The Competition
Liara pushed the elevator button down to the engineering floor. The Normandy SR-2… it was a strange experience. It was bigger than the original, but it didn't make her feel small the way the first Normandy had. She was a child then, but the fight against Saren and the death – and recovery – of Shepard had hardened her.
She stepped out of the elevator and walked to the stairway down to the ship's bowels. Her foot hovered tentatively. There was a red glow stretching up the walls like clawing fingers, and a disheartening flow of stifling heat from the exposed pipes. Liara saw the flicker of the thin bulbous shadow of a shaven head across the red lit wall and took the first step down. Her feet clinked and echoed off the metal stairs. Jack was standing at the bottom, arms folded and dark eyes staring firm.
"You lost, Tentacles?" she said.
Liara remained on the stairs, two from the bottom. She held her arms at her side and allowed her lithe fingers to unfurl slowly, like a reawakened insect. Her body pulsed with biotic blue.
"I think we need to have a chat," Liara said, floating down the final steps.
"Please. You know my biotics were criminally engineered, right? And a maximum security prison couldn't even hold me. I think I could handle one little asari," Jack said.
Her own biotic power began to swirl around her.
"As I hear it, the prison was holding you pretty well until Shepard showed up, Jaqueline," Liara said.
Jack's lips pursed tight, snarling up in the left corner.
"Don't call me that. It's Jack," she said.
"Don't call me Tentacles."
The women stared at each other, faces armed with furrowed and menacing brows. Slowly, the tint of the sapphire swirls that surrounded them faded away. Neither wanted to be responsible for exploding a hole in the Normandy's hull. The battle continued with subtlety.
"I heard you and Shep used to be an item. You know, before the cheerleader upstairs," Jack said.
Liara's nose twitched slightly. The shot had stung.
"That's… actually what I wanted to talk to you about."
"Oh yeah? You want me to kill Miranda?" Jack said with a dry laugh.
"Yes."
Liara's voice was calm and collected. Inside her heart was thrashing wildly, and her palms were moistening with sweat. Jack moved towards her quickly and stabbed her finger into Liara's face. Jack's jagged, bitten off fingernail cut into the flesh of Liara's cheek.
"Is this some kind of joke? See if I say yes, then you'll know I'm really crazy?" Jack said.
Liara took a deep breath and said, "No."
It was an effort not to stammer.
"Did Joker put you up to this?"
Liara gently eased Jack's finger away from her face, pushing the arm back down by Jack's side. There was no resistance.
"Information pertaining to the whereabouts of high ranking Cerberus officials from a certain facility you are familiar with has come into my possession."
"You talkin' about Teltin?"
"That's my payment. Kill Miranda and you can have the intel. Don't, and you'll never find them," Liara said.
Jack took a step back and cocked her hip to the side. Her eyes softened with intrigue
"How do I know this ain't just a scam?"
"You know who I am, Jack. Subject Zero. Jennifer."
The brightness in Jack's eyes shrank back to stone.
"What did you just call me?"
Liara smiled, "Information is my business. Trust me when I say it's not a scam."
"Why me? There are tons of assassins for hire in the galaxy. There's one on this goddamn ship!"
"The drell? Too honest. I have a profile on him, and he wouldn't take this job. And I have a profile on you too."
"What does it say?" Jack said.
"I'm here offering the job to you, aren't I? As for everyone else in the galaxy, how exactly are they supposed to kill one of Cerberus' highest officials, a woman under the constant protection of Commander Shepard, no less?"
"How am I supposed to?"
"I can't tell you the amount of times I came close to shooting Kaiden in the back on Noveria. Mistakes happen in combat, Jack. Use your imagination."
Liara turned and left, coating herself in her wisps of azure aura as she climbed back up the airs.