not want the mystery solved, like someone came along after the protheans were gone and cleansed the galaxy of clues. But here's the incredible part, According to my findings the protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously disappear, this cycle started long before them."
Shepard looked skeptically at the asari, " How did you get to this conclusion and what do you mean by a 'Cycle'?"
"Remember that I've been working on this for fifty years, I have tracked down every scrap and shred of evidence. Eventually, certain patterns began to emerge, patterns that hinted at the truth. It is... difficult to explain to someone else, I cannot point to one specific thing to prove my case, it is more a feeling derived from a half-century of dedicated research. But I know I'm right and eventually, I'll be able to prove it."
Liara leaned forward a bit as she continued her explanation, everyone remaining silent as they didn't want to miss a moment of it. "As for the cycle, every time an advanced civilization rises up it is suddenly and violently cast down, only ruins survive. The protheans rose up from a single world until their empire spanned the entire galaxy, yet even they rose-up on the ruins of past empires that came before. Their greatest achievements, the Citadel and the mass relays, were based on technology that came before them, and then they vanished like every civilization before them."
"They were wiped out by a sentient race of machines called the Reapers," Shepard stated in no uncertain terms, Liara's mouth fell open.
"H-how do you know this, what is your evidence!" She giddily asked, not believing that the Commander had the answer to the question she had been searching the answer for for over fifty years.
"There was a damaged prothean beacon on Eden Prime, it burned a vision into my mind. I'm still trying to figure out what it all means," Shepard said, Fluttershy remembered Doctor Chakwas telling her about the incident which had cost the lives of a crewmember and a Spectre.
Liara seemed to take in that information before giving her reply, "Visions, that makes sense. The beacons were designed to transmit data directly into the mind of the user, finding one that still works is extremely rare. No wonder that the geth attacked Eden Prime. But since the beacons were only made to interact with Protheans, whatever information you received would have been confused and... unclear. I am amazed that you were able to make sense of it at all."
"This is interesting and all but it's not getting us any closer to finding the conduit or Saren," Ashely interjected in an attempt to get the derailed conversation back on track.
"Of course, you're right. I'm sorry that my scientific curiosity get the better of me." Liara replied, Fluttershy meanwhile was holding back a giggle as she decided that if she were ever to get back to her home planet that she would have to introduce the asari to a certain purple unicorn. "Unfortunately I have no information on either the Conduit or Saren."
Shepard sighed, "I don't know why Saren wanted you out of the picture but I think it's best if you came along with us."
Liara nodded, "Thank you, Commander. I can't think of anywhere safer to be than here on your ship." Liara stood up to thank the Commander but the moment she got to her feet a wave of dizziness struck her, Fluttershy immediately rushed over to the other side of the room where the asari was wobbling on her feet to support her.
"I'm sorry Commander but she needs rest, she should be getting back to the medbay," Fluttershy resolutely stated, she might not be the bravest of pegasi but continuing this would only cause harm to the asari.
"I'll get her back there," Ashely offered, standing up to support Liara and bring her down to the crew quarters. After the two of them were gone Shepard turned to Fluttershy.
"Now, I'd like to talk to you. Do you mind if they stay here?" The Commander asked, motioning at Kaidan, Garrus, Wrex, and Tali.
I guess that I'd have to tell them at some point anyway.
"No, they can stay." Fluttershy said as she took a seat once again.
"Good, I wanted to talk to you about two things actually. The first being your medical scans." The Commander started, Fluttershy gulped as she remembered Chakwas's reaction to those scans.
"What do you want to know about them?" The pegasus carefully asked.
"Well, I actually want to ask you if you want to show them to me. The Doctor didn't want to show them to me without having your consent first," He told Fluttershy, the pegasus looking surprised that the Doctor hadn't shown Shepard the scans like she had assumed to have happened. The idea to not show the scan flashed through Fluttershy's mind but was quickly banished as that would only create distrust.
"I-it's okay. Can you call Doctor Chakwas?" Shepard nodded and opened up the hologram around his arm, an omni-tool, Chakwas's voice coming out of it moments later.
"Hello Commander, is there something you need?" She asked, Shepard motioning for Fluttershy to talk.
Uhm, Doctor could you send my scans up to the comm room? Fluttershy asked, the comm line staying silent for a moment.
"Are you sure, Fluttershy?" She asked.
"Yes," The pegasus simply answered, moments later a light started blinking on the console at the back of the comm room.
"Is there anything else you need up there?"
"No Doctor, that was it. Thank you." Shepard replied.
"My pleasure Shepard," Chakwas said as she terminated the connection, the Commander pushed a couple of buttons on the console behind him which made Fluttershy's various medical scans appear in holograms at the back of the room. As Shepard looked them over his eyes stopped at the same scan that had amazed Chakwas.
"Whoa," He said in amazement, the others in the room had also joined him in looking over the scans.
"Is that Eezo?!" Garrus gasped as he too noticed the scan, Tali meanwhile was looking at the scans trying to figure out what they meant.
"Guys, care to explain? I'm an engineer, not a biologist," She deadpanned as she looked at the others who all seemed to understand the scans to some degree., Kaidan answering the quarian's question.
"The concentration of Eezo within her body is, quite frankly, ridiculous. She's got the asari beat by quite the margin." He told Tali who suddenly understood the implication and looked back at Fluttershy. The pegasus was still seated on her chair and looked as if she was on trial.
Shepard moved over to Fluttershy and crouched down in front of her to get on her eye level, "Fluttershy, I know you must be anxious about this but I have to ask anyway. Back on the Citadel, you dodged a question about any additional abilities you have and I'd bet my quite considerable life savings on the assumption that that has to do with that." Shepard pointed at the scan showing the Eezo concentration within Fluttershy, "Now I'd like to know if I should be worried."
Does Fluttershy reveal the stare? Critical Yes
Fluttershy sighed and summoned every bit of courage she had, "I can momentarily force my will on someone by looking at them." She managed to say with a tremor-free voice.
Before anyone could react Wrex burst out into laughter, "That's all? Come on try it on me, see if it does anything."
Fluttershy sputtered as her brain tried forming a coherent sentence, this being the last reaction had expected, "I-I'd n-never use t-the stare if i-it wasn't necessary!"
"Come on, kid. I've lived for a good couple of centuries. I'd be surprised if it actually tickled me." He chuckled, Shepard had moved out from between the krogan and the pegasus to see what would happen. Fluttershy meanwhile was having an internal debate on what to do.
I don't want to it but I don't think Wrex is going to let this go. What if I do it at only a portion of full power like with the dragon and cockatrice? but if it really only tickles him they won't take the stare serious!
Fluttershy gulped as she made a decision to do something she had never done. She hopped off the chair and closed her eyes for the moment gathering her strength, Wrex grinned as he expected a light tickle unaware of what was about to hit him.
Fluttershy opened her eyes again looking straight at the krogan but instead of looking into the eyes of a fluffy pegasus that barely reached above his waist he was looking at what looked like a monster from the depths of Tuchanka. All his instincts were overwritten in a moment, his mind was telling him to attack the threat but an overwhelming force in the back of his head seemed to lock his entire body in place. Shepard, Kaidan, Garrus, and Tali took an instinctive step back as they could tangibly feel the force Fluttershy was exerting in the air.
All this took place for less than five seconds but the moment Fluttershy released the stare both she and Wrex collapsed onto their knees, Wrex panting heavily at the ground while Fluttershy was covered in cold sweat and equally out of it. Silence reigned in the comm room for over a minute as the other members present were trying to figure out what had just happened.
As Wrex got his breath back he started chuckling, turning to thundering laughter not soon after, "I like her! Can I keep her after we're done?"
What! he... I mean...
"I think she should decide that for herself, Wrex," Shepard said as Garrus helped a dumbstruck Fluttershy back onto her hooves, the Commander crouching down next to the pegasus again. "Look, I get why you'd want to hide something like that but I really want to know what my crew can do. I'm not going to throw you off this ship or anything, so please no more secrets, alright?" He told her sincerely, Fluttershy nodding in agreement.
"Good, now you should probably get some rest since you look like you just ran a marathon," Shepard said, Fluttershy nodded and slowly trudged her way out of the comm room down towards the medbay, accompanied by the others who were getting back to their jobs. Fluttershy stopping before the door to the medbay as she reached it, she knew that she wouldn't be able to get rest in her state of mind anyway. She had to talk to someone... that or she could...
1. [Talk to Tali]
2. [Talk to Garrus]
3. [Talk to Joker]
4. [Talk to Wrex]
5. [Look for liquor in the mess]