I don't own the Mass Effect.


Chapter 4: The Blades

I stared into the darkness of my bedroom, feeling my heartbeat only slowly returning to its normal pattern. According to the small clock on the terminal off to the side, it was still a good three hours before I'd intended to get up at all. With our rotating schedule now in place, Rane's warm body had likely only crawled into bed with me just a few hours before as well.

Not that I could really enjoy her being here. Nor did I really see myself being able to fall back asleep anytime soon.

Fucking nightmares.

This one was more familiar than most, my hind-brain apparently deciding that going over the small fact that I'd been dead was just the greatest way to let me sleep soundly. I had no idea if the disjointed things that I could only vaguely recall were actual memories of what-comes-next, a near-death experience, or just my mind inventing new night terrors. What I did know was that I fucking sick of them. I was also sick of the ones about the dead hotel staff haunting me for my failures, and I was especially sick of the ones concerning the dead True Son teenagers that I'd killed.

I just wanted to sleep dammit.

When we'd been living in the mansion, a combination of a nightcap along with rather rough sex had been enough to knock me out. I still had the nightmares to be sure, but they'd been rarer. After we'd moved to the safehouse, they'd become more frequent. Especially after Trena had more or less stopped me from drinking myself into oblivion to escape the memories. Which was still probably a good thing... I'd had one foot on the road to alcoholism and I didn't fancy becoming an addict.

Not that I could just rely on pleasant sex with Rane either. Not that it wasn't good, it very much had been, but because the rotating schedule that we had going now wouldn't let me drag her to bed every time I wanted to rest.

The two local days that had passed since the Cavern Dogs had tried to intimidate us, along with meeting Nyreen, had been rather quiet. Having at least one heavily armed and armored person on the second floor patio at all times had sent the message I'd hoped it would, and most people actually crossed the street rather than walk too closely to our building, preferring staying near the ledge that would drop them to the level below us. It might have been the constant guard, or it might have been the bloodstain seeped into the concrete in front of the door.

Either way, it made guard duty suitably boring enough that whoever was 'on duty' could at least get some work done while they were out there. Not wanting to rely on the Eclipse, who'd finally left this morning before I'd gone to bed, I'd put the four of us in a rotating schedule of one per local 'shift' block. After that they'd have the next shift in the store, with the remaining eighteen hours of the day open to do whatever we wanted. Mostly it was for sleep, though everyone agreed to the rule that two of us had to be awake at all times in case more crap went down.

What that meant for me and Rane was that I was more or less always going to be collapsing a good five or six hours before her.

Blowing out a silent breath, I tried to carefully shift the arm lazily draped across me so that I could get up and at least get something productive done.

I managed to gently shift her only a few inches before there was a sleepy rumble. "Cieran?"

Leaning up and over, I pressed my lips against her temple. "Just getting up. Go back to sleep."

"Already?" She yawned, reaching around me to pull my hair aside. One of her dark eyes opened just enough for her to glance at the clock. "It's too early."

My left shoulder twitched slightly. "I'm awake."

The rest of her eyes flickered as she tried to focus on me. "Your head?"

"I'm not in pain, just... awake is all." From the way her expression continued to shift from sleepiness to alertness, that didn't reassure her any. "Usual nightmare crap, nothing you have to worry about."

The hand in my hair shifted back to gently touch my neck. She didn't actually say anything, instead simply closing her lower eyes while politely waiting for me to get over it and tell her.

Sighing, I moved to a more comfortable position, resting on my right side and looking at nothing in particular in the dark room. "Everyone gets something different to have to deal with. Erana can't be left alone, I have problems sleeping."

"Dreams?" My skin tingled as her fingertips started to trace up and down my neck. "May I ask about what?"

My left shoulder twitched, "Being dead on the operating table this time."

Her low voice dropped further, "This time?"

"People I've killed are the usuals, though those don't bother me as much." Another tiny shrug. "The hotel staff's dead and mutilated bodies getting up and trying to kill me for failing them is always an interesting one."

"Cieran.. that wasn't your fault."

Logically, probably not, no. Emotionally it sure as hell still felt like it. "My subconscious apparently disagrees."

There was a soft sigh before her hand wrapped around the back of my neck, giving a tentative tug. Acquiescing to her unspoken request, I moved closer to her. To my slight surprise, she gave another gentle pull, and continued to do so until I was more or less draped on top of her with my head resting on her pillow next to hers. One of her arms had wrapped around my waist, while the other had taken up her favorite occupation; the fingers softly tugging and running through my long hair as she played with it.

"How long have you been having them?"

"On and off since I killed a Salarian kid in Trena's shop. So quite a while."

The lowborn let out a quietly distressed sound, her arm tightening around me. "You never say anything. I mean, you seem tired quite often but I always thought it was just.. you and Shaaryak.."

My face heated up a little bit. "Well. That was a thing too, but definitely not the only reason."

A soft exhale sent warm breath across my face. "Did you.. want to talk about it?"

"Aren't we right now?" She gave my hair a bit of a harder tug, which was probably as close to remonstration as she could manage at the moment. "I'll be fine Rane, I'm capable of not thinking about it."

"With respect Reyja'krem, that doesn't sound healthy." Leaning across the pillow, she gently kissed me before pulling back. "I know that my... remaining mental issues concerning our positions might make talking difficult, but would speaking with Trena help?"

"Rane, the only thing she'd tell me to do is drink more or pin you to this bed more often." Even in the darkness I could see her flush. "If I had to talk with anyone about the crap in my head it would be with you."

"Cieran... I know we're together now, but... I can listen, but I don't know if I can reply properly."

Sliding a bit closer, it was my turn to softly press our lips together. "Then we'll just have to work on that. I'm not exactly the sharing type so it isn't as if everything is going to be on you either."

Her dark eyes seemed to light up as amusement replaced worry. "Cieran Kean, Reyja'krem, not the sharing type? I had no idea."

I stared at her, feeling a bit of mild shock as my mouth opened silently for a long moment before I started chuckling. "I did kind of set that up for you, didn't I?"

"Just a bit." The sheets rustled as she slid closer, shuffling a bit downwards so that she could press her face against my throat and chest. When she spoke again, her voice was a bit muffled. "I am trying."

"You are." I agreed, my lips curling a bit as she yawned against my skin. "But right now you should be sleeping."

"As should the Reyja'krem." If anything she pressed a little closer, even as she yawned again. "Yet he is awake."

"Fully awake now." I pointed out gently, "And there's plenty of things that I can do to stay occupied if I got up."

Rane stilled a bit against me, and I could practically feel her face heating up when she mumbled her next words. "There is something that the Reyja'krem could do in this bed as well."

Given that she wasn't wearing all that much beneath the blanket, and was pressed very close to me, her words were more than enough to make my arousal begin to quickly rise. Still... as fun as it would be, she really did need to rest given how long she'd been awake. "You seem rather tired for that kind of thing. And you should be sleeping."

Sharp teeth pricked gently at my throat before warm lips pressed against the same spot. "I can promise that I will most assuredly sleep after."

Letting out a slow breath I reached up to wrap my fingers around the back of her neck in a strong grip, which led to a pleased rumble as her hips rolled to press her closer to me. Gently pulling her back, I had to resist the urge to simply roll her onto her back, instead merely pulling her far enough back so that I could lean down and speak with our mouths nearly brushing. "Are you sure?"

Her only response was to rise the half inch needed to press our lips together, her hands clinging to me as we kissed.

Perhaps an hour later, freshly showered with small bits of medigel carefully applied to the new puncture marks on my left shoulder and that side of my neck, I quietly slipped out of the bedroom. Covering a yawn with one hand, I tugged a bit at the collar of my dark shirt with the other before giving up on the idea of concealing anything.

"Let's see... shift four, so Illyan should be on guard duty. Voya would be tending the shop if we were open. Since we aren't until tomorrow, probably working on her suit or her guns." Muttering to myself, I shuffled down the hall and into the combined kitchen-living room. "Need food. And tea."

Having established that to no one besides myself, I set about getting a breakfast ready. Tea from some tiny Asari colony that tasted all right only when hot, but it had a massive amount of caffeine which was far more important. A few slices of bread and cold cuts provided the usual Batarian style breakfast that, at least three of us, were used to. Snacking lightly on that, I took a few more looks into our cabinets to get a good gauge on how fast the four of us were going through food.

"Going to have to go shopping in a day or two." The very idea made me grimace. Shopping for food on Omega was always an adventure. The Patriarch, a few centuries prior, had at least had the good sense to more or less ban conventional food markets. Instead all food, and the station's water purifiers, had been brought in and were heavily protected by his people. Aria hadn't wanted to see half the station dying when idiots tried to poison their rival's food anymore than her predecessor had, and so continued the process after she'd taken over.

It meant I didn't have to worry about what I bought, but it also meant that the district's food 'market' had been packed the one time we'd stopped there.

Tossing back the last of my tea, I set the cup aside before grabbing one last piece of bread and heading for the stairs. Emerging onto the second floor found the patio door wide open, revealing Illyan precariously balancing her chair on its back legs as she glanced over her shoulder.

"Hey boss. Up a bit early, aren't you?"

"Not that early. And stop doing that before you break your neck or something."

Even from a distance I could see her eyes roll, but metal clacked as she let the chair fall forwards. "Voya's downstairs, looking for parts. She's souping up one of the sniper rifles."

I glanced at the various workbenches until I found the one she'd apparently claimed. "Viper?"

A blue hand rose as she gave me an Asari shrug. "Most idiots on Omega can't afford proper barriers, much less military grade armor or helmets."

Translation: Rapid fire was more important than stopping power. "Fair point. She still good to handle an extra hour or two of watch?"

"She was when I asked her five hours ago."

Grunting, I took a small bite from the food I was still holding onto before continuing down the remaining flight of stairs. Everything was still more or less in place in the shop, ready for whenever it was that we were actually going to open. The only things that weren't were the weapon's mods that a Quarian was more or less tossing aside at random as she dug through boxes.

"Voya." A three fingered had rose to wave vaguely. She hadn't bothered to get a skirt or veil like I was used to Quarians in the game wearing, which made her slim appearance a bit odd. "Doing all right?"

Her head bobbed in a quick nod, while her other hand rose triumphantly with an expanded heat sink.

"Just make sure to put all this crap back later. And note whatever you take so we don't try to sell it to someone."

Silver eyes rolled as she stood, a quicker nod making the whole thing seem sarcastic. A slight motion with her left hand sent me back up the stairs to get out of her way, her oddly shaped legs quickly bounding her up them after me.

Her omni-tool flickered to life once we were both on the second floor, my own pinging with a chat request a few seconds later.

Illyan said it was all right to go through the shop inventory for what I needed.

"And you can. Like I said, just note what you take."

There was a very clear moment of hesitation before the next few words. Thank you.

"It's just a heat sink. Take another one for whatever sidearm you're going to use."

I didn't mean for the tech, I meant for buying me from that bosh'tet before someone worse did. Her fingers curled slightly before she resumed. I know that I've been avoiding all three of you since you freed me, and I wanted to assure you that I intend to stick to our deal.

"As do I." I gave her a slight shrug in the Asari way, "And don't worry about it. I'm not expecting you to be as big mouthed of a fish as Illyan."

"Hey!"

"You know you are."

The big Asari gave me a pouting look. "I am not, and you really didn't have to say it like that boss."

"Voya, has she shut up for more than five minutes since I went to sleep?"

There were several blinks from the Quarian, her brain almost visibly trying to work out just how the conversation had turned. Not really, no. I didn't really mind though.

Illyan muttered something that sounded an awful lot like 'traitor' before turning back to watch the streets.

Shaking my head, I returned my attention to our fourth. "The food all right? Everything working in your quarters?"

Yes and yes. Her head shifted in a silent expression that I wasn't familiar with. Can we speak privately?

"Illyan, door. I'll knock when it's time for us to meet with Tris."

Another glance back was followed by a nod as an arm reached back to hit the door controls. "Got it boss."

Voya didn't type anything at first, instead opting to head over to her workbench and settle into the chair. While she did that, I took up a spot against the stairwell, leaning against the wall as I waited.

Why did you tell me everything up front? You don't particularly know me.

Exhaling softly, I twitched a shoulder in the Batarian manner for uncertainty. "Lots of reasons, even if most of them aren't probably good ones. Look, Voya... I'm not a good actor, or good spy material. The only reason the boss on Illium wanted me for this mission was because I'm paranoid enough to survive on this station, and useful enough as a mechanic to actually help the main team. Even if I had wanted to keep you in the dark, I don't think that I could have."

You could have always just refused to tell me anything. She pointed out. And acting and simply lying are two different things.

"They are, But I don't like the idea of keeping people in the dark in general. A bad experience there. And besides, all the crap that you've been through... Shit. I fucking hate slavery. I'll admit to making an emotional call to tell you everything rather than a rational one."

The Quarian let out an almost dainty snort. You do seem like you're being honest. That's something, I suppose. Why? Hate slavery, I mean. You don't strike me as the type who has been owned before.

Blowing out another breath, I leaned my head back in thought. "Call it instinctive."

Instinctive. Amazing how she managed to make a text word seem disbelieving.

My lips curled a bit before a hand rose up and tapped my temple as the good mood that Rane's enthusiasm had put me in quickly vanished The suppressed anger wasn't entirely faked either, like it might have been a year or so ago. It seemed like the more time that went past, and the more migraines that I had to suffer through, the more emotional I got thinking about what the Matriarch had done to me. Whatever the fuck it was that she'd actually done inside of my head anyway. "You aren't the only one who's been attacked. Mine just wasn't physically."

There wasn't a response on my omni-tool, and when I glanced over I saw her starting unblinkingly at me.

"The migraines are something like a rusty knife working its way into my skull." Reaching behind me, I snagged my tea and took a slow sip from the scalding liquid before continuing. "So if there is ever a time when I shut myself away in the dark and take a few pill bottles with me, there's the reason."

She didn't reply for several minutes, letting me get through most of my tea as well as finding some bread to snack on. Eventually the computer on my wrist pinged again, the words flickering to life.

You really aren't lying, are you?

"Ask Illyan or Rane. They can give you what details that we actually know."

The next words appeared rapidly as she struck the floating keyboard. You mean you didn't kill her?

"Didn't realize it happened at first." I twitched a shoulder. "She either wiped my memories or walled off the ones about what happened."

Which wasn't technically a lie. Something had obviously happened the night the Matriarch had yanked me from my hotel room and dumped me on Illium. Well, beyond her burning the Thessian language into my head. Whether it was just her scarring my brain to stop me from bonding with an Asari and revealing everything, her trying to verify the information about the games, or doing something that I couldn't even think of of. Regardless, answers would have been nice.

Tossing back the last of me tea, I gasped at the heat of it before going on. "People in our organization are looking for her, but I haven't heard of any leads."

Voya fell silent again. Well, she stopped texting while I cleaned up the remains of my tiny breakfast. Silent was probably the wrong word to use given everything.

Prove that you were attacked, and help me deal with the people who did the same to me... and I'll help you get your own revenge as well.

Huh. That... wasn't quite what I'd been going for. "To prove it you'd need my actual name in order to verify the medical records."

And you don't trust me enough to tell me that yet. Which is rather sensible of you. Her fingers stilled before resuming. Then consider it an addendum to our pre-existing arrangement. When we've dealt with the slaver, the doctor, and the assholes who did this to me... I will tell you some of what happened and how I ended up here.

Turning, I stared at the glowing eyes looking right back at me. "And in exchange, I'll give you my actual name and let you research Illium's public records?"

Yes.

I let out a long breath. "If that happens, and I trust you enough, I will. Any other questions?"

Are you really having sex with Rane?

Talk about fucking mood whiplash. Groaning, I reached up and pulled at my shirt's collar to expose my shoulder. "Isn't it obvious?"

Well, yes. But given your species I remained uncertain. One of her slim shoulders shrugged. I won't bring it up again.

I snorted. "Athame's ass Voya, I've spent the last two years on Illium. Surrounded by Asari. Illyan isn't going to shut up about it, that's for sure."

Keelah. A three fingered hand rose to rest against her faceplate. She isn't going to try and seduce me, is she?

"She knows better than to try for you. Rane and I on the other hand..." Sighing, I pushed off from the table. "Speaking of Illyan, she and I have crap to do. You all right to cover her guard shift until we get back?"

Defending a store where the only ways in and out are locked or sealed shut? A lobotomized Varren could watch over this place.

How do I always find the sarcastic ones? "If you get bored, I want everything you remember, know, or think you heard about Shith."

Her eyes narrowed in what I would definitely call a predatory fashion. He's our first target then?

"We know where he is, who he is, and he might have information on where the rest are." A slow breath escaped my lips. "The timing is going to be a bitch, just warning you now. I don't want to turn slaves out onto Omega's streets to fend for themselves."

We just as obviously couldn't keep more people here, and trying to smuggle them off station had almost no chances of success. Even if we did get them out, someone would see us and that would mark us for death by damn near everyone who didn't like the idea of vigilantism freeing slaves.

So you know, most of the fucking station.

So we hit him when he has few or none in stock.

"Ideally."

Voya's helmet dipped slowly. I'll see if I can create a bot to watch his extranet page to monitor that.

"Rane is good with code, she can probably help. Don't get too excited until I get back with how much work we're going to have to do for the main team."

I remember what your priority is Kie, and I am willing to be patient.

The 'for now' went unsaid. "Then we don't have any issues. Have fun working on that."

She rolled her eyes again before snapping her omni-tool off and turning back to the partially dissembled weapon. Shaking my head, I strolled past her and the empty stations until I found the containers holding my armor. Throwing it on over top of my regular clothes, I took my time so that I could watch Voya work as I did so.

Despite the mess that she'd made downstairs, she definitely seemed far neater of an engineer than I was. Or Trena. Every tool went back into its holder the moment she was done with it, all of the parts were neatly placed on her left or right to always be within easy reach.

Fucking weird.

Shaking my head yet again once it was concealed within my helmet, I grabbed my cane before heading over to the patio doorway. It slipped open a few moments after I pounded a gauntlet against it, and I was glad to see that she'd had the good sense to put hers on as well. "Back in an hour, two at most Voya."

The Quarian didn't look up from her work, instead giving another half wave as we tromped down the stairs. My companion lasted all of thirty seconds without saying anything before our helmet-to-helmet private line crackled to life with her voice.

"What was that about boss?"

I shrugged a bit as I hit the front door's control panel, "She wanted to know why I told her who we were right from the start."

From there I gave her the short notes about what I'd said, and how our newest companion had seemed to react. We moved as I talked, making sure to lock the main door behind us before setting out for the upper decks of the Tuhi district.

When I finished, my companion grunted quietly. "Taking out a paranoid slaver in the middle of the Tuhi market isn't going to be easy boss."

"I know." I sighed, carefully lifting an armored foot so that I didn't step in.. something in the middle of the street. "But one, the asshole is a slaver and I'm not broken up about letting Voya kill him. Two, if we want her to trust us this is something we're just going to have to figure out."

"Do we want her to trust us? I get that it would make helping out Tris easier, but killing people for a Quarian we just met a few days ago..."

"You think she'll stick around if we don't?"

The big Asari mulled on that for a long moment, taking the time to think it over before she shook her head. "No, she'd leave. And we don't have someone to take her place, and she'd be pissed enough to sell us out."

"Pretty much. All we can do is kill some people who definitely deserve it, pay her a lot of credits, and hope that she turns out to be not totally insane once she has her revenge."

I could practically see her biting her lip, even with the faceless helmet. "She seemed stable enough today boss. Pray to Athame that continues, or that that slaver was wrong about her sanity."

"Yeah." Shrugging, I knocked a bit of debris out of my way with my cane. "Almost makes me miss fucking Illium."

"What are you talking about boss? I've been missing it since we left. Well, not really Illium so much as Trena's tits and Ghai's ass." She waved a hand vaguely around us. "Although.. goddess. Here we are, walking to a friend's place. In full plate."

"You didn't have to come with." I pointed out. "You could be sitting in the safehouse in Nos Astra, getting drunk off your ass and having threesomes with Scales and Ghai."

"Shove my head deeper into the water why don't you." Her head turned as she directed a glare at a pair of Batarians who'd been eyeing us, and who promptly shifted a bit closer to the buildings on our left as they got a better look at her armor.. and her size. "I could always just go back you know."

I shrugged, knocking a bit of debris out of my way with my cane. "You could, but you won't because you still have some hopeless dream about ending up with Rane and I."

The big Asari made a pleased little sound. "That would definitely be a new one. The fur might make things a little awkward, but I could always focus on her. Not that either of you is about to invite me along."

"I'm not really big on sharing, you know that. No offense meant."

"None taken boss. Plus the whole thing where the pair of us would end up dead, rather puts a damper on the idea." She paused before her voice brightened. "Still. That gives me what, three, three and a half years to change your mind? I can work with that."

My eyes rolled within my helmet. "There you go. Using that long-term Asari outlook for a potential threesome years down the line. Way to reinforce all the stereotypes at the same time."

"Hey, I'm still wearing clothes unlike those two." An armored limb waved to the left, where a pair of nearly nude Asari were trying to wave us over. "Athame's ass. Why do all of the prostitutes go after us when we're out in public?"

"The armor." I grunted, shaking my head as I pointedly turned my gaze away from them. "Apparently word's gotten around that it's real, and that means it's expensive. From what Elissa told me, just wearing this around in public is basically broadcasting that we're beyond rich by Omega's standards."

"And also not people to fuck with."

"That too."

Illyan didn't speak again until we'd left Fumi, heading up a broad stairwell and into Tuhi's B-Deck.

"So boss, we know anything about Tris's group?"

An armored shoulder rose as my head dipped in an Asari shrug. "The name and species count. Three Turians, two Asari, two Salarians, and a Human. That's including her and Dorvahn, and I think one of the Salarians is non-combat. Figure seven people to arm and armor up."

"Plus that armor you still have to make for Captain Elissa, so eight."

"Assuming she ever gets me the damned suit, yes. Was supposed to get it days ago and it still hasn't arrived." I shrugged again. "Not that I really care, but with our luck it'll show up when we're buried with other work."

"I don't suppose telling her to kiss Athame's azure is an option?"

I snorted, "And piss of the Eclipse? Besides, already agreed to do it."

"I hear you boss, just.." her voice trailed off as we entered one of Tuhi's more residential areas, which more or less resembled the parts of Omega that you saw in game. ".. I don't like dealing with them more than we have to."

"Me either." My helmet shook slightly, "But that's what we're stuck doing right now. Soon as we're done with this assignment we can go back to Illium and make Trena handle them."

It was her turn to shake her head, "You say that like it's a few weeks off boss. We're going to be stuck here for months. Maybe years."

"Illyan... if you want out just say so. Rane and I will annoy Aethyta for enough funding to get a new assistant."

A hand reached out to wrap around my shoulders, making me stumble as she yanked me against her side in a clatter of metal and ceramic plating. "And leave you two by yourself to try and deal with this place? Not a chance Kie."

"Whether or not I like it?" Bringing a forearm between us, I shoved myself free.

"Pretty much." The cheerfulness faded into a disgusted noise. "Besides, can you imagine what Trena would say?"

"You'd be lucky to get any sex for a year. Or more."

"She's cruel like that. Bitch. We there yet?"

Something in my head throbbed as I brought a hand up to properly facepalm "Athame's fucking azure, are you a hundred and forty seven or just seven?"

"I notice that you didn't answer boss."

Resiting the urge to tackle the immature giant and strangle her, I let my arm drop. "You see the large sign, right there? Not ten meters ahead of us? The one that says 'Silver Blades' with an arrow pointing at the door."

Illyan paused for a step, her voice a bit subdued. "Oh."

Shaking my head, I let out a slow exhale before quickening my pace enough to get ahead of her. Rising a hand, I knocked a few times on the door and waited for a response. When there wasn't one, I brought my fist back up and pounded on the metal a few more times.

This time someone shouted back, their voice annoyed. "Hold on dammit!"

Wishing that I could rub at my face to properly show my own irritation, I settled for tilting my head a bit to the right while bringing my left forearm around to rest against my own back. It took whoever it was another two minutes before they finally opened the door, revealing one of Trisren's people. He was human, wearing medium weight armor of relatively good quality. Much like Tris's and Dorvahn's it had been painted a dark navy with white highlights, although he'd left his helmet elsewhere.

Dark, suspicious eyes watched us from above a roman nose, while his massive beard moved as he spoke. "We aren't recruiting."

"Good thing we don't need jobs then." My head shook slightly, "MacKeanen, from Ironhold Weapons here to see Trisren."

"Oh, the suppliers." Pale skin tightened across his forehead as he frowned. "Said you'd be human, what's with the Batarian armor?"

A muscle in my cheek may or may not have twitched. "It's easy to modify, and makes it so I don't have to breath this shit air. You letting us in or what?"

There was a definite scowl but he backed away and waved us in. The pair of us moved in after him, stepping awkwardly around his frame as he waited to close the front door behind us. As far as the building itself... it was very obviously a mercenary group's base. The front door had opened into a broad rectangle of a room, which was filled with workbenches, armor stands, and weapons racks. Secondhand couches and chairs had been shoved in wherever they could fit, and had definitely been selected for comfort rather than any sense of style.

Pretty much all of the group seemed to be present, most of them lounging around or working on their own gear. All of them at least glanced in our direction, a few even reaching for their guns, relaxing only when Trisren rose from a terminal she'd been working at. "Kie, you're a bit early."

Shrugging, I reached up and yanked my helmet off before replying. "Figured it would be good to get it out of the way. Nice place."

"Thanks. Come on, we can talk in my room. Can your assistant start getting everyone's specs?"

I nodded politely, "Illyan?"

"Got it boss." There was a hiss of air escaping as she took her own helmet off. "All right, who wants to give me their lifeday gift list first?"

A purple skinned Asari who had her legs propped up on a short table as she sprawled in a chair waved a glowing hand. I didn't miss the way her eyes tracked up and down Illyan's body, and from the large Asari's slight grin she didn't either. "Over here."

Sighing, I reached up and flicked Illyan on the neck. "Keep it clean."

"Where's the fun in that?"

Blowing out a breath, I just shook my head before leaving her to it and following Tris. Her room proved to be right off the main one, and wasn't all that much larger than the one I shared with Rane. She'd at least put some effort into making it feel more like a home though, with rugs thrown down on the floor and a blanket that looked handmade.

"Still trying to throttle the big girl's libido?" The tall Asari didn't bother taking a seat, instead leaning against the wall.

"I don't know why I bother." I admitted, taking the initiative to shut the door behind us before letting my back fall against it. "Hundred credits says she sleeps with at least half of your team."

Tris let out a delicate snort. "I'm not an idiot Kie. No bet."

"Worth a shot. To work then?"

There was a slight nod. "Work. I signed off on our first contract with Red this morning, we're helping the Talons hit the True Sons. So things are going according to plan so far. What I'm going to need from you, besides the gear upgrades and repairs, is for you to keep an eye out in your district."

My head tilted a bit to the left as I frowned in thought. "Think someone is going to try and move in while the Talons are busy?"

"If by someone you mean the True Sons, sure. The only other gang in the area is the White Tigers and they're currently allied with Red. Speaking of, if you can get a deal going with them it would be good to have a report on them."

I grunted. "I'll see what I can do. You know anything about them?"

"That they're allied with the Talons and hate the True Sons for something. Athame only knows what that is."

"So figure it out if I can." Reaching up with my right hand a I ran metal covered fingers through my goatee. "Awesome."

"You wanted the assignment Kie." Blue lips curled a bit when I glared at her for the reminder. "We're going to start launching our operations in a few days, but it's probably going to be a slog to get to the Son's main base. I'll keep you updated on our progress."

"Any hackers on your team?"

Her smile curdled a bit. "No. I might have to steal Rane when it comes time to try and hit their data center. She and your Quarian can run through the data after."

"And if they don't have anything on the hotel?" Which I expected. Even if the True Sons were smart enough to try and keep tabs on their former master's communications traffic, I had a hard time believing that the Blue Suns could have been so stupid as to let such a group actually hack it. But it was still one of the few possible leads we had, and it was something that we just had to deal with.

A shoulder twitched as she dipped her head in a shrug. "We follow the plan and try and get an in with T'Ravt. If we come across as trustworthy enough we might be able to get someone to Vosque's retirement home and interrogate him, or at least get to the old Blue Sun servers. That's long term though, for now we've got to focus on what's happening here."

"Yeah, I understand. Just not hopeful."

"Me either, but we have to start somewhere." She shrugged again. "Speaking of starting, when can I expect you to start your missions for your new girl?"

"Not sure." I admitted. "We have some research to do first, and making sure that Voya actually has armor for that suit. First target is the slaver we bought her from in the markets."

Tris pursed her lips. "That isn't going to be an easy run. You have a plan?"

"Few vague ideas, not much more than that. I remember your orders boss, you'll get what we're thinking before we do anything."

"Good." She grunted, pushing off from the wall. "You have any questions for me?"

"Watch for True Sons in Fumi, see if I can sell weapons to the White Tigers in addition to the Talons, give you plenty of paperwork on both, and keep you updated before we kill anyone." I ticked the points off with my left hand.

"Good." The thin Asari repeated herself, glancing at my cane and legs before her tone softened a bit. "How's your leg?"

I glanced down, hitting my left foot with my cane. "I can walk around just fine, doesn't really ache anymore. Running and fighting though..."

"Keep up your conditioning as best you can. Soon as you're back up to full I'll see if I can get you guys brought in so you aren't stuck just running a weapons shop." A few steps brought her close enough to rap her fingers on my chest plate. "You handling this all right?"

"I'm all right Tris."

"Well after the last few months you can't blame me for asking. Keep me up to date, and make sure that your new associate doesn't bring a storm down on your heads." Her head shook slightly. "Come on, let's go make sure that Herani doesn't have Illyan pinned against a wall or something."


Secure Communications Log

Omega – Illium RI pipeline

User 1: Hey Sis, everything going all right?

User 2: Goddess Illyan, I'm not in my fifties. You don't have to worry so much about me.

User 1: I'm your sister, so yes I do.

User 2: I'm all right, I have plenty of books to read when Miss Ghai and Trena are out on their missions. And I should be starting with Matriarch Aethyta next week.

User 1: Don't let the clients run over you kid.

User 2: I won't. How's Omega? Is Cieran doing all right? Is it as run down as the vids make it look?

User 1: It's... not a nice place Erana, I'm glad you aren't here. Like constantly being stuck in a bloodtide. The boss is doing all right, I think he and Rane are finally in bed together. Seems to be helping him.

User 2: Goddess. Did you know that they had a bet on if it would be Rane or you who... you know.

User 1: Athame's tits. How would I even be with him?

User 2: Miss Trena said you could use a disruption collar, that it would stop you from trying to meld when you, you know.

User 1: You are WAY too young to be talking with Trena about things like that.

User 2: I'm not a kid!

User 1: When you're a hundred I'll buy you a stripper, any species. Until then, you're a kid.

User 2: ...

User 1: I can't see you stomping your dainty little foot sis.

User 2: I hate you.

User 1: No you don't.

User 2: ...most days.

User 1: Love you too Erana. Heading to bed now, stupid time zones on this station are a pain in my giant ass to get used to. Stay in touch sis.

User 2: I will. Promise.


Next up is Chapter 5: The Discussions

So... yeah. Being sick is a thing. And so was Halo 5... and Starcraft II... and Fallout 4... so yeah, kind of ended up letting writing slide as my gaming addiction ran a bit wild. I'm making myself take a few steps back from that, really need to detach from the old xbox for a while.

This chapter took a little while, and went through a few revisions because of rust. Still not totally happy with it but it seems to hit the points I wanted to get out. Things will start progressing a bit faster in this particular act from this point on. Next chapter will cover a few of the Silver Blades before the store finally opens and Cieran has to start dealing with customers.

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:.

SpiritStrike → I'm glad she wasn't ooc, and she'll have plenty more cameos throughout all of Ronin.

BJ Hanssen → It was rather rude of them, though I think they learned their lesson for now.

Envy34 → Morinth... hm, never really thought about bringing her in in AR:3, mostly because I think she's still in Asari space at this time in canon. That might change in AR:4, but don't quote me on it.

5 Coloured Walker → In that instance Dorvahn was referencing Cieran not being that reckless, not Voya.

Lfan8 → don't worry, there's going to be plenty of people dying in this story. Not sure how many style points Cieran and the others will rack up, but I feel safe in assuming that some will be accumulated.

GreaterGoodIreland → Aria will make her appearance later rather than sooner, but will definitely be showing up.

Tes Gulliver → Thanks for reviewing. :) As far as Cieran being worked into the main ME plot, things will begin to tie in starting with Ronin's epilogue. AR:4 will see increasing amounts of interaction between his groups and the canon chars, though I'm not going to spoil on where things are going from there.

Septim7 → My favorite OC? Hm. Probably Trena, she's been around forever and she's fun to write.