AN: Firstly if you came directly to this chapter go back! Both chapters 1 and 2 have been rewritten. Chapter one is essentially entirely redone, and has some plot important changes to it. While I added several new scenes to chapter 2, one of which is important, one of which was for fun.
I also spent way too much time trying to find out if an actual name for any Asari language exists. As far as I can tell, nope. Seems like a bit of an oversight in my opinion but moving on.
Song: All I Need (Acoustic) by Within Temptation
S&S
Shepard was currently sitting in a transport on it's way to Illium, while she had been accepted under a provisional basis into the training program. It had been decided that she would need to start, and finish, her deep cover Asari training before she continued. As such Nihlus had been assigned a mission, stating that he would be in touch once it was over. Though he had told her that she would find Vasir to be, unique.
Officially she was being sent to Illium to have a new amp installed before she started her new 'job' as a security consultant on an advanced scout vessel for the Council. There was a constant push to discover new worlds, and it meant that she would, on paper, be away from habitable space for long stretches of time.
Her Omni pinged, it was Anderson, again. She'd been ducking him for a few days now, but given that he had probably heard the news she decided to bite the bullet answer. "Hello Captain, and how are you doing today?"
"Don't give me any of that Eva you know why I'm calling, what is this about you joining some scout crew for the council. I had to heard about it from Udina of all people, which meant that your Mother had to hear it from me, via Udina, and you know the woman prefers at least a three person buffer between her and him." Shepard sighed, but she felt the small smile on her face.
Anderson was essentially the reliable Uncle that every family was lucky to have, "Look lets just not talk about Mom right now. Things are still raw there, as for my job, I just need to get away for a little bit. I just think that if I can get enough distance between myself and the Alliance that I can understand what happened, but it's not working. So ya, maybe I'm running, at least for a little while. I don't have any real hopes for returning to the Alliance, but well it hurts to have what you always wanted ripped from you like that."
She could practically see his expression, the same one he had when he heard them discharge her. He was angry at the organization he had called home for most of his life, but unwilling to allow it to show. "I know that things went, sideways, after Akuze. But Eva, you need to talk to your Mother before you go, I don't know why she did what she did but trust me, she's hurting too."
She could feel the tears beginning to form in her eyes, "Look I won't promise anything, but I'll try. I love you Uncle Dave." She quickly shut down the link so that he wouldn't hear her sob, even still her voice had caught at the end.
"God dammit won't this blasted shit go any fucking faster!"
S&S
Illium, or as she called it Omega with a janitorial staff, was a planet that sat right on the edge of Council space. Not officially a Council world, but so far from the heart of the Terminus that it was protected from most of the lawlessness. It was also one of the primary bases of Tela Vasir, she was known for getting results, though the means of how she achieved those results was the focus of many rumors. She was commonly assumed to either have a very high working relationship with the Shadow Broker, or that she was simply directly employed by him in addition to the Council. Truthfully she didn't care, most Spectres had side interests that they used their authority to pursue.
Vasir's base was hidden inside an Armali Council office, whether this was by serendipity or a scary degree of planning this was also where her new amp was to be installed. Entering the lobby she was soon escorted by a much too chatty Maiden, who was going on about how pretty Humans were with their hair, and blah blah blah. Hear the same lines so many times you just tune them out, plus the moment her gloves came off, literally, and people saw her arm they tended to lose any interest real quick.
They turned a corner to find an elderly Matriarch waiting for them, her eyes shifted to the Maiden, "Leave." The addressee quickly scampered away, the eyes now firmly fixed on her simply starred at her for a few moments. "Follow." And with this she whirled away, her dress masking her legs making her appear to float down the hall.
"Before you begin your training with Spectre Vasir you will need to undergo a full medical scan and diagnostic. We must ascertain what is the cause of your sudden inability to control your, rudimentary, biotics. This is not a negotiable term, if you are not willing to accept it then I suppose we could just have a real Asari take your position."
She turned and stopped at the entrance of a hallway that contained four large metal doors. "First we must ensure out date is accurate, how many times have you been exposed to element zero, you may be more familiar to it under the term 'eezo.'"
I'm going to kill this woman, "Surely, this is all in my medical file you were sent."
"How many times have you been exposed to element zero, I have infinitely more time than you to waste . But by all means squander some more by not answering my simple questions."
"Fine, christ, three times."
"Age, and nature of the exposures."
"In Utero, that by the way means I was still in the womb, due to a transport collision in the Arcturus docks. Fourteen, the drive core of a shuttle I was near went nova. And last year, I detonated a downed landing crafts core to take out a Thresher Maw. I manged to get out of the blast radius, but not the radiation."
The Matriarch merely nodded, "Excellent, enter the first door on the left and disrobe. If you are squeamish about showing your body you may wear those undergarments your species is so fond of. Then return to me."
Shepard walked into the room she mentioned, it was filled with numerous rows of lockers. So she just picked an empty one at random, and placed her clothes in it. She wasn't getting naked though, Asari stared at her enough as is.
Returning to the Asari with no name, she figured she shouldn't have been surprised when all she was told was "Follow" once again.
They soon entered into a room that was dominated by a metal slab, with numerous instruments she couldn't even guess the purpose of, let alone recognize them.
"Do not move, you will feel a sharp spike of pain." Before Shepard could ask why she suddenly felt a jolt at the back of her skull.
"The fuck was that!" She whirled at the Asari, who was holding her amp in her hands. "We needed to remove this so that we can do the diagnostic. Now lay down on the table."
As Shepard slid on to the table the Asari continued, "This device will perform several tests to determine how your body has changed since your tertiary exposure to element zero. If it is warranted the council has authorized me to create a new amp. Hold still." The Asari approached her, picking up a small lead from the table with several wires trailing from it, she tilted Shepard's head to the side and inserted it into her now empty amp slot.
"This will enable us to find out the manner in which your nodes and nervous system are currently working. This test shall also determine how many nodes you currently have active in your body, as well as if there exist any more of these hypothesized 'primed' nodes that your human colleagues claim existed." She began to leave the room before pausing in the door frame, "I forgot to mention that due to the integrated nature of your cybernetics you can expect some negative feedback from them. I have been told that it is rather, unpleasant."
The door quickly shut behind her, then without warning Shepard assumed the test started. Mostly because it felt like she had been doused in gasoline and lit on fire. After an unknown amount of time the pain ended, and her favorite Asari returned. She walked over to Shepard and pulled the lead out from her implant, before walking over to several unlit interfaces and waving her Omni at one, an image of what Shepard assumed was her, appeared on the screen.
"According to your file it appears that while Akuze did activate some additional nodes in your body, the most crucial change was that most of your nodes integrated themselves deeper into your nervous system. Your human amp is designed for accepting only the most basic of signals, incapable of translating these impulses from the other signals in the nervous system. There also appear to be several small, but inactive nodes scattered throughout your body, perhaps it is simply a genetic fluke, or serendipity but further exposure could potentially prime these nodes. Though that is not recommended."
"It is rather remarkable really, that you managed to survive so many exposures with such little negative effects to your body as a whole. I must assume the Alliance is attempting to recreate the conditions in future generations of biotics, after all there are just so many of you. Regardless you may leave now, there is a bunk room across from where you stored your clothes." When Shepard didn't immediately follow her orders she quickly huffed at the human. "Leave, you shall receive your amp when I am done with it." With a shrug Shepard padded off into the facility.
The building itself was almost maze like, but thanks to the Graybox Shepard had installed last time she was here she could technically never forget anything unless she chose to. Pulling back on her clothes she slipped across the hall, finding several empty bunks she promptly collapsed into the nearest one. Closing her eyes in a vain, but hope filled attempt to fall asleep quickly she heard someone shift on one of the other bunks.
"Goddess, I thought that bitch Sendris was never going to let you come out and play." Turning her head to look at who was talking to her she spied an Asari with darker purple markings around her face and crest. The Asari waved, "Tela Vasir, I am here to teach you how to be a badass, and look good while doing it." Before Shepard could speak Vasir raised her hands in a calming gesture, "Now I'm sure you are twelve levels of badass, but you are now playing the part of an Asari Spectre. That means you need to talk, act, fight, and yep even walk like an Asari. Now for most I wouldn't think they could pull it off, but apparently your are some weird hybrid super genius, killing machine so if anyone can pull it off I figured it would be you."
Shepard pulled herself up into a sitting position, "Alright, when are we going to start?"
Vasir simply smirked, before shouting "Training begins now!" Next thing she knew everything was going hazy, though she vaguely recalled Vasir's voice in the background saying, "What do you mean you removed her fucking amp for the scan!"
S&S
Her first few days were mainly focused on simply how to move, Asari tended to not rush while not engaged in combat. Movements were planned, but not rushed, giving them and undeniable grace. Though Vasir was very insistent that her walk was still wrong, "I told you for the last time Vasir, I am not going to avoid attention with the wrong walk, simply so that I can have everyone stare at my ass instead." The Asari merely smiled, "Come on Shepard, as Spectres it is our job to use every advantage we have. And lets both admit, that your ass is a very, very large advantage."
"Vasir, just freaking show me how to walk and not look like one of the dancers in Chora's Den." Vasir perked up at that, slowly prowling up to her, before leaning in uncomfortably close to whisper into Shepards ear, "Now why would a nice girl like you be in such a dirty place like Chora's." Shepard felt hands that were definitely not hers land on her ass, she released an aggravated sigh she had been holding back. Reaching back she grabbed the Asari's hands and firmly pulled them away. "Walking, sans stripper. Now!" Vasir walked around grumbling something that sounded an awful lot like "spoilsport" under her breath.
The next few days were focused mainly on cultural aspects of Asari life that would have been drilled into her head were she actually an Asari. Thanks again to her Graybox this was a fast process, though learning the primary trade language used by many Asari, New Armalian, was painful if only because she had to learn not only the language, but also to adopt the Illium accent so as to not give herself away as a non-native speaker.
"Goddess Shepard this isn't something you can learn from a book, I need you out there actually listening to people talk, watching how they move, none of which you can do sitting around here." Vasir activated her Omni briefly, "I just uploaded you directions to a bar I know, part of your training now is to go there for a few hours every night. Observe, interact, learn to actually act like you are from here."
S&S
And so she found herself at a nearby bar run by a Matriarch of all things. Mostly she stuck back, observing, occasionally conversing with those who initiated it with her, or with Aethyta the Matriarch. Always on the watch for telltale gestures, local pronunciations, odd local flavor words, things she knew that would be necessary for her to excel in her new profession.
It was on her fourth day though that something changed. It had started off normal enough, "Back again kid, while I'm flattered I think you should know I'm too old for you." Shepard smirked back at the crass Matriarch, "Nice to see you too Aethyta, just what I usually get please." The Matriarch turned her back for Shepard, giving him a chance to scan the room. It wasn't as busy as usual, only a single group was on the elevated platform reserved for parties, and a few couples sat scattered about the room. A single lone Asari in the back had her nose in a datapad, which was unusual. Hearing the clink of a glass she turned back to the bar, finding herself starring at two drinks. "Um, Aethyta. I know you say I don't drink enough but unless this is on the house I'm not paying for a drink I didn't order."
The Matriarch let out a huff, "It's not for you, its for Liara, the Asari in the back, with the datapad." Shepard just nodded, glancing at the Maiden in the corner again, noticing that she had a series of marks around her eyes that looked vaguely like freckles. "Okay, then why are you giving her drink to me."
Aethyta did the Asari variant of a face palm, muttering to herself, "I thought you claimed that you were intelligent." Gesturing towards Liara she spoke more forcefully, "Look that girl up there has no life, she bounces from dig to dig because it makes her think she didn't get her doctorate just to tick off her mother. This is her last night here, and you aren't half bad, for a human at least. Plus you said you were smart so I thought you could connect with her, starting to doubt you on that one now." Shepard just blinked at her a few times, "Are you setting me up." The Asari huffed almost explosively, "No! I'm setting her up. I mean sure you aren't hard to look at, but aside from the fact that you pay on time I could take you or leave you. Just do a Matriarch a favor will you."
Shepard took another glance towards Liara, "You're lucky I have a soft spot for freckles." She grabbed the two glasses and slipped off towards the Maiden, hearing Aethyta's mumbling in the background "Freckles, what in Athame's tits is she even talking abo-."
Reaching the table the Maiden was sitting at Shepard was unsure of how to approach, she decided to simply be straightforward, because if she was being honest she hadn't really been in a relationship since she enlisted. Flings here and there, occasionally just grabbing some random person while on shore leave, but nothing of any substance. She wasn't expecting this to turn into some epic tale of true love, but she didn't want to approach this as she would have before. She'd be the first to admit that Akuze made her realize just how few people she had in her life, and that number had only diminished since then. So maybe she would let this play out, she wasn't planning on missing out on opportunities for happiness, even if they were dropped into her laps by cranky matriarch's.
"Hi, um, my name's Shepard would you mind if I sat down?" The Asari had apparently not noticed her at all, as she dropped the datapad to the table while letting out a noise that Shepard found adorable. Her eyes were wide as she stammered a little, "W-Why would you want to sit down here, there are plenty of other unoccupied tables." And Aethyta called me oblivious, she slid the drink across the table to Liara before responding "I saw you all alone here, and thought you might like some company."
Liara looked at the glass as though she had handed her a grenade, "Aethyta put you up to this didn't she, she's the only one who knows that I drink this." Her voice had an edge to it that Shepard didn't expect from the person she just caused to squeak from fright. Shepard fidgeted slightly, "Um is there any answer to that question that doesn't end up with me getting hit with a singularity." Goddess she wished that new amp of her's was done, but oh no they had to make sure that the monkey tech didn't interfere with the beauty of the device. It was an amp, who gave a damn what it looked like!
Liara gave a small smile, "Yes there may be a way, please sit down Shepard. We are going to sit here, talk a little. You will finish your drink, and then leave, afterwards Aethyta and I will have yet another chat on this subject. I swear she thinks something is wrong with me just because I'm not obsessed with sex. Is it so odd that I simply like my work, and in between digs is the only time I really have to work on my theory. So, as you are my hostage, I will allow you to chose the topic of conversation. It seems only fair."
Shepard nodded in agreement, "So, ah, I know you have a doctorate, what did you study?" Liara smiled slightly, "Archaeology, my primary focus is on the Protheans." Shepard mulled that over, it wasn't all that surprising. There was always a calling for more Prothean tech, Archaeology was even more lucrative now than it had been when it was little more than treasure hunting back on Earth.
"So what is this theory of yours about?" Liara rolled her eyes a little, "I'm sure you are just being polite." Shepard shook her head to disagree, "Alright, but I confess you will probably find it terribly dull." That caused Shepard to smile, she laughed a little before replying "Trust me Doctor, um I just realized I don't know your last name."
"T'Soni"
"Trust me Doctor T'Soni, I could stand to have some dullness in my life."
Liara sighed, "Alright but bear in mind this is just a theory, but I believe that the relays, even the citadel itself was not constructed by the Protheans. That they were one in a number of species who have used them and just vanished in a, a," She seemed to pause as if forgetting how to finish, Shepard cautiously decide to pipe in, "Like a cycle?" Liara's eyes lit up, "Yes! Exactly, it is a kind of galactic cycle, a civilization rises up, and then it vanishes. There just isn't much evidence to support it, but I swear I can see the pattern, it is simply convincing anyone else of it that is the difficult part."
Shepard leaned back in her seat, musing on what the Asari had said. Accessing whatever she could remember of the Protheans and their history. "So I can only see two options for this cycle, either some force or event has caused these species to be wiped out and leave little trace behind. Or that they reached some type of technological ascendance, I personally think that would make some level of sense. I mean what would be the point of some malevolent force just waiting out there to wipe out technologically advanced species."
Liara nodded quickly, "I agree, perhaps there are still clues to lead us to what happened to them in some other ancient structure. Goddess, I've never had someone actually listen to my theory without mocking it, or falling asleep. Tell me Shepard are you an academic yourself? I've met few outside of my own profession that would know anything about the Protheans, aside for the fact that they had incredibly advanced technology."
Shepard shook her head, "No, I was until recently an Alliance Special forces member, but well that life is over with I suppose. I'm here getting outfitted for a new amp, before I ship out with a planetary scout for the Council. I'll be gone for a few years, but I was burned pretty bad when I left the Alliance and I think that getting some distance will help me to heal. Plus I always wanted to go on some grand adventure into the unknown, always seemed kind of romantic I guess."
Liara softly smiled back, "I too find the isolation can be a welcome solace from, well, lets just say that I can understand the appeal. I am looking forward to when I can start doing solo digs myself, a chance to do my job as I feel I should, not in the way most expedient to the university."
The two of them continued to make small but pleasant conversation, several more rounds of drinks came and went, none of them ordered or paid for. Liara who had been glancing at her gloved hands finally, tentatively, shyly even, broached the subject, "Shepard why are you wearing gloves? Unless you don't want to tell me." Before Shepard could answer Liara continued to babble on, "I offended you didn't I. Goddess I'm such an idiot." The Asari buried her head in her hands, though Shepard could make out a mumbled, "I'm sorry."
Shepard reached across the table, placing her left hand on Liara's arm, ignoring the thumbs up Aethyta was giving her in the background. "You didn't offend me Liara, and yes there is a reason why I wear these gloves." She withdrew her left hand, reached over and tugged the glove off of her right. Liara's eyes widened at the sight of the artificial limb, "I won't be offended if you aren't interested anymore." Shepard had learned the hard way that many people, especially those raised in Council space found cybernetic augmentations to be distasteful, even more so if the cybernetic wasn't covered up to resemble a natural limb.
However Liara's eyes held nothing but apt interest, "I've never seen such an advanced prosthetic, is it just your hand?" Shepard only mutely shook her head, "Fascinating, do you, feel with it? If someone touched it could you feel them?" She once again could only mutely nod. A small shy smile crept across Liara's face, "May I?" Goddess, this can't be real Shepard thought. She slowly extended her hand towards Liara, who slowly placed her hand on top of her own. She ran her fingers over the knuckles of the hand, causing it to twitch slightly, "Goddess, I've never seen a replacement limb that is so advanced. Whomever made it must be truly gifted."
Shepard's face burned up, a combination of the liquor and the unintended compliment. "Well if you wanted to you could always just tell her personally?" Liara's face quirked in confusion, before Shepard smiled widely, "I designed, and built it Liara. Same with my eye, the not, not red one." Liara's face was a mix between amazement, and utter confusion. "You built them?" Shepard's lips quirked from a smile to a smirk "Yep!"
"And you were in the military why? I mean this arm alone is a masterpiece of modern technology, and I don't even want to get into the fact that you have what looks to be a normal looking eye that you can is artificial. So I take it red is not a normal human eye color, or different shades?"
"No, yes, what I mean is it is rare but there are some cases. As for the pigment, well turns out the lenses I made can't have their color changed. So I stuck with it, because it hurt to put that in, easily the fourth worst experience I've had pain wise."
"Alright you two! Either shack up or get out, I need to close and I can't keep watching this will they or won't they shit!" Aethyta's voice drew their attention to the deserted nature of the bar, Shepard feeling very bold offered her hand, the cybernetic one, to Liara.
"I'm bunking at the Armali Council building, so if you want to whisk me away to your hidden love nest Doctor T'Soni I promise I won't put up much of a fight."
For a long moment she feared that Liara would decline, but then a look of determination came over her as she grasped Shepard's hand. "I'd be delighted to Shepard."
S&S
Shepard woke to the angry buzzing in her ear that signaled she had an incoming call. Grumbling she activated the Omni, "Ya," her voice was rough from the night she had with Liara. "Shit Shepard, did you actually go out and make me proud for once. I'll make a heart breaking vixen of you yet. OOOH, is that her in the back, she's absolutely delicious looking, and so young too! Shepard! You try to act all prim and proper but I knew you had it in you! I'm so proud, almost like my own daughter is coming into her own, you think she's into threewa-," Shepard disconnected the call.
Growling she sent Vasir a message, "What did you actually need?" Vasir's reply appeared shortly after, "Bitch is done with your amp, few more days of training then you will be cleared to go. Also send me pictures!"
Shepard just shut down the Omni, it really wasn't worth the pain to fight with Vasir at this moment. Liara shifted beside her, causing Shepard to glance down at the young Asari. She did like Liara, but Liara knew Shepard, who was officially going to be gone for two years. She sighed, standing up and beginning the process of finding her clothes.
Having achieved success in that goal she slipped back into the bedroom, "Liara, come on wake up." The doctor merely grumbled in her sleep, Shepard thought of an idea though "Miss T'Soni, wake up." Liara's face seemed to frown at that, she mumbled "Doctor T'Soni," while her eyes groggily opened. Then shot awake when she realized the situation she was in, "Shepard! Goddess, what is going on." Shepard sat down on the edge of the bed, "Liara, we need to talk. I'll admit I like you, but well your heading off to you dig today. I'm leaving for two years in just a few days, if you were interested I could send you a data packet every week. We will be too far out for comm buoy but we will be dropping a preliminary communication web behind us as we move. I mean this is only if you were interested, um, are you?"
Liara's face seemed to light up, "Yes Shepard, I would be delighted to. And maybe once you are back we can, well, with the bed, and the" she faded off as her blush seemed to have taken all the blood from her brain. Shepard leaned in close, kissing her softly on her lips. "Ya, I enjoyed our night too." She leaned her forehead against Liara's for another few moments, before whispering "Until next time Doctor." She slipped out of the room quickly, because she knew if she stayed she might do something that she would regret. Leaving her Omni's contact information downstairs on a table, she slipped outside and hailed a taxi.
S&S
The installation of the amp had been quick, painless, and thankfully sans Sendris. A few simple exercises lead to her realizing how different her biotics behaved now. Before she was limited to shielding herself, or a body part to augment a strike, and a light throw now and then. Vasir had explained to her that while she wasn't commando strong, the finesse that she could theoretically reach now was substantially increased. She soon found that she had a knack for stasis fields, but still didn't have enough juice to pull off the more potent biotic attacks.
She did start to draw up new plans for a new integrated whip like weapon. She planned on using a series of disks that she would manipulate via her biotics, the disks themselves would be enveloped in an electrical field powered by her armor. Enabling her to incapacitate her targets with it, plus it would look badass in her opinion.
She had spent the next several days practicing combat drills with some commando friends of Vasir's. They had quickly come to the conclusion that she would never pass off as a commando, but Vasir suggested she imply that she had Eclipse ties. Eventually however she was deemed 'competent enough at ass shaking' to be cleared to meet up with Nihlus.
"Thank you Tela, I do appreciate the training. The comments, and the groping, not so much." Vasir merely smirked, "How about you come over here, you now, for old times sake." Shepard merely laughed, but didn't move an inch. "I think I'll pass, guess this is it until I find myself at this shore again." Asari terms were creeping ever more into her dialogue, which she supposed was the point of a cover, but she still found herself stopping every now and then to think about it.
"Oh look at you, talking like a big girl and everything. But, in all seriousness Shepard watch yourself. I don't want to go another six hundred years and never get to see that ass again."
Shepard didn't reply as she stepped on to the waiting transport, she quickly stowed her gear above her seat before settling down into her seat. She opened up her Omni, and after a moment of hesitation began to write her first message to Liara.
S&S
AN: This chapter was well a pain, I wrote most of it out by hand while at work. Then rewrote the whole thing as I was transcribing it, I still have no idea why Vasir turned out the way she did. But I just could not write her any differently.
And yes the cut before the sexiness was intentional, I don't have anything against people writing about sex. I just personally won't, plus I think it would have killed the whole vibe I was going for to cut into some raunchy sex scene. Though Aethyta would approve I suppose.
Thanks to those who have reviewed, and followed.
