I don't own the Mass Effect.

Operation: Blitzkrieg II

Date: 09-18-2182

Location: Eclipse destroyer Final Touch, en route to Starkhaven

Thul elected to take his time before bringing up what had happened to the last pirate on the freighter. I found that to be slightly odd, I'd expected an immediate confrontation, and I grew mildly irritated as several days ticked by without the moral debate I'd expected. His chosen moment eventually came during one of our daily card games, while the four of us were lounging in the communal cabin our squad been assigned on this particular ship.

"Cieran." The former priest rumbled as he shuffled our deck, careful to keep one set of eyes on the cards while the other pair glanced at me. "I assume this is as good a time as any to speak openly?"

Sighing, I took a slow pull from my beer, the bitter Asari alcohol gently burning at my throat. "Why not? You've waited three days."

Voya groaned, a long-fingered hand raising to rub at her bare face before she glared at the Batarian. "I don't suppose Shyeel and I can go do something else?"

"No." I snorted. "If I have to suffer so do both of you."

"I hate you. You know that right?"

"I don't." Shyeel offered, her voice amused as she took a sip from her own drink. "Besides, I already have had to suffer through this big idiot lecturing me. About time you fully had to as well."

Shaking my head, I accepted the cards as they were dealt, not bothering to glance at them just yet. "Let's just get this over with."

Thul seemed to sigh at my choice of words. "Cieran, you know that I hold no appreciation for groups such as the Circle. I have no qualms with the fact that yourself and Voya will kill such men and women where and when you can."

"Good, then we're in agreement that there isn't anything to discuss." The Quarian quipped, glancing down at her cards before pushing three of them to the middle.

"Death is one thing, torture is another." Seemingly on autopilot, he deftly replaced her cards, doing the same for two of mine and four of Shyeel's. "You made sure that man suffered before he departed this realm, and you did so on nothing more than a whim and vague suspicions."

"Compared to what I went through, that was barely foreplay." She growled, shaking her head to make her hard, bristly hair rustle aggressively. "I didn't think your people cared about that kind of thing."

He dipped his head politely to show he meant no insult to her with his words. "If you were attempting to extract information from him, or using his agony to instill terror in his comrades to ensure that they provided you with something you required, I would be more accepting. However, my first point remains. You knew nothing about him."

"His armor had the mark of the Circle on it." I reminded him. "Therefore he was a slaver, the group doesn't get up to much else."

"The armor did," Thul agreed, "However that does not mean the man himself had ever been on a slaving raid. Perhaps he was merely a janitor or guard, given his first combat assignment. Neither yourself nor she bothered to ask."

A muscle in Voya's cheek twitched, "So you're pissed because we didn't ask if he had ever been on a raid before?

"I am not 'pissed', I am justifiably concerned about my friend's mental well being. Is it so much to ask that you know who a being is and what they've done before you deal them such pain?" I winced when all of his eyes lowered. "Such actions should be delivered as a means to an end, beyond the emotional gratification of the one inflicting it. Otherwise we are no better than those recruited into groups such as the SIU."

I found myself again wincing at the comparison, while Voya shifted uncomfortably to my left. "Thul..."

He seemed to shake himself, his voice quickly returning to its normally solemn timber. "Apologies, I did not mean to cast either of you into the same shadows as those psychopaths. In either case, I am less concerned about what you did than I am with the why."

The Quarian and I shared a slight glance before she cautiously repeated herself. "He was a slaver. Didn't we just go over that?"

"I understand why you enjoyed his agony, though I do wish that you would not indulge in such desires." His lower eyes flicked to me. "Cieran's motives are those I am more concerned with."

I pressed my lips together, buying time by glancing down at the cards in my hand. Three Justicars and a War Priestess gave me a very strong cabal, even if my other two cards did nothing for me. Fingering my credit chits, I pushed a few into the center of the table before speaking. "In all probability, he was a slaver. I didn't see any harm in letting her give him some of the pain he inflicted on others before he died."

"Solemn words." Thul dipped his head politely. "But I hardly believe that you considered such things in that moment."

He was right, I hadn't. Not even slightly. "I suppose I just didn't care and thought she could use some release."

"Say it like it is Cie." Shyeel spoke up, her voice low. "It's been a while since she cut someone to shreds."

There was a low growl from the woman in question. "You don't have to say it like that."

The Asari glanced at her. "Sorry, I just don't see the point in dancing around crap. If I wanted to hear pretty euphemisms I'd have stayed on Thessia. And raise fifty."

Voya nodded slightly, accepting that before tossing her cards forwards. "Fold."

"Call." Drumming my fingers slowly, I exhaled through my nose. "What do you want from me Thul?"

"To understand you, and preferably to assist you in understanding yourself."

I was a no one who'd had his mind torn apart and put back together, who'd lost the person he'd cared most about right in front of him, and likely someone whose mentally stability was rapidly declining. "I understand myself just fine Thul."

He spread his hands apart. "Then why did you tell Voya to torture a man to death?"

"I just told you that I didn't care."

"Not caring implies that you would have been indifferent had she elected to cut him of her own volition." The larger man corrected me gently, his head dipped slightly to the left. "You all but ordered her to do so. That is not indifference."

"He told me to deal with him." Voya cut in. "That's not ordering me to do anything besides kill him."

"Voya." Shyeel groaned, bringing her hands up to rub her face. "I get that you want to defend him, but don't be stupid about this. We all knew what he meant and so did you. Athame's ass you acted like he'd just given you a present."

The Quarian's skin darkened, but she tellingly didn't deny it.

Glancing at the branded woman, I dipped my head slightly. "What's your opinion on this?"

She shrugged, one shoulder rising as her head shifted that way. "I honestly don't care much. So you're a bit fucked up in the head, that's practically everyone who chooses to live in the goddess-damned Terminus. You haven't done anything that makes me worried you'll suddenly snap and get me killed."

I stared at her for a moment before snorting. "If you're trying to be reassuring you're failing." Another shrug was accompanied by a long pull from her drink. "What about you Thul? Worried I'm going to get the four of us killed doing something stupid?"

"No." He spoke slowly, leaning back as it became clear to everyone that we weren't going to be finishing the card game anytime soon. "Your issues are not with your cunning or intelligence, nor your sense of self-preservation."

"That's good to hear." I drily replied, a small grin tugging at my lips. "So you're just worried that I'm going to start ordering you to torture slavers to death?"

"I don't think you are quite so far gone." The assurance was ruined when he added on, "Not yet, anyway. And you do seem to be more aware of your own mind than I feared you were."

Resisting the urge to groan, I rubbed at my eyes with a hand. "Athame's azure... why the fuck are you so aggravating? Aren't you supposed to have hard and fast religious rules that we can call idiotic and then move on?"

"Apologies." Thul chuckled. "But my faith is one of guidance and prudence, truths and answers are left for us to discover on our own."

"So... what? You want to guide Cie and I somewhere?" Voya glanced at me, her face pulled into a frown. "Because I'm not looking for a new religion."

The chuckle turned into a bark of laughter, some of the malaise fading from the table. "No, of course not. I simply want to assist you both as best I can."

My lips twitched a little. "Whether or not we want you to?"

"In my experience those who need guidance very rarely seek it out, or listen unless repeatedly annoyed."

I couldn't help but snort. "If I agree to not give anyone to Voya like that again, unless they really deserve it, will you not annoy us?"

He seemed to muse on that before a small grin appeared on his own face. "For a month."

Voya let her throat vibrate in a low growl. "Thul."

"Six weeks."

"Thul."

Massive arms crossed his chest. "Six weeks Voya."

She let out an annoyed sniff, turning her tiny nose up at him. "I reserve the right to hit you once those six weeks are up."

"That's hardly something you need to say." Shyeel snorted. "You fucking try and hit all of us on a daily basis with less excuses than Thul annoying you."

There was another low growl that shifted direction when I reached up to flick her temple. "Stop that, you sound like a bloody Vorcha. Anyone care to finish the game?"

Shyeel and Thul both nodded, while Voya batted my hand away, her expression promising pain later. With that discussion out of the way, the four of us played several more hands, alternating winners as our Batarian dealer flicked his extra set of eyes around the table whenever he dealt the cards to make sure that none of us were cheating. Which was rather annoying really, I vastly preferred playing with a fixed deck.

I wasn't, and probably never be, as good at cheating as Rane had been, but she'd taught me rather well all the same.

The memories slowed my down some, my bets growing less aggressive as my drinking increased. It didn't take the others long to notice, Voya in particular giving me a long look before silently departing the table, returning a few moments later with my pipe and a bag of chehala leaves.

While I cleaned and then ignited it, Shyeel gave me a long look. "Seriously Cie. I'm already four drinks in, you really want me that drunk?"

"You could always borrow one of Voya's masks." I grunted back, taking a slow pull, the vanilla taste and scent filling my mouth and nose before I let the smoke billow out. "Besides, it isn't like we're doing anything today or arriving tomorrow."

She grunted. "I'm more worried about waking up in someone else's bunk."

"So you're that kind of drunk."

The skin around her brand and scars darkened. "Not like I'd be in your bed Cieran."

Shifting my pipe around, I couldn't help but be amused. "So Voya should be on alert all night then?"

Said woman's back snapped rigidly straight as her eyes widened. "What."

Waving the smoldering object around, I worked through my thoughts aloud. "She's never made any comments about Thul, and I have the obvious detriment of facial hair."

"And a distinct lack of tits." Shyeel added, though she at least refrained from looking at Voya's. "Everyone has their favorite, that happens to be mine."

"...what." Voya repeated blankly.

"Shy thinks you've got great tits." I spelled it out for her before taking another long puff. "And you know she's being honest because she's drunk right now, and that's not something she'd ever admit sober."

It was the Asari's turn to growl, a hint of dark light flickering around her shoulders as her biotics unconsciously responded to her rising irritation. "Cieran."

"What? I'm not saying you're shy. Just saying that Voya carries knives."

She flicked her glare to Thul. "Would you care if I hit him? Maybe bounced him off of the floor a few times?"

"Regrettably he is our commanding officer, even if he is currently being a bit of an asshole."

"In my defense I am intoxicated." I tried to shift to he formal lilts I only spoke to T'Ravt in, but from Thul's suppressed chuckle I didn't quite make it.

"Not as drunk as Shyeel is." The Batarian replied, a hand absently reaching out to remove the Asari's current beer before she could try to finish it. "And given the turn of our conversation, I believe it would be best if we all went to sleep."

"Because we're talking about sex?"

He sighed, lower eyes flicking at me. "Not everyone is as casual about it as yourself and Asari are."

I twitched a shoulder. "Blame Illium."

Shyeel groaned, shoving cards, chips, and empty bottles across the table with her forearms before her head came to rest on cool surface. "Illium... I should have gone to Illium. Great clubs there."

"I'm already buying you one of Aria's whores for a night." I reminded her.

"Oh yeah... when?"

"Whenever we get-"

"I'm not having sex with her!" We all glanced at Voya, the Quarian's skin darkening from purple closer to black as she flushed. "What?"

Thul sounded like he was strangling laughter as he tried to break it to her. "That conversation ended several minutes ago my dear."

"I... it did?" When he nodded solemnly, or as solemnly as someone could while grinning that widely, her skin seemed to shift further. "Cieran, I don't know how, but this is your fault. Just so we're clear."

"It's always my fault according to you." I groaned, letting my head loll backwards. "Go to sleep Voya. Light duties only tomorrow."

Still grumbling, she shook her head to let the hair rustle before shoving herself to her feet. A little unsteady, she made sure to give Shyeel a very wide berth before crawling into the alcove of her bunk and yanking the privacy screen down. Thul motioned for me to stay seated, handling the cleanup while I smoked and the Asari remained face-down.

"Shy." Reaching out, I nudged her elbow. "Wake up."

There might have been a low groan before she spoke. "I can sleep here."

"No you can't." I started to push myself to my feet, then settled back down when I realized that the ship wasn't remaining level beneath my feet. "Or maybe you can."

It took me several tries, and far too much concentration, to extinguish my pipe. By the time I'd managed to do so, Thul had already separated everyone's money and gotten rid of the bottles. Without a word he gently hauled the Asari up, ignoring her moan of displeasure before helping her over to her own bed. Waving off his assistance, I managed to stumble to mine, collapsing fully clothed with a long groan, passing out almost at once.

Morning, and a meeting with Ayle, came far too soon. Throwing on a new shirt and pants, I left my hair unbraided and tangled, and skipped shoes entirely as I forced my hands through the process of making tea. Clutching the elixer in a solid two handed grip, I shuffled down the various hallways, nodding at the few members of the crew that I saw. Most looked entirely too amused at my pained expression.

Shuffling barefooted into our cargo bay, some of my irritation lessened at seeing her looking nearly as tired and out of it as I was.

"Cieran." She seemed to perk up at seeing me, a too pleased sound following my name. "I approve of the new look."

I glared at her over my cup, the fragrant liquid nearly burning my tongue. "Ayle. It's too early for that. And don't you have Hesh and Ullak for that kind of thing?"

My commander sighed, her lower eyes shifting to the portable holo-table she already had up and running. "They prefer one another, I rarely intrude. And yes, I know you aren't interested in me, but I can still appreciate the view, can I not?"

"First Shyeel hitting on Voya, now you..." Sighing, I managed to pad over to a chair on the other side of the holograhic display, collapsing into it with a groan. "Athame save me from females of every species."

"Shyeel hit on... Pillars, tell me everyone on your squad is still alive?"

"They are." I waved my already half-empty cup to the side dismissively. "She was too stunned to really process it. There was also drinking involved."

"I assumed as much from your appearance." Leaning back in her chair, she reached out to fiddle with the display, eventually bringing up a long list of information. "We have a few things to discuss, then you may return to sleep."

"You're joking. Voya and Shyeel are both going to be awake by the time I get back." Leaning forwards, I let my eyes flick over what she'd brought up. "Thul can only hold one of them back at a time."

"Fair. Finances first."

They were, by and large, solid. We had a multi-million credit war chest, built up from those of us smart enough to give the unit most of our pay. Jack and Marcus were the natural exceptions, both of them took their full cuts after every mission. Shyeel also kept more than the rest of us, but at least gave most of it to Ayle for the group as a whole to utilize. I was the only oddball who didn't take any for myself, but so long as Ayle let me pay for my armor's repairs out of the unit account I didn't really need more money.

While not a fortune by mercenary standards, there was enough to cover us if we suddenly had to pay for our own transits. Or to cover buying everyone full armor sets with new weapons in case something happened, or doing the same for new hires.

The last reminded me of a question I needed to ask her. "You hear anything from the other Reyja'krem?"

"Yes." She dipped her head. "Three have agreed to sign on with us as soon as their current contracts end. Callada Weshan is an Asari who should be able to join us in four months, she's currently playing bodyguard to an independent governor in the Traverse. Apparently it's too easy of a paycheck for her to wish to depart at the moment."

I grunted. "Can't blame her for that. Combat skills?"

"She's a Matron in her fifth century, and was a former huntress in the Republic's military." Her fingers shifted, tapping a few commands to close our bank account and bring up an image of an Asari along with a heavyset human, a cigar visible in his massive beard. "The male is Dietrich Smith, a freelancer she has been operating with for nearly a year. He is a former N5 demolitions specialist who decided the mercenary life paid better."

I found myself nodding slowly, tipping back the last of my tea. "We could use an explosives expert. Are you going to shuffle the teams or stick them onto a new squad with the other two?"

"Both. I would like to give Thul the new squad, leaving you Smith in exchange." Ayle gave me an apologetic lilt of her head. "You'll have a few months to get used to the idea."

"I'll need them." Setting the empty cup aside, I reached up to rub at my face. "All right. Who's the other two? That Batarian guy, Thunaar? And his cadre?"

"Yakshi ul Thunaar is dead, SIU team caught up with him last week." She pressed her lips together. "His cadre were taken to Khar'shan and executed by his former Tarath'shan."

Well... shit. It was too easy to forget that those assholes were after us, with everything else that we had to worry about right now. "Athame's... dammit. Who else have they gotten?"

"Ul Hakaar, Ul Shien, Grothat Jakuun..." The Batarian woman's head shook slowly. "The list grows Cie. Nearly a dozen Reyja'krem who still breathe have fled to the Citadel, taking refuge in the lower wards. I have tried to contact most of them, but the replies were nearly universal in tone. They don't believe that we will succeed."

"Or survive."

"Or survive." She agreed. "Aside from Weshan, only the Turians have agreed. Feras and Idas Kethen, a mated pair currently on Xentha. They won't admit to what they are doing, but I don't particularly care. Four months as well until they can depart, five at the outside."

Nodding tiredly, I didn't bother asking about their skills. Just by being Turians they'd have military experience, the particulars didn't really matter. Especially if they weren't going to be in my squad anyways. That would be for Thul to evaluate and work with.

"So four more combat personnel.. but not for four to five months. That's a long damned time Ayle."

"I'm aware, but what else can we do? Bringing in any of my people runs the risk that they are SIU plants infiltrating us, and nearly everyone else could still expect to be set for life for betraying us to the same." Her upper eyes shifted to meet mine. "I don't suppose you know anyone who you'd consider trustworthy enough to join us?"

Trena would have been my first option... but not any longer. My head shook. "No one that isn't already pledged to another group, the Eclipse doesn't let it's people walk to other units. I do know a pair of Talon lieutenants, but I don't think I could convince them to leave."

She grunted, not sounding particularly surprised. "It was worth asking. Most of my contacts are employed by T'Ravt already, so we are in a similar situation. What about Shaaryak?"

I blinked. "What about her?"

"Does she not have security forces? Anyone that we could lure away?"

"They suffered more than fifty percent casualties twice within a calender year. Blue Suns then the fighting on Korlus." My head shook slightly. "I can't imagine her letting them leave Illium unless the situation was desperate. Speaking of her though, did we get any news before we hit FTL?"

There was a polite nod from my companion. "She has hired an Asari editor who is working on several articles covering our last several missions, based on the reports that I sent her. Ideally the first will be finished before we return to Omega."

Thus hopefully starting the long process of making our unit impressive enough to catch Aria's attention without having to rely on T'Ravt or Sederis. And the sooner that happened, the sooner we could shift our focus more heavily to hunting for Krom. Athame' ass, if we were really lucky we'd managed to pull of something impressive enough to get her to declare that the contract for Krom was exclusive to us.

Ayle and a I had a few ideas on that, but both of the targets who could really make us known weren't the kind of people we could just stumble over or snipe out in a random fight. In either case, that was an island too far out to sea to even observe right now, we had more immediate concerns. Like what would be waiting for us on Starkhaven.

Thankfully that briefing would wait for tomorrow. Taking pity on me, she let me go after another hour of debating if we should focus more heavily on either of our current employers. She seemed rather surprised that I was all for working more heavily for T'Ravt, even at the expense of having less to do with the Eclipse. When I admitted that my reasons were largely personal, the more we worked with the Eclipse the more likely it was that Sederis might try and force me to talk with Trena or Ghai, she'd nodded slightly and agreed to consider it.

Once we were done, I'd tiredly headed back to my team's cabin. Finding Shyeel nursing her own tea, and studiously not looking at Voya while the Quarian tinkered with her omni-tool.

"Good job not killing each other." I groaned as I lowered myself into my messed up bed, the soft padding of the Asari mattress calling me to worship it. "Keep it up."

The Asari merely groaned and hunched over her drink. "Cieran. Quieter."

Snorting, I buried my face in my pillow and waved a hand vaguely. "Sure. Wake me up if we're all about to die."

Voya snorted. "Lazy human."

I tiredly rose a hand to give her a rude gesture, ruining it with a yawn. Not bothering to wait for a reply, I reached up and yanked the privacy screen down, leaving me in comforting darkness.

Secure Message, Eclipse Private Servers

Cieran,

The T'donna sisters told me that you and T'laria had a falling out, though they didn't know the details. I won't pry sir, but if you want to get drinks on Omega the next time we're both there I would be glad to buy. The Eclipse has it's own room in Afterlife's VIP section, so we'd be able to avoid most of the crowds.

Assuming you want to of course.

Back to what you asked, my unit was just rotated back to Illium for a short bit of leave while they tune up our transports. We only just arrived, so I would have missed you even if you hadn't left early. Apparently the next operation is a big one, but nobody is telling us much of anything. There's all kinds of rumors though. The loudest words in the ocean breeze are that Mistress Sederis and Lady T'Ravt are arguing over who should attack Redcliffe to cripple Warlord Zaen.

Goddess... I won't lie sir, I rather hope we leave that to the Warlord. I'd rather not be involved in that level of a campaign.

One more thing... Mistress Sederis herself pulled me aside today, saying she might have a 'personal assignment' in the near future involving you and Miss T'laria. Do you know what that might be about? And how do you talk with her so easily!? Goddess, she's so intimidating in person I thought I was going to faint. Is there a trick you could show me? Not that I'm hoping to speak with her personally again anytime soon. That's attention I'd rather not have...

~ Washana

Next up is Operation: Blitzkrieg III

And so Thul has said his piece, everyone else imbibed slightly too much, and Cieran and Ayle discussed possible new recruits. The next chapter will cover the next blitz mission, seeing the group going after a minor pirate king who has sworn himself to the Blood Pack's side in the war. After that we'll see them taking on a krogan bio-scientist, followed by the story's first major time skip (around two-to-three months) before the next interlude.

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:

Jim → Cieran's next long term romance is set, though I won't spoil who it is yet. ;). I have to leave some surprises remaining lol. I will say that the likelihood of it starting in AR: IV is minimal, he's very much not over Rane nor will he be ready for that kind of relationship for quite a while.

Gods-own → His definition of morals and ethical behavior are admittedly somewhat fluid at the moment, and growing increasingly so as the series goes on.