recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Chapter 81: If This Be Treason

Mini-Arc: “Shepard on Trial” continues.

Motivations for the trail are discussed with Hackett over breakfast. Prosecutor Lincoln tries to get Hackett to admit favoritism towards Shepard, including for unauthorized missions, and insinuates that Shepard is a corrupted force too close to the Alliance command and galactic government. Afterward, Lincoln prys into Garrus and Shepard’s relationship under oath and implies favoritism towards Garrus, then a lack of loyalty towards the Alliance and humans in general. Garrus finally loses his temper and tells Lincoln how dare she try to strip the few things Shepard has chosen for herself away while grabbing the freedom to live and choose what they want that she had given all of them by ending the war. Garrus apologizes to Shepard when they are alone for possibly damaging their case, but Shepard thanks him for standing up for her and reminding her that she matters too, and that he loves her. The two of them watch Vi successfully grab her rattle and they affirm neither of them would change anything, and spend the rest of the evening playing with their daughter.
Chapter 49: Twenty-Four to Forty-Eight

Commander Shepard crashes a meeting between Garrus, the Council, and varying members of galactic governments and military commands regarding the sudden movement of the Citadel, plus the formation of a new Citadel Council, and she ends up being drafted as humanity’s new councillor. Evadne experiences a transient arrhythmic interruption, signalling her time is coming to a close. Shepard asks Traynor to help her learn a specific phrase in turian to speak to Evadne, Dr. Larin offers to help Shepard with her PTSD through a colleague at Helos.
Risa T’Kerix

Risa T'Kerix is an asari Spectre, and one of Shepard's security detail.

Risa has a calm, but dangrous presence- she reminds Garrus of Liara's father, Matriarch Aethyta. She was the senior Spectre assigned to Garrus' mission to become a Spectre himself. She's not much for the normal small-talk, but will happily talk shop with competent people.
Chapter 89: Glitter and Be Gay

Shepard grouses to Garrus and Khalisha about the paparazzi; Garrus promises to take her somewhere nice where they can shoot things (if she would like) after the Gala is over. The commentators ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over the couple’s bespoke clothing. After making it through the onslaught of reporters, they greet General Oraka who compliments the two of them. After Tevos gives the commencement speech, Shepard scans the crowd- noting the varied and colorful dance and conversation partners- including Liara and Aria having a deep conversation about something. After a chance run-in with the volus Drelo Tul, they accidently talk the sloshed banking manager into funding their victory tour as an engagement gift. Admiral Hackett takes a turn dancing with Shepard so he can subtly brief her on ONI believing that there are at least three Minos agents as members of Parliament, and also that he has cleared Shepard borrowing the Austerlitz. They don’t get much farther than that before Dr. Karin Chakwas steals Hackett back. Shepard finally escapes the dance floor long enough to grab a drink and discovers a wine named after Garrus. The last dance for the night is called: a waltz with a soloist performing Mein Herr Marquis, mid-dance Garrus realizes something is off as Shepard herself slides deeply into a flashback. Garrus reaches out to Entangle with her and gets a flash of bright yellow eyes before the door to her mind is violently slammed shut.
Terra One

Terra One is an aging spacedock in geosynchronous orbit above Earth. In the aftermath of the Battle of London, the Alliance used it as their base of operations due to their lack of other options: Arcturus and Gangarian Stations had been destroyed early in the Reaper War, as well as the planetside Alliance Head Quarters in Vanvouver and London.
Clara Goyle

### Description

Clara is a woman of medium build, with emerald green eyes and olive skin. Her hair is light brown, and her bone structure suggest being of Middle Eastern heritage. She has a commanding presence and appears to be a leader with a great deal of charisma.

### Minos

The head of of the Cerberus Daedalus cell, Alexander Trechenkov appears to have recruited Clara some time after the Reaper war. She was shown a vision by him that convinced her that the Reapers needed to return to help humanity ascend to a higher form.

### Relationships

Clara is the granddaughter of humanity's first ambassador to the Citadel, Anita Goyle. She appears to be in some form of romantic/semi-romantic relationship with Alexander Trechenkov.
Chapter 115: The Commander’s Wedding Dress

### Summary

At the Thomson-Celet Atelier, Shepard is a bit overwhelmed in trying to figure out what her wedding dress should look like, especially with the multitude of headaches she has found herself experiencing lately. Sasha and Aeran’Celet show off some new holographic technology Shepard’s patronage has allowed them to purchase. After struggling a bit with trying to figure out what might work, the two designers decide to try to combine the different outfits for all the events for the day of the wedding by using layers that can be taken off or added throughout the day. Shepard starts to look more enthusiastic at the idea. Neither she nor Sasha see the turian watching them from the shadows.

When Balak returns to his run down hotel, there is a card waiting for him with an invitation he cannot refuse.

So summoned, Balak reluctantly meets the Marquis for dinner. Balak is angry and disgusted with the turian, and makes little effort to hide his contempt. The Marquis offers to let Balak out of the deal, but Balak knows that he would not be able to leave and live. To twist the knife furter, the Marquis suggests Balak go to Shepard for help, and drops the bombshell that Shepard and Isabel are one and the same. Balak is hit with an uncomfortable feeling that he might have brought the Marquis back into Shepard’s life after having escaped.

That evening, Shepard struggles with a strong feeling of wrongness and an anxiety attack while Viatrix listens to a recording of Mordin telling the story of the big bad varren. Shepard tries to figure out what has triggered this one, and fights to stay in the present. When the story ends, she cuddles up with Viatrix and quietly cries herself to sleep.

The next morning, Shepard drags herself awake to take care of her responsibilities for the day, stretched thin.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

Team Dextro, when the hell Garrus learned to tango, and songs that remind us of Shepard.
Chapter 106: Xenotechnology and Dark Energy Integration

### Summary

Shepard and Garrus finally talk about what happened on Rannadril and her escape to Suen. Shepard apologizes for what happened during the test, and both admit that while she did mean to take control of him, they have no idea what happened or how to stop it. Garrus admits that he had been avoiding contact with Shepard and that he is very scared due to what happened with him and later with Liara. He asks Shepard what happened with the rachni queen and her sneaking off to Suen. Shepard reluctantly admits that she was encouraged, not forced to go to Suen. The two of them reluctantly decide that while they miss Entanglement, they should probably avoid touching each other because they don’t know what is going on. Garrus asks about Shepard reaching with the rachni queen’s help and she says that she can’t really find the words to describe what happened. Garrus initiates Entanglement and tells her that while he is scared, he chooses to be right beside her.

Alexander Trechenkov has a restless night, hearing the voices in his head insist that he, and he alone, must return “her” to “where it began”. Finally he thinks at the voices in his mind that while he could kill both Shepard and Viatrix, the voices don’t want them killed. That if he is to capture them he is going to have to go after the people that guard them. The voices quiet and allow him to sleep.

The next morning, Shepard and Garrus attempt to use the sensory isolation helmets, triggering a flashback. Despite being exhausted mentally, Shepard doesn’t want another day of failed tests. They bring James down to the lab and have Shepard speak to him in his mind. James confirms that he can hear her, and that Shepard is seeing more of his memories than either intended.

On Earth, Clara Goyle publicly steps forward as the visible head of Minos. She declares the Systems Alliance a failure and calls for the people of Earth to follow them.

### Title Meaning

In Mass Effect 3, we discover that Conrad Verner wrote "my doctoral dissertation on xenotechnology and dark energy integration.” This is an exact quote, though we do not know the name of the paper.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

The sheer number of Shepards with eyebrow scars, Vi's education in salty language, and whether turians purr.
Chapter 25: Meetings, Pointless and Otherwise

### Summary

Shepard’s sense of self begins to return. Dr. Fallujah gains the help of an incognito Miranda Lawson. Garrus spends most of his time in meetings putting out metaphorical fires in the post-war chaos, while trying not to feel useless regarding Shepard and their unborn child. Liara and Tali kidnap Garrus for a much-needed lunch break.
SSV Parigoria

The SSV *Parigoria* is an Alliance cruiser of unknown class. Primarily a medical ship, she is nonetheless highly defensible and was likely used for the care of high value or critical targets.

In 2186 after the Battle of London, the *Parigoria* received a special patent: Commander Shepard, comatose and encased in Reaper technology. She spent the next nine months there, pregnant and unconscious. On September 20th, Shepard awoke in active labor and gave birth to her daughter, Viatrix.

Early in the morning on September 30th, Minos operative assaulted the *Parigoria* with the intention of killing Shepard. Shepard, Garrus Vakarian, and their child escaped. It is not known how badly the ship was damaged in this attack.

### Known Crew

* Dr. Emma Fallujah (Cybernetics Expert)
* James *Last Name Unknown*(Reception)
* Jaime Rajwander (Comm Center)
* Ann Joyal (Nurse)
* Jennifer Smith (Assistant to Dr. Fallujah)
Chapter 164: You Cannot Return to Where You’ve Never Left

Garrus, Shepard, and Viatrix arrive on Palaven for the *irae*, with the two adults a mess of taunt nerves and the toddler happy to be there. Aelianus speaks first to the assembled about the history of the Vakarian clan, followed by Hannah on the history of the Shepards. The *ataletrix* is approved without dissenting vote (save for a few abstentions) and oaths are sworn. The leaving assembly is confronted with a swath of graffitied epithets directed toward Shepard. Garrus’ Aunt Akantha is confronted over her tacit approval of such and Great-Uncle Seneca censures her before the entire clan and makes threats of expulsion towards the perpetrators of the hate speech once found unless efforts to make amends are made.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

A preponderance of void cats, adventures in dogsitting, and the terrifying depths of AO3.
Chapter 21; Duct Tape Logistics

Hackett receives notice of the activation of the Charon relay and the return of the *Normandy*. Joker plots a careful course through the Sol system and explains to EDI that the crew are subdued because they are suddenly faced with the harsh reality of how devastating the war was instead of focusing on a goal. Hackett begins the process of sorting out the Normandy crew, telling them that Staff Commander Shepard’s condition is classified. He confirms to Kaidan and Garrus that she is alive, and directs Garrus to speak with his father.
Chapter 75: The Right to Refuse

Dr. Bryson and Shepard discuss the battery of tests that the doctor wants to run, and reassures Shepard that she is not a test subject, but a patient in control of her treatment. Shepard makes Ann promise no clones. While talking to a very angry parliament Opposition Leader, Shepard invents a press tour using raw charisma and a little empathy. Khalisah is delighted and expands upon the idea. After procuring a crate and childcare, Shepard takes Garrus down to a simulation room to play with the Widow.

### Title Meaning

"The Right to Refuse" any medical test or procedure is considered a basic human right, and the title is likely referring to Dr. Bryson's insistence that Shepard will be the one in control of her own care.
Chapter 24: Talking To A Wall

Garrus decides to stay beside Shepard for the night. Once alone, he thinks back to the last quiet moment they’d had to themselves before the Battle of London, which is likely when their child was conceived. While speaking to her unconscious form, Garrus accidentally touches her and receives a vision. Once out of it he feels a familiar pull. Concerned, he speaks with David Anderson the next day and Garrus suggests they reach out to some experts.

### Title Meaning

Garrus spends some time speaking to a comatose Shepard, who is about as responsive as a wall (with the possible exception of a wall not giving you visions if you touch it).
Douglas Einarson

Private Douglas Einarson is a medic working under First Lieutenant Karissa Skyler. He is notable for being the person who found the crashed Reaper from which Commander Shepard was rescued. He has described himself as a "medic who plays with tech in his spare time".

### Early Life

Douglas was best friends with Chris (no last name given), and they attended primary school together in Birmingham. Later, he trained in university to be a medic and was inspired by Commander Shepard's victory at the Battle of the Citadel to join the Alliance.

### Everyone That Asketh

In the aftermath of the Battle of London, Douglas got permission to mourn the death his friend Chris while the rest of his unit were taking a break. While scanning the horizon, he discovered the crater from the crashed Reaper. He had scanned the ship with his omni-tool and discovered a signal coming from the wreckage before running back to report.

Together with their tech, Corporal Willemer they managed to clear up the signal but were still getting diffused readings. Admiral David Anderson recommended trying to isolate a signal spike in the data and were able to locate a KIA signal that eventually led them to the location of Commander Shepard's living body inside the Reaper.

While on watch three days after finding her, Douglas accidently allowed his head to brush the Commander's while fighting to keep awake and was given a vision- first of enormous danger and death, and then of life and hope. He would later describe it as "it was like the Commander was telling me everything would be okay, sir. The danger was gone and we were all safe. We could live now, however we wanted to. Life won". He slept for several hours and awoke refreshed, though he felt guilty for falling asleep. His state of feeling "zen" inspired Anderson to reach out to the quarian Admiral Daro'Xen. He assisted Anderson, Xen, and Willemer in carefully cutting the commander out of the Reaper, making sure to limit their torches to parts that were not emitting the signal that seemed to be "Shepard".

He was one of a number of witnesses called regarding "Operation Scalpel" during the grand jury trial to attempt to charge Shepard with treason.
Karissa Skyler

First Lieutenant Karissa Skyler is a human member of the Alliance. She was the commanding officer of Private Einarson, who found the KIA signal inside a fallen reaper. She was one of the people in charge of the first phase of Project Scalpel.

### Early Life

We know little of Karissa Skyler's early life. Her mother Janet had once gone to school with David Anderson and had joined the Alliance in the footsteps of the future admiral. Janet is presumed dead.
Chapter 7: Hope is Worse

Warning! **Here there be spoilers**

### Summary

The *Normandy* crew makes contact with the people on Eden Prime. Garrus battles his exhaustion and his fear that he will never see Shepard again.

### Title Meaning

"Hope is worse" is a sentiment expressed by Garrus in this chapter (and Anderson in the upcoming chapter) over the hope that Shepard is alive and he will be able to see her again.
Chapter 86: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Garrus looks over the betting on the upcoming Armax Battle Tour matches, and makes Shepard breakfast while settling Vi. Over lunch, the two parents discuss the looming gala politics, including the thorny issue of supporting the batarians enough for them to recover while they still cling to slavery as a matter of culture, Garrus reassures Shepard that he is right behind her, and then confirms that he would “kick (her) ass” if needed, but he would save such for matters of state and ship. That afternoon, the surviving members of the SR1 squad complete a set of ten matches. Shepard wears Ashely’s signature Phoenix armor and wields Ash’s personal Avenger; this set of matches against VI geth and husks benefit the Ashley Williams Memorial fund (when the matches are finished, the foundation sees a hefty donation of over two million credits). That evening Garrus and Shepard return to the dance school for some more last minute practice- this time in the clothes they will be wearing to the gala. Mid-waltz, the two slide into Entanglement, and when the dance ends everything becomes too real and intense. While Shepard does not remember what she cried as she fell above Alchera, Garrus suddenly does.
Chapter 138: The Commander Shepard Memorial Wing

### Summary

At Shepard’s bedside, Garrus is forced to reflect on his choices regarding his hunt for the Marquis- and why he really didn’t want to tell Shepard. He almost succumbs to a spiral of self loathing when a firm feeling implant itself into his thoughts- *'There is always more. Love them- just love them- and everything else will fall into place.’*

Later in the morning, Garrus accidentally slips into Shepard’s mind as she tries to regain consciousness. The input is too much and confusing, and the only thing their joined mind can focus on is him.

Garrus picks up Vi from the Anderson-Sanders apartment, where they discuss how skilled Shepard is at hiding her illnesses from those around her. Stopping by his own apartment, Verity runs downstairs and expresses extreme distress over not realizing how ill Shepard was.

Returning to Huerta, Garrus speaks to one of the doctors. Shepard has been stabilized for the moment, but her medical records from May point to the physicals in July having been doctored. Garrus asks what happened in May, and the asari reluctantly shares that Shepard had been testing to see if she was pregnant- news to Garrus.

That evening, Dr Chakwas arrives at Huerta with a message from Major Wynn- Balak has set the trap for two days from then. The turnaround would be tight under normal circumstances, but impossible for Garrus to be in two places at once. Reluctantly Garrus decides that him being at Shepard’s side and caring for Vi is something he’s best suited for at the moment, ordering Wynn to take the *Normandy* to the rendezvous. Dr. Chakwas officially asks for permission to stay at Huerta, given that she is the doctor with the most complete knowledge on Shepard- but reminds Garrus that she has no problems ignoring him if he declines.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

Verity joining the ranks of people receiving increasingly vehement death threats, dying of potassium-induced radiation poisoning (a.k.a. banana explosions), and whether or not istie can produce anything anticlimactic.
Chapter 95: Masquerades and Markings

### Summary

Having been tipped off that he was being followed, the Marquis pays a visit to Seri to extract information. Once he is convinced that Seri doesn’t know the actual name of the person he is looking for, he abducts her with the intention of having her identify him by sight.

The night before her oserun, Shepard worries herself into a fit with nerves. Garrus reassures her that she will do well and look beautiful. And if they do laugh at her, she will be able to annihilate that person in a duel.

The next day, Aelianus calls the *oserun* to order. Several people speak on Shepard’s behalf, and when it comes time for Shepard to face them she surprises the assembly by speaking in Venian. Shortly afterward, Shepard applies her newly-designed clan markings for the first time as a citizen and swears her final set of vows.

That evening, Shepard and Garrus get ready to attend an opera (a turian translation of a human comedy). Garrus explains that turians often use these events to network and goes into the plot of the opera “Aqilis Andronikus”.

At the opera, Seri drops a note into Garrus’ pocket before returning to the Marquis, hoping to be released now that she had identified the turian. The Marquis murders her instead and leaves her body in Garrus and Shepard’s skycar as a clear warning to abandon the hunt.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

The first edition of the Venian-English dictionary, Garrus' favourite dessert, and being salty about Bioware's lack of nude aliens.
Minos

Made up of the dredges of what remains of Cerberus and likely other indoctrinated humans, Minos is one of the main antagonists in *Every One That Asketh*.

### Dogma and Goals

Minos appears to have carried over a large amount of Cerberus doctrine, notably human supremacy, totalitarian methods to acquire and keep power, the violent rejection of non-human aid for fear of "polluting" human self-governance.

The true believers seem to believe that the Reapers held the key to human ascendance, and that either Shepard or her daughter Viatrix holds the key to their return.

### Symbol

Minos' flag is a red circle with a vertical line though it on a brown field.

### Notable Members

* Agent Mary
* Alexander Trechenkov
* Alessandro Rossi
* Clara Goyle
* Lieutenant Sentzke

### Easter Eggs

According to Greek legend, Minos was a King of the ancient island kingdom of Crete who forced young men and women to be sent into Daedalus' labyrinth to be eaten by the Minotaur. After his death, Minos was appointed to judge the dead in the underworld. As a result we can see a clear connection between Minos, and the Greek myth of the three-headed dog of the underworld, Cerberus.
Chapter 126: Wine, Women, and Pancakes

Kaidan Alenko asks his acting XO, Nimue Wynn out to dinner at the exclusive Sirius restaurant and she happily accepts. The fare is excellent, the wine is delicious, and the dessert- to die for. Kaidan collapses over his cheesecake.

Shepard is stuck in one of the last Council meetings of the session, nursing a constant headache and a tickle in her throat that she and Verity chalks up to allergies to some of the blooming Citadel flora. Her focus wanders, and she misses the third message from Tali, this one marked “urgent”. Tali, unwilling to wait, hacks the door and storms the meeting with news that the reason nothing is growing on Earth is because Sol is dying.

At the Shepard-Vakarian apartment, Garrus plays with his daughter while he laments being gone from her and Shepard so often and so long. While he bonds with his daughter, Shepard and Tali rush into the home rapidly discussing the monstrous problem of Earth’s dying star. Viatrix crawls to her mother, and then to her father, showing off her brand-new mobility before Dr. Chakwas calls with news that Kaidan is being rushed to Huerta Memorial for suspected poisoning.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

the ME2 trailer set to the Wallace and Gromit theme, adding expletives to galactic lexicons, and spit-takes with chapter summaries
Kenn'Abadi

### Pilgrimage

Kenn made the perhaps foolhardy decision to travel to Omega during his Pilgrimage. Shortly after arriving, all of his money was stolen and he found himself trapped on the station- unable to purchase a ticket off. He turned to selling salvage, but made a foolhardy promise to a fellow salvage merchant, an elcor named Harrot, to not undercut him. As a result, his business was anemic at best.

Commander Shepard had traveled to Omega's markets in search of some T6-FBA couplings for her engineers when she discovered the young quarian and his situation. Sympathetic to his situation, Shepard gave Kenn the money he needed to leave the station and continue with his Pilgrimage.

### Every One That Asketh

When Admiral Tali'Zorah was given the *Alarei* as part of her commission, she and Kal'Reegar tapped Kenn to be their Chief Engineer for their crew. Kenn's clever work in constructing satellites for data collection was key in confirming the crew's theory regarding Sol's degradation.
Chapter 1: Calibrations

Warning! **Here there be spoilers**

### Summary

The *Normandy* crew work together to make their ship space worthy again, and Garrus contemplates spirituality through calibrations.

### Title Meaning

Calibrations is a major theme in this first chapter, as Garrus goes through every part of the Normandy, repairing it and "feeling" life in it. It is unclear what he is feeling, or if he perhaps has hit a level of stress beyond his normal abilities to handle and this is how he is coping.

### Easter Eggs

Needing to re-code EDI is the first hit that something has changed from the normal "Destroy", "Control", or "Synthesis" endings much reviled in Mass Effect 3.
Chapter 109: The Renata

### Summary

Garrus leaves Kaiden in charge of the *Normandy* while he, Shepard, and Viatrix make an emergency trip to Palaven. That afternoon, Aelianus is discovered amidst the wreck of his *Renata*- badly injured but still alive. He is quickly taken to Altilia Candas National Hierarchy Medical Centre, the best military hospital on Palaven. Four hours after finding him, Garrus, Shepard, and Viatrix arrive at the hospital and are apprised of his condition. The two of them are horrified at his injuries, but he is very, very lucky.

Shepard briefly excuses herself to sort out their accommodations and discovers that there had been some dissent within the Hierarchy regarding Aelianus’ policies and that they cannot rule out an assassination attempt. Garrus immediately sees something where his skills are useful, and latches onto the investigation.

Like a polite bulldozer, Garrus insists on looking at the wreckage. Working with Custos Opifex, Blackwatch’s best mechanical investigator, they discover a bullet hole. As crazy as it seems, someone sniped the eezo core while the *Renata* was in motion.

As Shepard had predicted, Aelianus wakes up that evening.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

Whether the Marquis really is as dumb as he seems, the ethics of clones, and THE LONG-AWAITED WIKI.
Chapter 17: Here and Now

### Summary

Hannah Shepard and Tali talk engineering shop, activating the mass relays and camouflaging the Normandy as one. Commander Shepard floats in a confined space with the other, solidifying presence. Aelianus does some introspection regarding his prejudices towards humans and comes to the conclusion that he might have been an asshole.
Chapter 63: Alternating Current

### Major Characters

Dr. Karin ChakwasCaptain “Commander” ShepardGarrus VakarianJames Vega Major Kadian Alenko

## Chapters

### Next Chapter

Chapter 64: In the Bleak Midwinter

James is impressed with Shepard’s new nodes. Ever practical, Dr. Chakwas suggests Shepard learn how to use them, which leads to a battery of tests and friendly skirmishes in the Normandy shuttle bay. She also learns that she can not just make tech armor, but that she can also create omni-blades, though use of them dims their lights. Garrus and Shepard discuss the new Council that will include representatives from every interested species. While talking about Balak, Garrus asks if there is anyone she regrets leaving alive. She talks about what Lin’talahei Kadak did to her and that she is afraid of what she might do if she got the opportunity to kill him. After she leaves Garrus swears that “your angel will do it for you”.
Sha'ira

Sha'ira is an asari in either her matriarch or matron stage of life. She makes her living on the Citadel, providing advice, comfort, or conversation- and perhaps anything else that her client needs.

## Mass Effect

### Mass Effect

Commander Shepard met Sha'ira in 2183, early into her investigation into Saren Arterius. Sha'ira requested the Commander's help in stopping the rumors that were being spread by her friend Septimus Oraka in retribution for her refusal of his romantic advances. Shepard was able to appeal to the turian as a fellow soldier, and convince Septimus that he should stop his campaign of lies and wallowing in pity. Septimus, in turn, requested that Shepard bring proof to the elcor diplomat Xeltan that it was not Sha'ira who disclosed his embarrassing secret. When confronted with this proof, Xeltan withdrew his complaint and both he and Septimus apologized to Sha'ira.

In recondition of Shepard's efforts, Sha'ira gave her "a gift of words" to draw strength from in the difficult times ahead. She also gave Shepard a small trinket. Much later, on the planet of Eletania Shepard discovered a prothean sphere and inserted the trinket into an opening. The sphere pulsed and she received a vision of protheans studying ancient humans.

### Mass Effect 2

In 2185, shortly after being revived by Cerberus, Sha'ira sent Commander Shepard a message: The Consort had been worried that she'd been mistaken with her gift of words to the Commander, but was pleased to discover that she'd "survived". She went on to advise Shepard that she must rely not just on her own strength in her new fight- that the people by her side must "fight with clear minds and glad hearts".

Rumors were flying at the time that Sha'ira was leaving the Citadel due to "years of bad press and rumors of intelligence leaks". The rumor that she was leaving turned out to be true.

### Mass Effect 3

Even though Shaira has retired to a little colony in the Silean Nebula, she returned to the Citadel after the start of the Reaper War. She felt strongly that one does not flee the heart of the galaxy in desperate times.

## Every One That Asketh

After recovering from her coma and giving birth to her daughter Viatrix, Shepard's mental health was in shambles. When Miranda Lawson asked if Shepard might speak to someone, Shepard replied "“Randa, I’d burn them out in an hour.  I’d go through every counselor in the galaxy before we were through.”

In November of 2187, Dr. Liara T'soni made the suggestion of using Sha'ira as a therapist due to her long years of experience and trustworthy behavior. Her biotics were also a bonus, due to Shepard's unstable behavior.
Chapter 150: All That Seeketh

Mini-Arc: “Secrets’ Fallout” Continues

On Mars, Doctor of Xenolinguistics Tilly Foster deals with her pronounced PTSD by assisting with translating every scrap of data in the Prothean Archives located there. Her current research partner, Peter, flags what he had been reading for review due to its mention of the inusannon. Much to Tilly’s surprise and shock, Javik arrives to assist with interpreting what they have found. Much to Javik’s surprise and amusement, Tilly not only demands respect from him in a way he understands but she is also fluent in Imperial Prothean.

On the Citadel, Shepard sees Sha’ira in person for her therapy session because she is going stir-crazy at home and needs a win for herself. Sha’ira says she understands and reveals a medical tragedy in her past that helps her relate to Shepard’s recovery. Shepard catches Sha’ira up on the events that have prevented her from continuing with her therapy up to that point. As she talks out loud about her experiences leading up to her death and rebirth she admits that Garrus was willing to let her rest, that he is her soulmate, they are getting married in six weeks, but she doesn’t trust him.

After exhausting herself in therapy, Shepard uses the *iborihe* and some new skills she has acquired to sip just a small amount of energy from a young star so she can make the journey back to their apartment.

Alexander Trechenkov struggles with the voices in his head and memories that cause vertigo and nausea bad enough to threaten him to black out. When he arrives at Eletania he uses the Prothean Orb Shepard encountered during her hunt for Saren and collapses beneath it in the setting sun.

### Title Meaning

"All That Seeketh" may refer to the King James translation of Matthew 7:8, from which Every One That Asketh takes it's title:

*"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh*
*findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."*
Everyone in this chapter is looking for answers: Tilly and Javik are looking for references to the Inusannon, Shepard is trying to figure out how to navigate a relationship with a loving partner that she no longer trusts, Alexander Trechenkov is looking for answers in the Prothean Sphere on Eletania- but to what questions we can only guess.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights:

Essays, deep discussions about languages, and a surprising number of memes about horses.
List of Side Characters

In order of appearance, unless otherwise noted:

## Act One

* Douglas Einarson (First Appearance: Chapter 4: Fallen Giant)
* Karissa Skyler (First Appearance: Chapter 4: Fallen Giant)
* Corporal Julian Willemer (First Mention: Chapter 5: Signal, First Appearance: Chapter 11: Search)
* Teddy McKinnon (Appears in Chapter 8: Olly Olly Oxen Free, Named in Chapter 79: An Easy Word to Speak)
* Dr. Emma Fallujah (First Appearance: Chapter 12: One-Two-Thee)
Boris Mikhailovich

Boris Mikhailovich is a Systems Alliance Admiral, commanding the 63rd Scout Flotilla. Abrasive and outspoken, Mikhailovich has strong opinions on how things should be run.

### Mass Effect

On one of the *Normandy's* return trips to the Citadel during Shepard's hunt for Saren in 2183, Rear Admiral Boris Mikhailovich ambushed the new Spectre with a surprise inspection of the experimental ship; revealing that prior to David Anderson's removal of captaining her, *Normandy* was supposed to be assigned as part of his flotilla. While he didn't begrudge Shepard's induction into the Spectres, he took issue with *Normandy's* cost- particularly with the stealth systems and enormous drive core as well as her design, and most especially with Shepard's choice of a multi-species crew. Shepard was logical and diplomatic in her responses, forcing the admiral to concede some of her points. As a result, his report to the Joint Military Council wouldn't be as negative as he had originally planned.

Mikhailovich flew in the Battle of the Citadel with the rest of the Fifth Fleet, providing critical support and reported the fewest losses.

### Post Mass Effect

Many people who flew in the Battle of the Citadel received commendations and promotions- Mikhailovich is notable for being not one of those. The idea that the Rear Admiral held back troops resulting the so few losses was not quite provable enough to get him censured, but it is equally not quite provable that this is the reason he was passed up for a promotion.

## Every One That Asketh

The Rear Admiral once again came into conflict with Shepard in 2188 as she was presenting her plan for the Interstellar Exploratory Fleet. Mikhailovich was strongly against the inclusion of alien nationals in the fleet- fearing leaks of military secrets to other governments, and angry over money and jobs going to aliens when humans were out of work. His offhand insult of Shepard's husband and captain of the *Normandy*, Garrus Vakarian, did not go unanswered. Shepard challenged him in front of the other admirals, demanding to know if he was still nursing a grudge five years later and calling him a racist who gave Minos a foothold in humanity when he replied that he was concerned about the misallocation of resources and security. Though he was clearly still angry, he allowed Shepard to finish her presentation without further interruption.
Chapter 135: The Last Honourable Batarian in Council Space

### Summary

Balak has come to the realization that he doesn’t hate Shepard any more. He can’t hate someone who puts so much effort into being informed on everyone’s culture, has thrown their weight behind helping his people, and who let him hold her child without fear. But he also sees her strength burning away- and her spirit getting concentrated in her eyes. It reminds him too much of the time he saw her as Isabel Windsor and he can’t take it anymore.

Balak confesses the Marquis’ involvement in the batarian’s rebuilding efforts to Khonine. She listens to him carefully, asking questions to understand their situation, and Balak answers honestly.

Khonine goes to think about what to do- and decides that she might be able to help.

Archangel meets with Balak and asks him to set up a meeting with the Marquis to help trap him. Balak agrees, though he fears the consequences, hoping to clear his conscience.
Chapter 133: No Place Like Home

### Summary

Verity encourages Shepard to stay home and rest with Vi. Reluctantly, Shepard agrees and calls Sparatus to inform him. He is glad that she is going to take a day for herself, though to Shepard’s heightened paranoia, it sounds like the Council is happy to be rid of her, much like Garrus not returning her messages. Shepard falls asleep on the couch with Vi on her chest and dreams of dead and dying children. Her nightmares alert Verity, who awakens Shepard and attempts to ground her back in reality. A breaking news report announces the leak of the news regarding Earth’s star. Shepard tries to rally herself, fearing a panic among the population, but her body denies her the ability to do anything about it- her capacitor nodes are completely out of energy, and so is she.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

Knife hoarding, a cheer squad, and istie hiding in a fort.
Chapter 153: . . .is Down

Mini-Arc: “Secrets’ Fallout” Continues

Shepard and Garrus discuss the lack of travel to Kahje and hanar holiday etiquette, pretending as though things are normal between them. On their way to the underwater ceremonies Shepard nurses her anxiety about the upcoming performance, anger at Garrus, and more than a hint of self-loathing that is still being drowned by her rage. She watches Garrus interact with Vi, who watches the large number of hanar and assorted creatures outside their personal ship as well as her newly-discovered reflection. Shepard fluctuates between brooding on their problems and the task at hand. Once at the Nyahir Amphitheatre, their pilot Adjelimna makes his knowledge and interpretation of the upcoming performance available to them. The hanar troupe Tranquil Current performs for the Shepard-Vakarians an artistic rendition of the Reaper War. Despite the pain and anger between the two of them, Shepard and Garrus set it aside for the moment; the dance-like display reminding them what they fought for and why they fell in love. Though they both almost fall back into their normal and loving routine, the broken trust and unresolved issues make Shepard’s leaving awkward.

Javik meets Shepard at Mount Vassla, where he escorts her deep within the mountain. On the way down, Javik explains that the Prothean Empire’s relationship with the hanar was initially created by some rogue protheea who wanted to be worshiped as gods, and their uplifting was unsanctioned by the Empire at large. An unforeseen benefit was that hanar genetic code makes them ideal for genetic memory encoding, and as a result the Empire used the hanar to create a secret archive. Shepard and Javik are the only ones able to access the information stored, unfortunately- and the task of sorting through the data is momentous.

On Ilos, Alexander descends deeper into the research facility than anyone in living memory. Behind a hidden door and beyond what the Protheans themselves had built, new voices lead him to an ancient tank and invite him to be mended. He enters the tank naked and in the darkness closes his eyes.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

WTF is up with Vigil, way more Canadians than one would expect, and a whole lot of grumbling.
Chapter 131: Sister Worlds

### Summary

The crew of the Alarei join the Normandy to gather more data regarding Sol’s degradation. While there, Shio’Leth expresses discomfort relying on EDI. Joker takes great offense, but EDI expresses understanding- reminding Joker that he had been equally distrustful at first. EDI extends sympathy towards Shio’s painful history with the geth, and requests that he only respect her as he might any other species.

Balak is proud of the new settlement of Navur’shan on Yamm, and growing disgusted with the Marquis’ involvement in it. Despite that, he finds himself growing closer to Khonine- a fact that appears to be mutually delightful to both parties.

Shepard is among the dignitaries invited to the deployment of a League of O.N.E. terraforming capsule at one of Palaven’s breadbasket areas: the Planes of Quirinius. While Shepard thinks about the area’s history in the shadow of a fallen reaper, she finds herself sliding into a vision of the deadly duel between General Gaius of Cipritine and Praetor Aurelia Quirinius- events almost 1,900 years in the past. The vision breaks as Major Kirrahe repeats that the salarians would like to offer a capsule for Earth as well- though Shepard is distracted by a newly blossoming migraine.

On Earth, Clara Goyle makes the mistake of assuming that she can control what Alexander Trechenkov does- a notion he firmly disabuses her from. An undercover agent reports to the two of them that Earth’s sun is dying. Alexander firmly tells Clara to keep this secret until he can confirm the intel, and then he will tell her the plan. Despite his confident appearance, Alexander has no plan at all- the voices in his head only have a single litany:

“*Find her. Return her. Free us.*”

### Easter Eggs

Aurelia Quirinius is almost certainly an ancestor of Garrus and Solana, through their mother, and Viatrix through her paternal grandmother.

#### Discord Highlights:

Citadel gala cosplay, cross-country trips to fight istie, and terribly vulgar French Canadian emoji.
Mars

## Description

Once considered a prospect for terraforming and colonization, the discovery of faster than light travel turned Mars into a quiet backwater. Its southern pole is a historical preserve centered on the Prothean ruins found there.

## History

Mars was explored by humans for nearly a century with robotic expeditions before the first manned research stations were created in the 2080s, and the foundation of the planet's capital Lowell City.

In 2148, a prospecting team led by Mateus Silva began exploring near the Deseado Crater, and found the source of notable "Bermuda Triangle-type" disturbances when they unearthed a subterranean Prothean ruin. The ruins contained a malfunctioning mass effect core and several starships, as well as refined element zero. After a global effort, the information remaining in the ruins' computers was translated, identifying the structure as a former observation and biosciences station, set up to receive and process data from Earth as the Protheans studied early humanity. The fragmented data cache greatly accelerated humanity's sciences and paved the way for FTL drives as well as directing humanity toward the Charon Relay.

In 2186, the Mars Prothean Archives were attacked by pro-human terrorist organization Cerberus to gain access to a weapon schematic found by a research team headed up Dr. Liara T'soni with the support of Admiral Hackett.

## Every One That Asketh

### Notable Locations

#### Mars Prothean Archive

An area that appears to have experienced relatively little of the upheaval caused by the Reaper War and the star Sol's degradation, the Maritan Prothean Archive has seen almost a frenzied pace of research since 2188. A small but dedicated team of refugees who understand Imperial Prothean (Asuusian) or are willing to learn have been searching for answers to the problems facing the galaxy at large.
Chapter 90: Is This What You Wanted to See?

Shepard plays the part of the perfect debutante, greatly disturbing Garrus, Kaidan, and Kirrahe. Garrus is left questioning if Shepard has returned from her flashback or not. After dismissing their security detail, Garrus nearly gets pulled down into the charisma-and-flashback gravity well that Shepard is projecting before realizing just how “not-here” she is. He finally calls her by her old cover name, and that gives her just enough pause that he is able to Entangle with her to help her remember who she is, who she is with, and where she is. Her immediate response is to have him call Dr. Chakwas, and threaten him if he ever calls her by that name again. After briefing the good doctor, Chakwas asks Shepard what she needs from her. Shepard responds by having a melt down, just a hair away from a full metal break. Dr. Chakwas instructs Garrus to dose Shepard and call Ann Bryson in the morning to get the ball rolling on the tests on Shepard. In the morning, Shepard is almost completely shut down and struggles with eating. Dr. Byrson has some results for Shepard to see, but she is in no mental state to process what she is hearing. In the end, Garrus picks up on her need to leave and takes her home to cuddle with their daughter while Garrus looks after them both.
SSV Orizaba

The SSV *Orizaba* is a Kilimanjaro class Dreadnought in the Systems Alliance, Flagship of the Fifth Fleet and Admiral Hannah Shepard's ship.

Named for an active stratovolcano in the former North American country of Mexico, the *Orizaba* was constructed between 2183 and 2185. Hannah Shepard was made captain when she was completed. When she was promoted again in the wake of the Reaper War in 2186 to Rear Admiral, Hannah continued to work from this ship after being put in charge of the Crucible Project. The *Orizaba* flew in the Battle of London as part of the Crucible's vanguard.

## Every One That Asketh

Just before the firing of the Crucible, Hannah received a message from her daughter Commander Shepard advising her to get the *Orizaba* beyond the Relay. As a result, the *Orizaba* was the primary forcing keeping peace around what was left of Arcturus Station, around L5 Lagrangian point of Themis. As a result, they were the first Alliance ship the SSV *Normandy* SR-2 made contact with after Tali'Zorah vas Normandy was able to reboot the Exodus Relay.

Hannah Shepard was promoted again in December of 2187 to Admiral. She continues to command the *Orizaba*.
Chapter 142: What Dreams May Come

### Summary

Shepard is visited one by one by her dead squadmates: first Ashely, then Mordin, Legion, and finally Thane. They talk about death, each providing words of comfort and encouragement. When Shepard wakes, Kolyat is praying over her.

### Title Meaning

"What Dreams May Come" is part of Hamlet's famous soliloquy "To Be or Not To Be", in which Hamlet mulls over life, death, and suicide. It is also the title of a novel, and movie about a man who dies and finds himself in the afterlife.

### Easter Eggs

#### Discord Highlights

The Reaper queen (no, it’s not istie or is it), musings on the nature of fanfic, and assorted sounds of concern.