An Asari Archaeological Dig, Many Years Into The Future, Friday Fandom Time
Mother had not been pleased with Liara's decision.
"You are only forty-five years old, Little Wing," she'd said. "What in the world would possess you to accept a work experience program?"
Liara suspected, somewhere within her heart of hearts, that she would one day look back on her cry of 'I'll do what I want to!' with embarrassment. She wasn't willing to admit to it just yet, though, and anyway, her choice to come here was turning out quite well.
Her assigned mentor, Lillia Visas, was what she supposed other asari her age would look upon as a glamorous matron, with her intricate tattoos and her stylish dresses and her elegant gait. Liara didn't care much for such things - it was Lillia's words she craved. Words about one topic in particular.
"So why did the Protheans store this kind of data?" she asked. "And why would they shape their buildings quite like this? It is not completely practical - it must be meant partly as an artistic statement--"
Lillia sighed. "We don't know," she said, "and there's no use in assuming. Remember what we talked about, Liara? About you being quiet and not disturbing our work?"
"Right." Liara felt flushed. "I am sorry. It's just the first time I've seen a real Prothean--"
"Quiet," Lillia repeated.
Liara bit down on her lower lip. She fell back a few steps, which her mentor seemed to appreciate - the asari matron quickly walked past her towards the fascinating arch in front of her and became engrossed in her omni-tool.
So obviously, Liara would attempt to peek over her shoulder. "What readings are you getting?" she asked. "Is it something interesting? Is there something behind the walls--?"
"Liara. Be quiet." Lillia shot her a frustrated look. "Stay here for a minute, will you? I need to go do some actual work right now."
But-- but look at all of it! she thought. Prothean technology! Prothean architecture! There was just so much of it! How couldn't she be inspired to questions? How couldn't she want answers? What was the point of her being here if she'd just--
Wait. Where had Lillia gone? Liara craned her neck, but could find not a glimpse of her. "By the Goddess," she muttered, bringing her hand up to her face. "I need to never speak again."
Where could her mentor have gone? Down the hall, no doubt. Maybe she had registered something truly interesting on her omni-tool, and couldn't be bothered with a child hanging off her every word-- but that didn't mean Liara knew how to get around on her own.
She ran quickly into the hallway, pausing only occasionally to stare up at the ceiling, the sides, the scraps of metal, the things that looked like buttons-- actual Prothean technology!-- before continuing on her way.
The hall did go on for a while.
When after ten minutes, there was still no sign of Lillia, Liara's motions began to slow in earnest. "Doctor Visas?" she called. "Hello? Are you here?"
She heard a soft hum in response.
"Hello?" she yelled, turning into the direction of the noise. "Is there anyone there?"
There was an alcove-- she could see it now. A door, maybe? A definite opening, at least, in the direction of where the noise had been coming from. She went. It seemed the sanest option.
"Doctor Visas?" she repeated, sticking her head in through the door. "Are you--"
... oh, Goddess.
Was that a Prothean beacon?
She stepped further into the room to examine it. High curves, a thick base, an aura of tangible energy-- biotics? No, not quite-- definitely a piece of Prothean technology.
She forgot about Lillia entirely. This was much more exciting.
She approached slowly, one step at a time. With every step, the hum seemed to get louder. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was old, she could feel that all the way down in the points of her headcrest.
One more step.
Then another.
And then the world went green, then black, and then something else again.
[[ NFB, NFI, etcetera! ]]
"You are only forty-five years old, Little Wing," she'd said. "What in the world would possess you to accept a work experience program?"
Liara suspected, somewhere within her heart of hearts, that she would one day look back on her cry of 'I'll do what I want to!' with embarrassment. She wasn't willing to admit to it just yet, though, and anyway, her choice to come here was turning out quite well.
Her assigned mentor, Lillia Visas, was what she supposed other asari her age would look upon as a glamorous matron, with her intricate tattoos and her stylish dresses and her elegant gait. Liara didn't care much for such things - it was Lillia's words she craved. Words about one topic in particular.
"So why did the Protheans store this kind of data?" she asked. "And why would they shape their buildings quite like this? It is not completely practical - it must be meant partly as an artistic statement--"
Lillia sighed. "We don't know," she said, "and there's no use in assuming. Remember what we talked about, Liara? About you being quiet and not disturbing our work?"
"Right." Liara felt flushed. "I am sorry. It's just the first time I've seen a real Prothean--"
"Quiet," Lillia repeated.
Liara bit down on her lower lip. She fell back a few steps, which her mentor seemed to appreciate - the asari matron quickly walked past her towards the fascinating arch in front of her and became engrossed in her omni-tool.
So obviously, Liara would attempt to peek over her shoulder. "What readings are you getting?" she asked. "Is it something interesting? Is there something behind the walls--?"
"Liara. Be quiet." Lillia shot her a frustrated look. "Stay here for a minute, will you? I need to go do some actual work right now."
But-- but look at all of it! she thought. Prothean technology! Prothean architecture! There was just so much of it! How couldn't she be inspired to questions? How couldn't she want answers? What was the point of her being here if she'd just--
Wait. Where had Lillia gone? Liara craned her neck, but could find not a glimpse of her. "By the Goddess," she muttered, bringing her hand up to her face. "I need to never speak again."
Where could her mentor have gone? Down the hall, no doubt. Maybe she had registered something truly interesting on her omni-tool, and couldn't be bothered with a child hanging off her every word-- but that didn't mean Liara knew how to get around on her own.
She ran quickly into the hallway, pausing only occasionally to stare up at the ceiling, the sides, the scraps of metal, the things that looked like buttons-- actual Prothean technology!-- before continuing on her way.
The hall did go on for a while.
When after ten minutes, there was still no sign of Lillia, Liara's motions began to slow in earnest. "Doctor Visas?" she called. "Hello? Are you here?"
She heard a soft hum in response.
"Hello?" she yelled, turning into the direction of the noise. "Is there anyone there?"
There was an alcove-- she could see it now. A door, maybe? A definite opening, at least, in the direction of where the noise had been coming from. She went. It seemed the sanest option.
"Doctor Visas?" she repeated, sticking her head in through the door. "Are you--"
... oh, Goddess.
Was that a Prothean beacon?
She stepped further into the room to examine it. High curves, a thick base, an aura of tangible energy-- biotics? No, not quite-- definitely a piece of Prothean technology.
She forgot about Lillia entirely. This was much more exciting.
She approached slowly, one step at a time. With every step, the hum seemed to get louder. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was old, she could feel that all the way down in the points of her headcrest.
One more step.
Then another.
And then the world went green, then black, and then something else again.
[[ NFB, NFI, etcetera! ]]