A/N: Apologies, there is a conflicting problem with the beta's software. Things that should be bold and italicized are not showing up on the final posting. My greatest apologies, we will try to work this out as soon as possible.

The Huntress

Chapter Ten: Here Comes Trouble

Huntress Shayla hesitantly moved forward to sit on the soft brown leather couch inside Aria's private lounge, when Vanessia shot back in a stern tone. "No thanks!" firing her subordinate a visual command, "We'll stand."

The cheeky gesture did not go unnoticed by the asari queen as she absentmindedly flopped one of her crossed legs up and down. In fact, the soft purple asari sat completely undisturbed as she faced the deadly squad of asari commandos. The music still boomed around them, Aria's private dancers kept swaying to the beat, and refreshments were left on the table; for those who were invited to dine on such heavenly pleasures. Omega's queen bee glared directly at the commando squad leader with piercing blue eyes.

Abruptly stopping her advancing progress, the young huntress flanked her leader's right side taking refuge slightly behind her. The bold asari captain stood defiantly in front of the asari queen in her typical no nonsense battle stance. Just as annoyingly as the veteran huntress waited for other squads to finish their training missions on Pinnacle Station, the asari captain stood with crossed arms and feet about shoulder length apart; head slightly tilted to one side. Shayla thought it was this intimidating stance that had often caused previous squads to rush the end of their missions, fear of what awaited them had they not gotten out of the captain's way.

A bit amused with what she thought was an over confident commando, Aria snickered, "Suit yourself."

Regardless of the presence of Omega's supreme ruler and where she actually was, the asari huntress stood her ground as her patience thinned believing the great leader was purposely delaying her squad. Vanessia's eyes never left the monarch, as Aria slowly lifted herself off the couch, and slinked her way over to the bottle of wine sitting on a nearby table.

Attempting to further intimidate the team, Aria tauntingly asked, "A glass of Ardat Yakshi wine, anyone?" Not actually being serious about the offer of the rare 5,000 credits a bottle beverage to the squad, Aria piped, "Of course not, you're on duty, if I am not mistaken."

Devoid of a shred of self preservation, Vanessia snapped, "Aria, is there a reason you are purposely delaying my squad here on Omega?"

Without making any physical contact, Contessa, who flanked her lover's left side, felt every muscle in the captain's body tense; awaiting Aria's retaliation.

Acting as if her pleasurable evening had not been interrupted at all, the asari queen casually sipped her extravagant wine, and stared out the large window; presumably at the swaying crowd below. Feeling as if she had deferred the asari squad long enough, Aria languidly spun around and scanned the near empty room. The only occupants remaining in her private salon were the three rigid commandos, two of the queen's best dancers and her personal bodyguard. The large batarian, Anto, was the same batarian who had been given the privilege of retrieving the angry commandos from the shuttle bay for his boss.

With a folded arm over her chest as her other hand lazily held the glass of expensive wine at her waist, Aria imperiously stepped closer to the asari captain. Sounding more like an order than a request, the supreme ruler demanded, "I have a problem I would like you to handle for me."

Not waiting for a reply, the queen of Omega returned to the small table where the posh wine sat.

Knowing her gut instinct hadn't been too far from the truth to why they had been brought to the dominating diva, Vanessia looked at her team and arrogantly retorted. "In case you haven't noticed, we are not exactly in the mercenary business."

Aria stopped pouring her drink midstream at Vanessia's insolent exclamation. Exhaling deeply, the woman of power shook her head slightly from side to side before she slowly finished pouring her beverage as the huntress continued.

"We did not come to Omega to 'help you' with your problems."

Hoping to remind the woman exactly whom she was speaking so harshly with, Contessa gently stroked her lover's arm.

In an equally harsh tone, Aria T'Loak sneered at the defiant captain. "If I am not mistaken; and I am not ever mistaken, I believe I helped you with your little problem not too long ago."

It was when Vanessia pulled her arm free from her lover's grasp, and took several steps closer to the Omega queen that her squad really began to worry.

"My team and I were perfectly capable of taking care of that "little problem", without your help Aria."

Deafening silence consumed the room, which halted the two dancer's arousing movements. The young dancers looked nervously at each other, knowing no one had ever been so rebellious with the Omega matriarch before. In the dead silence, a pin could have been heard dropping in the suddenly eerie room. Although it didn't need to be that quiet to hear the dogmatic ruler's deep throated growl and the glass, which contained two months worth of wine, go smashing against the wall.

The playfulness in Aria's voice instantaneously evaporated leaving only the seriousness of a killer's voice behind. "Nothing happens on my station without my blessing, Huntress. It would serve you well to remember this."

"Are you threatening me?" retorted the angered captain who was now standing ready to fight.

"What if I were, commando?" The equally arrogant woman stood with her arms spread as if she were addressing the entire station. The gesture dually served as a taunt reminding Vanessia exactly where she was; Omega, Aria T'Loak's Omega. "What exactly would you do about it?"

Proudly displaying that she was indignant, and that she was not going to back down, Vanessia stepped even closer to the supreme ruler. Within an arm's distance of the dangerous matriarch, the huntress warned, "Are you really sure you want to take on an asari commando unit?"

The confident queen rolled her eyes before answering shrewdly, "Are you sure, you want to tangle with an asari queen who is almost as old as your entire team combined?"

"Vanessia!" Warned Contessa, hoping it was not too late to end the standoff.

A painfully stern expression reminded the young matron her place within Vanessia's squad, as she was swiftly silenced.

Not fazed at all by the commando's interruption, the queen further engaged the self-assured huntress. "Are you sure you want to take on Omega's supreme ruler with only 'one' commando team, my dear?"

Mimicking the taunting glare from the asari matriarch, Huntress Vanessia quickly spat back, "In the end you might get the better of my team Aria, but are you sure you want to risk that beautiful face of yours in a fight against us?"

To the shock of everyone in the room, the two asari killers were now standing toe to toe ready to start glowing at any second. The entire room knew that things were not going to end well for all involved. The tension was so great in the chamber, that even the favored dancers had taken shelter behind one of soft leather couches.

It wasn't until Shayla felt weak in the knees that she remembered to breathe again. The unsure huntress watched Contessa intently, as one of her hands readied to pull out her weapon and start shooting, while her other's fingers twitched a faint luminous blue. The young maiden swallowed hard, but also readied herself for a bloody fight. In her mind, she apprehensively pondered, 'I hope that batarian isn't as tough as he looks'.

Speaking through the asari huntress as if she were invisible, Aria's cunning tongue hissed, "Are you two willing to die with her?"

Eyes hesitantly looked about the lounge before the Omega queen spoke again. "I see that you command obedience in your squad. Too bad they will be wasting their lives for you."

Cotton mouthed, Huntress Shayla reconsidered her previous 'honor to be on Omega' comment and now speculated, 'At least it will be an honorable death on Omega.'

The commando's faithful huntresses neither flinched, nor changed their opposition as the Aria provoked them.

The Omega queen scowled directly into Vanessia's rich blue eyes, giving her one last chance to back down before the great asari leader. When the captain did not falter, Aria's next move greatly shocked everyone in the private salon.

Shattering the standoff, Aria quipped, "I like you Huntress" Nonchalantly spinning around to fetch another glass of wine, the asari matriarch mused, "I wish I had more people like you around. But such as it is, this place is dripping with…" the purple asari turned back to the huntress as she contemplated, "how shall I put this? Not properly motivated murdering thieves."

As the softer words danced off Aria's lips, Contessa, Shayla and even Aria's bodyguard relaxed their battle readiness.

While the asari ruler finished making another glass of delectable potion, the bold logo on the back of her white jacket proudly declared Aria's rule over the scrupulous station. Vanessia's eyes fixated on the symbol as the matriarch mused over the exquisite wine. Absentmindedly, the huntress' focus slowly filtered down the backside of the matriarch until it became fixated on the tight leather that hugged the firm ass below. A momentary thought fleeted across the asari captain's mind, 'Thank Goddess she isn't wearing assless chaps.' Suddenly, feeling awkward for staring so precariously at the ruler's ass, Vanessia coughed clearing her throat and thoughts, bringing her back to reality.

Seemingly knowing the commando was staring at her voluptuous ass, Aria then sauntered over to the commando trio as if nothing had happened.

"Dear Huntress, the little problem pestering me is that I have an asari commando on my station that is in need of a commando unit. And as I hear, you are now a commando unit in need of a huntress."

Puzzled, yet considerably more calm, the squad leader questioned, "How exactly did you come across a lone asari commando?"

Aria's melodic voice returned, "Don't worry yourself about that, Huntress Vanessia."

With a bit of humor in her tone, the asari captain explained, "You know, I can't exactly pick up every stray huntress that comes along?"

At the amusing thought, Shayla and Contessa both chuckled at Vanessia's statement. Further relaxing their battle readiness, they smiled warmly at each other from behind their tenacious leader.

"I am certainly aware of your limitations. That is why the asari republics have already authorized it." Chimed the asari goddess as she paraded back to the couch, taking everyone's gaze with her.

Still stunned that Aria had even spoken to someone in the noble council, Huntress Contessa prodded, "Precisely who authorized this transfer?"

A blunt smirk breached the queen's face, privy of the personal relationship between the two huntresses. Aria's free hand pretended to swipe away dust on the couch next to her before the matriarch replied shortly, "Tevos"

The senior matron retorted, "Tevos who?" before she paused. "Goddess Athame, you're not talking about Citadel Councilor Tevos, are you?"

One of the edges of the queen's full lips slowly curled as she looked at Vanessia. Pleased at catching the huntresses off guard, Aria disclosed, "Why? Were you expecting someone of lower authority, Huntress?" The presumptuous queen then floated over to one of her dancers who was provocatively dancing again. "Honestly Huntress, I would not have wasted my time with anyone else."

Enchanted with the seductive swaying of the maiden's hips, Aria enticingly ran a finger down the spine of the dancer as the girl looked back at her while doing so. "I am a very busy woman after all. I can't afford to waste time" she all but purred. The lucky dancer smiled titillatingly at her mistress' attention as she pushed her backside into Aria's pelvis. The alluring asari then slid an open hand down the girl's thigh, eliciting a pleasurable moan. The dramatic contrast of purple skin against the blue skin further aroused the asari matriarch as she then smacked the dancer firmly on the ass; winking approvingly at the performer.

Gently shaking the asari from her hypnotic trance, Vanessia questioned, "Why didn't you just kill her?"

Laughing louder than necessary, Aria turned her attention towards the captain and began seductively eyeing up the beautiful matron at Vanessia's side. Knowing she could have anything she wanted 'on Omega', the merciless queen sarcastically remarked, "You make me sound like a monster or something."

Aria's smirk drifted from her striking face when she saw that Contessa did not react to her visual advances. The objectified simply lifted her head and looked to her squad leader for further direction. Disappointed, the supreme ruler gritted her teeth seeing that the two older huntresses were experienced enough not to be affected by her taunts. Further enjoying her little game, Aria amusingly turned her attention to the youngest huntress who appeared to be trembling in her boots at the proximately of the Omega queen.

As quick as it had left, Aria's mischievous smirk returned as she stepped closer to the young huntress. For the first time since entering the chamber, Vanessia flinched, taking a step towards the Omega queen blocking her immediate access to the youngest huntress.

Aria grumbled, before her tone lightened, "Awfully protective aren't we? Your reputation precedes you, Huntress."

When Huntress Vanessia did not answer, the Omega dictator reluctantly returned to her couch across the room. "Why didn't I just kill her, you ask?" repeated the lavender asari. "Now Captain, just because someone is a pain in the ass, doesn't always mean they need to be disposed of." Flopping down on the soft leather, Aria suggested, "Wouldn't you say that Matriarch Ki'Lea would agree?"

Both Vanessia and Contessa's bodies went ridged at the mention of Vanessia's first squad leader. It unnerved the women that Aria had indeed, done her research.

Trying to change the subject as fast as possible, Huntress Vanessia quizzed, "Why are you trying to get rid of her?"

A surprising stream of emotions floated across the matriarch's face before she reluctantly answered. Tilting her wine glass between her two fingers, Aria complained, "Let's just say - she is slowly sleeping her way through my dancers."

Barely able to contain a laugh, the squad leader questioned, "Why - is that a problem?"

Snapping about Aria barked, "Because they can barely 'stand', much less 'dance', when she is done with them. It's like she uses her body as a weapon to bring them to their knees, and that is not good for business."

Silence again filled the room for a moment as the Omega queen seethed with anger. With a nod of her lavender crest, the stunning queen instructed Anto to bring in the asari in question. Moments later, in the distance, a muffled yelping gradually made its way closer to the group of asari killers.

Against her will, an asari struggled as she was heaved over the batarian's shoulder and dropped hard onto the floor between the commando leader and the Omega queen. Vanessia studied the mystified girl as she floated upwards, quickly recovering from her awkward entrance.

The flailing girl was clearly a commando as she was wearing traditional all black commando leathers. However, the plain black uniform lacked a squad emblem, meaning she had not actually been assigned to a squad. When she straightened up, the maiden seemed either very confident or stupid, as she mocked the asari queen with a defiant stare of being treated so reprehensibly, in her opinion.

"So you finally gonna have a real huntress off me?"

Drawing the attention of the girl's light sea blue eyes away from the Omega Mistress, Vanessia cleared her throat as she prepared to speak. "Goddess, Aria, the child barely looks old enough to be a cadet, much less a full fledge commando."

Ignored by both leaders, the young huntress bellowed, "I have a name, you know!"

Further aggravated when no one in the room acknowledged her presence, the fiery asari yelped, "My name is Aleris Ankour! Not child! And I'm a hundred and seventy six!"

Shifting her weight to one side, Vanessia crossed her arms, looked back at the Omega ruler and huffed, "Really Aria, a hundred and seventy six years old? She is barely old enough to stop wet nursing." Knowing her second in command was also sizing up the recruit, Vanessia turned to her lover to retrieve her opinion. Contessa's uncharacteristic deep sigh said more than words, as the squad leader asked Aria, "Are you trying to beguile us?"

Pouring herself yet another glass of rare wine, the alluring purple asari disclosed, "Absolutely not, Huntress. I have no such intentions. But don't worry, unlike like your last huntress…" the speaking asari spun around and continued in a serious tone. "I have 'personally' checked out her credentials; including her pedigree. She is legit, pureblood and all."

Aleris once again erupted out of turn, "You bitch! You had no right looking into my background."

From leader to leader, Aria looked sympathetically to Vanessia. "See what I mean, absolutely no respect for her elders."

Both sets of eyes peered back to the young huntress as she again protested, "You'll never get away with this!"

The Omega queen wandered dangerously close to squad leader. Knowing the huntress' background, Aria snickered as she stared directly at Vanessia while she addressed the young asari. "Calm down child, I did my research. This particular huntress has a particular fondness for purebloods."

Vanessia was just about to release a deep seeded growl when Aria's eyes glanced over to the asari matron on her left, and announced, "Well mostly."

The captain's eye lids closed to near slits as the Omega queen attempted to insult Contessa; her non-pureblooded lover.

Languidly pacing in front of the group of commandos, the supreme ruler seemed immune to the hole Vanessia was drilling in the back of her skull. Redirecting the deadly huntress' attention, Aria demanded, "You are taking her with you."

Aleris exploded before Vanessia could reply, "You can't make me leave Aria!"

Vigilant of the thin line the young girl was treading on, Vanessia causally strolled over to the young huntress and whispered in her ear. "You think you are a pretty powerful commando, yes?" Shocked, the girl nodded, answering the senior huntress, suddenly finding her personal space being very invaded by someone she did not know.

"Image that, times three. That is the experience I have over you, 'child'. Imagine the number of dead bodies I have left in my wake in nearly 'six centuries'."

The blood rushing away from the young huntress' face left her momentarily quite pale. She had not thought of a senior asari in such a way before. Although not intended, Shayla swallowed hard thinking of the numerous battles her squad leader had been in, and those who had been left in her wake.

The Omega queen significantly enjoyed watching the squad leader corral the outburst of the young asari as she took heed of the commando's warning, and silenced her tongue.

When Vanessia had successfully established her dominance over the young huntress, she turned her attention to the ruler of Omega, who was pretending to be more interested in the asari dancer than the power struggle happening right before her eyes. "And why should I relieve you of this burden, Aria T'Loak?"

Aria's lightheartedness and patience again dissipated, as she demanded, "You are taking her! Or by midnight tonight, there will be one more young commando lying dead in the guttered streets of Omega."

Caught between a rock and a harder place, the veteran huntress clinched her jaw and held her tongue from the many colorful words she wanted to disclose to the Omega ruler.

Sensing the asari captain was about to rebel once again, the supreme ruler turned her attention towards the seductive dancers and offered one of them a sip from her glass. Infatuated with the movement of the woman's tongue as the dancer licked away the excess liquid from her lips, the Omega queen smirked before barking, ensuring everyone understood no further discussion would be tolerated, "Now take your trash and 'get the hell off my station'!"