Chapter Four:

Even though she had been expecting it, the camera drones and the loud, shouting mob held back by a yellow security lightstrip startled Tevos a little as she exited the private docking bay and entered Armali's largest transport hub. The questions began as soon as they saw her.

"Councilor, how long have you –"

"... honeymoon pictures with bondmate bracel –"

"- do the other Councilors know about..."

Tevos's lips pressed together in a thin line as she studied the crowd of reporters. She was glad that she had been able to convince Aria to remain on the ship, at least for the time being. The sight of them together might have sent the horde trampling right through the security strip, her C-Sec agents, and her harried personal assistant.

Slightly ahead of her, Neota was trying to control the crowd with little luck. "The Councilor will not be giving any statements at this time. If she wishes to grant any interviews or hold a press conference, she will make an announcement at her earliest convenience –"

The questions continued pouring out.

"When did Aria T'Loak –"

"- which one of you proposed..."

"... true that Commander Shepard attended the –"

"... been sharing classified information with Aria T'Loak?"

That last one made Tevos's stomach clench. The reporter was instantly familiar to her, and she sighed. Khalisah. Perhaps this once, honey was called for instead of vinegar. She stepped up behind Neota, gently touching her arm. "Do you see the human female in the purple and pink dress, standing near the front and slightly to the right?"

"Yes, Councilor Tevos, but..."

"I'm going to leave with my bodyguards, and most of this mob will follow me. Make sure she stays behind with you. Tell her I'm willing to meet with her once I'm done speaking to the matriarchs, and bring her back onto the ship to wait for me. I should only be gone a few hours."

The young maiden nodded, but didn't look particularly thrilled with this turn of events. "What if she refuses?"

"She won't refuse. And, Goddess, make sure to keep her away from Aria at all costs."

"I'll try, Councilor, but Aria is... difficult to control."

Tevos lowered her voice and cupped a hand over her lips so that none of the cameras would be able to read them. "Tell her I'll cut her off if she threatens, injures, or kills anyone while she's on my ship. That should keep her in check for a little while, at least." It had taken all of Tevos's persuasive skills to convince Aria that she would be better off waiting on the ship. It was doubtful that the matriarchs would give her an audience at all if Aria was with her, and Tevos definitely did not want Aria hanging around while she spoke with Irissa. She couldn't imagine a meeting between her ex-girlfriend and her current bondmate going well under any circumstances.

"As you wish," Neota said, although she still seemed uncertain.

Satisfied with her decision, Tevos headed for the large metal doors that marked the exit. She hoped the Skycar was already waiting for her, because she wanted to get away from this crowd as soon as possible.

A little over a minute later, she and three of her C-Sec agents were flying through Armali's familiar airspace. The traffic was even comforting. Tevos had grown up in Pania, a wealthy district outside the city limits, but she had started her political career here, and Armali would always be her home, just as Serrice was Irissa's.

Thinking of Irissa reminded Tevos of the vid message she had received earlier, and she typed out a quick message on her Omnitool to let her old friend know that she was on her way to the Temple. In addition to being a place of worship for both the followers of Athame and Siari, it also served as a town hall of sorts, offering a neutral place for the matriarchs to meet and discuss political and social matters of importance. Tevos even had a permanent office there, although it was smaller than her office on the Citadel.

As they turned a corner, Tevos glanced out the window and noticed that several of the large buildings in Armali's trade district were no longer there. Most of the rubble had been cleared away, but the stark reminder of the war was chilling. The rest of the flight was short, and before she knew it, the driver had pulled up to one of the Temple's side entrances. Being the asari Councilor had its perks – she didn't have to go through security at the front. Everyone was allowed to worship at the Temple or sit in on the meetings held there, but most visitors had to be screened first.

Instead of waiting for the driver or one of her bodyguards to open the door, Tevos exited the Skycar herself. Despite everything, she was glad to be home. "Thank you for escorting me this far," she said to the C-Sec agents that had been accompanying her, checking to make sure she had her Omnitool and her credit chit. "I'll call you when I'm ready to leave. There's a cozy bar across the street if you're interested, and I'll cover your expenses."

That was enough to get rid of most of her bodyguards, but one remained, a male turian that hadn't removed his helmet even though the atmosphere on Thessia was breathable. Tevos frowned, a line creasing her forehead as she studied him. Then, she sighed and shook her head. "Oh, Aria..."

The turian took off his helmet, realizing that his deception had gone on long enough. "She just wants you to be safe," Grizz said, the flange in his voice almost soft.

"How did you manage to get a C-Sec uniform, though?"

"Probably better if you don't know," he muttered. "Aria doesn't trust those barefaced hatchlings to do their job, so she sent me."

"I'm flattered, but it really wasn't necessary. The Temple is perfectly safe. Surely Aria has more important things for you to do..."

Grizz shook his head, mandibles vibrating in protest. "Are you kidding? Aria only cares about two things in the entire Galaxy – Omega, and you. Being assigned to protect either one means you have her absolute trust... as much as she ever trusts anyone, I mean. I'm not going to blow this."

Tevos gave a resigned sigh, although her posture did not sink. "Very well. You may accompany me, although I ask that you remain discreet. Do not speak to the matriarchs, and if I ask you to step back so that I can have a private conversation, trust my judgment."

Although he didn't look thrilled with the restrictions being placed on him, Grizz knew that he needed to stay by Tevos's side or risk Aria's wrath. He would cede some ground – or at least give the appearance of doing so. "As long as I get to come with you instead of waiting out here. I'm disgusted that the other guards just left..."

"Several priestesses in this temple are powerful biotics, and I am not without my own resources."

"Doesn't matter. They had a job to do, and they're not doing it."

Tevos decided that arguing with Grizz was pointless. She headed for the small side door, submitting to a facial scan until it opened with a soft hiss. The cameras would record Grizz as he followed her, but no one would object to his presence. Tevos had standing permission to bring however many escorts she required into the Temple. She just hoped the turian would behave when they appeared before the matriarchs. The thought of standing before a large audience of her peers and being forced to accept their criticism made Tevos's stomach lurch violently, and she had to stop walking for a moment.

Grizz paused, breaking his own stride to stand beside her. One of his hands paused, half outstretched, as if he was unsure whether touching Tevos would be breaking some kind of rule. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Thank you." As Tevos tried to suppress a second wave of nausea, she heard the chirp of her Omnitool and lifted her wrist. Another message from Irissa, in text this time, read: 'Waiting in your office.'

Not sure whether she felt better or worse at the prospect of speaking with Irissa, Tevos passed several acolytes, security guards, and visitors going about their business. Some seemed to recognize her, and their gazes followed her for a little longer than was strictly necessary, but she ignored them and strode past the small groups with a swiftness and grace that hid her uncertainty.

"How bad has it been?" she asked Grizz before realizing that her thoughts had run away with her and he had no idea what she was talking about. It wasn't as though he could read her mind. "The extranet reports about me and... and Aria. I haven't looked."

"Beach photos, mostly," Grizz said as they stopped in front of another door. Tevos keyed in the security code on her Omnitool, but didn't stand in front of the facial scanner, allowing the red light to continue blinking as it waited for her.

"Oh. I see." Almost all asari beaches were nude beaches, and although Tevos was usually modest in her dress, she was not ashamed of her body. Her own people wouldn't judge her for going without clothes on vacation, but other species might not be so understanding.

"Most of them were close-ups of the bracelets," Grizz added, adjusting the pistol at his hip. It had been a gift from Aria in preparation for Shepard and Liara's wedding, although he had purchased several upgrades for it since then.

Tevos sighed. "I'm not sure whether that is better or worse." She moved in front of the facial scanner. "Wait outside for me, please." Grizz looked like he was going to protest, but Tevos silenced him with a look. "No one in my office will hurt me. I'm just... going to see an old friend. I promise I will not come to any harm."

"If I say no, you'll trap me with a singularity and lock me out, won't you?" Grizz asked, a little grumpily. Tevos nodded, and even managed a small smile. "Fine. But no one else is coming in or out of this room."

"Thank you."

"Don't make me regret this."

. . .

Tevos stepped through the open door to her office, and wasn't surprised to see Irissa standing behind her desk, facing away as she gazed out the window. "Thea. I'm surprised I could still get in here. You didn't remove my scan from the database?"

"Why would I? We're still friends, and I don't keep anything classified in this office."

Irissa turned around, but kept her hands folded behind her back. "If we're such good friends, why didn't you tell me about Aria?" The light markings that surrounded Irissa's eyes seemed to tighten, and she frowned. "I know you hardly need my blessing, but a warning vid call would have been nice. Most people don't like to see pictures of their ex-girlfriends wearing nothing but a bondmate bracelet and lounging seductively on the beach with a dangerous criminal during the morning news cycle."

Tevos deliberately ignored the sarcasm in Irissa's voice, making a mental note to look at the pictures later and determine who had taken them. She knew they couldn't be the same holos that she had sent Liara and Shepard – besides, the Shadow Broker had much more damning evidence of her relationship with Aria. "And what would you have done if I told you? Tried to talk me out of it? Gone to the matriarchs? No one knew about my relationship with Aria except for Liara T'Soni, Commander Shepard, and my personal assistant. A few of Aria's people probably guessed, but they were hardly going to expose me."

"You thought I'd tell them?" Irissa stepped closer, looking Tevos up and down and resting one hand on the edge of the desk. The councilor tried to stand still under her ex-lover's scrutiny, but couldn't seem to get her heartbeat under control.

"I didn't want to make you choose between your loyalty to me and your loyalty to the matriarchs. It wasn't a matter of trust, it was –"

"Some of the matriarchs want a confidence vote," Irissa blurted out. There was a long, heavy pause.

"Which ones?"

"Amytis. Deianira. Jacinth..."

"Enough to give the idea viability," Tevos said quietly to herself.

"They're already looking for your replacement. My name may have come up."

Without another word, Tevos turned and headed for the door. A gentle but insistent hand at her wrist stopped her before she could leave. Slowly, they moved to face each other again. "Look, I don't want to fight with you. The matriarchs volunteered me for this against my will."

"And you expect me to believe you?" Tevos snapped. "Why, because of our past? You dumped me, just in case you've forgotten."

"This has nothing to do with our relationship and everything to do with your actions during the war. Some of the matriarchs are still holding a grudge about the Prothean beacon. In my opinion, you saved all of us by passing that data on to Shepard. They should have thanked you and maybe groveled for a few decades instead of putting you up for a confidence vote. Your decision spared billions of lives."

"And if I had believed Shepard from the start instead of denying the existence of the Reapers, I could have saved millions more," Tevos said bitterly. "Thessia fell because I – because we – didn't listen. It just seemed so implausible back then... a race of ancient, sentient machines harvesting all organic life for no apparent reason. But I learned the hard way that ignoring Shepard meant lost lives."

Irissa didn't say anything for a long moment, and when she did, the response wasn't accusatory or placating. "Are your nightmares worse?"

Tevos sighed. She had always been prone to nightmares, but after the war, they had become bloodier, guiltier, and more frequent. "Much worse, especially if I haven't melded recently. I'm doubling up on stims in the mornings, and it's starting to show."

"And Aria? She helps with these nightmares?" Tevos caught the note of concern in Irissa's question, but wasn't sure what had caused it or what it meant.

"She's about the only thing that does."

"The same way I used to?"

"Don't tell me you're jealous," Tevos said dismissively. "You're the one who broke up with me by saying, 'Goddess, I am so tired of tying you up, beating you, and calling you names every other day, Thea!'" She lowered the pitch of her voice and added a bit more gravel to the texture, and the fairly accurate impression caused Irissa to snort. "That really hurt my feelings for a few decades."

"I don't mind adding a little kink to my sex life once in a while for variety, but you needed it all the time. It's part of your identity, not just something you do occasionally out of boredom."

Looking back on their failed relationship, Tevos couldn't help feeling slightly ashamed. "You were very accommodating and selfless. Perhaps I took you for granted."

"I should have ended it sooner. I realized it wasn't working for me, but dumping a beautiful woman who gave me the best head of my life just because she had a few kinks seemed really stupid when I thought about it for too long."

"You needed someone more traditional," Tevos said, not sounding particularly hurt. Her old relationship with Irissa wasn't nearly as painful to discuss as her choices during the war. "I understand. I needed someone who enjoyed dominating me as much as I enjoyed submitting." Then, she suddenly processed the rest of what her former lover had said. "Wait, really? The best?" She blushed and lowered her voice. "I'm flattered."

Irissa shrugged. "Sure. When I fantasize about oral, it's usually you. Could have done without the paddles and crops, though. And the degradation was kind of a turn-off. Although I did learn how to tie a lot of interesting knots..."

"It's a good thing we broke up," Tevos admitted. "I've gotten a lot worse. Or better, depending on whom you ask."

"She treats you well? Doesn't abuse your limits and gives you plenty of aftercare?"

Tevos smiled, although the gesture was slightly forced. Her stomach still felt like it was weighted down, and the start of a headache pulsed at the back of her neck. "Yes, she does treat me well. I've never felt unsafe with her. Your concern is... touching."

"Do you have any idea what you're going to tell the matriarchs?"

"The truth. I have conditioned my mind for centuries in order to resist forced melds. And honestly, Aria has never tried to take anything I haven't offered. At least, nothing work related."

Irissa looked slightly surprised at this, but quickly schooled her features. "Never?"

"Never. She is... a very powerful force," Tevos admitted. "But not powerful enough to break me. My mental barriers are strong."

"I can testify to that fact before the matriarchs."

It was Tevos's turn to look surprised, but her astonishment was quickly replaced with a flood of gratitude. "You would do that for me?"

"Yes, but don't expect miracles. Even if Aria can't steal secrets from your mind, she could always pick up a stray datapad in a shared living space or figure out your passwords. The matriarchs have other reasons to be concerned."

"I don't just leave government secrets lying around my bedroom, and – stop. Don't diminish what you're doing for me, Irissa," Tevos insisted. "Admitting to a relationship with me, even one that ended over a century ago, will lower some opinions, especially now."

"It never seemed to stop them from supporting your candidacy."

"What do you mean?"

"Your taste for azure is kind of an open secret. All of the matriarchs knew before you became our Councilor. They're just too polite to bring it up."

Tevos made a noise of frustration in her throat. "And I thought I was being discreet."

"At least you're honest. You would be surprised how many of them sleep with each other, take a break for a few decades to have a daughter with a turian or a salarian, and then go right back to asari. It's the worst kind of hypocrisy. I was really proud when Benezia came forward with a pureblood daughter, even if she didn't reveal the father." Irissa paused to consider. "Of course, that might have been because the father in question was Aethtya. She's here today, by the way."

Tevos let out a short laugh and shook her head as she recalled several vivid memories of the unapologetically crude matriarch. Recently, Aethyta's unique brand of wisdom had been given more credence by the asari government thanks to the contributions of her daughter, and she was currently tolerated, if not beloved, by the other matriarchs once again.

"I'm sure whatever Aethyta has to say to the matriarchs about my situation will be..." Tevos groped for a word that wasn't completely rude, and eventually settled on, "enlightening."

"I have no doubt. Liara is here, too."

"So that's where the reporters came from this morning," Tevos muttered, partially to herself.

"You're rather friendly with her, aren't you? Did you know she was expecting before the news broke?"

Tevos felt her cheeks grow uncomfortably warm, and imagined that they were turning an interesting shade of purple. She hoped that Irissa wouldn't notice. "Yes. She and Commander Shepard informed me personally several weeks ago."

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Irissa glanced in the direction of the door. "The matriarchs are waiting for us in the east wing of the temple. We're probably late already."

"Would you like to walk with me, or should I wait here for another minute? It might not be prudent for us to arrive at the same time."

Irissa smiled and stepped aside so that Tevos could pass her, giving the side of her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Thea, after everything we've shared as lovers and as friends, the least I can do is walk into a room beside you."

When the two of them attempted to exit the office together, they nearly ran into Grizz, who had been standing with his back against the door even though it was locked. He turned around, looking relieved when he saw that Tevos was unharmed. Not that he had expected anything to happen to Tevos in her own office – but if anything did happen, the punishment for failure would be unspeakable. He gave Irissa an appraising look, and eventually decided that she wasn't an immediate threat, although he kept his talons on the handle of his pistol.

"Who is this?" Irissa asked Tevos, frowning slightly at Grizz. "I've never seen you with only one bodyguard before. It's always a compliment of them or none at all." She paused to study him even more closely, just as he had studied her. "Besides, he seems awfully... protective."

"Grizz is one of Aria's people."

Irissa didn't bother hiding her disapproval. "Does Aria often pay merc bodyguards to... escort you?" It was clear that 'escort' was meant to be a polite way of saying 'obsessively follow your every move', and Tevos frowned at what her friend was implying.

"Of course not. I wouldn't put up with this if it were a regular occurrence. I think Aria felt bad for me. It's actually rather sweet, even if it was completely unnecessary. No offense," she added for Grizz's benefit.

"Hopefully, you won't need me. But if you do..."

Tevos smiled. She had grown fond of Grizz over the years, and he was surprisingly pleasant to converse with, considering his job. Then again, so was Aria. "I appreciate the extra protection," Tevos said in an effort to be conciliatory. "Let's get going. The matriarchs are surely waiting for us to arrive."