So, this story comes from a prompt that somebody made to my sometimes-collaborator Rae D. Magdon. She didn't have time to fill it though, so I offered to help her out. The idea was that Liara was an inexperienced dancer at Aria's club who ran into Shepard as a patron. I really liked the prompt, but as I considered how to write the story, two different conceptions of it kept warring in my brain. But then I figured this is Mass Effect, so why not have both a renegade and a paragon version?

Liara

As the throbbing baseline kicked in, Liara T'Soni took a deep breath, trying to settle down the butterflies that were currently wrecking havoc with her stomach. This wasn't where she was supposed to be. When she'd set out six months ago on her first archeological dig as the lead researcher, her head was filled with dreams of returning home to Thessia in triumph, basking in the admiration of her peers and the grudging respect of her mother. Instead, she found herself in the bowels of the galaxy, needing a very different sort of approval.

Her legs were still wobbly when she stepped out onto the side stage. She was far too new to be a featured attraction, especially with her lack of training. When she was a girl, Benezia had made her take dancing lessons, but knowing how to perform the intricate pirouettes required at a Thessian society ball wasn't of much help here.

The turian DJ's voice cut in over the loudspeaker, forcing her out of her own head. "Next up," he declared, "We've got something fresh for you. Coming to us all the way from Thessia, let's give a proper Afterlife welcome to Liara Armali."

Wincing internally that she'd been unable to come up with a better pseudonym, Liara began to move in what she hoped was time with the music. It was a fast, driving song, and its rhythm didn't come naturally to the shy archeologist. Half of her wished she had a better sense of what she was doing while the other half only feared that if she did, she'd be even more mortified. Still, she had to try her best, and while she moved her hips back and forth, she looked out at the audience, looking for some inspiration.

A pretty young thing like you should attract plenty of admirers, Aria T'Loak had told her before her first dance two nights ago. Use that. Be what they want you to be, and the rest will come naturally.

…A pair of drell and a krogan caught up in their own conversation… A heavily armored asari with white facial markings more interested in the turian woman gyrating on the next stage over… A batarian slumped down in the puddle of liquor spilled all over on his table, too drunk to notice anything Liara might do… A couple of off-duty turian mercenaries muttering obscene comments about the asari who'd been on before her.

Unfortunately, she saw little there she could work with, and that wasn't good. Her base pay as a dancer was quite poor. The only way to earn the money she needed was to interest customers in private shows, and that was something she hadn't managed yet, which in turn put her continued employment in jeopardy.

Trying to remember what she'd learned from watching the other dancers, Liara ran her hands along her torso as she moved. The two-piece outfit she was wearing left little to the imagination and the feel of her own hands on her bare skin was enough to make a dark blush spread across her face.

What was I thinking, taking this job? She was on the verge of fainting from embarrassment, and no one even seemed to be interested. Liara spun around the pole at the center of the stage, turning away from the crowd momentarily as she tried to fight down the tears that threatened to burst out and further ruin what she knew was already a lackluster performance.

Don't think too much about what you're doing. Try and find someone else you can focus on. She looked out at the audience again, desperately searching for some kind of connection she could use to get her through the show.

And then the lights of the club flashed brighter for an instant and Liara saw her. A human, one of the few she had had ever encountered, striding towards the stage where she was dancing. The woman was clearly a warrior, wearing an armored chest-plate over her solid frame, but she still had impressive curves, reminding Liara of her mother's commandos. Her face, too, was interesting, freckled and topped by an exotic fringe of red hair.

Beyond any of the physical details, though, there was something in the ways she carried herself, a commanding, compelling presence that couldn't be ignored. And her gaze was fixed on Liara. She had no idea who this human was, but Liara realized that she might be her last, best chance to keep her job.

Paragon Shepard

She rubbed her forehead, tugging lightly on the strands of red hair that were falling down across it. "I don't know about this."

"Come on, Shepard," Garrus pressed her. "It'll be good for you to blow off some steam. And after this thing with Saren, you definitely deserve the break."

The commander nodded. It had been a hell of a couple of months, ever since that xenophobic son-of-a-bitch Saren murdered her training officer, Nihlus, and tried to frame her for the crime. Still, they'd finally tracked down and killed the rogue Spectre, and while the Normandy got some much-needed repairs from the last battle, she'd given the crew shore leave here on Omega.

"All right, fine," she told the turian. "You've convinced me. Afterlife it is."

"Who knows," Wrex added. "Maybe you'll meet some nice girl while you're there."

"In that club?" She chuckled at the idea. Though she'd never bothered going to Afterlife during her previous missions to Omega, it had quite the reputation. "I don't think nice is exactly what people go there for."

Wrex joined in on her laughter. "Well, then maybe you can get laid at least. I mean, unless you've changed your mind about going krogan…"

She rolled her eyes at his posturing. "Don't hold your breath. And I'm just going to have a few drinks and look. Now, lead the way."

"Actually, Commander, we have an appointment."

Wrex snorted. "What Garrus means is we have to go meet up with Tali before she gets in trouble and her suit gets sold for parts or something like that."

"I'm sure she can take care of herself," Shepard protested. "Besides, it's always kind of weird going into a strip club by yourself."

"Oh come on," Garrus told her. "You're Commander Shepard, the first human Spectre. Surely you're not afraid of a few half-naked asari shaking their asses."

She bristled, straightening her shoulders in response to the challenge. "Fine, fine. You two go have your fun." She slapped Garrus on the back. "And you, I know what you're really thinking. We've all seen the way you look at Tali."

The turian's mandibles twitched with embarrassment and Wrex immediately begun teasing him about his crush as the two warriors headed back out into the streets of Omega. Shaking her head at their antics, Shepard turned in the other direction, making her way through the throng of aliens gathered outside of Afterlife. The bouncers either knew who she was or thought better of stopping her, because she was able to stroll into the club without objection.

Shepard stepped through the inner doors, stopping briefly to give herself time to adjust to the overwhelming onslaught on her senses. The flashing lights, the throbbing base of the music, and especially all the flesh on display combined to make an impressive spectacle. A few of the dancers came from other species: a turian, and a drell standing out, but the bulk of them were asari. It wasn't a surprise; in a place that served so many different races, it made sense to go with the one that almost everyone enjoyed looking at.

The commander was no exception, and as she took in the show, her body flushed with the first stirrings of desire. Wrex might have been crude in his suggestion that she get laid, but she'd been alone for a long time, and frustration was making her respond more than she might have otherwise. Even if this wasn't the best place to meet someone, maybe she could at least get some fresh fantasy material while she was here.

Heading over to the bar, she ordered a whisky from a surly batarian, and while he poured the drink, she surveyed the room, deciding where she should take it. Certainly, many of the asari were attractive: a lithe maiden with eyes so dark a shade of blue that they were almost black, a curvier matron with deep, purple skin…

What's this? She turned, her eye caught by an asari who seemed very different than the rest. Where most of the dancers moved with a sultry grace, this one was tentative. She rocked back and forth on the side stage she was working, trying but not entirely succeeding to match the low pulse of the music. She seemed uncomfortably out of place, and yet there was something mesmerizing about her. Everyone else there was playing a role, presenting a façade, but not this woman. There was an honesty in her embarrassment that intrigued Shepard.

Fortunately, the other patrons didn't seem as interested and there was an empty table available right by the stage. Shepard pulled out a chair there, taking a sip of her drink as she settled in. The whisky was too bitter, but the warmth of it only added to the heat she was already feeling. Her eyes were drawn back to the stage, and when they met the asari's, the effect was immediate and surprising. A charge went into the dancer's previously tentative movements, and she ran her hands up along her sides, drawing attention to full breasts that were only barely concealed by the red satin brasserie she was wearing.

Whoever she might be, the dancer was quite beautiful, Shepard thought, even if she didn't seem conscious of it. Her body was all soft curves and smooth skin, while her eyes were the most stunning shade of blue the Spectre had ever seen. The asari shimmied back and forth on the stage, and even though her movements were unskilled, Shepard couldn't tear her gaze away from them if she'd wanted to.

The dancer seemed to read her interest, because she moved towards Shepard, and when she reached the edge of she stage, she bent down, offering an excellent view of her cleavage as it strained against the tight top. It was an incredibly sexy display, but when the asari opened her mouth to speak, her awkwardness was apparent in the way she fumbled over her words. "Hi," she started out. "I mean hello, Do you think you might be interested in, um, a private show?"

Well, that was quick, Shepard thought to herself, but she didn't hold the haste against the asari, who clearly had no idea what she was doing. Picking up her drink, the Spectre smiled as reassuringly as she could, and replied, "I really would."

Renegade Shepard

"Come on, Williams. You're not quitting on me already, are you?"

Beside the commander, Ashley staggered, putting one hand on a nearby wall to brace herself. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but whatever the hell was in those last few shots is doing bad things to my guts." She swallowed, her eyes rolling back as she fought against the evident urge to throw up.

Shepard laughed. "All right, then, marine. But you're gonna miss out on the best part of Omega. What about you, Garrus? Game for a few more rounds and a little T&A."

The turian shook his head. "I think I'd better get her back to the ship, Shepard. On this station, if you pass out, only getting robbed counts as a good night."

"Hey, I can take care of…." Ashley didn't manage to finish her protest before stumbling to one knee and dry heaving. "Okay, maybe not so much right now…"

Shepard wrapped an arm around the sergeant's waist and helped her back to her feet. "Off to bed, Williams. And thanks for taking care of her, Garrus."

"No worries, Shepard. I know how much you were looking forward to visiting this place, and you've certainly earned it."

The two soldiers staggered off, Ashley clinging to Garrus' shoulder for support, and Shepard permitted herself a smug smile as she watched them go. It hadn't been easy to dump out half of her shots while Ashley wasn't looking, but a reputation for being able to drink the crew under the table never hurt.

Turning around, she strolled off towards Afterlife. One of the turians on the door gave her a friendly nod as she walked in and she stopped to return it. "Hey, Atrius. It's been a while."

"Too long. It's a dull job and you're the best looking human female we get in this place."

She gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. "Don't try that bullshit on me. I know human and female are two strikes in your book and I'm guessing that working the door here gets you laid plenty."

His mandible's fluttered with pride. "I do all right."

"I'll just bet you do." She laughed as she walked past him and into the club. Shepard made sure to stop in here every time she came to Omega. Aria T'Loak might be a pain in the ass, but she did have good taste when it came to asari. There were always some choice girls working the pole, and after the last few months spent chasing down and defeating Saren, the commander really needed the distraction. Not since doing that little favor for the Consort back on the Citadel had she had the chance to indulge herself, and that was a problem she was determined to fix before the end of the night.

As she walked out into the main room of the club, the pulsing beat of the music made her feel right at home. Once she got to the bar, she ordered a glass of the asari brandy that was the unofficial house drink and while Carakal poured it for her, she asked the batarian, "So, what's been up lately? Any new talent I should check out while I'm here?"

He nodded. "Aria actually hired her first human a few weeks back. Some dark-skinned female. Pretty enough, if you like them with hair. Not a bad dancer, either, but she's not on again until tomorrow night."

She shook her head. "No good. I'm heading back to Council Space in the morning. What else?"

"Well, there's a new asari. Liara Armali, or at least that's her stage name. Nice body, but as green as I've ever seen. My guess, she's gone before the week is out."

"I suppose I'd better get a look at her before that, then."

Carakal nodded, indicating a stage on the other side of the room, and he gave Shepard a knowing smile. Her enthusiasm for the talent was well know to all of the club's regular employees. "I think she's on now Have fun and try not to scare her too much."

"Don't worry. I'll be gentle."

Shepard strode across the room. It wasn't hard to find the dancer in question. The young asari on the side stage was definitely a novice. Her movements were tentative, a maiden trying to be seductive without really knowing how. And yet, she absolutely was pretty, her body clad only in a set of sexy, crimson lingerie that stood in stark contrast with the innocence Shepard saw in her deep, blue eyes. A pair of well-rounded breasts that begged to be cupped, a smooth stomach that curved down beneath her skimpy panties, and skin so soft that Shepard's mouth watered at the thought of running her tongue over it all added up to a tantalizing package.

The Spectre found a seat at a table near the stage and took a sip of her drink before returning her gaze to this Liara. The dancer's blue eyes met hers and she was surprised to find a heat waiting there. Liara started moving with greater enthusiasm, gyrating her hips and running her hands up over her covered breasts. The Spectre's keen eye picked out her nipples stiffening underneath the fabric, and she smirked, pleased at the effect her gaze seemed to be having.

It wasn't long before Liara moved in her direction, though she stumbled slightly over her own feet as she did. The asari bent down closer to her, and Shepard enjoyed the sublime view of her breasts that that offered before Liara spoke. "Hello, soldier," she started, the hitch in her breath unmistakable. "I was hoping that, um… Do you think you'd be interested in a private show?"

Oh, you are just too delicious. A little time alone with this asari might cost her a chunk of credits, but she was flush after the mission and there was no way she was passing this up. She grinned and slammed down the rest of her drink before she answered, "Oh, definitely, my dear. Lead the way."

The next two chapters will follow Liara as she tries to put on a show for the two different Shepards. Not sure which one to do first though, so let me know if you have a preference.