Therum probably wasn't anyone's first choice for an archeological expedition. Sure it had those ever valuable Prothean ruins, but after the corporations, the looting, and the volcanic activity Therum produced little more then raw metals and toxic smog. Even total novices just starting out on real field work could do better then this lava-encrusted wasteland.
On the other hand, with living workers being phased out in favor of machine labor and the planet being fairly distant from the more developed civilizations, it was perfect for aspiring archeologists who wanted a life away from the stifling politics of Asari Republics and to step out of their influential mother's shadow. Plus, Liara liked a good challenge, and the ruins promised plenty of them.
Her excitement at finally getting to properly study Prothean ruins in the field carried her through the first few days of tedium, where she mostly documented things she already knew that were barely worthy of being looted, but at last it was beginning to pay off. Working a battered old command console, the eighty-one year old Asari finished her scan at the bottom of an unused mine shaft and found the last few hours had paid off in spades.
"A Prothean operating system, I knew it!" Liara said allowed, to excited to merely think the words as she tapped more keys. "If I can just power it on..."
The floodlamps she set up flickered and dimmed as a power surge rippled through the room, culminating in an array of lights blinking to life on an ancient steel wall embedded in the rock face. Delicately flicking the controls back and forth, Liara used her knowledge of the Prothean language to input a binary command; "Open!"
Liara felt her heart soaring as the rock face shuddered and fell away as the steel door sluggishly lifted into the ceiling, unleashing a gust of ancient, stale air. Virtually untouched, probably for millennia, Liara concluded. Lifting up the nearest floodlamp with her biotics, she turned it to illuminate the interior and let out a small gasp.
Stasis pods. Liara counted at least half a dozen, situated in the small room as she stepped inside to explore. It had always been theorized that this was a technology the Protheans wielded, and this was definitive proof! Sure it wasn't the most planet-shattering discovery, but it was still quite something. Holding her omni-tool's light over the pods, Liara noticed on closer inspection they appeared to be damaged, not severely but they were all opened with the closing mechanisms in poor shape. A shame they weren't in use, maybe she could have met one. Liara laughed the idea off as ridiculous and started running a scan of the machine's inner workings.
Liara jumped as a tone suddenly sounded off, followed by a garbled alien language. Sparks flew across the faulty wiring hanging off the walls, but the young archeologist got such a rush from hearing the language that she didn't notice. Was that...was that the Prothean language? By the Goddess, she had to write this down! Turning to run out the entrance into the pod room, she-
*Fzzt*
Liara yelped as she ran right into an energy barrier, gently shocking her hands as she was thrown backwards. Shaking her head, the Asari stepped towards the entrance again, placing a hand on the barely visible barrier until the tingling sensation became too great. Some kind of forcefield, she realized. Another fascinating discovery, if it wasn't being used to trap her here.
Oh yeah, she was trapped now, Liara realized as she began to panic. This was definitely the only way out that wasn't through solid rock, and somehow she was stuck inside. She immediately turned to her omni-tool to try and send another command, but there was no signal; the command functions were sent through the console sitting on the other side of the shield.
Liara stumbled, her face paling as she placed a hand on her chest. Deep breaths, she told herself. You'll be fine. Someone's going to be down here to help, surely. Inputting some commands into her omni-tool again, she felt her heartrate steadying when it managed to at least send the general distress out. Someone will be here soon then, she thought to herself, and you can put all of this behind you. Imagine how fun this story will sound when they're awarding you for this incredible find! Just...try to breath slowly, the barrier is probably blocking oxygen.
As if in response, another shower of sparks rained from the walls, and this time the stasis pods all collectively hummed to life. Liara, who was starting to have trouble breathing in the contained room, immediately felt the effects as cool, healthy air filled her lungs again. Taking a moment to collect herself, the Asari started to feel much healthier then before, well-rested, energized. She even felt less hungry. Going by her limited knowledge of Prothean stasis pods, she figured their lifesaving functions must be affecting her since all of them were broken and open. Grateful for this stroke of good luck, Liara finally started to relax a bit, preparing to wait it out until any would-be rescuers arrived.
Then her hand brushed against something soft, and she looked down at something odd and new; a slight tummy pressing against her outfit. Liara frowned, unconsciously adjusting her suddenly tighter belt and having a sinking feeling that, maybe, the energy from six stasis pods might have an unintended side effect...
Choice 1: Liara is found and rescued quickly, but not before becoming a big girl in the process.
Choice 2: The rescuers are delayed, and Liara emerges from the Prothean prison super-sized.
Choice 3 The poor Asari is kept waiting for quite some time. You can guess what happens.
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