Thessia

The Year 2081

"Bullshit!"

"I will ask you once again, Aethyta. Keep your voice down."

"This is total bullshit, Nezzie!" Aethyta cried with fists tightened as she glared at her former lover.

Benezia sighed. "You gave up your right to discuss these matters when you left."

"Left? I didn't leave you, babe. You kicked my blue ass out. Then you ran off before the kid was born. I track you down to find that you're letting this crazy bitch near Liara!"

The third Matirarch in the room glared at the foul mouthed asari and rose to her feet with unsettling grace.

"I believe lady Benezia requested you lower your voice. We wouldn't want the child to hear such unpleasantness." She said.

"Who's child? Mine? Or that little bastard you and Nezzie made when you were screwing behind my back?!" The hurt in Aethyta's voice was obvious and it twisted Benezia's heart to hear it.

"Aethyta, please."

Matriarch Aquilla narrowed her eyes. "Felina has nothing to do with this."

"Nezzie, I don't want her anywhere near Liara! She'll fill the kid's head with that doctrine crap just like she did to you."

Benezia sighed. "I'm sorry. But that isn't your choice to make. I...I want you to leave."

"I want to see her." Aethyta said.

"No." Benezia said firmly. "That would only confuse her."

"She's my daughter too."

"No she's not." Benezia snapped and Aethyta's eyes widened. "Not anymore. It's best if she doesn't know you even exist. For her."

Aethyta shook her head in disbelief. "I loved you, Nezzie. I still love you. But you can't do this to me."

Aquilla stepped forward in between the two former lovers. "I think it is in your best interests to leave, Aethyta. Now." she said coldly.

"Screw you!" Aethyta brought a fist back to punch the old Matirarch but Aquilla caught it before the punch could land and she squeezed tightly. Aethyta cried out in pain before Aquilla blasted her to the ground with her biotics.

"If you ever attempt to lay a hand on me again, it shall be the last thing you ever do. I promise you that." Aquilla threatened.

"Aquilla! Please, don't hurt her." Benezia scrambled next to the fallen asari.

Aethyta wiped tears from her eyes before she got to her feet and headed for the door. "Screw this. Screw both of you."

Benezia ran after her. "Wait! I...I'm sorry, Aethyta. For everything. But Liara, she's...fragile. It's best for her if you stay away. Best for both of us."

A few more tears ran down the wounded asari's face. "You're treating her like a baby bird, Nezzie. She's gonna raise one hell of a storm with those little wings." Aethyta said before leaving the home.

Benezia blinked back a few tears and after looking over her shoulder to Aquilla she ran after Aethyta.

Liara T'Soni's eyes widened in confusion as she watched her mother leave their home after the strange and loud asari left. She'd not understood much of what had been said but she could tell her mother was upset. From the young girl's vantage point halfway down the staircase she watched as Aquilla rolled her eyes and took a seat before a soft voice called from behind the little girl.

"Liara? What are you doing down there?"

Liara turned around. "Aunt Ereyla, why is mother upset?"

"You shouldn't be spying, little one. You'll get yourself into trouble." Ereyla said.

"But who was that stranger?"

"Forget about her, Liara. Why don't I read you a bed time story? You'd like that." Ereyla grabbed her hand before a cold voice caught both their attention from the bottom of the stairs.

Matriarch Aquilla crossed her arms and stared at the young girl. "Allow me, Ereyla." The Matriarch ascended the stairs and extended her hand to young Liara. "You must be tired."

"No!" Liara protested.

"Well then. Have I ever told you the story of the Goddess Athame?" The Matriarch's voice was gentle and caring.

"Who's she?" Liara asked enthusiastically. The young girl had a curious mind and she sought to learn all that she could even at only four years of age.

Aquilla dismissed Ereyla with a motion of her hand as she escorted Liara to her bedroom. "I'll tell you."

The Migrant Fleet in Orbit of the Planet Rannoch

The Year 2192

She counted her steps in her head as she moved down the crowded hallways of the Rayya. Most of the quarians shot the outsider curious looks as she walked by them, but she never broke her stride. Her eyes always fixed dead ahead as the heavy briefcase in her hand began to wear out her shoulder. The Migrant Fleet was much less impressive than her already lowered expectations. It was noisy, crowded and had a strange odor she doubted these suit rats could detect from behind their masks.

As she continued to her target the asari passed a large glass window. Behind the glass pane she found a large collection of small quarian children, all encapsulated in strange translucent bubbles.

Ereyla narrowed her piercing blue eyes as she observed the unsuited quarian youths. She'd never seen the race unmasked before and wished it had stayed that way as she looked at their strange faces. She shook her head before continuing on her path.

The hallways she had been traveling in opened up into a large common area. Before the asari a gathering of quarians was taking place and Ereyla decided she was curious. The asari hauled her briefcase over to where she could listen in on what the race considered politics. She observed the display in silence.

"Six years. It has been only six years since we have retaken the homeworld and look at what we have accomplished in that time." Admiral Zaal'Koris looked out upon his fellow quarians who had gathered for the Admiralty Board as he requested. Many of the most influential and important quarians had boarded the Rayya just for the occasion. Korris glanced over at his fellow Admiral's, Shala'Raan, Xen and even Han'Gerrel stood at attention.

"Colonies have been founded on Rannoch, alliances have been forged with the other races, and after centuries adrift the quarian people have finally found their place in the galaxy." Koris continued before Admiral Gerrel took over.

"With the Geth destroyed and Rannoch back in our control, our numbers have doubled and we grow stronger every day."

Shala'Raan stepped forward. "Today we announce a new step forward for the quarian people. At the request of the newly reformed Citadel Council there will soon be a Quarian embassy aboard the Citadel. Today we usher in a new age for our people."

Raan looked over to the empty spot to her right and wondered why the remaining Admiral was running late.

"Keelah!" Tali Zorah cried out as her ship began to dock on the Rayya. She opened her omni-tool and checked the time to confirm her fears.

Suddenly the docking crew of the Rayya hailed her ship. "Running a little late, Admiral?"

"Ran into a delay on Palavan, Rikar." Tali told the docking hand. She recognized her old friend from his voice alone. "Has the Admiralty board already begun speaking?"

"I'm afraid so, Tali. But don't worry we'll get you there soon enough. After decontamination of course." Rikar said.

Tali groaned and laid back in her chair. She knew there was no rushing this process. But by the time they were done the meeting would be long over.

She jumped when her omni-tool buzzed. A smile graced her masked face when she saw who was calling. She answered the call.

"Miss me already?"

"Well there are only so many ways a retired Turian can spend his time." Garrus Vakarian answered. "How'd the big speech go?"

"Without me. It's going on now and I'm stuck in my ship while it's cleaned."

"Damn. Sorry, I know it was important."

Tali sighed. "Not your fault."

"Right. Listen Tali, I think we should talk next tim-"

Suddenly an alert flashed up on Tali's console. "Oh you little bosh'tet! Can I call you back later, Garrus?"

"Sure. Talk to you then."

As the Admiralty Board's meeting came to a close Zaal'Koris' eyes were fixed on the mysterious asari carrying a large steel briefcase. The Admiral forgot to chime in when the rest of the quarians all shouted. "Keelah se'lai!" together.

He stepped down off the Admiral stage and pawed through the crowd as he saw the asari begin to slip away down a nearby hallway. Perhaps he was naturally paranoid, but something about the asari didn't sit right with him. Outsiders were strange enough inside the fleet. But wandering alone inside of the most populated vessel? Something was off.

A woman approached the Admiral and disrupted his line of sight on Ereyla.

"Admiral, could I-" the woman said before Koris pushed her aside.

"Move!" He cried and began to sprint towards the hallways the asari had been heading towards. The hallways that lead to the Rayya's drive core engine...

Koris was in an all out sprint after the woman. Only once did he catch a glimpse of the asari darting round a corner. A few more quarians got in his way as the Admiral pursued her.

"Out of the way!" He screamed as he pawed through them. But it took him some time to navigate through the crowd.

Ereyla arrived outside of the drive core and found the armed guard had been removed as promised. The asari chuckled, that foolish quarian thought she was seriously after mechanical parts to steal. They were such a greedy race, the promise of credits and a life outside of the fleet was all the man required to get rid of the security for the small window Ereyla required.

A voice called out from behind her. "Hey! Who are you? Visitors aren't allowed back here."

Before her stood three male quarians with arms crossed. Ereyla rolled her eyes and before the leading quarian could even cry out she drew her pistol and unloaded a slug in the man's face. The quarian's mask shattered and his limp body fell to the floor. His two comrades threw up their hands.

"Wait!" one cried before Ereyla put them both down as well.

She holstered her gun and went to work on bypassing the door.

Admiral Koris' lungs ached by the time he came to the end of the hallway. The door before him lead into the Raaya's drive core. It should have been under heavy lockdown with armed guards. But none were in sight and the door was unlocked. And next to the door the bodies of three men laid in pools of blood.

"Help!" he cried out but nobody was around to hear him.

Koris couldn't waste any time fetching help if the asari was tampering with the ship's drive core. He opened the door and stepped inside but the asari was nowhere to be seen.

"If you're hiding in here I order you to come out at once!" Koris cried out.

But it was too late. Ereyla was already on her way out. Her mission was done and she had no intention of sticking around. The Goddess had other plans for her.

Admiral Koris stopped searching for the asari when he found her metal briefcase laying on the floor with a length of wire running out of it. He inched closer to the case and knelt down beside it. With shaking hands he opened the lid and what he found perplexed him. Some strange complicated looking device with a series of numbers running on a digital display.

Koris examined the wire that ran out of the case and along the ground. He reached out to it with a three fingered hand and followed it. It ran the length of the room until it tucked down a crack in the floor. There was a large hatch underneath him and so Koris opened up the door and found the wire again. But that wasn't all he found.

Just below him the wire lead into a large collection spherical objects that gave off low humming sounds. It only took him a second to realize what it was. Suddenly there was a electric blip sound and Koris turned around to find the digital number display inside the asari's briefcase had turned into a rapidly moving countdown.

"Keelah..." Koris muttered, frozen in fear.

The Admiral jumped to his feet and began sprinting back down the hallways. "Evacuate the ship!" he screamed, hoping anyone would hear him.

Tears ran down the man's face from behind his mask. When he finally returned to the common area he found his fellow Admiral's staring at him like he was crazy.

"Koris? Is there something wrong?" Shala'Raan asked with concern.

"There's a-" Koris never finished that sentence.

Tali leaned back in her helmsman chair satisfied that the navigations systems were finally working properly.

"And you're cleared for entry." Rikar said through the comm. "Welcome home, Tali."

"Good to be home."

Suddenly there was a blast. She felt the explosion rumble in her chest and Tali had been thrown to the floor of the cockpit by the time the second blast went off. She scrambled to her comm. "Rikar, what's happening?!"

"I don't-" A third blast silenced her friend permanently and flames engulfed the docking bay. Tali's vessel was blasted back into open space as dozens of different emergency alerts all sounded off while the ship spiraled.

"Inertial Dampeners are failing."

"Engines offline."

"Navigations offline."

"Oxygen systems are failing."

The ship's VI listed off clinically as Tali was thrown across the cockpit and crashed hard against the glass viewport. She felt a handful of her ribs break from the impact but it wasn't even close to her biggest problem.

Tali screamed in agony as she looked out the viewport she was pressed against and saw the Migrant Fleet being torn apart by explosion after explosion. Quairans were drifting out into open space. Some already dead, others flailing about wildly in zero gravity.

"No!" She sobbed just before another lurch flew Tali across her transport vessel and crashed her into the ceiling before sending her back to the floor. The impact of this fall cracked the glass of visor and broke her arm in several places. She was beginning to find it hard to breath already.

"Planetary Gravitation detected. Warning, now on fatal collision course. Recommend course correction." The Ship's VI said as Tali's small transport ship started to get sucked down towards her homeworld. The blast had propelled her into Rannoch's hold.

Tali crawled into her seat and ignored her already shattered body as she strapped herself in. She forced herself not to look at the quickly dwindling view of the Migrant Fleet as it continued to suffer further catastrophic damage. She looked to her status screens and tried not to panic.

"What do I do?!"

"Recommend engine repair." The VI said.

Tali diverted all the power she could into the small ship's battered engines. The engines sputtered as Tali entered Rannoch's atmosphere.

"Come on you Bosh'Tet! Come on!" Tali screamed.

As she watched the homeworld she had fought so hard to reclaim grow closer and closer in the viewport she wished she had told Garrus she loved him one last time. Tali pushed the regret from her mind. She couldn't give up.

"Fatal Crash imminent." The VI said.

Tali closed her eyes. "Please." she begged before hitting the engine thrusters one more time.

The vessel suddenly lurched as the engines thankfully came online. There wasn't anytime for celebration though. Tali put everything she could into the thrusters and her tiny transport ship began to gain altitude. She was no more than 50 feet above the planet's surface when the engines finally died for good. And Tali's ship went plummeting down into the dessert, with the helpless quarian screaming inside.

The glow of the burning Migrant Fleet was reflected in her eyes as Ereyla watched the carnage she inflicted unfold. There was a time when Ereyla would have felt something for the Quarians. Where perhaps she would have felt guilt over what she had just done. Those days were long over.

There was a morbid beauty in the destruction that Ereyla admired. Her transport ship was hovering a safe distance away from the fleet giving her a spectacular view. It almost felt as if she was in dream. After centuries of planning, the quarian's destruction had finally set the wheels in motion.

Ereyla looked down when her omni-tool buzzed with an incoming call. She didn't need to look to know who it was so she answered it swiftly.

"Hello, Ereyla."

"Madame Aquilla." She greeted the Matirarch.

"It is good to hear you well" Aquilla said.

"And you."

"Is it done?"

Ereyla glanced back at the burning fleet. "It's done."

"Excellent work my friend. At long last the time is at hand."

"It's really quite beautiful. I wish you could see it" Ereyla said.

"Do not worry. I have. I wish for you to join me back on the Lucen. We still have much to do."

"I shall see you soon then." The call ended and Ereyla took one last look before opening her omni-tool again.

She had one more call to make.

Notes- After literally months of planning I can hardly believe this story is here. This series I've been writing has spanned across almost all of my stories, covered well over 250,000 words and taken up over a year of my life. And I've loved writing every bit of it. But now it is time for it to end. One last mission for Shepard, Liara, Miranda, Jack, Kaidan and many more. But don't worry, this is by far the largest story I have ever come up with and will most likely be writing it for months. I hope you'll join me for it.

Since this is the end of the series. Of course there are going to be some things that will make more sense if you have read some of my other stories. While you won't be totally lost. I highly recommend you read "The Veiled Asari" which this story is a direct sequel too in addition to "Shepard and Liara Versus the Alliance". On my profile you can find a timeline for my stories with stars next to the other stories that will enhance your understanding of this story.

So do you hate Matriarch Aquilla and her disciple Ereyla already? In the good way that is. I sure hope so. Hackett, the Alliance and now the Migrate Fleet and much more have already fallen to Aquilla and she's just getting started. Why is she doing this? And what exactly IS she doing? Well I promise all will be revealed in due time.

I hope you'll tell me what you thought of this first chapter in the reviews and that you have an amazing day :)