He should have known it would end this way, with black tendrils digging in the soft spaces and a bullet in his brain. With the face of his Valkyrie filling his view. How she shined! In the haze of his final moments, as the unctuous fingers shredded his will, how his angel burned through the darkness. Her silver tongue would fail her one last time, and as his tale came to a close, hers would come full circle. He should have known it would end this way. She had told him so a thousand times.
10 Months Ago
Nos Astra was chilly that night, and although climate control was available in the private room, Jack Harper, AKA the Illusive Man, had decided to make use of the fireplace. As the light of the flames flickered against Shepard's coppery hair, he knew he had made the right decision. She was a vision in person, her black and white high-necked uniform clinging to her lean curves, her curly tresses swept back in an artfully sloppy half-twist. Security be damned, the man thought, if it allowed him to see her this way.
"This is nice," Shepard said, taking in their surroundings. "Not sure it's necessary…"
"It's necessary," Harper assured her. He handed her a glass of bourbon and stood across from her in front of the fireplace, smoking his cigarette. "Now. What can I do for you?"
Shepard sniffed the amber-colored liquid, shrugged, and took a small sip. It was good, really good. Tasted of oak and molasses; this was Kentucky straight, not the Bekenstein knockoff. "I like to get to know the people I'm working with," she said.
"Well. I'm happy to oblige you, Shepard," Harper replied. "Within reason, of course."
Shepard took another sip of her bourbon, as the Illusive Man's eyes took note of every tiny detail. Pink tongue darted out between dark, full lips to capture the stray droplets of liquor. Pupils slightly dilated. Was it from the dim light, or the bourbon, or something else, far more pleasant?
"Of course. What's with your eyes, anyway?" Shepard asked. "They do anything fancy or are they just there to creep out the ladies?"
The Illusive Man put out his smoke and took one confident step forward, then another. "The prostheses supply me with data on my surroundings, and the people within them. For example, your pulse rate just increased by ten percent. Do I frighten you, Shepard? Do I 'creep you out'?"
Shepard barked out a laugh. "Only insofar as I know what you're capable of," she replied. "I haven't forgotten Akuze, or what you did to Admiral Kahoku. By rights I should kill you here and now."
"You're no murderer," Harper said, his voice low. He spread out his arms in a gesture of supplication. "I stand unarmed, defenseless before you."
"You tryin' to turn me on?" Shepard smirked.
"If I was trying to turn you on, Commander, you wouldn't have to ask."
At this, Shepard smiled, brighter than an exploding star. For a few moments, they regarded each other in silence. The fire crackled, and flames writhed and danced in Shepard's eyes. She swallowed the last of her bourbon with a shake of her head. "I should go," she said.
The realization hit him with megaton force. He wanted her desperately. But, of course he wanted her; she was Commander Shepard, hero of the Citadel, savior of the galaxy. The best humanity had to offer. Everyone wanted her. His desire dug more deeply than want, to a hidden place about which Jack Harper had almost successfully made himself forget.
Reaching for her glass, Harper took another step forward. "Stay," he said softly, his eyes focused on hers with the concentration of a raptor. "One more drink. Ask me anything you like, and I promise I'll answer truthfully."
Shepard relinquished her glass with a nod. Harper was certain that Shepard wasn't buying the whole "truthfully" thing. That was fine, just as long as her curiosity overrode her disdain. One attribute that Harper lo—appreciated about Shepard was her willingness to listen to him, to hear him out even when they were at odds with each other. The cynic in him crowed that she listened because he was the man with the resources, but his inner optimist quietly reminded Harper that he believed her when no one else did, and that alone was reason enough for her to take his ideas into consideration. He poured the bourbon.
"Most people in your position wouldn't make an offer like that," Shepard said, the gears turning. "What's your angle?"
"Two things: first, there is no one else in my position," the Illusive Man declared. This elicited a wry smile from the Commander. "Second, I trust you. While the feeling is less than mutual, I hope one day to earn your trust in kind. That's the angle."
"All right. I'll bite," Shepard replied. "What do your friends call you, Illusive Man?"
Harper handed her the drink. "They call me Sir," he smirked.
"Uh huh," Shepard rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Truthfully, is it?"
"You can call me John. But not in front of your crew."
One more drink became two more, and a half hour later found Shepard and Harper on the black leather couch, debating the merits of using Reaper technology to further the interests of humanity.
"You realize that the turians are doing it, as well," Harper said. He took a long drag from his cigarette. "The Thanix is nothing more than scaled down Reaper tech."
"It's one thing to use their weapons against them," Shepard countered. "But the implants… how much of my new body comes from Sovereign? Am I even human anymore?"
"Of course you're still human, Shepard, as am I," Harper replied. "These implants are merely improvements. I daresay you wouldn't have survived the Praetorian attack on Horizon without your upgrades."
"I wouldn't have been on Horizon in the first place without my upgrades, and neither would the Collectors," Shepard muttered. "As you know."
Harper waved his hand. "Completely beside the point. We are talking about Reaper technology, not reviewing mission specs."
"Wow," Shepard drawled. "Thanks so much for keeping me on topic, Mr. Moderator. You brought up Horizon. I'm just pointing out how you almost got my friend killed because in your twisted worldview the end always justifies the means."
"Not always," Harper said, stubbing out his cigarette. "Most of the time, but not always. But this isn't about me or my worldview. You haven't put Kaidan Alenko behind you."
Shepard's face was flushed, her eyes narrowed. Her breath came quickly through her parted lips and her chest heaved. Harper thought he had never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life. "I told you," she hissed. "That is none of your business."
"Alenko is a fool," Harper breathed. "If he can't see you for what you are, then he doesn't deserve you."
"And what am I, John?" Shepard asked, her expression softening slightly from rage to confused anger. "What is Kaidan supposed to see?"
"What I see," Harper replied. He reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair behind Shepard's ear. "The most amazing woman in the galaxy."
"Now I know you're trying to turn me on," Shepard said, her voice huskier than she wanted it to be.
"See?" Harper whispered. "You didn't have to ask."