-Jack-

At some point, she slept; though in her position, there was really nothing more to do. Her rest was brief and dreamless, but it had lasted the night. She awoke to the morning sun in her eyes, and the blue cunt who'd captured her hovering over her, hands on her waist, repulsive smile on her thin lips.

"Good morning, Jack," Liara said. Her voice was bright and enthusiastic.

Jack groaned, shaking her head, and made to stretch out after her awkward night's sleep. The ropes the asari whore had bound her with pinching at her flesh was a stern reminder that no-such stretch was possible. Her wrists were cuffed behind her back and a dozen loops bound her to a post jutting from the tool shed's floor. Her bare legs and feet were stretched out before her, bound as well at the knees and ankles. Jack squinted at her feet, confused. The asari had looped a new rope around the middle of her ankles. She traced its path along the floor, and then up to the shed's ceiling where it coiled around a rafter beam before coming back down and disappearing within some sort of wheel mechanism latched to the shed's work bench.

"Armg grmf fm!" Jack mumbled, and her sore jaw reminded her of the ballgag that'd been left strapped around her face. Awake fully now, she could feel moist streaks down her chin and neck from the saliva which she could not swallow. She glared up at her captor and felt that old familiar rage burning in her chest. All she wanted was to wrap her hands around that blue bitch's skinny little neck and squeeze. "ARMG!"

"This is a lovely morning. Let's not spoil it so soon," Liara said, stepping beside her and kneeling.

Jack stared at the asari's neck; so thin; so close.

"This is probably feeling like shit right about now, huh?" Liara asked, tapping a finger to the ballgag. "I would know... Shepard left one in my mouth for even longer than this." The asari's eyes drifted to the side, and Jack saw the alien had some of her own rage burning inside. When she looked back though, her little smile had returned. "I'm going to untie you from this post. I wouldn't try anything... daring. Today could go worse for you than it already is."

Jack growled into the gag and balled her fists.

Liara set about removing the ropes around her torso. Jack waited, patiently, ready to drive her forehead into the cunt's temple the second she had the slack. The asari seemed to sense this threat, and as the last of the ropes were coming off, she stood and kept her distance as she pulled them loose. "There," Liara said, tossing the bundle of rope to the side and moving to the wheel-mechanism at the work bench. She put her hands around it, braced her foot against the bench, and looked down at Jack. "Up we go."

She turned the wheel and Jack felt her legs pull forward. She stared down at the rope around her ankles and realized what the sick bitch was doing. "MMMRG!" She screamed into the ballgag, but Liara made another big turn of the wheel and the rope pulled her further from the post, her ankles beginning to lift slightly from the ground. Jack thrashed on the floor of the shed, trying to twist free, pull loose, something, but then Liara spun the wheel again and her entire lower half was lifted off the ground. She flopped onto her side, pulling desperately at her suspended ankles, but the next wheel turn took her almost entirely into the air, save her shoulders and head. Liara laughed from behind her, turned once more, and locked it in place.

Jack was lifted entirely into the air and then left hanging upside down by her ankles. Her own thrashing had given her some momentum, and she swung gently in the middle of the shed, violently screaming profanities at the asari into her gag.

"Quiet," Liara commanded, striding back around to the front of the shed and looking her suspended prisoner up and down. Another laugh came cheerfully from her lips as she nodded her head. "Yes, perfect." She strode forward, stopping when she was hovering above Jack.

Jack glared at her, upside down, and shouted into the gag once more, furious.

"I said quiet," Liara snapped, put her boot on Jack's chest, and gave her a push.

The momentum took her swinging halfway across the room before stalling and then carrying her back the other way. Liara laughed and put her hands out to catch her and stop the momentum, but Jack saw opportunity to hurt the bitch, and she took it. When her swinging body neared, she bent at the waist so her shoulder lifted and drove straight into the asari's stomach. Liara yelped and stumbled backwards, clutching her gut and staring down at Jack incredulously. "You little whore!"

Jack was so god damned angry, she couldn't even take satisfaction in hurting the bitch. She only glared forward, eager to hurt the alien again. She felt blood rushing to her head, tensing her even further.

Liara nodded. "Alright..." She bent and lifted a coiled hose from beside the shed door, the tail end of which led outside through a slight crack. She uncoiled it and took hold of the steel nozzle in both hands, aiming it down at Jack. "I hope this is cold enough for you..."

"FUMG OUMF" Jack protested defiantly.

Then it was driving into her chest, icy and cold and sharp and painful. The hose unleashed a pressurized blast of freezing water down upon her, Liara stepping forward so the intensity grew. Jack screamed into the gag as the water soaked her T-Shirt in seconds, dampening it to the point of heaviness, and then Liara was there, yanking it down over her face and letting the ice-water beat against her bare breasts and stomach. Jack jerked and twisted, but could only gather enough momentum to gently rock herself side to side. The run-off from the blast was raining down over her face and up into her nose, making it feel like she was drowning.

"You like this you little bitch?" Liara shouted over the hose's roar. "This is just a taste of what you and your human friends are going to get. This is what dirty humans deserve: a good, cold, washing."

The hose unleashed its spray on her hips, her thighs, her bare knees and legs, her ankles and toes, and then trailed back down to her chest and did it all over again. Her own T-shirt, thick with water, blinded her as it lay heavy and damp across her face. She wasn't even sure if she was breathing anymore. Liara continued hosing her down. The asari moved forward, put a hand on her knees, and spun her in a half-circle to pelt her backside as well. The stream beat down upon her ass cheeks immediately. Jack began coughing beneath her shirt, trying to shake her head and get it loose, but it was too wet and had nowhere to go. The backs of her knees were blasted with the hose and she felt her legs stiffen in response from the pain. The water was somehow finding every inch of her body simultaneously. She began to wonder if Liara had brought in a second hose or if she was imagining it. A hand took hold of her head and yanked it forward. The T-Shirt came away from her face and she began gasping at the fresh air.

Until Liara shifted the nozzle downwards and blasted her directly in her face. The freezing water slipped into her nose, her eyes, her ears, choking her, and then her whole world started turning black.

The hose dyed down.

"Mmmg mmf..." Jack mumbled weakly into the ballgag, catching her breath and letting her body go limp to conserve what energy she had left.

"There we are," Liara said, still as cheerful as ever. "A little bath calmed you right down, didn't it? Now what did we learn today, Jack?"

She could feel her momentum swaying her left to right, left to right. Water still trickled down her entire body. A drop formed and fell from the tip of her nipple. Another slipped from her chin and went up her nose. She coughed it out and shook her head, tossing a spray of water from what little hair she had.

"We learned," Liara went on, "that there's a new boss in town, isn't there? And you better start paying her the respect she deserves. Soon enough, the rest of your little friends will be joining you in your misery. Then... well then the fun really begins." The asari smiled and cocked her head to the side as she stared down at Jack. "I'm going to take remove your gag. Let me make it clear that I'm not doing this out of any kind of sympathy or kindness, but so you can answer my questions. You got that?"

Jack set her anger aside and nodded. The thought of being able to swallow again sounded incredible.

Liara went to her side, crouched, and began unbuckling the ballgag. When it finally came undone and popped out between her lips, Jack had the brief fear her jaw had locked in place, but then the feeling was slowly coming back and she was moving her mouth up and down, working loose the stiffness.

Liara stood and returned to the workbench with the saliva-drenched gag in hand. "Don't scream or the gag goes back in and the hose goes back on."

Jack licked her lips and swallowed. Her throat felt surprisingly raw. She'd apparently been screaming into the gag harder than she'd thought. It was hard to tell with the hose running and pounding her skin. She cleared her throat and glared across the shed at her captor. "Why the fuck are you doing this shit to me..."

"I told you," Liara began, "I'm on a new mission... to put your nasty little species in its place in the galaxy. Too long have your people gone on doing and taking what you want. I realized this while I was being fucked repeatedly by Shepard's slave, strapped to her bed with a ballgag in my mouth. It gave me... lots of time to think things through." The asari giggled, and Jack could swear she saw the alien's eye twitch.

"You're fucking psychotic..."

"If I am, it's because you people made me this way," Liara explained. "In fact, any damage to my mind is a direct case for what I'm doing. Humans have done enough damage to this galaxy. It's about time someone put a stop to their tyranny. Put them in their place."

The rope suspending Jack upside down had a slight twist near its top, so now that she had stopped moving, the rope was slowly spinning her in a circle. She swallowed again, easing her rough throat, and glanced desperately around the room for something that could aid her in escape. Shepard had pissed her off plenty before, but Liara... that blue bitch just terrified her.

"Now tell me... how did you get your collar off?"

Jack continued looking as she spoke, "I asked Shepard really nicely."

"That's funny. If you joke again, I'll fill your mouth with the nozzle of that hose and turn it on. Now answer me and answer me true: how did you get it off?"

The room kept spinning, and as she finished a full rotation, Jack realized with a terrible feeling in her stomach that there was nothing to help her. If she was getting out of this, she needed help. Her eyes flicked to the shed door. It was opened just a crack for the hose to run through. If she screamed as loud as she could... if someone heard her... but then, someone might not, and that could be very bad...

"Answer me now or I'll gag you," Liara's cold voice broke her line of thought.

"I don't fucking know, alright!" She snapped. "Miranda got it off while I was sleeping."

Liara frowned. "Sleeping?"

"That's right," Jack said. "When we got away, we ran down the beach, found a spot to crash, and went to sleep. At least I did. Apparently Miranda... worked on getting my collar off most of the night..." Her thoughts turned to Miranda and to that night... to the woman's breasts and her ass... and the way Jack felt when they fucked.

Liara was glaring down at her. "That's it? You just woke up and it was just... gone?"

Jack glared right back. "You heard me..."

Liara squinted. "Then what good are you to me?" She picked the ballgag up from the bench and marched back across the shed.

"No! Wait!" Jack pleaded. "You don't have to fucking do that! I won't fucking yell or shout or even fucking talk! Don't put that shit back in my mouth... shit, please!"

"Quiet," Liara demanded. "I don't care what you want. Have I not made that clear yet?"

"You fucking bitch!" Jack managed, but then the gag was being shoved back into her mouth and buckled in place. "Mmmmg!"

Liara tightened it even tighter than it had been before, stood, and went to the shed door. She reached it, lifted the hose, and then worked the nozzle into a fixture beside the workbench. Jack watched in horror as the thing was pointed right in her direction. Liara made a final adjustment and then stepped back to check the hose's position. "There we are," she said, turning her attention back to Jack. "The nozzle of this hose has a control panel on it. I don't want you getting too comfortable while you're hanging around in here so let's set this to give you a good wake up call every... oh, ten minutes?"

"MMMF!" Jack roared into the gag, frantically shaking her head.

"You're right," Liara said. "Every five, then." She moved her hand to the nozzle, pressed a few buttons, and nodded, satisfied. "Enjoy."

The door closed behind the asari, and then Jack was alone. She wrestled with the cuffs on her wrists, keeping an eye on the nozzle of the hose. It looked incredibly similar to an eye... an eye that was watching her. She looked upwards towards the rafter beam and tried shifting her weight back and forth to put some wear-and-tear on the rope, hoping to break it. It proved harder than she'd thought, and in a few minutes all she'd accomplished was wearing herself out.

Then the water hit her; cold, hard, and relentless.

She screamed into the ballgag in frustration as the stream beat down upon the flesh of her chest and stomach, but then just as quickly as the water had come on, it went off again. Jack was left panting and soaked; the terrible realization that she only had another five minutes before it happened again.

-Ashley-

Steam rose from the mugs in Shepard's hands, twirled up her arms, and dissolved before her smiling face as she took a seat across from Ashley at the kitchen table. The commander nodded, set one of the cups on the table, and slid it over to her. "Are you ready?"

Ashley smirked. "Sure, Shepard."

"I just want you to be ready," Shepard said. "This is going to be the best coffee you've ever had. I think a person should prepare for such a grand moment in their life."

Ashley rolled her eyed, took the mug by its handle, and lifted it to drink.

Shepard watched with child-like anticipation on her face. "Well? Come on, Ash. Tell me how good it is. Tell me."

Ashley lowered the cup, took a breath, and looked across the table at her old commander. "Well... it was better than krogan tea..."

Shepard's mouth fell open. "You-" She closed it, grinned, and laughed.

Ashley laughed with her. "Yes, Shepard. It's amazing. Happy?"

"Are you?"

Ashley laughed again, but Shepard did not laugh with her. The woman only sat, awaiting an answer. "Um... yeah, sure." Ash said, forcing an awkward smile.

The commander nodded, satisfied enough with her answer, and stood. "Good. If you like it, I'll have more brought in. I have it imported from the Hades Gamma cluster. It's not cheap, but... you're worth it," she finished with a smile and a wink.

The kitchen was surprisingly cozy compared with the sprawling, eloquent, rooms that made up most of Shepard's mansion. The floor was hardwood, the tables and cabinets were polished oak, and the sink and refrigerator were small and modest. Shepard had brought her in for lunch, had the volus cook up chicken for salads, and then the two had eaten across from one another at the table; Shepard coaxing her on to do most of the talking while the commander herself ate, staring at her and smiling. The girl with dark skin-Shepard had called her 'Sam' earlier-ate with them, though she sat at the opposite end of the table, and did not say a word the entire time. Now that lunch was over and coffee was served, though, Ashley turned her attention on the girl. "No coffee for you?"

Sam shook her head, avoiding eye contact. She was not wearing her usual suit of latex with its matching hood, instead opting for a pretty dress of yellow and blue and a pair of black flats. Shepard herself was casually moving about the kitchen, putting things away, in just a T-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops. The mood was so... unusual compared to all the spectacle Ash had seen since she'd arrived.

"Sam doesn't like coffee," Shepard said, turning the sink on to wash the dishes.

Ashley found it strange the commander washed her own dishes with a house full of servants and her own personal slave, but said nothing of it. Instead, she turned back to Sam. "Does she ever speak?"

"When she has something to say, I suppose," Shepard answered for her.

Sam remained quiet, playfully tugging at the strap of her dress.

Liara T'Soni walked into the kitchen, smiling, and walked up beside Shepard at the sink. "Can I wash my hands, Commander?"

Shepard glanced over at her. "What's that smile all about? You seem in an awfully good mood today."

Liara laughed, sticking her hands in the sink alongside Shepard's. "Your garden... I just enjoy taking care of it so much. I thank you again, Commander, for allowing me such freedom. I greatly appreciate it."

"Well, the job is yours to lose, Liara. Keep it looking good and we don't have a problem."

"Yes, Commander."

Ashley glanced across the table and saw Sam was watching the asari with cautious eyes. She didn't blame the girl; there was something... off about Liara. She wasn't the pleasant, intelligent, doctor Ashley had first met on Therum. Then again, Shepard herself was miles away from the woman she thought she knew all that time ago.

Liara made her exit, her eyes never falling on either Sam or herself, and Shepard took her seat again. "Finish your coffee?"

Ashley had forgotten all about it. "Oh, um, not yet, Shepard. It is good, I just... have my mind on other things, I guess."

Shepard nodded. "I understand. Take your time, Ash." Her hand reached across the table and fell on Ashley's own, giving it a squeeze.

Ash forced another awkward smile, took a sip of her coffee, and set it back down. "Shepard, I'd really like to talk more about, well, what you're doing here."

"What do you mean, Ash? Can't you see? I'm enjoying this pleasant, afternoon sunshine in the good company of you and Sam."

"Shepard, that's not what I meant..."

"I know what you meant," Shepard said, lifting a hand. "But I'd rather not spoil this coffee with a conversation that might upset me. You understand, Ash, don't you?"

"...sure, Shepard."

That had been the commander's way out of it every time she'd brought up the topic of her kidnapping of Miranda, Jack, and Liara... and, hell, she could add herself to that list now, Ash supposed. There was always a reason not to discuss it. Ashley began to wonder if there'd ever be a 'right time'.

"Sam, bring Miss Lawson down a cup of our delicious coffee here," Shepard said, turning to Ashley. "See? You see how nice I'm being for you, Ash?"

"I see, Shepard. I appreciate that."

Sam stood, bowed her head, and headed out of the kitchen with a steaming cup in her hand.

Alone, the commander stared across the table at her once again, making Ashley shift a bit in her seat uncomfortably. "Come here," Shepard said, standing. "I want to show you something."

"What?"

"Just come here."

Ashley stood and followed Shepard as she headed to the corner of the kitchen where the counter top curved into a little nook with a rotating cabinet. Shepard pointed to the nook.

"What are you pointing at?"

The commander grabbed her by the waist, spun her into the corner, and pushed her gently into the nook so that the counter tops were pinning her in at either side. Ashley sighed. "Come on, Shepard..." She said, trying to push past the commander to the left, was blocked, and tried the right. Blocked there, too.

Shepard was smiling again. Her hands fell on the counters at either side of Ashley and she leaned in a bit closer. "Where are you trying to go?" She asked playfully.

The commander's face came close to her own, and Ashley turned away, offering up a nervous laugh. "The kitchen, Shepard? You're really going to make your move in the kitchen?"

Shepard bit her lip and grinned. "I mean... if you'd like to go somewhere more... intimate..."

"That's not what I said."

"But it is what you implied." The commander's eyes flicked across her body. "A girl can only wait so long, Ash. Come on... let me take you upstairs."

"You want to take me upstairs?"

"I do."

Ashley took a breath as she looked Shepard up and down. Perhaps if she could get the woman alone and in a... more relaxed mood, she could get her talking about the things that actually mattered. "Alright, Shepard. Take me upstairs then, but be a lady now, alright?"

Shepard's grin widened. "Absolutely, Ash."

The bedroom was almost a polar opposite to the quaint, tidy, little kitchen. The ceiling was high, the walls were lavishly decorated, and the carpet was a soft, swirling, thing that would have been a better fit in a nightclub. The lights were dimmed, the shades drawn, and soft, electronic, music drifted quietly from speakers hidden in the walls. Shepard walked in to the bedroom with her arms out to her sides, showcasing the room with a sense of pride. "What do you think?"

"I've seen it before. If I remember correctly, you had Liara straped down right about there," Ashley said, pointing at the round mattress at the far end of the room.

Shepard laughed. "Well, I can't say I exactly hid it from you, Chief Williams. I did walk you into this room that day, if you recall."

"Yeah, I recall perfectly well. Though I have to wonder why? You didn't even bother trying to hide the fact you had an asari woman up here bound and gagged against her will."

Shepard shrugged. "It was nothing I was ashamed of. I do what I do, Ash, I make no excuses."

"Even if what you're doing, many would consider wrong?"

Shepard grinned, lifted a hand, and wagged her finger before turning and heading to the bed. She climbed the two stairs that raised the back half of the room, kicked the flip-flops from her feet, and crawled onto the mattress. "Come over here."

Ashley took a breath as she lowered her head and shuffled her feet.

"Come ooooon," Shepard called playfully.

There was a painting of a hawk-like creature swooping down over a sea of fish on the wall. Ashley pointed to it. "This is Turian, isn't it? I recognize the art."

"I don't give a shit about the painting, Ash."

Ashley turned back to the commander and put her hands on her hips. "I thought you said you'd be a lady. What kind of talk is that for a lady?"

"The horny kind, I guess."

"Shepard!"

"What?" Shepard said. "I haven't exactly hidden my attraction to you, Ashley Williams. Stop playing hard to get and bring your cute little ass over here."

"If I say no?"

"You won't."

Ashley teetered on one foot, curious to test the commander's patience, but decided against it. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and crossed the room. She ascended the brief stairs and stood before the mattress, looking over Shepard and her crimson sheets. "What do you want with me?"

Shepard laughed, reached up, and hooked her fingers under Ashley's belt. She pulled, and Ash had no choice but to stumble forward and spill onto the mattress on her hands and knees. "Livvy!" Ash yelped as she nearly tumbled over.

Shepard stared at her, frowning.

Ashley re-oriented herself, struggling to her knees, and sat back on her legs with her arms folded. "What is it?"

"I.. no one calls me that anymore," Shepard said. "I guess I forgot I'd even told anyone."

"Well, Olivia, you told me once... a long time ago."

"Yeah... I don't like it."

"I know," Ash said with a grin. "You always hated anyone calling you by it. Maybe that's why it slipped. You're being rough with me."

Shepard ran a hand through her hair. "Lay down, Ash. Let me make you happy."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Honest?"

"Honest."

"Tie you down and eat your pussy."

"Jesus, Shepard!" Ash snapped, frowning.

"What? You told me to be honest."

"And what if that's not happiness to me?" Ashley asked, avoiding the commander's reaching hand with a twist of her shoulder.

"It will be, Ash. Give me a chance to prove that to you."

Shepard's hand fell to her thigh, but Ashley was quick to pluck it off. "And what's up with all the bondage stuff anyway, Shepard? When we are the Normandy, you never seemed to have such an obsession."

"Oh, I did," Shepard corrected her. "But that was a different time. That was war time. I had to have my shit together. This is peace time. Now I can be me."

"Kidnapping women is a part of that?"

"Stop it," Shepard said, pointing a finger her way. "I don't want to talk about that."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not in the 'talking' mood, I'm in the 'eating pussy' mood. Now lay down already," Shepard said, reaching back beneath the mattress near the headboard. She pulled out two, black, cuffs that were attached near the top of the bed at opposite sides. She dangled one before her, grinning. "Don't make me beg..."

"Have you ever been tied down like that?" Ash asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Has anyone ever strapped down the 'famous' Commander Shepard?"

Shepard laughed. "Of course not."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm the Commander, Ash. You should know this by now."

Ashley suddenly felt like she might be on to something. "You want to make me happy, Shepard? Let me be the one..."

Shepard frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me be the one who commands the Commander. Lie down and let me put the cuffs on you."

Shepard's eye flicked up and down her body, one eyebrow twitching on her brow. "Yeah? And then what? You try to escape while I'm tied down and helpless to stop you?"

"No," Ash said. "I won't. I promise."

Shepard squinted, seemingly testing her face for honesty. "That's what you really want, Ash? To tie me up?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes. I think it would be good for you to see what it's like on the other end of these little 'games' you play."

Shepard got to her knees and scooted closer to Ashley on the bed. When they were only a few inches apart, Shepard reached down, took hold of her shirt, and pulled it up over her head. The commander's bare, perky, breasts came spilling out before Ash. Shepard cupped a hand beneath her chin and lifted her face so their eyes met. "I care about you, Ashley Williams. You're not like the other girls to me. If proving that means letting you do this? Then so be it. However, I'm not ready to completely put my trust in you just yet, so would you mind if I have Sam join us in the room to watch over us and... make sure everyone stays happy?"

Ashley nodded again. Her intentions weren't to escape, she simply wanted her commander to have some perspective so perhaps she could sympathize more with what she was forcing upon her captives.

"Sam!" Shepard shouted, and immediately the door to the bedroom opened from a side passage Ashley hadn't even seen. The girl's loyalty was impressive; she must have been standing outside listening the entire time. "Ashley here is going to tie me up," she said with a smile. "You're going to want to see this... hell, you might even like it."

The girl shook her head shyly, retreated to the far corner of the room, and took a seat on a stool there.

"Well... do what you will," Shepard said. She scooted back on the mattress til she was near the headboard, laid down on her back, and let her wrists drop gently to either side of her head.

Ashley swallowed, nodded, and crawled forward. She sat cross-legged beside the commander's body, lifted one of the cuffs, and set Shepard's hand inside it. She wrapped the cuff around her wrist and pulled it shut. Shepard moaned, and when Ashley looked down at her, she licked her lips and grinned. Ash offered one of her awkward smiles, reached across the commander's bare chest, and set her other wrist in place in the opposite cuff.

Shepard pulled at her binds. "I could get into this," she said, arching her back and closing her eyes. "Not being able to stop you from doing... whatever you want... yeah, I can be into that."

Ashley looked back at the foot of the bed, spotting the ankle cuffs near the corners of the rounded mattress. She walked on her knees down to set Shepard's ankles in place.

"Feet too?" Shepard asked, biting her lip. "Take my pants off first."

Ashley locked her left ankle into the cuff. "I'm the one giving the commands now, Shepard. Don't you remember?"

From the far corner of the room, she saw Sam step forward. The commander shook her head, though, and Sam took a seat again. "I remember, Ash," she said. "You're in charge."

She nodded, crawled to the opposite side, and locked Shepard's other foot in place. "There... comfy?"

The commander pulled at all of her binds, unable to move much more than an inch in any direction. "Oh yes..." Her eyes stared hungrily at Ash. Her hips shifted side to side. "Now have your way with me."

Ashley crawled back to the top of the mattress. Her eyes landed on the bottle of whiskey standing tall on the table beside the bed. "You still keep a bottle of booze next to your bed? I remember you used to do that on the Normandy."

"I like to wake up with a kick," Shepard said. "Old habits, I guess... now kiss me."

Ash frowned and glanced over to the other side where a small fish tank stood illuminated by a neon light around its trim. "The fish too... you always used to keep them close by."

"Shit, Ash, who cares? I'm not a very patient woman in case you haven't noticed," Shepard said, balling her fists in their cuffs.

Ashley's heart thumped in her chest. She stared down at the mattress. It did seem slightly off balance... as if there were something propping one end up from below. When they were aboard the Normandy, the commander always kept a loaded pistol beneath the left side of her mattress. Ashley remembered her saying 'the only thing I trust at night is my Raikou X'. Shepard frowned, staring up at Ashley. Their eyes met, and an unseen conversation took place. Shepard's face went cold.

"Sam!" She yelled-

-but Ashley had already dug under the mattress and fished out the pistol. She turned, still on her knees, and aimed the gun back at the girl in the corner of the room. "Don't!" She shouted. Sam froze, her hand halfway across her body and reaching for the control to Ashley's collar that was wrapped around her wrist.

"What the fuck are you doing, Ash!?" Shepard shouted through grit teeth. "I trusted you!"

Ashley ignored her, scooted off the bed with the gun nozzle still locked on Sam, and stood. "Walk towards me and keep your hands out to your sides!" She commanded.

The girl was hesitant.

Ashley took a step forward, squinting. "Do it."

"Ashley!" Shepard screamed from behind her. "Don't fucking do this! Not you!"

Finally, the girl stepped forward. Ash kept one hand on the gun while her other reached out and snatched the controls to her collar off the girl's wrist. "Now go over to that closet and get inside of it," she said, cocking her head towards the side of the room where a large, double-doored, closet stood.

"Argh!" Shepard growled, pulling at her cuffed limbs. "ASH!"

Ashley led the girl to the closet, swung open the door for her, and stepped back so she could step inside. Sam stopped before doing so and turned to her, anger burning in her eyes. "Don't you hurt her..."

"I would never hurt her," Ashley assured the girl. She nodded to the closet.

Sam stepped inside, and Ash was quick to move forward and slam the doors shut. She locked the handles together with a pair of steel handcuffs lying atop the dresser next to the closet.

"I trusted you..." Shepard repeated, shaking her head. "You promised me you wouldn't try to escape, Ash! God damn it! You promised!"

"I'm not trying to escape, Shepard!" Ashley said, turning back towards the bed and tucking the pistol into her belt. "I'm trying to make a deal with you!"

Shepard balled her fists and rocked back and forth on the bed. "What the fuck are you talking about? Ash! Get me off this fucking bed! You betrayed me!"

Ashley moved back to the bed and dropped down beside her former commander's bound and partially-nude body. "No I didn't. I promised I wouldn't try to escape, and I'm not, so hear me out."

"Un-fucking-tie me, Ashley! RIGHT NOW!" Shepard yelled.

Ashley sighed, reached forward, and clamped a hand down over her mouth. "Just listen for once!"

"Mmmph!" Shepard sounded into her hand, her eyes widening in anger.

"I want you to acknowledge the fact that right now, your slave-girl is locked in a closet, you are tied down to your own bed, I have a loaded pistol at my disposal, and none of your volus are aware of any of this. If I wanted to, escape would be the easiest thing in the world right now. I could walk out of here, probably with your three hostages too, and leave you like this until the Alliance comes in and cleans up the mess. Do you acknowledge that, Shepard? Do you admit that that is a very likely outcome if I so choose it to be?"

Shepard's nostrils flared as she glared up at Ashley in forced silence.

"Do you?"

"Mmf!" Shepard grunted with a brief nod of her head.

"Okay, now listen: I'm not going to do any of that," Ashley said. "Do you know why? It's because I care about you, Shepard. More than you know. And I think you're in trouble here."

Shepard's brow furrowed.

"You've been in seclusion for months! You kidnap women and hold them here against their will to perform sexual acts on them? What happened to the women who became the first human Spectre? What happened to the women who spent every bit of herself to save lives and protect people and do good? Now you lock yourself up in this mansion on some secluded planet and ignore everyone and everything that's going on in the galaxy? I care about you, Shepard. I really, really, do. And I'm telling you: I think you might have something wrong with your mind."

Shepard stared at her quietly.

"Now I'm asking you for a deal," Ash went on. "You want someone? Alright, take me. I'll lay this gun down, untie you, and stay here with you and you can do what you want with me. But, Shepard, as a member of the Alliance and a decent human being, I cannot let you hold Miranda, Jack, and Liara against their wills any longer. Do you understand my offer? I'm trading you my freedom for theirs. I'll stay, but you have to give them the option to go, alright?"

Shepard's eyes flicked from Ashley's to her hand covering her mouth. Ash removed it slowly. "...you would do that?" Shepard asked; her voice was quiet and frail. "You'd just... stay with me..."

Ashley brushed her former commander's hair aside. "Jesus, Shepard, of course. I want you to come back to the real world. Not this... bizarre... sexual... fantasy world you've built for yourself here." She narrowed her eyes back on Shepard. "But I have to know that somewhere inside you... maybe deep, deep, inside you... you realize that this isn't right and that you might have a problem."

"I know..." Shepard whispered, and suddenly she looked on the verge of tears. "I know, Ash..."

"Look, I don't know what happened between the Normandy and now, and honestly? I don't care. I just want my commander back. The brave, fearless, good, women who inspired me to be more than I ever thought I could."

"You won't leave me..." Shepard asked, avoiding eye contact.

"No. I won't. I promise."

Shepard's nose twitched and her eyes watered again.

"Oh, Shepard..." Ashley said, brushed her hair aside again, and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

Shepard turned her head and looked up into Ashley's eyes.

Ashley swallowed, stared back for a moment, and leaned forward.

Their lips met, soft, warm, and moist against one another.

-Liara-

She stood with her ear pressed to the bedroom door.

She couldn't hold the giggles in any more.

It wouldn't be long now.

Not long at all.