I don't own the Mass Effect.


Chapter 2: The Knives

"You sure you don't need me with you boss?" Illyan asked as she gave my back-plate a hard tug, making sure that everything was secure. "Wouldn't take more than a few minutes to get the rest of my gear."

"And what, disguise yourself as a giant Batarian?" I snorted inside my helmet. "How much of their language do you even know?"

"Rane taught me a few curses. Really don't get why they're all about desert animals though."

"Then perhaps you should have spent more time researching my people," Said Batarian's voice was prim through her helmet speakers, her assault rifle turning in her hands as she inspected the weapon. "And less time trying to get me into bed."

The Asari let out an almost lustful groan at the last word. "Goddess. Don't mention beds or sleep until you get back. Stims are barely keeping me up right now. And that damned Salarian won't shut up."

"Dorvahn should be over in a bit. He can hold the place down until we get back."

As I'd more or less expected I'd woken up to both sore muscles and several irritated messages from my nominal commander. After finding a shirt with a high enough collar to hide the left side of my neck, I'd finally given her an actual call. She hadn't been thrilled that I hadn't bothered to properly do so the night prior, but had accepted my protests of exhaustion so long as I understood that she'd beat me senseless if I did it again.

That point of order resolved, she'd had me go over my plan for the day. Giving it her approval, the only change she'd made was to send her boyfriend over after he'd awoken to let Illyan get some rest. Illyan had originally protested when I'd told her, claiming that she was fine, but had eventually admitted that it was probably a good idea.

"How long he staying?"

"Until you wake up." I started to reach for my SMG to check it before I realized my mistake and hastily amended myself. "Until you've slept for nine hours. Ten if he doesn't have anything better to do."

The last yank she gave to one of my shoulder pauldrons was a little harder than necessary. "Jerk. Everything is sealed boss, ready to switch to your air."

"One sec." I turned my gun over, rechecking that the safety was on and that the mods were in place. I'd thought long and hard about picking up a heavier weapon, but had ended up just getting another Asari-built sub-machine gun. A newer model than my last one, a used Watcher Twenty-Nine that offered either automatic fire or three round bursts.

Just like the gun that had ended up destroyed on Korlus, incinerate rounds had been quickly loaded in to give it a bit stronger punch. A pricier heat sink and stabilizers had been the next purchases, but I hadn't gone beyond that yet. I was thinking about a new grip, maybe extending the barrel, but had honestly been more focused on getting our armor done.

Letting the gun collapse, I reattached it to my belt before offering my left arm to Illyan so that she could run a final check with my own omni-tool. While she handled that, I glanced over to where Rane was patiently waiting.

"Remember the plan?"

Even through the speakers her voice was dry. "We did discuss it a mere ten minutes ago. And the hour before that when Elissa and Jakari headed out to take their positions."

I sighed, but it was good to see that last night hadn't seemed to change things. So far, anyway. Air began to breeze along my neck as the fans in the back of my helmet kicked to life, my HUD updating as the suit sealed itself.

"That good boss?"

"Everything reads good, thanks Illyan. And try not to shoot Ticker. He's an ass but I don't think Sederis would appreciate it."

She grunted as she stepped away. "No promises Kie."

"You want to pay her the blood money then?"

Her blue eyes rolled back. "Fine. The damned Salarian will survive. Oh. Whoever you bring back, at least make sure they're hot. I want to have something pretty to look at."

I grunted. "We're going for the Turian, she seems more stable."

"Athame's ass.. Turian women are all hard plates and sharp edges.. do have some soft skin beneath though. Hey, that also describes Trena pretty well now that I think about it."

"I'll be sure to tell scales that you miss her." The Asari gave me a rude gesture before handing me my cane. That out of the way she headed over towards the door, flicking the control panel to open it for us. Rane and I moved past her, exiting onto the street before I gave her one last look over my shoulder. "Seal it up until Dorvahn arrives."

"I know boss. Good luck out there, try not to end up face down in the surf."

Snorting, I turned to glance around as the heavy metal clanked into place behind us.

There really wasn't much to look at on the street, not at this time of day anyway. While Omega didn't really have a 'night', according to Ticker most of the districts settled into rhythms where most shops closed to give the proprietors a chance to rest. For us, that meant the Third shift of the day.

As we were in the middle of said shift, the streets were noticeably sparse. A few Turians quickly heading the other direction, and a few scavengers poking through what they could find in the narrow spaces between the buildings were all that we saw as we started walking.

Rane stayed behind me and to my left, her equally long legs not having any issues matching my stride. "Quiet out."

"Doesn't seem natural, does it?"

"It does not.. I feel like I should have my gun out and we're twenty meters from the store."

I grunted quietly. "This isn't Illium. If it helps go for it."

She didn't reply verbally, but when I glanced back a few moments later her rifle was casually being held in both hands. Personally I would have done the same.. but thanks to her reminder yesterday I was more conscious than ever of the role I was supposed to be playing. And while she as my 'bodyguard' was more than justified in being armed, I needed to project bold, arrogant confidence.

Which meant ignoring the feeling that I was being watched and trusting that Rane could cover me.

The taxis in the area had been a Blue Sun racket, and the Talons were apparently still fighting with the White Tigers over who would run them now. In the end, what that meant for us was that the damned things were all shut down and locked away in some complex somewhere and we were stuck walking.

After reaching the end of the street as it hung out from the 'cliff' that was the asteroid proper, we turned right and followed a side path into the rock. Shifting from being in open 'air' of the cavern-like core of Omega to the metal walls and streets was a little disconcerting, though I figured I'd get used to it eventually. And it definitely made me feel like we were in an actual space station instead of merely underground or something.

Things remained quiet as we went down some stairs, across another empty street, and then up a different broad stairwell. We had to pause as veritable pack of varren went sprinting across a street with a group of irate Batarians in ragged clothing shouting obscenities as they chased after them. I had enough time to blink in confusion before a Krogan rounded the corner, waving his shotgun in the air as he pounded after them. He seemed equally furious that his 'pets' were in apparently danger and was describing, in rather disturbing detail, just how he was going to cook anyone who harmed them.

"Interesting place." I muttered as they finished passing, easing my finger off of my cane's trigger.

"Indeed." Rane murmured dryly across our comms, gunfire still echoing in the distance.

As we drew closer to the border with the Tuhi district, we ran into more people as we entered 'daylight'. Illium had been jarring in comparison to Earth, but Omega was jarring in comparison to Illium.

For a start, everyone was armed. Everyone. We walked past a pair of Turians who were half the size I'd expect them to eventually be but still carrying full blown assault rifles in their talons. Well.. shitty, half rusted rifles, but still rifles. Most of the other weapons in sight weren't in much better shape, but given that very few people seemed to actually be wearing armor I didn't doubt that they were lethal enough.

Another thing was the sheer diversity, even just in this tiny corner of the station. Illium, excepting the enclave of Khar'shan Minor and a few pockets in downtown Nos Astra, was very much an Asari planet. Sure, Asari were more diverse in real life than in the games, but even compared to humans they still weren't all that varied. Freaks like Illyan aside, most Asari didn't deviate much in terms of height and build. It was really the clothing where they tried to show off their individuality. Regardless, eventually you just got used them being predominate almost everywhere you went.

But in the ten minutes between when we'd left and now, I'd seen at least one of damned near every known species.

Most reacted to our passing about as you'd expect. The humans were almost universally long haired and in bad needs of showers. They sneered and even spit in our direction, but seemed nervous about the quality of our gear and largely gave us a wide berth. In comparison, the Batarians gave us deferential tilts of their heads and few tried to respectfully approach before Rane wordlessly warned them back with gestures.

A few Asari who looked like they were high as kites on Dust tried to stagger in our direction before a Drell distracted them with more packets of the stuff as he warily tracked us. The one Hanar flashed wildly on a street corner as he hawked crap guns, while an Elcor described its increasing irritation about his neighbors to a Krogan at an open-air bar. And damned Vorcha were everywhere, hissing and snarling at one another as they slunk from alley to alley, apparently trying to avoid damn near everyone else.

We also witnessed five brawls, saw three dead bodies being dragged into shadowy side-streets, and even glimpsed a Turian enjoying the 'services' of a kneeling Asari as he leaned against a wall.

Jack Sparrow would have felt right at fucking home.

Me? The only reason I hadn't drawn my gun was because my finger was already on my cane's trigger, half ready to blast an incinerate mine at anyone who looked at us twice.

"I'm starting to regret coming here." I admitted as we headed down a broad ramp, signs overhead informing us that we were shifting both districts and decks.

"Already?"

"Yep."

"Perhaps it will grow on you. Like Trena did."

I glanced to my right, careful to keep my head level as I regarded a stoned Salarian in the process of having everything on his person being liberated by an Asari maiden. She was holding him in place with biotics, which was making him giggle like an idiot for some reason. "Somehow I doubt it."

She made a polite noise before falling quiet as we neared the ramp's bottom.. and the slave markets.

My cane hit the metal floor sharply as I took a slow breath, pausing just outside of the sign proclaiming us to now be on Tuhi's C-Deck. Around the glowing neon were dozens of smaller markers, all proclaiming the advantages of buying 'products' from specific sellers.

Rane took a few extra steps, moving closer even though she remained behind me. "Are you all right Kie?"

"No." I let out a short breath through my nose before giving her a tiny nod. "Come on. The faster we get this over with, the faster we can leave. Click the coms if I'm too noticeable."

"Understood."

I don't want to describe the markets, I really don't. Most days I try to forget what I saw down there entirely.

All that shit that we'd walked past to get here I could put up with. I didn't like it, but I could accept that it happened and that there wasn't shit that I could do about it. But this was.. something worse than that. This made me want to murder the assholes trying to wave us over, waving their arms and hands towards people forced to stand naked on display for gawking auctioneers to bid upon. No.. not murder. Murder implied that I might kill them quickly.

I'd much rather seize every control stick and collar frequency in use and turn all that shit off, and let the 'property' take their own revenge.

Of course.. after that they'd be stuck on Omega with no food, no weapons, and in most cases not even clothing. They'd be dead, re-enslaved, or worse within minutes. Hours at the outside. Oh, and Rane and I would definitely be in the 'or worse' category. Which was really the only thing stopping me from blowing a Batarian's head off when he waved a control stick to send a nude Drell woman screaming to the ground as she clutched at her neck.

He, and many prospective buyers, cackled at her pain.

A quiet click across my comms made me slacken the grip on my cane a bit, forcing my gaze to remain locked dead ahead as I fought the urge to deactivate my external mics so that I couldn't hear have the crap happening around us.

Thankfully our target had his own 'store', nestled away in a secluded corner. It had only the smallest of signs proclaiming it to be Shith's Exotics. A pair of bulked up mechs stood guard outside the locked door, both hefting up shotguns as we approached. They looked like beefy LOKI models, and were in noticeably better shape than I'd seen almost anything else on station in.

"Halt." They buzzed in unison, the lowborn Batarian neat and precise from their speakers. "Identify yourselves."

Rane spoke from behind me, voice as bland as she could make it. "Prospective buyers, our identity to remain anonymous. Arriving for prearranged meeting as per the message sent during shift one this day."

"Analyzing." A long pause followed before their guns smoothly slid back down. "Two targets, both in Batarian armor. Corresponds to received mail. You may enter."

Behind them the door flickered as it unlocked, before sliding open for us. Taking that along with the verbal invitation, we went ahead and entered. The interior was.. different. Most of the slaves outside had been kept in cages, small or large. Either way they'd almost universally been open to show off the people trapped within.

The 'store' was absolutely tiny. There was a small circular area near the door, where we now stood. Across from us was a simple chair, upon which a plain looking Turian sat. His plating was a muddy brown, with simple red streaks across his chin and mandibles. He wasn't bothering to wear armor either, instead lounging in something that looked like a voluminous green robe.

Along the wall to either side were doorways, all of which were shut at the moment. It definitely made me nervous, and I found myself glancing at the floor to see if there was an obvious trap door or something equally inane.

"Ah, my mysterious new friends." Our apparent host rose a taloned hand in greeting, though he didn't move to get up. "Welcome to my humble shop. I am Shith. I will not be so rude as to ask your names."

"Your discretion is appreciated." Rane spoke for us, while I merely crossed my arms and assumed a politely patient posture. "You come highly reviewed."

His mandibles quivered as he seemed to preen. "Unlike the rabble outside, I prefer to take a more personal touch in my work. Though it raises my costs, my customers find the results to be most satisfactory."

Shifting, he pushed off from his armrests to stand in a smooth motion. "But we are all business people, so let us not waste one another's time with polite flattery. You wished to see T184F, and Q094F, yes?"

"With intent to purchase one, or the other."

Though it was Rane who was speaking, the Turian kept his eyes on me as he gave a slight bow, his head shifting easily into the Batarian posture for chagrined apology. "Regrettably, the Turian female was purchased earlier today. Normally I would not do such a thing, but the seller agreed to pay an additional fee for the inconvenience to other customers. I have kept a third of said money, but am applying the remainder as a discount towards your purchase of Q094F if you are interested in her."

I let out a hissing sigh that wasn't that far off from what a Batarian could actually do. "Bring her out."

"We wish to ensure that she is indeed from the Terminus." Rane supplied from there. "As well as a general inspection."

He gave another bow. "But of course, I would have been disappointed if you did not."

One of his hands vanished into the flowing cloth that he was wearing, and a few moments later one of the doors clicked and slid open. Beyond it was the slight sheen of glass, indentations making it clear that this was a secondary door intended to keep the room's occupant inside.

Said occupant was standing in the center of her small space, glaring quite furiously in our direction. I could tell that she was glaring because while he had allowed her to keep her suit on from the neck down, her head remained exposed.

Her face wasn't quite like the half-assed one I vaguely remembered in game, though it did seem to follow the Human, Asari, and Drell pattern. But like the rest of her body, it seemed to be a bit narrower and thinner than most of the other species, highlighting her sharp cheekbones and jawline.

The skin itself was light gray but marred by purple dots and stripes across her cheeks and forehead. Her lips were a bit darker in coloration, and I caught glimpses of ivory teeth when she let out a long exhale. Like Asari she didn't seem to have external ears, but like humans she had hair. Hers was pure white and cut short, a few strands dangling down in front of her almost anime-esque eyes. Besides being far larger than a human's, the gleaming silver iris seemed to dominate the orbs completely.

She was.. odd to look at. Close to human but also skirting the edge of the uncanny valley. I think it was the hair.. without it and I could tell she was alien. With it she looked like some kind of unfinished hybrid between an Asari and a human. Or maybe it was the eyes that were a good two or three times larger than mine. Probably both.

"Now, while you are paying.. I must advise you to be cautious with this one." Shith waved a hand towards the glass cage. "I purchased her from a gang after they tired of dealing with her.. in particular they believed that she overcame the pain from her neural implants to slit the throats of several members of their group."

Rane made a sound of polite interest. "Is the air in that room clean?"

"Far cleaner than that outside, but not to clean-room levels. A method of proving her origin, if you wish to review the relevant data."

"If you could send it to my omni-tool, along with any other data you have."

"But of course." I continued to observe the Quarian, who crossed her arms as her lips pulled back to sneer at my attention. Her teeth looked typical enough, though I thought she might have had an extra set of sharp looking canines. "If you would like me to continue?"

My head shifted in a polite nod.

"She also apparently had quite the mouth on her. Eventually one of their number grew tired of her sarcasm and attempted to slit her throat." Fingers tightened on my cane, thankfully held out of the Turian's sight. "Their leader brought her to a doctor who patched her up, but did not bother to repair her damaged vocal cords. She is quite mute, an obstacle to be overcome for sure."

A muscle in my cheek twitched.

Behind me, the slaver continued to speak. "Like most of her kind she is highly technically proficient, which I assume is your desire for her. Rumors of her killing gangsters in their sleep aside, he claimed that she was capable of combat though declined to share the specifics with me. I cannot recommend using her in such a manner however, as she would be more likely to turn on you rather than your enemies even with pain sent through her neural implants."

I gave a quiet grunt before speaking, trying to keep my voice low. "You would recommend keeping her supervised at all times then?"

"I would indeed good master." He seemed to hesitate, and I caught the glimpse of his reflection glancing at Rane before he admitted more. "Even by the standards of this station, I would.. not describe her as stable. The gang who owned her did not treat her well, which is never conductive to a slave accepting their life. I am willing to provide a further discount based upon that."

Great. If the Omega based slaver didn't think she was sane, that didn't exactly bode well.

"Does she have a mask or antibiotic supply?" My companion spoke up, her omni-tool still clicking as she scrolled through information.

"She does posses the former, it will be slid into the room upon purchase."

I dipped my helmet again. "Any other relevant information?"

"I would not recommend that she be used for more carnal pursuits. I believe the gang in question did so. That, in addition to her damage to her throat, is much of what has affected her." This time I was surprised that the grip on my cane wasn't being deformed from how tight my fingers had gotten. Forget Shith. Slaving asshole or not, definitely a new set of people who needed to die in mind. "Beyond that, your assistant has all of your information, good master."

After that he and I fell silent, waiting while Rane reviewed the data. It took her a good ten minutes, the entire time of which the Quarian continued to burn holes in my armor with her glare.

"It all checks out. I believe she would be acceptable sir."

"Price?"

"After your discounts, two hundred thousand. I do not haggle, you may take my price or you may leave. If you do not wish her, I will consent to alert you if I receive another technically capable slave and apply your discount to them as well. It is only good business, after all."

"Sir?" My right hand rose in permission. "We have an agreement, we will take the Quarian."

The pair of them worked out the specifics, the credits transferring from a dummy account that Aethyta's people had setup for us. She'd definitely bitch about the price, especially if the Quarian didn't end up joining us.. but too bad for her. Not that I thought that Aethyta would really care, so much as the drifting idiots who provided her budget would.

With the payment received, the Turian flicked a few more hidden controls. A small panel inside the room opened to provide her with a helmet and a mask. She quickly took both, hiding her face away behind the tinted glass. After that she was in considerably less of a hurry, only exiting the opened room after Shith gave her a shock.

After which he had her stay still while he handed a control rod to Rane, explaining how it worked. Apparently even Terminus Quarians had extensive neural implants and cybernetics, and unfortunately those kinds of things could be co-opted by determined slavers. We had options to send electrical shocks to stun and surprise her, or to generate burning heat to deliver real pain.

Through it all her silver eyes remained narrowed, and at one point one of her feet actually started to fidget as though she was impatient to get this over with.

"I would recommend handcuffing her until you reach your destination, lest she try to run." The Turian had once again seated himself, and sounded far more jovial now that the sale was completed. "But the choice is ultimately yours."

"We will be fine." Rane supplied, handing me the control rod before pulling her rifle off of her back once more. "Thank you for your services."

"Thank your for your purchase."

The three of us, with my companion directing our new 'slave' with gestures from her gun, exited the tiny store. We stayed silent as we guided her back out of the markets, enduring far more looks on the way out than on the way in. Though these were less glances of respect and closer to poachers eyeing prey that they wanted for themselves. Our Quarian apparently realized that as well, because she didn't give us any issues. Even though she was five or six inches shorter than either of us she kept up easily enough.

Five minutes later found us on the ramp heading out of the district, the Salarian and his Asari mugger both absent now. We made it most of the way up the ramp before I had to stop, swerving into a refuse filled tunnel-slash-alley.

Once Rane was obscuring the street behind us.. I slammed a fist into the wall, and may or may not have shouted something obscene.

"Athame's fucking.. by the damned..." I seethed, letting my back hit a wall as I tried to work out all the crap that I'd been holding in. "Fucking.. shit!"

"Kie.. it isn't safe here." Glancing over, I found the Quarian looking at me while Rane's helmet swiveled between her and the road. "Not so close to the markets."

"Right... right." It still took me a few breaths before I could speak in a somewhat civil tone. "I'm sorry, but I don't know your name and it's rude to call you Quarian. I have a job offer for you. Once we get back to our shop we'll disable this control shit."

Eyes widened momentarily before narrowing sharply.

I had to guess at what that meant, "You're smart to be paranoid, suspicious, whatever. Let us get back to our place and we'll get you an omni-tool so we can communicate."

She seemed to roll her eyes before gesturing at her neck with a three fingered hand.

"Right, we could zap you. Really don't want to."

"Kie.. we should be moving."

Not wasting more words, I gestured for the two of them to go on. "Comm the Captain, ask her to watch our backs."

"Yes sir."

The rest of the trip was thankfully uneventful, with both Rane and I often glancing over our shoulders to make sure that no one was following us. No one seemed to, and the Eclipse Captain didn't report anyone as they left wherever they'd been set up to shadow us. All the same, we still tried to take a few more side streets and tunnels to lose anyone who tried.

Two or so hours after we'd left found us returning, the sign proclaiming our place to be the Ironhold Armory still very much deactivated. On the second floor patio directly above it, a Turian in navy armor with white highlights gave us a cheerful wave.

"MacKeenan. Back in one piece I see."

"Altheus. Anything to report?"

"Nothing of consequence. How was your expedition? Successful I see."

"Remains to be seen." I waved a hand, "We'll talk inside."

"I will remain on watch, you may handle your own affairs." Dorvahan settled back out of site, the barrel of a rifle visibly coming to rest on the rail. "If you would come speak with me after, I would appreciate it."

"Right."

A flick of my omni-tool opened the front door. Once it was open, I waved the two women inside, following only once they were in. Rane quickly holstered her gun, gently guiding the Quarian to the stairs in back. I trailed behind them, the three of us heading all the way up to the third floor to find Ticker seated at our table and sipping from a steaming cup.

"Ah. Went with the Quarian? Rather surprised. Expected the Turian female. Nearly equal in skill, description indicated higher degree of sanity."

"Ticker.." I seriously didn't have the patience to deal with him right now."Go watch for your Captain with Altheus."

The Salarian let out an annoyed sniff, but duly vanished with his cup.

"I'll get her an omni-tool from our stash." Rane shook her helmet, following him down the stairs and leaving me alone with the Quarian.. who seemed to be increasingly confused as to what was happening to her.

"Take a seat. Or don't, your choice." Reaching up, my helmet popped its seals with a hiss as I yanked the damn thing off. Still not sure how I resisted the urge to throw the fucking thing in anger, but I managed to set the stupid thing on the table before collapsing into a chair.

After a long moment the Quarian took the one that Ticker had vacated, her eyes locked on me as her head cocked to one side.

"Surprised that I'm human?"

There was a slight nod.

I blew out a long breath before closing my eyes. "Fucking hate slavers. You aren't property, make that clear right now. We'll disable the crap they have running inside of you. If you want to stay, I can offer a hundred thousand in pay for twelve months of work."

It took me a minute to remember that she couldn't verbally answer me. Well.. what the fuck. No reason not to be honest with her. Besides, it wasn't as if it wouldn't be stupidly obvious if she did stay around. "We're Republic Intelligence agents, here to investigate the murders of hotel staff on Illium with another group. Brutal shit, even by Omega's apparent lack of standards. I need a fourth member for our team to help keep up appearances in this shop. In addition to the pay you can help yourself to equipment, and we'll definitely have to re-rig your suit for combat."

A soft tap on the table made me open an eye, her head cocked to one side again.

"Interested?"

Gleaming eyes narrowed before her right hand rose, wobbling back and forth in what was apparently the universal gesture for 'maybe'.

"Pay? Equipment?"

Her head shook before the same hand rose to tap her throat, following it with a petite fist hitting the table hard enough to jolt it.

"The guys who did that to you?"

A tight nod.

My lips thinned. "Did they rape you?"

Both of her hands tightened further.

Mine followed suit a moment later as I breathed as shallowly as I could. "Our intelligence isn't as good as it can be right now, but so long as they aren't Aria or Sederis's people.. I don't see why they need to keep breathing."

Footsteps echoed as Rane came back up, holding an omni-tool in an armored hand. The Quarian quickly accepted it, wrapping it around a wrist before allowing the lowborn to initialize the new device and linking her into a text conversation with me.

New User: My own room. Locked to me, no one else comes in without permission. If any of you try, I will leave. And possibly kill you.

"Done." And ours would be sealed as well in case she tried anything at night. "Need air scrubbers as well?"

It would be useful, yes. Dextro specific medications for allergic reactions as well. And food, of course. Her fingers seemed to hesitate for a moment. If you are aware of a.. competent doctor who could look at my throat, I would be willing to pay for some of my suit upgrades.

"Unnecessary." I waved a hand. "There are plenty on Illium, but we might not be able to get you there until after our mission."

I have lived with it for nearly a year now, a few more months will not make that large of a difference. Gleaming eyes blinked slowly before she resumed. You are doing little to make me feel that this.. what is your human phrase, too good to be true.

"Because you do not know him." Rane supplied, her omni-tool scanning the slave rod. "Would we disable this thing if we were not being honest?"

… A fair point. Will you give me weapons?

I glanced at Rane. "No offense but you don't exactly make me feel good about giving you a gun right now.. but then again, with all the weapons downstairs we couldn't exactly stop you from grabbing one sooner or later."

There are people far more worthy of death than either of you. That Turian for example. And those that made me into.. this. And the doctor who helped them. Her free hand curled into a shaking fist yet again, my mind injecting seething anger into the simple text on her behalf. Give me control of my own body again and I'll stay until you give me information on them. Help me kill them and I'll stay until your mission is over. Do those things and I'll.. trust you. Somewhat. Deal?

It wasn't even a question really. "Deal. Until then, you'll accept that we won't totally trust you in return?"

Not unreasonable. Your name is Kie?

"For now, call me Kie. This is Rane. Illyan will be your partner long-term, she's unconscious right now." I waved a hand towards the rooms. "For now you'll have to share a room with her on alternating sleep schedules. Once our extra help clears out, shouldn't be more than a few local days, we'll get you set up in your own. Acceptable?"

Yes. Are they all human as well?

"I am actually Batarian, lowborn exile." Rane supplied, growling at whatever her omni-tool was telling her. "Illyan is the largest Asari you will likely ever see. Pillars crush this thing and hurl it into the desert, it's going to be a while before I can disable everything. And then you'll have to help me safely reset some of your implants."

Take your time. I'd rather be free than have electrical shocks frying my nerve endings.

I couldn't help but snort. "And your name?"

Voya. Voya'Chi vas Xentha.


Next up is Chapter 3: The Locals

Well.. now we're back up to four people, with a less than stable Quarian joining the team. For now, anyway. Went a bit into the local terrain, more on that to follow, and hit the slave markets to Cieran's intense regret. The next chapter will bring the local gangs into the picture, including both the canon Talons and the new group; The White Tigers. Cieran and Dorvahn will also have their conversation, finally filling in what Trisren and her team are up to along with what she needs from him. We'll also see the new post-chapter section.

It will post either Tuesday, 11/24/15, or whenever this chapter gets reviewed a lot. :)

Please read and review, criticism is welcome, flames not so much, as usual. Reviews are my lifeblood as a writer.. every-time my email goes off with a review it makes me want to write more, so please take the time to leave one. Guests can leave them as well, and it only takes a minute, so please. Even if it's as simple as "I enjoyed it, please continue."

Thanks, Kat


Review Responses:

Legendary Junk Mail / Lord Oja - It never made much sense to me that, of all of the population that Rannoch and its colonies must have had, that so few survived the war. There's always refugees, people who were abroad already, colonies that might not have been attacked, etc etc. And since their space is basically in the Terminus, it seemed logical that most of their surviving member would stay in that region of space.

SpiritStrike - In my defense, Voya's character was created back when I was concepting Arrival, even if she didn't end up being used there because of the plot changes. Sorry about not getting you your Turian just yet, but there will be more of the species around and involved with things. And one in particular will show up in the next chapter. :)

5 Colored Walker - There's going to be a lot of moving parts in this story as they try to juggle 'being spies', 'running weapons store', 'managing local gangs', and 'working out voya's crap'. Maybe even more than that.