Chapter Ten

The asari consort, Sha'ira, had her chambers just a short walk from the financial district. Many of her rich clients worked there during the day and retired to the chambers in the evening for respite from their stressful jobs.

The consort herself was no longer on the Citadel having been driven away by scandal (partly thanks to one of Khalisah's stories) but several of her assistants had kept the chambers going. There they dished out advice and comfort to whoever could afford it, and occasionally sex, though not half as often as people liked to believe.

"I don't understand what you're hoping to achieve," Khalisah said as they walked, Jacana being sure to match her brisk, swift pace, "you can't help me with this, half of Bekenstein want that encryption key. What good will finding one man do?"

"A lead is a lead," Jacana told her.

She noticed Khalisah casting her a glance from the corner of her eye, "Why are you doing this?"

"I like you," she replied simply, "and I don't like to see people being persecuted for no reason," both statements were true, neither were the actual answer to her question, "there is something I don't understand though, who sent those snipers?"

The question seemed to cause irritation in Khalisah and Jacana saw her hands clench briefly as she looked away, "My father, I imagine."

"He's protecting you?"

"Not in the way you'd think. He wants the encryption key as much as everyone else does. But I know all his secrets and I have safe guards in place to ensure that if anything happens to me, the whole galaxy will know them too. He can't lay a hand on me or let anyone else touch me either. I could ruin him of course, but then there would be nothing stopping him from taking revenge. So we're locked in an eternal stalemate."
Jacana considered this quietly, it seemed to her that Khalisah had been very badly treated throughout her life. What was more worrying was that she didn't seem to know that she deserved better.

"Here we are," they arrived outside the chambers and Jacana stopped and sighed. She didn't have a plan for this. Sha'ira's was notoriously difficult to get into without an appointment and there was about an eight month waiting list. The asari greeting customers at the door may have looked all sweetness and light but Jacana knew there was no getting past her, not without causing a scene anyway.

"This could be difficult. We might have to wait for him to come out."

"Hanging around outside Sha'ira's will draw too much attention," Khalisah muttered, "leave it to me."

"Wait a minute," as she moved forwards, Jacana caught her swiftly by the elbow, "Sha'ira's attendants are trained in patience and tolerance. I doubt she'll just punch you and storm off like the others did."

Khalisah raised one of her delicate eyebrows and gave Jacana a sweet yet superior smile, "Watch and learn, Miss Aragem."

Jacana lingered at a distance as Khalisah approached the attendant. She walked more slowly than her usual, brisk stride and rather than intimidating with her brusque manner she seemed to strike up a friendly conversation. Jacana couldn't hear what was being said but each comment was interspersed with laughter from both of them.

As the conversation progressed, Khalisah began playing absently with a lock of her hair and leaned casually against the wall, moving subtly closer to the asari until they were inches apart and talking in low voices. Khalisah leaned in to whisper something and the asari giggled, she was no young maiden but, Goddess, she was falling for it. Khalisah reached a hand up to her waist and Jacana watched in amazement as the human drew her into a gentle kiss, followed by another, much longer one.

It's definitely the hair, she mused as Khalisah drew her prey further from the chambers and kept her attention firmly occupied. She gestured briefly to Jacana, who nodded and moved swiftly to the door, slipping past the couple with the slightest shake of her head.

She lingered just within the entrance for a moment until Khalisah appeared, touching up her lipstick with the aid of a compact mirror.

"What?" she asked as she noticed Jacana's expression.

"Why do I get the impression you've done that before?"

"It's not difficult," she replied, "you asari are such hopeless romantics, you fall for it more easily than most men."

If Jacana had possessed eyebrows, she was sure she would have been raising them, "What did you tell her?"

"That I'm doing a story on the consort to disprove the scandalous rumors about her."

"Hm. I believe you started most of those rumors."

No one questioned them once they were inside. Clients sat on pristine leather sofas, tended to by asari who spoke softly and smiled sweetly, hiding any true feelings they might have had behind a well-trained air of acceptance.

Jacana knew they were looking for a human man but most of the clients present were turians, a few volus, an elcor. They carried on through to the private rooms where activities were concealed behind closed doors. Jacana was starting to wonder how they were going to subtly search the place without arousing suspicions when Khalisah abruptly stopped and grabbed her arm.

"Shh," she muttered, not that Jacana had been making any noise. Khalisah's brow creased slightly and her eyes narrowed as she listened. Jacana waited, all she could hear were three voices coming from behind the nearest door. Two were the gentle tones of the attendants, the third did sound like a human man.

"I know that voice," Khalisah decided and without warning she opened the door and stormed in.

The man was young. Jacana didn't know human years well enough to pin an age to him but she would guess he was younger than Khalisah, perhaps not far past adolescence. He grew his hair longer than most human men seemed to and it hung in a curtain of soft, brown locks that half covered a long, thin face. He was as slender as a turian with long, lanky legs that stretched out awkwardly as he sat. He was also topless, revealing soft, pale skin that seemed to have rarely seen sunlight.

"Robin," Khalisah addressed him coldly, both hands on her hips as she glared at him dangerously.

His dark eyes widened at the sight of her, "Khalisah?" he stood hastily, pushing away the two attendants who sat either side of him.

"Expected two of your boys to bring me to you, did you?" she demanded, fury glittering emerald green in her eyes, "I'm afraid they're all dead."

The blood drained from the boy's face, turning him an even paler shade of white, "They're- I- what?" he stammered, the strands of his hair falling further over his eyes as he tried to toss them back with little success. Jacana couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him, if she found Khalisah intimidating, what chance did he have?

"Excuse me," one of the asari attendants spoke up indignantly, "our clients pay a great deal for their privacy, you can't just come barging in here."

Khalisah ignored her. Jacana, on the other hand, quickly checked the corridor, snapped the door shut and drew the pistol from her jacket, turning the man even paler and making the asari's mouth fall open as both of the attendants froze.

"I think you'll find we can."

"Please," the indignant one muttered after staring at the gun for a moment, "this is a place of peace."

Jacana snorted, "I know exactly what this place is. Since Sha'ira left you have become one step away from turning these chambers into the brothel everyone always thought they were and as for the drug smuggling – oh yes, I know all about that. What is it humans say? When the cat's away the mice will play?" the attendant swallowed and said nothing, "I suggest you two keep your pretty little mouths shut while we conduct our business. And don't even think about touching that panic button, I know exactly where it is. Hands up where I can see them," she half turned to Khalisah, "who is he?"

Khalisah scowled, "Robin and I grew up in the same circles on Bekenstein, our fathers are business rivals. Was it him who sent you?"

Robin gulped, his eyes flitting feverishly between her and the gun as he stammered for an answer, "It's nothing personal Kay, you know what father's like. He made me do it!"

To Jacana's surprise, Khalisah slapped the boy across the head, like he were nothing more than an annoying sibling, and he recoiled in alarm, "He made me do it!" she retorted sharply,"Do you have any idea how pathetic that sounds? You always were a sniveling little coward Robin! And you wonder why I never slept with you!"

Jacana had to stifle a snigger as the blood suddenly rushed back to Robin's cheeks and he flushed crimson and looked at the floor.

"He wants Hock's money, Kay. Everyone on Bekenstein does. They're all fighting to try and get to you," he looked up at her sheepishly and tossed the thick hair from his eyes again, only for it to fall immediately back into place, "I don't understand why you don't just give them the key and claim the inheritance, it would give you enough power to keep them all off your back."

Jacana frowned, she was still watching the attendants but the bizarre conversation was intriguing her, "Is his fortune really so great?"

He looked at her and blinked, as though surprised she needed to ask, "He owned half the planet. Not to mention his real estate on Earth and his businesses on the Citadel. Whoever gets that money tips the balance of power on Bekenstein and holds a good chunk of the galactic economy."

Jacana said nothing. She was starting to understand why the Shadow Broker was so interested in this, and why the rich families of Bekenstein were willing to risk sending mercenaries to the Citadel just to get to Khalisah. Khalisah herself, however, seemed nothing but irritated.

"That arrogant bastard's caused nothing but trouble since the day I met him," she muttered bitterly as she turned away and paced the room, "I should never have married him."

Robin sniffed quietly, "I don't remember you having much of a choice."

"Hm," she mused grimly, "I should have run away then, rather than waiting for things to get worse."

"Well," he shrugged, "I did offer."

She turned to look at him for a long while, "I know. You always tried to do right by me Rob, until you sent your father's men to kidnap me of course."

"I told them not to hurt you!" he insisted suddenly, eyes wide with desperation for her to believe him, "I thought if I got to you before my father did then I could help you escape or something! Probably stupid, I know, but…"

As he trailed off they heard shouting in the corridor outside and several shots were fired. Khalisah looked instantly at Robin who raised his hands and shook his head.

"That's nothing to do with me."

Jacana crossed to the door and opened it, just a crack. Several armored humans were working their way down the corridor, kicking in every door and shooting at anyone who dared to scream.

"They must be looking for you," she turned to Khalisah who in turn looked at Robin.

"How many people are after me?"

"Too many. Seriously Kay, this is so much bigger than you know."

"Shit!" as Khalisah's head fell into her hands, Jacana immediately moved towards the terrified attendants and pointed the pistol at them both.

"Where's the back door? Come on, I know there are secret exits hidden in each one of these rooms, your clients use them all the time. Where is it?"

One of them gulped and looked briefly towards a cabinet at the back of the room, "Thank you," Jacana told her before swiftly grabbing Khalisah by the arm and pulling her towards it.

"Kay!" they stopped briefly at Robin's voice and turned to see him staring at her helplessly, "I'm sorry."

With that, Jacana pulled her through the hidden door and they emerged into a narrow passage.

It was dark, and cold, probably an old maintenance tunnel, Jacana assumed. She activated her omni-tool to light their way and looked left and then right before deciding on left. They didn't speak as they walked but their footsteps echoed through the empty space and Jacana could hear Khalisah's breathing increasing rapidly with each stride, laced with the mild threat of panic as she kept glancing behind them to see if they were being followed. Jacana kept a firm hold of her hand as she led her down the passage and was well aware the journalist was shaking.

They passed several other secret doors that led to other private rooms but no one else seemed to have managed to escape. They heard two muffled shots from behind one of them and a scream and Khalisah jumped nervously, prompting Jacana to tighten her grip.

As they moved away from Sha'ira's they turned several sharp corners and the passage began to widen out. Pipes and wires ran along the walls and the ceiling and Jacana could hear the distant chatter of the bustling Presidium coming from somewhere ahead. They encountered a keeper who was working at a console where hundreds of wires met, the insect-like creature ignored them as they squeezed past it and found themselves at a grate looking out into a secluded back alley.

"So that's why I've seen Councillor Udina coming out of this alley so often," Jacana mused softly as she slid the grate aside and stepped out. There seemed to be no one about and she nodded to Khalisah who followed her.

"This alley leads directly onto the Presidium," she told her quietly, "we can get lost in the crowd."

"No," Khalisah said sharply, without warning she hitched up the hem of her dress and fished something out from the inside of her shoe, "we should split up, it's me they're looking for, they won't even notice you if you're on your own."

"But-

Before Jacana could protest further, Khalisah pressed the object into her hand and she saw it was a small data disc, "Take this. Keep it safe."

Jacana stared at it blankly, "But, what is-

"Please," Khalisah insisted, clasping Jacana's hand in both of hers, "it'simportant."

She looked deep into Khalisah's eyes and saw something strange lurking there, desperation? Fear?

She nodded, "Okay. But take this," she handed her a card with her address on it, "get to my apartment, if you can, yours won't be safe."

She looked down at the card and nodded, "I'll meet you there."

She turned and they went their separate ways.