AN – This is the first in a series of interludes from the main story. There's a few so far, and I'm using them wherever there's a break in the narrative to see something Shepard doesn't, or something Shepard recalls out with the main time-line of the story. Just wanted to add a wee note to avoid confusion or having it be jarring.

This interlude takes place directly after chapter 9.

Interlude – Fuck, Marry, Kill

Traynor knew this was a terrible idea. Nagging curiosity, spiced with a pinch of jealousy, sent her to Purgatory. She should be installing Galaxy of Fantasy and finding her solace in the assortment of junk food she picked up for that very purpose.

She heard Cortez call. She knew how busy the Commander was any time they docked on the Citadel. She believed that part, but couldn't shake the possibility that Shepard took the opportunity to visit her dangerous shiny, new playmate, instead going back to the boring one that made her play chess too often. Added bonus: Traynor would be able to scout the opponent – casually speaking of course.

As Traynor craned to see the sparsely populated VIP area, she saw the imposing Asari sitting solo. The alien looked to be in a trance-like state, until she threw her head back and let out a frustrated grunt.

Might have been the distance, but Traynor didn't think Aria looked so tough. Or hot. Pretty much nothing to see there.

At least Aria was in plain sight and not under Shepard somewhere. Or on top of Shepard. Or in the shower with Shepard.

Nothing was serious, nothing was exclusive – but that Traynor would consider the shower a betrayal.

"What do you want?" the gruff voice of a Turian mercenary asked Traynor, as she seemed to have encroached a little too far into Aria's territory.

"I just wanted to to check something-" Traynor started to explain politely.

"Get lost, human."

"I just need to talk-"

"Nobody talks to Aria," the Turian merc interrupted, punctuating the order with a shove.

"Hey!" Traynor protested. She probably couldn't take him, but she squared up to him in an indignant rage all the same. "You might think I'm just some puny human, but I cou-"

"You," Aria called out over the hustle. "Come over here."

Traynor slipped past the Turian, who pettily continued to obstruct her path, despite Aria's beckon.

"Sorry, I was just-" Traynor started, coming closer to Aria.

"You're only here because I'm bored," Aria told her, looking her over. "Any other day I let him slit your throat and leave you for Keeper food."

Charming, Traynor tutted internally. Maybe Shepard likes random threats of violence.

"Alliance," Aria stated, looking at Traynor's uniform. "Normandy."

"How did you-"

"You wouldn't dare approach me unless you had reason. You're looking for Shepard."

"I am. It's... an emergency," Traynor fabricated.

"Is it?" Aria queried, ready to enjoy herself. "What kind, I wonder. You're not one of her ground team. You've never killed anyone in your life – I can tell by the way you stand."

Traynor subconsciously tried to change the way she stood, awkwardly shifting until she folded her arms, standing straight. This contortion amused Aria further.

"Must be in something incredibly useful... Tech or navigation... the type of job that would make you search a massive space station for Shepard, rather than calling."

"How do you know all this? Has Shepard told you about me?"

Aria snorted. "Yes. All about you. In fact it's all we talk about. The cute tech girl that's in love with her."

"R-Really?"

"No."

"Then who told you about me?"

"I'm a very good judge of character," Aria said confidently, just getting into her swing.

"Not sure about that," Traynor replied, setting her jaw to fight back. "I'm her Communications Specialist, actually. And I'm not in love with her... I'm sleeping with her."

"Surprising she has an on-board fuck buddy," Aria observed, drawing her eyes from Traynor. "The way she is with me I thought she'd been dry for months."

Traynor opened her mouth several times, trying to force the most cutting and witty retaliation from her lips. But none came.

"So... Have you seen her?" she asked again.

The look Aria gave her made Traynor feel pathetic. "Chasing Shepard around the Citadel, and to come to me... You must be so desperate."

"Look, I obviously know about you and her," Traynor said, her tone betraying her feelings. "So can you just-"

"Help you? All right: Think of this all as Shepard's own personal Fuck, Marry, Kill game you marines like to play. It'll make it easier for a doe-eyed thing like you to hate her," Aria advised.

"I don't hate her, I don't want to hate her," Traynor replied.

"Suit yourself. But I'd look at what she's turned you into. You've probably written a dozen Where's this going mails and deleted them all. And every time you see her you probably have to stop from throwing yourself at her with your Love me Love me eyes," Aria taunted, her malevolent streak showing.

"Oh... and I suppose that's so different from you?" Traynor stammered.

"I'm Aria T'Loak. I have lived for a millennia. I've eviscerated my enemies and torn the pretenders apart with my mind," Aria proclaimed viciously. "I don't write love letters."

Aria looked pointedly at the guest spot on the couch, which was as clear an invitation as Traynor could hope to get. The Specialist sat down, holding her posture rigid.

"If this is Fuck, Marry, Kill – then which one am I?" Traynor asked eventually.

"It's obvious which one Shepard's sweetheart is. Which leaves you and I vying for the coveted spot."

"Well, I can't see why she would want to kill me," Traynor said, shifting uncomfortably. "I'm not the Queen of Pirates, Mercenaries and Slavers."

"You'll find slavery on Illium. Along with fraud, insider trading, extortion and other boring exploitations of the super-rich and powerful. We prefer old fashioned, but respectable crimes on Omega," the Asari sneered. "Violence, black markets, gang warfare, drug trade. All the good stuff."

"Still. I think we know which one of us is more likely to be on Shepard's kill list."

"Not me, Doe Eyes," Aria said with an arched eyebrow. "When the sex blows out the back of your head, you don't shove it out the airlock. At least until someone's bored."

"And that's all, it is? Because you've had Omega back for weeks, and you've spent all your time here. I can't see any good reason for it, except one," Traynor pointed out.

Aria had no response. The Asari narrowed her eyes, jutted out her chin, intending to intimidate the human. But Traynor stared Aria down, feeling more powerful by the second.

"Just because we've shared a vagina, don't presume you know me," Aria forced out with bite.

Traynor, despite her triumph, felt uneasy. It seemed Aria sensed this.

"Nina," Aria called over to the human waitress. "A drink for my guest here. And whatever you're recommending for an acceptable Noverian rum substitute."

"Of course, Aria," Nina nods, with a smile.

"Love Noverian rum," Traynor enthused. "Expensive though."

"Not the problem. They don't have the good taste to sell it, despite rising demand," Aria said, casting a murderous glance towards the bar.

"One more thing to miss about home on Omega," Traynor said pointedly, though immediately feeling like she was dangling herself above some sizeable jaws.

"You'd like her," Aria said, ignoring the suggestion and gesturing in the general direction of the waitress. "Nina. She shares our strict preferences."

"For the Commander?"

"For the mono-gender of my species, or the illusion of it in others."

"How do you know I'm strict with my preferences?" Traynor asked, trying not to show she was flattered by Aria's observation of her.

"Also in the way you stand," Aria delivered, deadpan.

Traynor let that remark land as Nina returned with their drinks. She had no idea that this is what Aria T'Loak was like. Maybe there was someone behind there, maybe that's who Shepard saw...

Traynor laughed, shook her head and took a sip of her drink. "I think you must really want me out the way. I must threaten you."

"If you threatened me, I'd do something more permanent..." Aria started, cocking her head to the side to evaluate her target. "Have you ever been tossed around the room at the end of a biotic lash and felt your insides pulled apart, fibre by fibre, at the centre of a detonation?"

"I've never been on the end of biotics, actually. Never seen combat, remember?" Traynor retorted, pleased with herself that she was refusing to let Aria win.

"Would've thought baby blue would have warped your ass when she heard about you and Shepard," Aria shrugged.

"She doesn't know," Traynor shook her head. "Shepard didn't want to cause problems for no reason."

"No reason – Flattering," Aria remarked, gleefully. "But maybe for your protection."

Traynor frowned, aware she was being insulted. "Don't think Liara's like that."

"When I first met her," Aria said, sitting forward. "She was looking for Shepard's corpse. She went through any merc, assassin or Collector in between her and that body – and beat them. She's the reason Shepard's alive today."

Traynor looked into her drink. She knew there was history. She knew it was big. She could feel it. That's why she never broached the subject with the Commander, especially when they weren't 'anything serious'. But mostly because when Shepard was around Liara, talked about Liara, thought about Liara: she was different. That look on Shepard's face made Traynor's heart contract as the possibility of anything more ever happening between them became more remote.

"Maybe. But it's fine. She and Shepard still talk all the time. Things feel more tense lately, but I don't think that's because of me..." Traynor trailed off. She shook her head resolutely. "No. She doesn't know."

"You're kidding," Aria laughed. "She knows. Carry on an affair upstairs from the Shadow Broker and she doesn't know? Come on."

"She can't-" Traynor started before her brain came to a screeching halt. "Shadow Broker?!"

"She's probably the worst kept secret in the history of the Shadow Broker," Aria commented. "None of the little people or her agents know who she is. But anyone with the inclination or means to kill her is about two quantum calls away from someone who knows her identity."

"She's the Shadow Broker?" Traynor exclaimed in hushed tones.

"Which makes her more dangerous now," Aria mused. "Is it fight or flight you humans say? If you think you'll be more of a challenge than the Blue Suns and Reaper-regurgitated-Protheans – good luck to you."

Traynor let Aria's warning frighten her, before the reality of the situation returned to mind. She gave Aria a winning smile.

"If you think that fools me or scares me, you're not as good a judge of character as you think you are," Traynor said.

Aria reclined with a triumphant smirk, taking a sip of her liquor. This reaction caused Traynor to recount the conversation up until this point. Not before long the pieces started falling into place.

"And you were just manipulating me into telling you about Liara," Traynor realised.

"I have no idea why I'd want to do that. But Nina-" Aria dismissed, as she returned to a long past subject. "I'm sure I can put in a word for you. In fact, I could order it to go."

"And this wouldn't be you trying to steer me away from Shepard," Traynor said. "Because you're not threatened or anything."

"No."

"Because it's not like you care about her, or anything."

Aria ignored this remark.

"Which part of this three-way tie do you think will work out best for you?" Aria said in a hard tone, studying Traynor's face.

"The part where I'm on the ship with the Commander while you sit on this couch," Traynor responded quickly.

Aria looked at her. A nod of approval gave rise to a smile, which broke into an appeased laugh.

"Nina – another drink for my companion."

–