Three Little Lovebirds

Chapter 28 – The Real and the False

It had taken a while, and more than a few tears, but at long last, Lucy could truly say she was free of the doubts which had plagued her every waking moment. As the warm spray of the shower soaked into every pore of her body, the Spectre reflected on the emotionally charged conversation they'd just had. She could still feel herself shaking and the knot her stomach had tied itself in was only just beginning to unwind.

You certainly know how to pick your moments. She thought, a smile playing across her lips. Still, better to clear the air now, at the start, rather than drag ourselves through several days of awkwardness.

As she mused, the Spectre realised that the situation they'd been in reminded her of the building blocks she'd had as a child. Lucy remembered the first time she'd tried to put them back in the box. She'd piled them in all willy-nilly, not really paying attention to doing a proper job, and had then been surprised when the lid wouldn't close properly afterwards. After all, the bricks had all come out of that space, so why didn't they fit back in? It had taken her a few tries to realise that, if you were careless with arranging them, there would be gaps; spaces between the blocks which took up unnecessary room and meant they couldn't slot together properly. The only way to fix these holes once the bricks were in there was to give the box a big, strong shake which would force them to rearrange themselves into a solid, cohesive unit.

Well, her partners had certainly shaken her, both mentally and, in Tali's case, literally. The way they'd knocked some sense into her was nothing short of miraculous, not to mention long overdue. Although she had been far too preoccupied to notice at the time, the two of them seemed to have bonded already, if not yet in true friendship, then at the very least in mutual understanding. Lucy could feel her chest swelling with admiration again, and allowed her mind to wander into the world of fanciful daydreams. If Tali and Liara's relationship continued to grow, as she sincerely hoped it would, was it possible that they might end up...loving each other? How did she feel about that?

She didn't really need to ask that question. It would be unfair and morally wrong on so many levels, not to mention hypocritical, for her to do anything but approve wholeheartedly. In fact, it was probably the best outcome possible. That wasn't to say she would do anything to try and force them together; she would merely keep an eye on the situation and let fate take its course. There'd been nothing tangible so far, they were still in the early days of their relationship, and hey, a girl could dream, couldn't she? Lucy resolved to put it to the back of her mind for now; it was a complex issue, and best dealt with when the time came.

Instead, she turned her attention back to washing herself, realising that she'd probably been hogging the shower for longer than was necessary. It was difficult to keep track of time when you were being soothed by 20 different massaging jet-streams. She should have known that, like everything else in their apartment so far, the bathroom would be the pinnacle of luxury. The shower itself was more like a little antechamber, with individual nozzles covering every surface, including the walls and floor. Sensors automatically tracked both her movement and body temperature, in order to optimise the direction and heat level of the spray. The tiles, too, were mini versions of the same luminescent panels that lined the bedrooms, and changed colour to indicate how hot or cold the water was.

Of course, Lucy thought as she lathered some shampoo into her golden mane, there was another advantage to having spouts directly under her feet. If she angled herself just right, she could direct one stream so that it...almost...there!

Oh my god!

Throwing her head back, the Spectre chuckled contentedly. Well, she was feeling rather highly strung after all her outpouring earlier, and she did want to be as relaxed as possible this evening.

Another giggle forced its way out of Lucy's throat, turning into a gasp part way through as she found the sweet spot. It looked like Liara's turn would have to wait a little bit longer.


"She's taking an awfully long time." Tali commented from her seat by the pool, "Do you think she's okay?"

Liara looked around from studying the fish tank, a feature she'd completely missed when she'd initially surveyed the room.

"There should be no need to worry. I expect she is just taking the opportunity to 'unwind'." The asari smiled, pleased that she'd used the human vernacular properly. Lucy had introduced her to a great many so called 'sayings'; it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all of them. Of course, all cultures had their own verbal idioms, even hers, but no other species possessed such a baffling array of seemingly meaningless statements. Liara found it quite charming, even if she wasn't usually very good at picking the appropriate one.

"You don't think she's angry with me do you?" Tali continued, "For being so, um, forceful with her. I-I didn't mean to lose it like that, it just sort of...happened."

Liara could sympathise with the quarian's nervousness. She'd always been prone to over-thinking her own actions, especially around the Spectre; worrying how Lucy might react if she said or did something wrong. In this case though, she could tell that Tali's fears were baseless; it was obvious that Lucy was grateful for what she had done. Well, it was obvious to her at least; she hadn't properly realised until now how much clearer matters became when viewed from an outside perspective.

"You did a good thing, Tali." She said, turning away from the aquatic display and padding over to where the quarian sat. "I'm sure Lucy appreciates it. She will not be upset with you."

"Of course...you're right, of course." Tali sighed, forcing herself to still her fidgeting hands, "I guess I tend to worry too much. I-It's difficult sometimes...not to think about losing her."

"You will not lose her." Liara said softly, opting to take the chair opposite the quarian. "She loves you very much. Even if she hadn't told me so, it's obvious from the way she acts around you. She cares a great deal about your happiness." Smiling, she added. "I doubt there is anything or anyone who could make her abandon you."

"You really think so?" Tali seemed willing to let herself be convinced by Liara's words. She was about to say more when the swooshing noise of a door opening behind them drew their attention.

"My god, that shower is incredible!" A flushed but beaming Lucy exited the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel around her torso and another one wrapped round her head. "Liara, you have to give it a go."

There was an awkward moment of silence as two sets of eyes traced the spectre's lean body, both expecting the other to cover for them and say something.

"I-I believe that is 'my line'." Liara blurted at last, missing Lucy's puzzled look as she fought the urge to stare. Her partner was showing considerably more skin than she'd seen before and it was surprisingly difficult to tear her eyes away. She was caught between wanting to ogle every bit of exposed flesh, and not wanting to appear rude. In the end, she settled for what she hoped were surreptitious, sideways glances.

Goddess, just look at those legs; so creamy, so soft, and such an alien skin colour…

Shaking her head, Liara could feel herself blushing. She wasn't used to thinking such impure thoughts. It also didn't help when she realised that, in her distraction, she'd got her colloquialism wrong.

"I-I mean 'my cue'." She corrected sheepishly, deciding that it was definitely time to retreat to the privacy of the shower. As she went, she couldn't resist one last glance back over her shoulder at Lucy's toned body. It was truly exquisite, moreso than any of the works of art arranged on the walls, and Liara found herself fervently hoping that she would get to see more. Judging by her body's reaction, it had better be sometime soon, or she was going to have difficulty walking straight.


Lucy watched the asari exit with an expression somewhere between amusement and fondness. She hadn't said anything, but Liara's 'inspection' of her had fallen somewhere short of subtle. Not that she minded in the slightest; if anything, she was completely flattered. Lucy had never considered herself to be a particularly beautiful woman, but right then, she had practically seen the waves of lust rolling off Liara's body. Still, she figured that the asari was probably embarrassed enough, without her making any kind of comment. She did love to see Liara blush, but sometimes there was a fine line between friendly teasing and genuinely humiliating someone. It was probably best to play it safe while they were all still a bit emotionally fragile.

Snapping her mind back to the present, Lucy realised that Tali was probably waiting for her to say something.

"I'm just going to go get dressed." The Spectre said, gesturing in the direction of the bedrooms. "I'll be right back."

Tali watched her partner go, unconsciously copying Liara's actions as her eyes were drawn to Lucy's swaying hips. Unlike the asari, she'd had some first-hand experience of what was hidden beneath the fluffy fabric of Shepard's towel, and it certainly wasn't an image she'd forget in a hurry. In fact, now that she'd pictured it in her minds' eye, the quarian was having a hard time thinking about anything else.

It was strange really. If anyone had told her a year ago that she'd be attracted to someone of the same gender, much less someone from an entirely different species, she probably would have called them crazy. Not that she'd given those sorts of things much thought in the past. Growing up, a quarian's shipmates were like their family; it would be weird to develop feelings for any of them, and ultimately pointless, as you transferred to a different vessel after your pilgrimage. Relationships with anyone outside of the Flotilla were rare though, and as far as she was aware, she must be one of the first quarians ever to explore those waters with a human. No doubt she would be teased about it back home if anyone ever found out, but she preferred to think of it as a testament to their love for each other as individuals. The fact that they could discover something so precious, despite all the cultural and biological barriers in their way was surely a sign that love really did conquer all.

Perhaps she was being overly romantic. What she did know was that she thought Lucy was the most beautiful person she had ever met. Sure, she might have strange, stunted ankles, and a complexion that would make even the darkest skinned quarians stare in disbelief, were she one of them, but that didn't matter. It just added to her alien appeal.

I guess I'm officially a xenophile. Tali mused, images of her and Lucy's first night together fluttering through her mind and bringing a smile to her lips. It was perhaps unsurprising that she didn't mind one bit.


It was a night no sane person would willingly choose to venture out in. The thunderstorms of Galdir were as notorious for their ferocious intensity as they were for their incredible beauty. Safe behind flood-proof walls, couples of all races would be snuggling down on their sofas, watching the jagged arcs of lightning split the sky the like cracks in the skin of reality itself, and discussing how the dancing light so perfectly complimented their loved one's eyes. Alone in the dark, however, one figure defied the awesome forces of nature with his very presence. Rain lashed him from all directions, although if one were somehow to get close enough, they would see that the tailcoat and top-hat he wore remained bone dry.

From his perch atop the stone-clad ornamental wall, the Shadow Broker surveyed the domicile before him with an unblinking gaze. Most of his subroutines were devoted to analyzing every possible point of entry and egress, as well as any other variables which might affect his approach. With the remaining few, he pulled up all the information he had on its owner. The residence belonged to one Xerin Plinith, an asari diplomat and long-time agent of his: a fact only a few high-ranking government officials and members of his organization were privy to. Ordinarily he would not trouble himself with her affairs, 'trusting' her, as much as he trusted any organic, to perform her duties satisfactorily. It seemed, however, that she had taken his ongoing silence as a sign of weakness; perhaps even a sign of cowardice. Whatever her particular delusion, it was clear that she thought a band of petty mercenaries would be sufficient to dispatch him and enable her to inherit the information empire. It had been a simple enough matter to trace the transactions into Barla Von's account, once C-Sec's virtual cordon had been taken down.

Although her recent actions were short-sighted and foolish, the Shadow Broker knew not to underestimate Xerin. For all her flaws, she could be quite persuasive, and knowing the failings of organics, any agent he sent to eliminate her may well be seduced by a counter-offer. After all, people's common sense tended to shut down when their palms were greased with a well-loaded credit chit, a fact to which his erstwhile volus banker could testify. They even tended to forget just how long his reach was, and how swiftly he could tighten his grasp at the first signs of insurrection. No, he could not entrust this task to anyone else and expect a one hundred percent success probability. He had killed Barla, he had killed the consort, and now, he would have to kill Xerin. It had been a long time since he'd had to get his hands this dirty.

What the asari wasn't aware of was that, for every data source he had monitoring the public, he had three monitoring those who worked for him. In this case, the points of data which interested him the most were the readings taken from the bio scanners in her mansion; devices designed to monitor all aspects of her health and set the lighting, temperature and ambient music accordingly, as well as alerting the authorities if she was injured. The Shadow Broker correlated these readings with Xerin's recorded movements about her house, captured in perfect clarity on a multitude of security monitors. The very devices designed to keep her safe now served as his most valuable resource.

As he had anticipated, Xerin's core temperature and heart rate rose dramatically in the presence of her maid; another asari by the name of Sira. So, it seemed his little diplomat had a crush on one of her employees. The signs were all symptomatic of sexual arousal; he had seen them countless times before. He hadn't become the most influential information trader in the known galaxy without following the sexual activities of anybody important. It was almost laughable how much significance organics attached to their procreation rituals. It was also exceedingly lucrative.

In this case, it was clear how to best use this hormonal response to his advantage. Silently, the Shadow Broker melted into the stormy night. Even the keenest-eyed security guard would not have noticed a single blade of grass out of place, and in less than ten seconds, the synthetic was at the entrance to the servant's quarters, a weak link in the compound's security net. The primitive keypad locking mechanism might as well not have existed; he was through the door and inside in a heartbeat. Heat signatures from the first room on the right led him straight to his secondary target, sleeping peacefully on a small, single bed.

All cultures have images they associate with death. Every society's idea of its form is different, but there were several common threads that permeated all mythologies, from the primitive tribes of pre-historic earth, to the new-age batarian fringe cults. He had observed that again and again, the same icon appeared: a figure in black, soulless and unrelenting who did not distinguish between the rich and the poor, or the good and the wicked. The Shadow Broker idly wondered what image of death Sira believed him to be as she awoke to a cold, steely hand clamped over her mouth.

"Scream, and I will remove your capacity for doing so permanently." He could feel the sweat on her brow and see the fear in her eyes as she tried to process what was happening. She would be unable to defy him even if she wished to. That was good; the synthetic needed to remove his hand for the coming procedure.

"P-Please!" She was crying now; how predictable. "Please, I have a child. Oh Goddess, d-don't kill me; she's only four..."

"You will be comforted to know that I have already considered that fact. An agent has been assigned to take care of your loose ends. She will be a useful tool in the coming conflict, once we have re-educated her." The Shadow Broker watched the horror slowly spread across Sira's face as his words sunk in. He spared her the indignity of begging on her offspring's behalf with a swift jab to the head. The hollow-tipped spike punctured her cranium, piercing deep into the brain tissue beneath. Sira opened her mouth, but nothing but a wet gurgle came out as the spark of life dimmed in her eyes. She was dead before her corpse had crumpled to the floor; all that she once was now filed away with the countless other lives ended in such a manner.

The Shadow Broker wiped her blood from his hands with practiced ease, assimilating the new genetic identity into his system. There was little time to lose. Motes of light began to dance around his body, obscuring his inorganic features and replacing them with an exact likeness of the dead housemaid. He smiled to himself, taking the time while he transformed to review the security footage of Sira's mannerisms, her gait; everything he would require to flawlessly imitate her. Although he was, strictly speaking, genderless, the template he had been constructed around was more akin to the males of most species; certain alterations would have to be made. The Shadow Broker adjusted the servos in his legs, lightening his step and factoring in the increased hip movement present in Sira's stride.

He also took the opportunity to subtly enhance Sira's attractiveness. The differences would not be noticeable, even to someone who knew her well; instead, they would work on a subconscious level, increasing his chances of success by 0.04%. The return was miniscule but worthwhile considering that it required no additional expenditure on his part. All it would take was a few minute tweaks towards what were widely considered the asari ideals of feminine beauty: a small increase to the plumpness of the lips and breasts, a fractional narrowing of the waist and lastly, an elongation of the head crests. Statistically, these were the modifications considered most appealing. There was no accounting for taste however, and it was possible that Xerin would simply fail to register them at all. Perhaps when he next had some processes free, he would perform a more thorough analysis of the current trends in attractive body types.

Satisfied with the end result, the Shadow Broker stepped over Sira's cooling carcass and entered the main part of the house. Although it was large, Xerin employed few staff; the only full-time resident apart from her and the ex-servant was an aging Turian security officer, currently tucked away from the storm in his gatehouse. With only the live feeds to keep him informed, he would be oblivious to any intrusion until it was far too late. Xerin also foolishly valued the privacy of those living there over their safety and had not had cameras installed in the bedrooms. It was an oversight she would not live to remedy.

The Shadow Broker quickly made his way to the master bedroom, appearing to be nothing more than a maid answering the call of her mistress. He had catalogued Xerin's daily routines, and knew that at the exact moment he entered her chambers, she would be stepping out of the shower in her en-suite. Sure enough, as he approached the doorway to the bedroom, his audio receptors were able to detect the sound of running water, combined with the varying reflective echoes as it collided with the tiled floor and soft, organic flesh. It ceased flowing as he was turning the door knob, dying away to a few lingering drips. His data analysis subroutines automatically compensated for the muffling effect of partition walls, allowing him to ascertain from the intensity and direction of the splashes the exact location of each individual water drop as it fell.

There were only a few seconds remaining to ready himself, but it was easily enough. As soon as he was inside and out of camera range, he modified the hologram version of Sira, removing all her clothes. Xerin tended to keep a personal alarm system to hand, even when at home. It would prove to be problematic if she were able to set it off. He had to be able to get close to her; close enough that she wouldn't have time to react until it was too late. Exploiting her sexual attraction to Sira seemed to be easiest option available.

Xerin exited her bathroom, pulling on the top half of her nightdress. The Shadow Broker surmised that she would be considered quite beautiful by most organics, a fact which had no doubt aided her talent for extracting information for clients, or sometimes, from clients. Undoubtedly, there were many individuals who would give an awful lot to be in his position. It was therefore ironic, perhaps, that the only thing he saw when he looked at her semi-naked body was an analysis of which areas he could strike or sever for maximum lethality.

"Sira!?" Xerin gasped, stopping dead in her tracks, "I-I didn't call for you…why are you…what?"

At this range the asari diplomat was close enough for him to monitor her bodily functions directly. He noted the surge of blood to erectile tissue and the increased release of lubricating fluids as evidence that his theory had been correct. A more direct chemical analysis would have been preferable, but was impossible without a blood sample. One could be extracted when he was finished with her, but by that point it would make little difference.

"Mistress." If his rendition of Sira's voice lacked a small amount of emotional inflection, Xerin was too startled to notice, "I-I have been thinking about you a lot recently. I have seen the way you look at me when you think no one is watching. I know that you…desire me." He took a step forward. Xerin didn't retreat. "I-I desire you as well. Every night I dream about touching your body. It has become unbearable, knowing that we might both feel the same, and yet hesitancy would keep us apart. The time has come for us to do away with pretence."

Xerin looked at him with wide eyes and dilated pupils. Although she had yet to speak, her body betrayed her arousal. Like anything else, seduction could be reduced to a set of algorithms which, if executed correctly, would yield the same result each time. Organics lacked the capacity to fully process the many variables involved, which explained their constant failed attempts to woo each other. He, however, did not suffer from the same limitations. It was likely that he could adopt any disguise, and successfully convince an individual to copulate with him, regardless of species or gender.

"Oh Sira…" Xerin took a tentative step forward. "How did you know? It's always been you…ever since the day you moved in. I've wanted this so badly, but I guess I was worried…about what people might think. Stupid, I know; you deserved better. But then your partner died and I…"

"Hush mistress, I am here for you now. Will you…kiss me?"

Xerin closed the distance between them in a second, but the Shadow Broker had already anticipated her approach. The asari's arms reached for his face, no doubt to attempt to engage in that bizarre exchange of bacteria through oral contact which most sentient organic species practiced. In this vulnerable position, there was nothing she could do to stop his attack. Sira's left hand faded away, revealing a metallic claw with an unsheathed blade protruding from the back of its wrist. His first priority was to ensure Xerin couldn't trigger her alarm. This was achieved easily enough with a lightning fast upwards slash. The super-focused plasma along the blade's edge cleaved through the asari's arms as easily is it cleaved through air, severing them both at the elbow.

Before Xerin's mind could even process the fact the she was now missing two limbs, the Shadow Broker moved on to objective two; ensure no vocal alarm could be raised. Rotating his joints in a way which would be impossible for any organic being to emulate, he brought the blade back down, opening Xerin's larynx and severing her vocal cords. With her ability to compromise his position pretty much neutralized, all that remained was to finish her off completely. His right hand was already prepared with the same needle which had taken her housemaid's life not two minutes previously. The razor-sharp spike entered the asari's skull through her eye-socket, causing near-instant brain death. It wasn't a mercy he usually granted, but in this instance he couldn't afford to risk anything slower.

He waited for Xerin's death rattles to die down before letting her body to slide off his finger. From here, it was a standard cover-up operation. Opening the valve in his palm, the Shadow Broker allowed plasma-fire to immolate his agent's corpse and spread to the rest of the room. It acted faster than ordinary flames, and was fierce enough to resist the downpour outside. In less than a few minutes, nothing would remain of Xerin, Sira, or the house they once lived in. Discarding his disguise, the synthetic disappeared through the window and into the storm-struck night.

"This is the Shadow Broker. Inform the Shadowthrone to prepare for my arrival and make a note in the archive. Agent 13, assignment status: terminated."