A/N: Ever read/see Spy vs Spy? This is sort of like that. Kinda. Maybe. If you squint. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.
Kasumi treaded the Normandy lightly,silently stalking, seriously sly. Listening to quiet gossip, gleaning information that could be used as blackmail, as a salable commodity.
"Did you hear? Jacob is totally banging Chakwas now."
"No way! How'd you find out?"
"Oh come on. It was all over NormandyNet. Duh."
Kasumi stopped listening in and left the crew quarters hallway. She had indeed seen the exchange and even watched the leaked video, seeing all sorts of positions even she would have had a hard time keeping up with. Damn that doctor, she had stolen her crush.
Oh sure, the pain of having lost Keiji was still present, still aching, even if it had been dulled slightly by recovering the greybox.
But she was still a living, breathing human, dammit! A human who needed companionship, someone to turn to when times get rough.
Maybe even love.
Perhaps she should have actually talked to Jacob some more instead of sending clear signals. Men. Need everything on a silver platter, no sense of empathy, leaving the seat up...
Lost in her internal rant, Kasumi barely noticed that the Life Support room where she normally went to blow off steam was slightly different.
Guns were on equipment racks, a duffel bag was on the final corner. A cot had been erected, and a steaming mug of tea was on the table.
But these things didn't register. What did was him.
Sitting in a meditative posture was a most unusual specimen. Must be the new guy they were trying to recruit. A drell assassin, I believe.
An electric jolt ran through her at seeing him, zapping her gut. Her mind started moving at breakneck speed, and the room- slightly arid already- became stifling.
Ruddy orange gills on the sides of his face were flaring ever so slightly with his breathing. Ridges around his eyes were perfectly shaped and positioned. His skin seemed like that of an Earthen snake- interlaced scales- but seemed much stronger, sleeker.
Deadlier.
Sexier.
His hands were folded in prayer and his eyes closed, his chest rose and fell just like any other humanoid's would. The leather outfit he wore made him appear... cultured, refined, elegant almost.
Suddenly, about one second and a half after she had paused and started observing him, he was no longer there, having thrown the tea mug and tipped over the table.
Kasumi ducked under the hot projective, but a splash of the liquid contacted her form.
While it didn't short out her cloak generator, it did soak into her garment and outline her form easier.
A sharp poke in the back.
A low, throaty voice ground out, "State who you are and your purpose. You have five seconds to do so."
Startlingly, the voice came from behind her. He must have sneaked over when she was ducking.
Dropping the cloak- both physical and technical, she whirled to face the drell, and threw her soaked red cloak in his face. Efficiently, he disentangled himself and swept a foot out to topple her- except she had already jumped over him and was reaching for his knife, which he merely brought low.
Kasumi anticipated the move and followed his hand, easily plucking the knife by the top of the handle out of the drell's strange hand.
The assassin used her momentary overextension to shoulder-throw her in front of him again.
Moving with the roll, she landed on her hands and performed an inverted throw, meaning to hit him with the knife.
Except he had merely flowed around the trajectory and used the momentum from the twist to grab and pin her in a submission hold.
"Ahh, you must be part of the specialist corps then."
"That how you greet everybody, froggy?" Kasumi bit out.
"Forgive me, an assassin's guard is not easily let down."
"Well then, how about you let me go and we can talk and have dinner before getting this cozy, huh?"
Kasumi didn't want to admit it, but the sarcastic remark actually had some truth to it.
"My apologies." The drell released her. "I am Thane Krios, and have come aboard Commander Shepard's vessel to aid in his struggle against the Collectors. And you are...?"
Collecting her now-cooled cloak, Kasumi answered him. "Most people don't get to know my name. My livelihood depended upon people not knowing who I am."
A sound like an old washing machine agitating its load escaped the green man's lips. Those full lips...
"If its any consolation, I do not have much time left in this galaxy. I suspect that I will either perish on this mission or soon after it. Chronic disease... do not be alarmed, its drell-only and noncommunicable."
Kasumi furrowed her brow, taking in the strange information.
"Very well. Kasumi Goto." She stuck out her hand to shake the assassins. He took it, and upon releasing it, bowed in a perfect keirei, 30 degrees.
"I look forward to talking with you later."
Suddenly the door to Life Support opened, and in swaggered Commander Shepard.
Seeing the two, and the slight mess in the area, Shepard thought for a second then said casually, "Interrupting something?"
"No, Shep, just leaving actually!" Kasumi scrammed as quickly as she could without seeming too embarrassed, heading to her quarters to pour a drink.
"Remember, Kasumi, Meeting of Badasses in 30!"
Kuso! She would have to find somewhere else to lay low, as the weekly meetings were held in the lounge.
Like maybe the shuttle deck or something, so she could deal with the ache that had become present in her core.
Yup. I went there. Reviews welcomed! At least two more chapters, one will be a sour citrus of epic bloodrushing proportions. Dedicated to Aria's Afterlife, an amazing forum right here on Fanfiction! Go say hi!