A/N: New (so far unfinished) story, anyone?
Just wanted to try something else, let me know what you think... :) Feedback and input is highly appreciated.
One more story
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Part 1
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Making her way through the crowd near the nightclub's entrance in a confident stroll, Shepard let her eyes wander, taking in her surroundings in a seemingly leisure manner while in truth she quickly scanned the club's patrons as well as memorized all the possible exits and covers the club provided. It was a routine that came naturally after years of working on its perfection...
She finally sat down on a table slightly in the shadows at one end of the club with a perfect view on the bar as well as the dancefloor where various aliens were trying to impress each other by moving their bodies to the thundering bass of the music, their faces illuminated by the quickly changing spotlights.
A smile crossed Shepard's lips as she leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs and took in the scenes taking place in front of her without paying attention to one in particular.
"What can I get you, honey?"
Shepard raised her head and her eyes settled on an asari dressed in the colors of the club – obviously a waitress. The asari placed a hand on her hip while she waited for Shepard's response, her smile indicating that she didn't mind the wait while Shepard studied her. She must be used to it, Shepard mused as she traced the asari's facial markings with her eyes. Just like with every other one of her species Shepard had encountered so far, it was impossible to tell the asari's exact age and for all Shepard knew, the asari in front of her could be fifteen times her age... There was a certain gleam in the asari's eyes that told of wisdom, but working in a nichtclub like this, one could probably gain such wisdom in only a few nights...
The asari was beautiful, no doubt, but then again, they all were... That's why in most nightclubs and bars at least half of the staff were asari. They were aesthetically pleasing for the customers to look at and they all seemed to possess a somewhat mystical aura which, no doubt, granted the club owners a few extra credits spent by desperate customers in hopes of a reward, even if it was just a warm smile and the light brush of a hand on the shoulder...
But Shepard wasn't here to admire the nightclub's staff – as appealing as that thought was, especially considering the dancing poles positioned all around the club... She was here to do do a job, so she finally tore her eyes away from the dark violet markings running from the asari's cheekbone down her neck and leaned forward, returning the waitress' smile. Luckily for her, there was no clause in her contract that forbid the consumption of alcohol during the job...
"A bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy, if you please," she answered in her most charming voice.
The asari's eyes widened for only a quick second but she quickly regained her composure and nodded, turning back to the bar to get Shepard's order. Shepard followed the waitress on her way back to the bar where she leaned towards the bartender to be heard over the loud music while she passed the order.
Shepard finally averted her eyes and brushed some glitter off her pants that had probably landed there because of a dancer that had hurried past the table a few seconds ago. Although it might not be wise to drag too much attention to herself by having an entire bottle of expensive liquor standing prominently on her table, it might just help her speed up the process by gaining her a lot of new friends in a decend amount of time... And if she made sure they drank enough, they wouldn't even remember a woman asking questions about the dead krogan outside the next morning...
Still smiling, Shepard leaned back in her chair and turned her head towards the platform hovering on top of the bar, the design evoking memories of her visits to Afterlife as she watched the few asari dancers skillfully moving their bodies around the poles. Maybe she'd pay Omega a visit one of the following days, she mused... If Aria decided to forget about one of Shepard's recent contracts involving her favorite 'pet' – if you can call a krogan a pet – and allowed her to visit the space station again without having to fight off hordes of mercenaries wanting revenge for Patriarch's death, that was...
Her thoughts were interrupted when her eyes fell on one of the dancers on the platform. She couldn't tell what it was, but Shepard couldn't help but involuntarily lean forward, narrowing her eyes slightly to get a better look at the asari moving along the platform with confident strides before she returned to a pole at the front of the platform, circling it with slow, sensual moves.
One could claim that most asari looked the same – except for maybe the tone of their blue skin and their markings – but there was something about that particular asari that made her stand out from the rest of the dancers on the platform, all other dancers in the club really... and judging by some of the patron's gleaming eyes, Shepard wasn't the only one to notice it...
The waitress returned to her table and placed the bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy in front of Shepard, but the human felt unable to tear her eyes away from the blue-skinned beauty moving her body to the sound of the loud music, seemingly so out of reach for everyone admiring her from underneath her elevated place.
The asari standing next to Shepard's table cleared her throat and the human finally tore her gaze away, blinking a few times at the waiting – still smiling – asari before she nodded. "Oh, right." She activated her omni-tool to pay for the liquor, making sure the tip was adequate – which it was, judging by the hand gently running down Shepard's arm in thanks.
The following wink was lost on Shepard as her eyes immediately shot back to the platform, frantically shooting from one end to the other in search of the asari – to no avail. The asari was gone, replaced by another one, and even though the distance as well as the dimmed light inside the club made it hard to make out any details, Shepard was sure it wasn't the right one anymore...
She frowned, grabbing the bottle in front of her and filling the empty glass that came with it, downing its content in one large gulp. She shook her head when she felt the warm liquor run down her throat, forcing her mind away from the dancer and back to the task at hand. She needed information if she wanted to find her target, and to get that information, she needed the trust of some of the patrons around her...
Her eyes wandered from alien to alien, forcing herself not to linger too long on all the asari employees – which suddenly seemed to be a lot more than she'd noticed at first – that had mingled with the crowd of patrons. She was about to decide whether she should start by waving a turian or a krogan over to her table when she suddenly felt the atmosphere change around her. The music and flashing lights seemed dimmed all of a sudden, as if the entire nightclub was holding their breath. Turning her head from side to side in search of what had caused the sudden change – clearly the brandy couldn't have caused it after just one glass – Shepard froze when her eyes fell on an asari that sauntered confidently towards her table.
Swallowing hard, Shepard had to fight the urge to look around herself and make sure the asari was actually smiling at her. Instead, she let her eyes roam over the asari's body, using the time it took her to reach the table to admire the dancer's grace. With the outfit she was wearing, it was hard not to lose oneself in one of the many curves the taut fabric accentuated, but Shepard quickly found herself staring at those captivating eyes that had locked on hers. It was her...
She didn't need any confirmation – with the matching outfits worn by every dancer in the club that would have been impossible anyway – to know that it was her asari. Well, technically not her asari, but logic only seemed to be in the way at such a sight right now, so Shepard determinedly settled on the term 'her asari', it seemed fitting...
The crowd seemed to part involuntarily for the asari whose eyes were still locked with Shepard's until she finally reached her table, smiling down at the woman fidgeting on the chair in front of her.
Without a word, the asari lowered herself and sat on Shepard's lap, casually wrapping a blue arm around the woman's shoulders as she let her eyes wander over the patrons surrounding them. As if on cue, the music seemed to pick up its intensity again, the deep bass starting to pound in Shepard's ear and all surrounding patrons turned back to their drinks or conversations, surprisingly enough giving the table back its feeling of secluded privacy...
A slight smirk gracing her lips, the asari turned her head back to Shepard, giving the woman time to finally study the asari's markings when a spotlight illuminated her face for a second.
The first thing that caught her eye were the dark freckles adorning the asari's cheekbones as well as delicate markings across both her eyes that resembled human eyebrows remarkably close. There weren't any more markings that would distract from the asari's gorgeous features to speak of, but they were all that was needed to ensure her Shepard's undivided attention, which – if her smile was any indication – the asari was well aware of...
She lazily trailed her free hand down the front of Shepard's outfit while musing, "You're new, I've never seen you here before..." One of her eyebrows rose in amusement as she continued, "So, what brings you here into this..." Her hand vaguely gestured through the air, "...high-class establishment?"
Smiling, Shepard slightly leaned forward to refill her glass with her free left hand – her right hand had involuntarily found its way to the asari's waist, in a purely securing fashion, of course – while challenging, "Who says I've never been here before?"
The asari shrugged and took the refilled glass out of Shepard's hand, downing its entire content with a grace Shepard would have never thought possible if she hadn't just witnessed it herself. Locking eyes with her again, the asari placed the glass back on the table, leaning back against the other woman while she lazily drew random patterns on the other's arm with her left hand. "I would have noticed you," she stated matter-of-factly, the indifferent tone in her voice preventing Shepard from taking the simple statement as a compliment...
Nevertheless intrigued by the challenge, Shepard refilled her glass once more and downed it – not even trying to compete with the dancer's grace from before by doing so – before she faced the asari again. "You're right, I've never been here before, but seeing what this 'high class establishment' has to offer, I might consider paying it another visit sometime... But for now, I'm here to meet someone..."
As soon as the words had left her mouth, she bit her lower lip. She shouldn't have said that. Why had she entrusted that stranger with such knowledge? It should be others revealing their secrets to her and not the other way around...
The asari eyed her intensely and she seemed to sense the other's discomfort. Nodding, she reached for the bottle to refill the glass standing on the table in front of them again before she casually leaned back, enjoying the rich flavor of the liquor on her tongue for a while as her eyes scanned their surroundings. Once the glass was empty and she'd placed it back on the table, she lightly tilted her head towards the other woman and asked, intrigued by the turn their conversation had taken, "Who?"
Her eyes studied Shepard while she patiently waited for an answer, aware of the fact that the other's mind was racing that moment, Shepard's brows furrowed in thought while she stared at the empty glass on the table.
Shepard pursed her lips. Why not? She's a dancer here, that means she's familiar with the regulars. She might even spare me the trouble of having to waste all that expensive liquor on sweaty, smelly aliens...
Even if the asari hadn't been momentarily occupying her lap, her fingers still dancing across her arm and her entrancing scent wafting over with every little move she made, it wouldn't have taken Shepard long to decide that she'd say or do almost anything to keep her from leaving, so she simply nodded, keeping her eyes on the glass in front of her while she refilled it again.
"I'm looking for a krogan mercenary. Name is Boon..." she finally answered, still keeping her eyes on the glass.
The asari nodded in thought and took the glass out of Shepard's hand yet again (she should have known...), taking a sip while she let her eyes wander over to the dancefloor. "I know him," she simply stated, her voice even, without any hint of emotion – good or bad – before she offered Shepard the still half-filled glass. The woman took it thankfully and downed the remaining content, waiting for the asari to continue.
But instead of an answer, the asari simply waited until Shepard had placed the glass back on the table before she gracefully changed her position so that she was now straddling the human's lap, placing both her arms on Shepard's shoulders.
"Some patrons might get suspicious if we continue talking like that," she stated with an amused smile as she noticed the other woman's perplexed expression. She leaned closer to Shepard's ear, her lips brushing its shell lightly as she whispered, "I'm here to work, after all..."
Pulling back, she started rolling her hips slightly, making sure not to apply too much pressure when she noticed the sudden heat radiating off the other woman's body. She needed her focused for her next words, after all. Seemingly accidental, she nodded towards a group of tables behind them, keeping her voice low as she whispered, "Boon's the one sitting alone on the table at the far side of the room. He mostly keeps to himself, never wants a private dance. He's got a pistol at his thigh, a shotgun in the case on the chair next to him and a knife in his left boot." Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she spoke. It looked like this night could actually get interesting...
"Dangerous enemy to have," she added, running a hand through the other woman's hair and twirling a loose, red strand around her finger.
Shepard slightly tilted her head to look over the asari's shoulder and spotted her mark, as described by the woman in her lap. Her eyes settled back on the asari before Boon – or anyone else for that matter – could notice her interest.
"What are you going to do with him?" the asari asked, running her hand through Shepard's hair a few more times, obviously fascinated by its texture.
"We'll see..." Shepard shrugged. "Depends on how cooperative he is, I guess..."
The asari chuckled lightly. "Well, should you survive your encounter, you know where to find me..."
Shepard's eyebrow rose at the hidden challenge. "You think I can't take him on?" Her eyes gleamed in sudden amusement. "You don't even know me..."
"I don't need to know you to notice that you're a human and he's a krogan, that doesn't seem like a very fair fight..." The asari smiled while she reached behind her and grabbed the bottle, putting it to her lips without caring about the glass anymore. Lowering the bottle again, her tongue quickly darted out to catch the few drops of brandy that threatened to roll down her chin. "You wouldn't be the first to try either," she declared, her smile returning when she noticed the other woman's eyes were fixed on her lips. "He's managed to mangle his victims in ways I've never seen before..."
Shepard tore her eyes away from the asari's lips and raised them to her eyes, smirking mischievously. "And still you don't seem too worried about my well-being..."
The asari shrugged in feigned disinterest. "As you said, I don't even know you. Why would I be concerned about a stranger?"
Shepard gave a short laugh and nodded, lightly tapping her fingers on the asari's thigh as her eyes once more darted to the krogan sitting alone on his table. "Any idea how I might get him alone?" she asked, suddenly feeling bold. "Hypothetically speaking, of course..."
A devilish smile spread across the asari's face as she shrugged once again. "Well, in a crowded place like this it is possible for a waitress to lose her balance and spill a drink on a customer every once in a while." Her head tilted to the side in feigned innocence. "It has happened before... And such an occurrence could encourage a customer to leave his place..." Her finger slowly trailed down the front of Shepard's jacket as she added, "The rest is up to your imagination..."
Smiling, Shepard nodded. "I can be very resourceful if need be..." Her eyes widened in feigned surprise as she raised a finger. "Wait, did you just hear someone over there ordering a drink?"
The asari's melodious laughter caused a fluttering feeling in Shepard's stomach, which she quickly drowned by taking the bottle out of the asari's hand and taking a large gulp.
"I think I did indeed..." The asari turned her head, motioning with her hand and soon after, the waitress from before leaned in as the dancer whispered something to her. A quick nod and the waitress returned to the bar, making her way over to Boon's table with a filled tray soon after.
As much as Shepard would have loved to see that scene play out, the shifting movement in her lap made her turn her head back to the asari who was climbing off of her that moment. Following the other's movement with her eyes, Shepard sighed. It was time to do what she'd come here to do...
The asari straightened her outfit – not that there was much to straighten as the outfit still tightly clung to her body – and finally raised her head to meet Shepard's eyes once more. The asari smiled warmly. "Well, it has been a pleasure talking to you. Don't forget your brandy." She nodded to the half-empty bottle, but Shepard just shook her head.
"Keep it as a payment for your... 'services'..." She winked mischievously and the asari bowed her head in playful thank, taking the bottle before she turned to leave.
Shepard involuntarily reached out with her hand. "You never told me your name..." she called after her, causing the asari to stop.
Smiling back at her over her shoulder, the asari answered, "It's Liara," before she turned and quickly vanished in the crowd surrounding them, her fingers lightly brushing over the bottle in her hand as a small smile tugged at her lips.
Taking a deep breath, Shepard quickly ran a hand through her hair and made sure her leather jacket covered the pistol on her hip before she followed an enraged krogan on his way out of the nightclub and into the cool air outside...