Eclipsed
Chapter One: A Way Out

A/N: This is a side story tha can follow in with "From Ashes" and the "Jagged Whole" series (though neither of those have caught up to this point. I'm leaving their plotlines out of it so reading them first is not required. Enjoy!

They all ended the same way.

An eclipse operation would be nearly foiled by a police investigation because some idiot with a gun lost their nerve or their control. In this case, a volus had been shot and killed in the alleyway, but that wasn't the problem. Dakni Kur had been the mark; he was meant to be killed, but so was his partner, Pitne For. That was where they had screwed all of this up. The youngest, Elnora, had proven herself by gutting the first volus, so she had done her job, but the others were meant to corner the other and have him killed as well. When shots had been fired and the first had gone down, the others had bolted. If there was one thing that was certain, incompetence ran high these days…

Those thoughts ran through the captain's head as she paced the interior of one of the larger cargo areas near the spaceport. Stiff drink in hand, she found herself clenching the glass within her fist more firmly with every passing moment. The police had shown up and were camping outside their backdoor, a justicar had shown up and was killing off her people, and now there was word that a previously assumed dead spectre was on a warpath through the facility. Jaw working furiously in an attempt to contain the anger that was building, the captain sat and busied herself by reading a datapad that was sitting on the arc-shaped desk in front of her. This was what the justicar had been after; a ship name. A god-damned ship name had cost her many of her better lieutenants.

"Ma'am-"

"What?" She snapped at a human who was in the corner of the room with a rocket launcher. He was one of the two bodyguards she had been stuck with.

"Someone's outside the door-" He just finished saying it when she finally rounded on him.

"I'm well aware of that." In fact, she was. Turning back to the door, she considered the situation. She knew the third volus in the trading group had wandered back through the base and was nearby. She had watched his progress with anticipation; if he entered this room, she would gladly have these idiots kill him with one shot. "It's the other volus. If he is wise, he will come to what is left of his senses and leave."

"If you say so." The man turned to his companion and proceeded to whisper to him in low tones. He seemed to think that she couldn't hear him when in fact she heard every word; the only thing was that she didn't give a damn what he thought.

"…She really going to let that thing live? I'd just go on and shoot it now."

"Guy's a walking nutcase. Not much of a risk."

"When the drugs wear off he will be."

"Quiet, you idiots!" The captain hissed as she raised a hand to silence them. "Someone else is out there. Take cover and prepare to engage." While they grumbled about it, the two humans moved behind supply crates and had the barrels of their guns aimed toward the door.

"…My biotics will tear her apart!" It was the volus, Niftu Cal.

"Wasea will tear you apart." A female voice, one that she didn't recognize, answered. "Take a nap. You'll feel better."

"Are you mad!" The volus questioned. "I will exact my revenge on them! A new wind will blow upon Wasea, captain of the Eclipse sisters! Feasting on her biotic-rich blood will be the last step to my ascension to-"

"I don't think so." A hard thump was heard, and it was assumed that the mad volus had been knocked out. Still, it had been amusing to hear the idiot rant. The woman spoke again, causing the captain to grip the glass harder. "The name of that ship has to be behind that door."

"Best to get it before the detective runs out of time, Shepard."

"So," Wasea replaced the datapad on her desk for the second time and leaned back casually with her now free hand wandering to her shotgun that she had just recently cleaned. "Shepard, the human spectre, is not as dead as people thought… and she has a turian with her. Good." Swiftly pulling the M300 Claymore out of its resting place, she secured it to her weapons pack and continued to think aloud. "Perhaps there is a way…"

"A way?" The first bodyguard spoke again. "To what?"

"Never you mind." She answered promptly. "Watch the door and mind what you shoot at." At that point, the door opened; revealing the human spectre and two compatriots. One was easily recognizable while the other was a bit more… legendary. Rising slowly from her place, Wasea's eyes focused on the spectre whose gun was trained on her. She did take a moment to drain the last contents of her glass before addressing the three newcomers. "Everything has gone to hell since we smuggled that filthy creature off-world." Eyes landing on each trespasser in turn, the captain continued. "First a justicar shows up… Now you."

"That's why I am here." Shepard said evenly while still keeping her rifl trained on the ex-commando. "On behalf of the justicar; all I'm interested in is the name of that ship."

"You would have me believe that you would simply walk out of here strictly with that information." Sounding skeptical, Wasea shook her head. "Somehow, I highly doubt it."

"That's all I'm here for. Eclipse operations aren't my business." Shepard dismissed the comment casually with a shake of her head.

"Indeed, but they are his." Addressing the one standing to Shepard's right, the asari ground out his name. "Archangel. You disrupted the shipping line between this outpost and Omega. I hear we are two idiots short, thanks to you."

"If you're referring to Jarroth and his brother, yes." Garrus said in a more or less hateful tone. "They were careless, much like yourself; leaving a base this size unguarded save for a few undisciplined kids like Elnora and several mechs."

"I see." Wasea brushed off the insult without batting an eyelash. "So Elnora was alive."

"Still is." The second human, one that was recognizable as Miranda Lawson, offered in a clipped tone. "She sold you out."

"Well then," Biotics flaring, Wasea watched as Shepard, Garrus, and Lawson tensed. From the corner of her eye, she could also see her own men gripping their guns tighter. "That makes my decision very easy."

In a flurry of movement, she spun on her hel and sent a precise pull field toward the two guards who had crouched behind a container of minigen X3. They were lifted out from behind the crate and in seconds, they met the barrel of her shotgun as she pulled the trigger. With the widespread rounds, they were both motionless on the floor with their heads split open when the pull field collapsed. When she turned back, there was a stunned silence, but she broke it after reloading her gun and holstering it.

"Now, where were we?"

"You killed your own men." Garrus stated bluntly; still keeping a taloned finger on the trigger of his rifle.

"So I did, what of it?" The asari questioned casually.

"I think he meant to ask why, rather than pointing it out." Miranda retorted coolly.

"They were of no further use to me, that is why." Wasea answered in a similarly cool tone while turning her attention back to Shepard. "Now, as to why you are here. It left on the AML Demeter."

"It?" Shepard raised an eyebrow. "You mean the ardat-yakshi."

"Yes, the ardat-yakshi." Wasea nodded. "Elnora mentioned that to you, did she?"

"She did." Miranda answered. "She also said she didn't think they existed." At that, Wasea laughed.

"Most of my people don't." It wasn't so much in amusement that she laughed. It was more out of sarcasm. "The ardat-yakshi are a sort of…. Legend… among my people." Seeing the others' uneasy expressions, Wasea clarified. "A terrible legend mind, but a legend nonetheless."

"And you're just giving all of this information up willingly." Shepard was skeptical now. "What do you want?"

"All in good time, Shepard." The asari leaned against the desk she had just been sitting at and folded her arms casually. "I have answered your questions; now you answer one of mine." At Shepard's nod, Wasea continued. "You let Elnora live. Why?"

"She was a kid who made a mistake by joining a mercenary band. What was I going to do, shoot her?"

"That is what most would have done. You are, however, assuming that she will not double-cross you."

"She won't." Shepard answered with a confidence she seemed to genuinely feel; jusding by her expression. "You, on the other hand…"

"I would have no reason." If they only knew, they wouldn't have looked so disbelieving, but Lawson's next comment made the corners of the asari's lips upturn.

"You're an Eclipse captain who ordered every last one of your men and mechs to keep us, the police, and the justicar away from you. Don't try and tell us you wouldn't have a reason to stab us in the back."

"I would be careful." Wasea warned with a dark smile. "An assumption can produce deadly results if one allows it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Garrus questioned while still not owering his gun.

"It means that she didn't order them to keep us out." Shepard answered. "They did that on their own."

"Correct." Wasea inclined her head in Shepard's direction.

"So, back to my last question." Shepard guided the conversation back. "You're giving us this information, but I'm guessing there are a few strings attached. What do you want?"

"It is not what I want, Shepard, it is what I need." Wasea continued to lean against the desk while her grey eyes bore into Shepard's. "Your arrival is most opportune, and it has given me what I require."

"And what is that?"

"A way out."

A/N: Well, there it is, the first chapter. Always hated that you had to kill this one off. More interesting changes coming soon. Cheers!