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Interlude II: Broken Reunions

Date:08-14-2182

Location: Omega, The Terminus

Nine long days of travel later found us finally returned to the Terminus's black heart, though thankfully we didn't end up staying in Gozu after the troop transport had dropped us off. Ayle and Team One had apparently returned the day before, and had done a sufficiently good job that Sederis was letting us stay in one of the apartments that the Eclipse owned in Doru. It wasn't one of the best on station by any means, but it was far better than being stuck in one of the the 'better' ones in Gozu.

"Kean." Hesh met the four of us at our room's door, the slender Batarian male ducking his head left as mine dipped minutely to the right. "Welcome to our palace."

I rolled my single set of eyes before pushing past him. Like most Omega dwellings, the front door opened into a broad living area with an attached kitchen, with a half dozen rooms attached to the circular area. "Your definition of palace leaves a lot to be desired. Hey Ullak."

The other member of Ayle's cadre gave me a deferential nod, but kept all of his eyes focused on his grenade launcher as he carefully stripped the heavy weapon.

While Voya, Thul, and Shyeel shuffled in behind me, I stepped aside before frowning. "Where's everyone else?"

"The combat humans are in their room, either having sex, doing drugs, or both." Hesh twitched a shoulder as he headed back towards the small kitchen area. "Our Tarath'shan is meeting with a potential sponsor, and she took Jarick with her."

I blinked slowly, tilting my head in confusion. "What kind of sponsor?"

He shrugged again. "Marcus says the best way to get Aria's attention is to become well known. I believe it's a combination equipment and publicity deal."

"Publicity." Athame's ass... "Whatever, she thinks it's a good idea, she can go for it. Which room?"

"Yourself and Voya are in that one."

Me and Voya. Because we were getting along so well right now. Mostly because of circumstances, I hadn't had the chance to properly confront her while we'd been on one packed ship, and then on another. We hadn't even been able to sleep in a room that was crowded with at least four or more other people, all of us packed in and exhausted.

In more breaking news, Turians were covered in fucking spikes, so it was even less comfortable than you'd expect.

The second ship would have ideally given me a chance to bitch her out, but that had gone out to sea when she'd realized that the entire engineering staff was composed of other Terminus Quarians. She'd promptly vanished for the duration of the trip, emerging without a word of fucking explanation just before we docked. About the only bright side had been me and Shyeel discovering a cabal of Turians playing cards who had had no ability whatsoever to realize that we were cheating on almost every hand, leaving both of us several hundred credits richer.

We'd oddly bonded over the experience of fleecing idiots from their money, and it had been relaxing if nothing else. Thul had seemed to approve that we were socializing... sort of. Oddly he didn't really get involved, mostly just contenting himself with observing us and reading novels on his omni-tool.

"Please tell me the rooms have showers at least." Said Asari spoke up, removing her helmet and making a show of gesturing at me. "His fur is more grease than anything else. It's disgusting."

Rolling my eyes, I gave her a rude gesture and headed towards the room that Hesh had pointed at, working on loosing some of my armor as I did. "Where's my power armor?"

"Already transferred to the ship taking you to Illium." Ullak finally spoke, his rich voice rumbling as his upper eyes flicked in my direction. "You leave tomorrow from the Eclipse dock, usual ship."

Grunting, I thanked him for the news and then finished shuffling into the room. A silent Voya followed in my wake, shutting the door behind her as I worked in ripping the armor plates off for the first time in a fucking week.

"Cie-"

"Shower first." I cut her off. "If this is how you feel after spending a week in your suit I suddenly have a whole new appreciation for your hatred of it."

She snorted, stepping forwards to help get my backplate off once I loosened it. "Fine, but I'm showering before you try and bitch me out for something you wanted to do anyway."

Shaking my head, I focused on getting out of the armor so I could get clean. It also gave me a chance to check on my latest wound, which seemed to be healing neatly. If I was lucky it wouldn't result in yet another scar on that side of my body.

Ten minutes later I emerged wet if clean, pulling a plain shirt over my head before resuming the very long process of toweling out my long hair. I was still brushing the stupidly long strands when she emerged from the tiny bathroom a half hour later, her wild mane still dripping water onto her black shirt.

We didn't talk about anything at first, settling onto our respective beds and checking our omni-tools for any priority items that we might have missed. When my inbox failed to have anything interesting, I shifted to the news, letting her curiosity and irritation build as she tried and failed to stop her gleaming eyes from flicking in my direction.

"All right." She snapped after a quarter hour of silence. "I've been avoiding you."

"Really?" I didn't even look her way, "I had no idea."

There was a low growl. "Stop being a sarcastic bosh'tet."

My right shoulder twitched. "Why should I?"

"Because it annoys me."

"You disregarding an agreement I made with an ally goes a bit beyond annoyance on my end."

Voya growled again. "They were pirates, slavers, and scum. They deserved death."

"Yup."

"If you fucking agree than why is this such an issue!?"

This time I did glance up, my eyes narrowing in a glare that was apparently severe enough for her to swallow nervously. "Because I fucking agreed to go along with Shepard. Because she's skilled enough to kill all of us. Because there was a fucking Spectre with her who could have killed us all even more easily. I was trying to appease them to give us the best odds of walking out alive."

"You're too cautious." She continued to press, her head shaking. "So long as we got the civilians out they would have-"

"You knew that?" I shot back. "You knew that enough to risk all four of our lives? All forty plus of Magnus's people?"

My friend flinched slightly, her voice lowering. "They were slavers..."

Growling, I snapped my omni-tool off and rose to my feet so that I could properly glare down at her. "Sometimes we have to let them walk, you fucking know that. You've known that since I freed you. You also know that I always support you taking them out whenever we can, provided it doesn't risk our lives."

Another wince was followed by the damaged woman glancing away so that her curtain of white hair covered her face from my view.

Exhaling heavily, I shook my head tiredly. "Athame's ass Voya... What am I supposed to do with you? You're one of a few people I honestly trust with my life but right now I seriously want to beat you senseless. Not in a friendly sparring way either. Ayle is already pissy because you never obey her orders if I don't second them, if she realizes that you don't even listen to me she won't let you stay in the unit."

Even with her hair in the way I saw her flinch again. She was unstable but not stupid, if Ayle kicked her out I'd have to make a choice between staying with her, or staying with the Blades and my best chance of avenging Rane.

"I'll..." Voya seemed to swallow heavily. "Try..."

Anything else she would have said was cut off when there was a heavy rap on our door followed by Hesh's voice calling to us. "Kean, our Tarath'shan is back with a guest. She wants to talk with you."

Right when we finally make some kind of breakthrough... Athame's fucking ass. I didn't miss the way she seemed to slump in relief had not having to finish her sentence, or promise me anything. "Is that an order?"

"Yes. It's important sir."

"Athame's motherfucking ancient azure..." Muttering non-stop curses didn't make me feel any better, even if Voya snorted a some of her good humor was restored. Shaking my hair out of my face, I stomped over the door and smacked the controls.

It had barely snapped open when I was outside, my voice irritated as I growled at Ayle. "Ayle, what is this fucking..."

My voice trailed as my feet slowed to an automatic stop, my entire body locking up at the sight of the woman next to the other Reyja'krem.

Nynsi Shaaryak was... just as gorgeous as she'd been the day she'd exiled me and kicked me out of her home. The same long ears, the same down-turned nose, the same smooth teal skin. She'd at least dressed practically for Omega, the heavy armor I'd helped both put on and take off hiding her muscled body from view.

Fuck. Just seeing her brought back a tidal wave of emotion that I'd thought I'd buried a long time ago.

"Reyja'krem Kean." The title, which I normally hated, actually helped in this case. If she'd called me Harath'krem I'd have probably broken down entirely... especially with the way her voice quivered on my last name, her eyes moving up and down to take in my appearance before she controlled herself. "It's been a while."

"Matriarch Shaaryak." I needed a long breath to keep my voice level, forcing the old longing, the pain, and the anger all back and away. Once I was sure I was in control of myself, I politely tilted my head to the left to the degree demanded by her station. "I had thought you would already be off station."

She dipped her head to the right, quickly returning it to neutral as I did the same. "I wished to speak with Reyja'krem Ayle about this mercenary company before I agreed to sponsor you."

Nynsi was... "Why would you want to sponsor us?"

Her face schooled into a neutral mask. "The family's fortunes have improved since the Balak clan's sabotage and disruption, but could still grow further. My assets being attached to a rising unit would be mutually beneficial. You receive press and equipment, I receive customers hoping to emulate your successes."

I made a slight show of nodding, shifting my gaze to Ayle. "That sounds potentially workable, but that would be for our Commander to decide."

"We already have an agreement." If Ayle was apologetic for making me face my former Tarath'shan and lover, she didn't sound it. "I need a full listing of everything you want in terms of upgrades for our gear, I want to go over it before you leave for Illium. You can bring it back with you when you return."

A muscle twitched uncomfortably in my cheek. "I will put a list together for us to go over in the morning."

"You can't do so now?" She tilted her head minutely to the left, making it clear that this wasn't an order but instead an honest question.

"Ayle, we just got back from a very fucked up mission and a horrific return trip." I shook my head slightly. "It can wait until I've slept."

Ayle nodded slightly. "Very well. Matriarch, didn't you also bring with parts for his armor?"

"Yes, they have already been delivered to the Eclipse cruiser apparently housing it." Her upper eyes blinked slowly, focusing on mine while her lower set seemed to avert themselves before flicking back to me.

She wasn't here to talk with Ayle... not entirely. She was here because she wanted to see me. And for some reason... that seriously annoyed me. She'd thrown me out of her house, her life, made it clear I was never going to see her again, had sided with a Hegemony that didn't care about her instead of with me... and now she was on Omega.

Because she wanted to see me.

Forcing my expression to return to bland neutrality, I flicked my gaze between her and Ayle before speaking. "My thanks for the parts, Matriarch. Is there anything else Ayle, or can I try and get some sleep?"

"Preferably more than two hours." Voya spoke up from behind me, her voice just short of vicious even through the re-breathing mask she'd apparently pulled on. Which made sense, all that she knew about Nynsi had come from Rane and I. "For once."

Skin tightened around Nynsi's lower eyes, but otherwise she didn't react. "Reyja'krem, if you could also include any parts you desire to modify your armor, please include them in your list. I will expect to meet with in Nos Astra, I believe you remember the numbers to contact."

"I do."

She seemed to wait for me to say more, and gave another imperceptible wince when I did not. "Then I shall see you on Illium. Commander Ayle, a pleasure to conduct business with you."

"Always a pleasure to work with a female clan head." Ayle returned, the pair of them bowing their heads politely.

And then Nynsi was gone... but not before I noticed that her armor remained flattering around her ass.

Dammit. "Ayle, what the fuck was that."

The woman's lower eyes flicked in my direction. "That was the woman willing to provide us with high end upgrades, tech mines, whatever supplies we need at steep discounts. She's also going cover half of the cost for someone to publicize our missions. If she wants to meet with you, of course I'm going to allow it."

"By the fucking goddess..." Reaching up, I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I am not happy about this."

"Then you should not have proposed that I lead this company." She returned tartly, turning away from me to walk towards the kitchen where Jarick was trying to be invisible. He'd largely succeeded, I hadn't even realized he'd come back with her. "I'm not telling you to make nice, but I expect you to be professional enough to not sabotage our working relationship with her. Understood?"

"Yes." I growled. "Now is there anything else that can fucking go wrong or can I go to sleep?"

Ayle waved a hand. "Go, I'll let Thul give me the details of your mission beyond what you sent."

Stomping back into the bedroom, I heard Voya shut the door once again. Still moving, I started accelerating to begin a good fuming bit of pacing before two petite hands shoved me in the small of my back, sending me collapsing into a bed.

Before I could protest, I found my pipe and a bag of chehala being shoved into my hands. Grunting something that might have been thanks, I forced my hands to go through the usual motions of preparing the thing, and soon enough had smoke curling around me as I puffed furiously on the thing.

"You can bitch at me some more if it will help." She offered when I didn't show any signs of talking.

My head shook slightly. "You know what you did and what I want, and that moment is fucking gone."

One of her slim shoulders rose and fell. "What about-"

"Voya."

She quieted, moving to sit beside me. Her small frame leaned into my side, her omni-tool flicking to life as she took her turn at reading the news. We stayed that way for nearly an hour, me chain-smoking while she read, neither of us saying a word. Eventually there was enough of the drug in my system to effect me, the Quarian helping to put everything away as I collapsed sideways.

Rather than going into her own bed she settled down beside me, resting our foreheads together for a long moment before shifting back a bit and getting comfortable.

The worst thing was I couldn't even look forwards to going back to Illium the next day... I was too worried about what was about to go wrong next.

Nos Astra News Tonight

In economic news, the resurgence of the various corporations owned by the Batarian Shaaryak family continue their slow resurgence after last year's financial difficulties. The expanding war in the deep Terminus has been a particular boon to CEO Nynsi Shaaryak, who has heavily enlarged her family's ownership in several arms groups, as well as founding two new military suppliers herself.

Additionally, she and the Vasir family have arranged for several minor business mergers that have assisted in staving off attempted takeovers by larger corporations in Nos Astra. This has allowed both groups to maintain their stranglehold on the district's economy, a fact that both the Asari and Batarian citizens seem to appreciate, as hiring as spiked sharply.

Next up is Interlude III: Jedi Truths

So Nynsi is finally back, and Cieran is rather conflicted in how to handle her appearance. Nor does he seem terribly thrilled that she isn't going to be leaving his life anytime soon thanks to Ayle. Probably a good business decision on her part to boost their reputation a bit, even if it's only going to lead to more issues for poor Cie.

In the continuing good news, the next chapter is done, so 12 reviews in 1 day gets it out immediately, otherwise it will post on Friday.

Please read and review, criticism is welcome, flames not so much, as usual. Reviews are my lifeblood as a writer.. every-time my email goes off with a review it makes me want to write more, so please take the time to leave one. Guests can leave them as well, and it only takes a minute, so please. Even if it's as simple as "I enjoyed it, please continue."

Thanks, Kat

Review Responses:

edlidan1012- Well, she is Shepard lol. I went with a combat-focused sentinel mostly because I don't see many stories where she is that. While she is a biotic, she isn't a powerhouse or even close to one. Didn't really see it but so long as Kaiden's migraines aren't killing him he'll be far stronger in that area than she is. So she compensates by being a stupidly good shot with a talent for improvising (which we'll see later ;) )

Tusken1602 - Nihlus is highly unlikely to survive, and his death could have a much larger impact on Shepard than it did in the games.

Adam Pitlik / WomanSlayer - With the Blitz, Torfan, all the attacks in the Verge, I have a really hard time picturing the Alliance as a merc-friendly/batarian-friendly kind of place. Shepard's not perfect, she's got her prejudices like everyone else does.