Eclipsed
Chapter Eleven: The Beginning

"It's been a while since she moved." Detective Lorin Tavis, the middle-aged turian commented as he eyed the prisoner who was now lying still on the floor of the holding cell. Dark green tattoos lining his mandibles began to look like angry dark streaks across his light carapace in the rapidly fading light. He kept an assault rifle, a phaeston, at his side at all times, and the same was true now. "Are you certain that can bring her out of it?"

"The chemical compounds should contradict and neutralize one another, yes." The asari medic said as she entered the cell again to perform another scan. "I'll check her levels now."

"Don't bother."

"Step back." Tavis raised his rifle and focused his narrowed gaze on the prisoner before him. It was she who had spoken.

"Calm yourself, turian." Wasea managed with a hint of her usual sharpness. She didn't move, but her grey eyes had settled on the turian and asari detective who stood by. "In case you have forgotten, I am no threat to anyone; my weapons were confiscated, I'm restrained by steel shackles, and my head is still splitting." In truth, she had to strain to keep up the power behind her words. "I couldn't utilize my biotics even if I really wanted to."

"I was about to ask how you're feeling; what with your recent mind trip and the hole I put in your back." Anaya remarked cooly. "But I'll save my breath. Your attitude seems intact."

"That bullet just managed to get through my armor." Wasea admitted while settling for looking at the asari detective directly. "Pity. I thought you might be tempted to shoot me in the head and get it over wtth."

"And waste a good bullet on you?" Anaya crossed her arms. "Not a chance."

This one had nerve. It was refreshing to see an asari that could hold her own in conversation and not choose the diplomatic way out and concede. In the silence that followed, Wasea took a moment to look around the small station. There were no other officers inside, but she could see Elnora standing nearby with Shepard just off to the left. The medic was at Tavis' right, and Anaya was on his left. Just behind them however, was another asari, who was simply standing there and watching with amusement clearly written in her expression. Finally addressing her, Wasea chose her words carefully. "Good to know that I amuse you."

"Just waiting for you to stop hanging yourself." Lidanya remarked as she stepped forward. She changed targets and addressed Anaya next. "Detective, I have a request that you might find absurd."

"Go on."

"Release her from the restraints."

"Are you mad?" Tavis turned a sharp eye toward the commando. "She would take out everyone in this room in an attempt to escape."

"I don't think so." Lidanya shook her head as she stepped closer. "I don't see her as a threat to anyone in this room." Pausing for a second, she turned her attention back to the restrained asari. "Is she?"

"No." Was Wasea's simple answer. When the turian looked skeptical, she clarified. "None of you are of any interest to me. Your superors, on the other hand…"

"Our superiors?" Anaya frowned. "What do they have to do with this?"

"More than you realize." Wasea's answer was purposefully vague. Keeping their interest was necessary until they released her. "Much more."

"I assume that in order to hear just what they have to do with this, you'll have to be free of all restraints." Tavis managed with disapproval clear in his tone. "Make one wrong move, and we'll gun you down."

"You have my word." Wasea replied evenly. This didn't seem to go very far, but it was an attempt at a peace offering. Still, they would realize what she was doing here, or she hoped as much. While Tavis stepped forward and released the braces that bound her, Anaya cast a look back at the matriarch who still looked amused.

"Am I going to regret this?"

"No." Lidanya dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand. Stepping forward, she waited until the turian had stepped back before extending her hand to the asari preparing to get up from the floor. Wasea took it, and stood; gripping the offered hand firmly in the form of a friendly greeting. "I see that years of silence haven't changed you at all, Wasea."

"Ever the observant one, Lidanya." Wasea's response was met with a flare of the turian's mandibles.

"I've gathered that you two know each other." He began while collapsing the restraints and replacing them in the storage locker. "Just what exactly is going on here?"

"I will give you any explanation you require," Wasea addressed the turian evenly. "But I suggest we continue this conversation somewhere more secure."

"The station isn't secure?" He questioned; eyes widening slightly.

"No, and it hasn't been for some time."

"Suppose I agree to go along with this…" Anaya managed to keep the skepticism out of her tone for the moment as she considered. "Where is this going?"

"Put it this way." Wasea considered her words carefully. "You thought that shutting down this Eclipse base would keep this area safe… The information I have could easily make both of your careers."

"Don't try to appeal to my sense of service in that way." Tavis interjected. "If I have to walk a beat for the rest of my days, I will gadly do so."

"No, you fool." Wasea cut him off. "You misunderstand. What you assume will be a great change for this district will do little in regard to the bigger picture. I cannot say more here."

"Do you have somewhere in mind?" Anaya asked. She had to admit she was curious.

"There is a loft in that high rise." Wasea indicated a building adjacent to the station that was shadowed by another skyscraper.

"I know the place." Lidanya confirmed. "If I'm right, it faces away from the spaceport."

"That is the one." Wasea confirmed. "We will need to get there before I can tell you anything more."

"Given the nature, I assume there is risk involved." Tavis thought aloud. "Who should be involved in this?"

"No one outside this room." The captain said firmly. Casting an eye around the room, she took note of everyone present before indicating a few. "You, Medic, I suggest you forget what you heard and return to your business here."

"Forget what?" The asari in white had a smirk on her dark lips. "I didn't hear anything." She looked over something on her omni tool and continued. "You should be aware that the weakness, exhaustion, and sudden change in temperature will return within the next half hour or so. All this did was dull it down for the time being."

"How long will I be dealing with this?" Wasea's frustration crept back into her tone.

"Another few hours. You should be clear by morning."

"Countless hours wasted." Wasea muttered before looking toward Elnora. "Elnora, if you are free to go, I suggest you do so. I don't want you dragged back into this."

"Are you sure?" Wasea had to admire the kid's willingness to work. Most would have bolted for the door at that point. "There's nothing I can do?"

"No." Having considered it for a fraction of a second, Wasea cursed herself inwardly. "I don't want any more blood on your hands."

"If you're interested," Tavis thought for a second. "We could always use more officers." He directed this toward Elnora who considered it and nodded. "I'll look into it and let you know. Stick around."

"Shepard," Wasea addressed the human who was simply observing the exchange. "You wouldn't have business out on the west end, would you; somewhere near Dantius Towers, perhaps?"

"Why do you ask?" Shepard questioned; she had to wonder just where Wasea got her intel. She had to head that way shortly to attempt to recruit the assassin, Thane Krios.

"There are some hired mercenaries that need to be neutralized."

"By neutralized, you mean eliminated." Shepard managed before the captain nodded.

"Dantius is paranoid and has hired a decent number of Eclipse mercenaries to defend the towers. I do not know why, but they are not all that disciplined." She studied Shepard's expression before continuing. "Appeal to her, Dantius I mean. I know you have a history with her; having eliminated her sister in the Artemis Tau cluster two years ago."

"And how did you know about that?"

"Please." Wasea waved a hand in dismissal. "Every Eclipse squadron heard about Dahlia Dantius' failed extortion attempt. We heard how the base was raided by a human spectre, a krogan battlemaster, and Mtriarch Benezia's daughter. No survivors. In regard to Nassana, I suggest you get to her quickly. She fears her other sister had hired an assassin to kill her."

"He's who I am after." Shepard finally confirmed.

"Good." Wasea thought for a moment. "Take them out while you are there." She addressed the two detectives and commando next. "Only when they are dead can I make my move."