I know this is not in the game, but I decided to do it anyway. Give Feron some face time of his own IN This Chapter and the next. Also, I know I haven't done a whole lot with Liara, other than focusing on her intel, but she will have a bigger, better part in chapters to come as will Kaidan, who, at this point, I have only mentioned a couple of times, briefly. I'm focusing more on Tali, Garrus, Javik and James because I like their bantering and personalities. Javik will also have a bigger role later on in the story. Possibly after this chapter. It's going to be a shocker and if you don't like the ending… I apologize. I figured it was time for it, so :p and who better than this bastard?
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Once they were en route to Illium, Shepard sat Liara down on the couch in the lounge and went to the bar. She started mixing up a couple of drinks and handed one to Liara. "Here. You need it."
Liara took the drink and sipped it slowly before deciding to down it in one gulp. Shepard followed suit with her own. "Kai Leng," Shepard growled through clenched teeth as she gripped her glass so tight Liara thought it would crush into a million pieces in her hand. "That bastard. He's using Feron."
"Using him?" Liara questioned.
"We're walking into a trap, Liara. He's using Feron against you."
"How do you…" she was interrupted when a growl came out of Shepard.
"Because, Liara. It's what The Illusive Man does." Liara sat there in silence "He manipulates you, exploits your weaknesses disguising them as strengths. It's how he convinced me to work with him. He will kill anyone who gets in his way. We pissed him off, more than once. Killing his men, getting Javik before he could. Taking the data back on Mars. This is his payback."
"Shepard, I'm worried for Feron."
"I know, Liara." Shepard sat down next to her on the couch. "I am too. It's my fault they went after him. He's angry with me so he's luring our friend into a trap to hurt someone I love."
Liara placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder. "This isn't your fault, Shepard and I will not let you blame yourself for this. You already have enough guilt and responsibility eating away at you. Don't add this to it." Shepard stared at Liara for moment before nodding and pulling her to a hug.
"I'm so sorry, Liara."
"No, Shepard. I'm the one who should be apologizing." Shepard pulled out of their embrace to look at Liara, her eyes questioning her friends statement.
"What do you have to be sorry for?"
"I haven't been all that sociable spending all my time in my cabin… gathering intel. I have been closed off and…" Liara let her words falter as she tried to hold back tears. "I regret not being there for you when you needed me most."
"Liara, you did something for me that I can never repay you for. Something more than anyone else has ever done." Liara shook her head but couldn't speak. "You saved Koris' life. You gave me a chance I would never have if you hadn't been so wrapped up in your work. If you hadn't been so focused…" Shepard didn't want to finish her sentence and Liara didn't force her. "I can't thank you enough for that, Liara."
Liara hugged Shepard again before she stood. "I… I need to get more details if I can before we reach Illium." Shepard watched Liara leave as her heart, once again, broke for someone she loved, her family. Kai Leng was going to pay and so was T.I.M. if she ever found him.
Koris had been searching the ship for Shepard. He hadn't seen her for quite some time and wanted to make sure she was alright. He knew she was angry at the situation and he wanted to be there for her if she needed him. As he stepped out of the elevator onto the crew deck, one of the crew saw him and pointed towards the lounge. He nodded his thanks and headed that direction. When he walked in, he saw her curled up on the couch, asleep. He sat down next to her, trying not disturb her but she jolted awake anyway. "Oh," she opened her eyes to him. "Koris. Just you." She moved her body towards him and curled up against him.
"Just me?" He teased.
"I… I'm sorry." She realized how her words had sounded. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm so glad it's you. I just meant…" she was silenced when she felt his hand stroking her hair.
"I know. Lanae, are you alright?"
"No, not really. I'm angry, Koris. The Reapers are bad enough. I'm stuck out here, while the closest thing I have to a father is back on Earth doing what little he can to buy us time. On top of that, the man I love is in danger from one of his own wanting to kill him. And then, the icing on top of the effing cake, I have Cerberus doing everything they can to make sure my friends… no family, that I call my crew, are suffering." Shepard sighed after her little rant. " I'm sorry, Koris. Sometimes, it just feels hopeless. Sometimes I just wanna walk away from it all."
Shepard had no idea just how much Koris understood her feelings, but right now she needed encouragement. She needed her drive, her will to fight stirred up again. So, he lifted her up to him. "Without hope, there is no future. You are the strongest woman I know. You have overcome more than anyone will ever know. You can do this, Lanae. You must do this. If you give up, Feron dies. If you lose faith, your crew will begin to doubt. If they begin to doubt, the Reapers have already won. And if the Reapers win, Javik will never have his people avenged. All you have done will have been for nothing. And you might as well take off my helmet and kiss me goodbye."
Shepard pondered his words for a moment. "When you put it that way," she reached up to take his helmet off. Her heart stopped when she saw his face. She was never going to get used to it. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair before laying it to rest on his cheek. "I'm not giving up, Koris. If I give up… I don't just lose my life or my friends. I spoke with Liara earlier. She was feeling guilty about spending so much time focused on her work. I told her that she shouldn't feel that way. I told her that if she hadn't been so focused I.." Shepard froze and turned away from Koris. "I wouldn't have you." She finished. "If I give up, I'm going against her and what she did for me." She turned back towards him. "I'm dishonoring her, but more than that. I'm throwing my chance with you away, the chance that may be the very reason Feron is in the position he's in now. I won't give up, Koris. There's too much for me to live for."
Koris smiled at her and, for the first time, she could actually see it. Her heart stopped again as she took him in. "Good," was all he said before his mouth found hers.
The Normandy had reached Illium but they had yet to actually dock. "Shepard, if Kai Leng is here and he knows the Normandy is docked he'll know something is off."
Shepard nodded. "Agreed. Cortez, prep the shuttle." She stated over the radio.
"On it, Commander."
"Also, it may not be a good idea for you to be on Illium…" Shepard started to protest but Liara cut her off. "Not right away, at least. We need to be careful, Shepard. If he gets suspicious…"
Shepard knew Liara was right. "We need to send someone in he won't recognize. Let them scope out the place while the rest of us wait for the right moment to strike."
"Yes, but who should we send?"
Shepard thought about this and eventually said, "James, think you can handle it?"
"I got this," James grinned as he started to grab his gear.
"Wait, James. You can't suit up. You're supposed to be discreet. If you show up fully clad in weapons and armor., Kai Leng may get paranoid." Liara informed him.
"So… no armor?" Liara shook her head. "No weapons?"
"No weapons," she repeated.
"Fine," James grumbled as he jumped in the shuttle. Shepard, Liara and Garrus jumped in behind him.
When they landed on Illium, Shepard turned to James. "Liara, Garrus and I will wait here. Be as discreet as you can."
"Got it, Lola." James started to disembark when Shepard grabbed him by the shoulder.
"No funny business, James. First sign of trouble, you get on that radio and contact us." James nodded and was gone. All they could do now was wait.
James made his way to the upper trading floor. He spotted a sales terminal just inside and headed in its direction. "Hello, looking for anything in particular, today?" The Asari stood there, smiling, waiting for him to respond.
"Uh…" James was trying to think of what to say, but his eyes were too busy scanning the area. All he could come up with was, "Nah. Just browsing."
"Alright. Let me know if you need anything." She hurried away to the next customer.
James slowly circled the terminal as he pretended to peruse its contents while trying to focus on his surroundings. All he could see from where he was, was Asari, Volus and a few humans. None of them Kai Leng and none of them a Drell. He thought maybe he should move on, when he noticed movement in an alcove containing some stairs. "Lola, I got movement near some stairs leading to…" He squinted his eyes to read the lettering, telling him where the stairs led. "Administration.," he finally said.
Liara and Shepard glanced at each other and Liara nodded. "James, those stairs lead to Liara's old office. That may be where Feron and Kai Leng are meeting. Be careful. Get as close as you can without being seen or heard."
"Yep."
"Are we sure sending the giant in for a stealth mission was a good idea?" Garrus asked.
"He was the only option," Liara responded. "Kai Leng knows what the rest of us look like."
James slowly made his way to the stairs, peeking around the corner before he rounded them. He saw another a sudden flash of movement. It may have been quick, but there's no mistaking a drell when you see one. "Lola," he whispered into his radio. "Something definitely moved and it's definitely a drell."
Shepard heard Liara gasp as he spoke. "Ok, James. Stay there. We're coming." Shepard turned to Liara. "Liara, you need to go in first. Kai Leng won't run if he sees you. You're who he wants."
"Of course, Shepard." Liara jumped out of the shuttle and headed towards James. As she passed him, they exchanged glances but no words. They had to act as if they didn't know each other. Liara made her up the stairs to her old office. When she walked in, she saw Feron pacing the room. "Feron!" She cried and ran to hug him.
Feron was caught off guard for a moment before hugging her back. "Liara…"
"Feron, it's been too long," she cut him off before he could say anything else. "So, you gave me the details on the location but not the informant or the intel."
Feron blinked his confusion for a split second before catching on to her act. "Uh, right." He gathered his thoughts. "The informant calls themselves The Ghost and the intel… has to do with your quarian Admiral, the geth, and the Reapers." Just as he finished speaking, they both turned as they heard glass shattering behind them.
"Not exactly." Kai Leng grinned. He had jumped in through one of the giant windows in the room. "We don't really have any Intel for you, Feron. Actually, you brought us what we needed. The Shadow Broker herself."
Just before Kai Leng could strike, his attention was directed to the two figures storming into the office. "Don't even try it," Shepard growled.
Kai Leng's smile grew wider when he saw her. "Commander Shepard, we meet again," he sneered. Kai Leng swung his sword this way and that, raising it over his head as he hunched over, ready to attack.
"Bring it on, you bastard," Shepard growled. Kai Leng jumped towards her, but Garrus was faster. He aimed for Kai Leng's form in mid air and fired. The force of the shot knocked Kai Leng back on his ass. He tumbled over himself a couple of times before jumping back to his feet. This time, his target was Garrus. He ran towards the Turian with his sword. Shepard waited until he was mere inches from Garrus before racing towards him, ducking underneath his sword and tackling him to the ground. Garrus let put a sigh of relief. For a moment, he wasn't sure Shepard would get to him in time. "Cut it a little close there, Shepard."
"Sorry, Vakarian. Had to avoid the big, giant sword." Shepard replied as she swung her fist down into Kai Leng's face.
Liara aimed her pistol at Kai Leng while Shepard wrestled him on the ground. His sword had been knocked out of his hand and now lay at Garrus' feet. Garrus picked it up and radioed James.
Feron, Garrus, Liara, James, and Shepard stepped back onto the Normandy. They had fought Kai Leng until they were bruised, bloodied and broken. They hadn't killed him, but they had managed to knock him unconscious. He was now slumped over Garrus' shoulder as they headed towards the engineering deck. "Oh Javik," Shepard said as she entered his room. "I have a surprise for you."
Garrus walked up to Javik, tossing Kai Leng to the floor at the Protheans feet. "There you go, buddy. Have at it," He said as James handed him the sword.
"Commander?" Javik looked at Shepard, asking her approval and she nodded as she smiled.
"He's all yours, Javik. Just make sure he can't come back."
Javik nodded, "Thank you, Commander. I will make the most of this."
As they turned to leave, they could hear the sword slicing through the air as it came down just before a very loud whoosh and a short laugh from the Prothean. "This is satisfying," they heard him say to himself as he continued his work and Shepard smiled to herself, knowing exactly how satisfying it was.
So, this chapter I was a little unsure of posting. I'm not good with writing combat for one and two... I wasn't sure how to not make the ending sound dumb, but then I thought ,"You know what? I don't care. I like it." LOL so here it is. And after eating it all the way through, I think the ending turned out better than I expected. So, kudos to me lol... jk. Anyway. Hope you enjoyed it. I know I did. Thank you for the reviews. Much appreciated.
