Hey guys! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you all have a good New Years. Sorry this is a day late. Life got in the way, taking the shape of some crazy stuff that didn't necessarily allow for writing.
Anyway, enjoy!
Liara sat in her office, her face contorted in anger. She had just gotten off of the call that had come in from Miranda. Jack had been attacked on Horizon, and two of her students had been hospitalized. To make matters worse, Miranda said that the officers told her that all the attackers were human. All humans. Jack had also mentioned that these humans were looking for Zaia. All these things pointed directly at the Systems Alliance and Steven Hackett.
Somehow, Jack had also managed to garner a name. Amata. Her system had already come back negative for any standing officers or anyone else by that name who is affiliated with the Alliance. Even when she ran the secret identity databases, she came up empty. This woman had led a team against Jack and been beaten horribly. It gave Liara a smug, merciless sort of satisfaction that a supposedly elite team had been decimated by a single biotic.
Glyph was currently searching the entire Shadow Broker network for any place that those letters appeared in that order. It was a huge search, judging by all of the data the drone would need to pore through. She didn't have a timetable for it right now, but Glyph would come and inform her when the search was completed.
It was late evening at the T'Soni estate, and both of her daughters were in bed already, the two of them in terrible moods. Only multiplying her anger,and their sadness, was the fact that their father had reneged on her promise to call and say goodnight to the two of them. To say that they were visibly crushed by it would be a gross understatement.
She was currently thinking, trying to surmise what move these people who were after Shepard would go to next. They had gone after this lounge, Scythes, on the Citadel in search of her or information about it. Then they had attacked Jack on Horizon, also demanding that the biotic help them collect some debt from Zaia. That debt was easy to guess at. It had to be the lifetime contract that Hackett had tried to inform them that Zaia would never be free of.
She remembered the terms of the contract. It stated that Zaia would serve until the sum of her crimes before had been properly squared. Well, saving the galaxy three times was more than enough to square any possible debts. Yet, the Systems Alliance still insisted that Zaia return. Obviously, they were not happy about being told to go fuck themselves and were trying to get Shepard on their own terms.
Nearly all her agents were sending in all the data they had managed to acquire on the Systems Alliance. All the dirt and scandals that the military organization was involved in, or at least most of them. To her glee, one of her agents had managed to yank a gold mine worth of dirt on Steven Hackett. That man's career was over with the SA. Liara was going to make sure of it.
Hackett had once been their greatest ally in the fight against the Reapers. Now, he was enemy number one. That old fuck had sent teams out into the galaxy to find Shepard, even after all the things Liara tried to tell him. Tried to convince him that Zaia had earned her freedom and the life that she gave up twice for others.
So, in her search for their next move, she had come up with two separate options. The teams would either approach Wrex and Grunt on Tuchanka. Extremely unlikely, but Liara wished they would just so the krogan could tear them apart. The second option, and the one that she feared would be the next move, was Tali and Garrus on Rannoch. Geen Pak had just opened for habitation, and there would be thousands upon thousands moving into the city. The perfect cover for some operatives to make moves against her friends.
She had sent off a message to Rannoch for Tali to contact her as soon as possible. The time shifts were so that Rannoch was bathed in the early morning right now. Tali would be waking up along with Garrus within the next two to three hours. Liara had to make sure that the both of them knew of the danger they were in.
A third option had occurred to her, but it was almost more unlikely than the humans going to Tuchanka. If they were insane, then maybe Hackett would send his teams against the T'Soni estate and come after Liara and the twins. With the combined power of Liara, Aethyta, Shiala and twenty seven other commandos, that would be as much a suicide mission as walking up to Wrex and asking that he turn Shepard over.
On top of being ridiculous, that would also be nearly a declaration of war against Thessia and the asari race. The humans would never risk that, unless they thought they could get in and out without being detected. Foolish, in many ways.
As such, she believed that they would go after Tali next. The quarian could handle herself, but it was just a good idea to make sure that she was warned and ready. Garrus being there was only a good thing, because he could keep and eye on her.
Her omni began to buzz, and she absently answered it, not bothering to check the ID. "Hello?"
"Mistress. I am sorry if it is too late..."
"Don't worry, Jarra. It is not too late. What is it?" She replied. The veteran commando was the one in charge of the evening watch tonight.
"You have two...guests, here to see you. One, a drell, is here by request of Mistress Shepard, but the other..." She trailed off, and Liara heard an infuriatingly familiar voice through the call. She rose to her feet, storm clouds in her eyes. "You should come and see for yourself..."
"I am on my way." She said hotly. She had to admit that this was beyond luck. Coming here just when Zaia happens to not be here is something that might save this scoundrels life. Might. She stormed through the estate and to the front entry way, her eyes coming to rest hatefully on the pathetic form of Conrad Verner.
"What in the Goddess' name are you doing here!?" She yelled, despite herself. This little insect of a man had run a campaign of lies and gotten rich of Zaia's name and image. Liara herself had tried to get him and his ridiculous weapon and armor chain, the Shepards Armory, shut down several times. Each time, she had been told that because Zaia was dead, there was no reason to shut down the chain. Liara had pounced on the foolish speech that he played at his stores, with the images of Zaia. Each time, she had been stonewalled.
"Well..." Conrad trailed off, twining and shaking his hands in obvious anxiety. "I wanted to...apologize...for everything..."
"Apologize!? Apologize for bastardizing my lovers image!? For calling her your own!? For even thinking that you knew even the first thing about Zaia Shepard!?" Her anger seethed. She had chosen to ignore this little bastard and all his shit.
"Wh...what do you mean?" He stumbled over the words as flicks blue electricity began to arc across her skin.
"Let's see, Verner! ZaZa? If you know anything about her, you would know that she would kill you on the spot for calling her something so ridiculous! Not even I called her by a nickname!"
"Er...well then, it's not like you had a claim to her..."
"She is the father of my daughters!" Liara shrieked, her eyes burning with hate. When they had first run into this wannabe on the Citadel all those years ago and he had tried to latch onto Zaia with his ridiculous hero worship, she thought that he had been dealt with when Shepard nearly killed him. The fact that he was even standing in her home at all infuriated her to the point of crackling biotics.
"I will not speak to you, Verner! You will speak to Zaia to answer for your pathetic claims! Now, get the fuck out of my estate!" She hissed venomously. The man stared at her, his face blank. She wanted nothing more than to tear him asunder. To be rid of him completely. For years she dreaded that he daughters were come home asking about him and the claims he made.
"Mom?" Liara spun on her ankle, finding Vasha and Imali walking up to her, their eyes thin and still groggy from having been woken up. Immediately, she squashed her anger and her motherly instinct took over.
"My daughters, what are you doing up?" She cooed, bringing them into her arms.
"Vasha and Imali T'Soni!? Can I spe–" Liara snapped her head around, fixing Conrad with the deadliest glare she could muster. He had taken a few steps toward them, and the last thing she wanted was for her twins to ever exchange words with Conrad Verner.
"I told you to get out. Now." She hissed, unconsciously hugging the girls tighter to her legs. The human sputtered, staring at them.
"If I could just..."
"Take another step," Jarra snickered, cocking the shotgun she always carried. "Please." She pointed it at him, her eyes fixed and serious. Conrad stared at her in fear, clearly not believing that she was actually pointing a loaded shotgun at him. For a man who ran an arms and armor store, Conrad was a coward and always had been.
He backed away slowly, his hands up. "Alright! I'll leave! I'm going! See? Here I go! I'm going...don't shoot me...going..." His voice trailed away, Jarra following him, shotgun fixed on the human's chest the whole way, the commando nodding and encouraging him to move faster.
"Sorry for waking you dears. Go back to bed." Liara urged, kissing both her daughters on the crests. The two girls looked up at her, then past her to where Jarra and Conrad had just disappeared.
"Alright..." They finally said together. "Good night, mom..." The mumbled tiredly. She let them go, watching with a smile until they disappeared. A frustrated sigh escaped her, all these problems beginning to stack. First all this shit with Jack being attacked. Then Conrad Verner decides to show up and try to make friends, and then she goes and wakes her daughters and they have to see someone be escorted from the estate at gun point.
Her mind returned to the other guest that she had. The drell had stood to the side, keeping his silence the whole time. He wore a long jacket and boots with a long, cloth covered package strapped to his back with what looked like a case in it. She walked down the steps, approaching him with an apologetic look.
"I am sorry you had to witness that. What can I do for you?" She said politely. The drell bowed his head briefly.
"It is quite alright, Dr. T'Soni. I understand your fury with that man. Your commando did the justice of explaining it to me briefly before...aiding in his departure. I do not hold you at fault." Already, Liara liked this drell. His voice brought back memories of Thane Krios and the brief time that she met him. He had taken down the Shadow Broker with her and Zaia all those years ago. She knew that the assassin had died, a victim of Kai Leng. She also knew that Shepard had respected the drell in his final hours.
"I am here, however, at the direct request of your mate, Zaia Shepard. I have something here that I was tasked with delivering to your hands personally," He gestured to the package on his back. "It is best that this be opened on a table or something similar." Liara nodded curiously waving her arm for him to enter the house. While she walked behind him, she eyed the package. What had Zaia gone and done now?
She guided the drell to the main dining room. Once there, he sat down and placed the package almost reverently on the table. "I understand that it is late, but Shepard requested that your family be here for this..."
Liara nodded quickly and sent quick messages to her father and Shiala, both of whom she knew were still awake. Once done, she sat down across from the drell.
"Who are you?" She asked, trying to keep her mind off of this package. She would be lying to herself immensely if she believed that she wasn't hopelessly curious about it.
"My name is Shozar, doctor. I am but a jeweler delivering his work." The drell said simply. Jeweler? Liara was extremely curious now. This drell was a jeweler. Zaia had no interest in jewels...unless...
"Did she order something from you?" She blurted out before thinking about the question. The drell smirked innocently at her.
"Forgive me, doctor, but I believe that much is clear." He chuckled throatily. Liara was actually not taken aback by his response, instead nodding to herself, admitting that he was right. It was pretty obvious that Zaia had asked him to bring something to the estate. He'd even told her so.
Aethyta entered the room, drink in hand and a smile on her face. She dipped her head at the drell.
"Good evening." She said. The drell bowed his head in the same fashion as he had towards Liara.
"Matriarch Aethyta. It is an honor." He rasped out, his previously clear voice cracking. He glanced at Liara again.
"Is it possible for me to get something to drink, doctor? I am quite dry..." Liara nodded and got up. All of the servants and cooks had gone home for the evening already. Not that she didn't mind going to the kitchen. She wanted a drink as well.
"Sister." Liara smiled as Shiala walked around the corner, heading for the dining room, no doubt. The green skinned commando returned the smile, turning on her heel to walk with Liara. "Where are you going? Your message said to meet in the dining room."
"Yes, it did. Our guest requested a drink, and all the servants are gone," She said as they entered the kitchen. "From the looks of it, Zaia ordered something from a drell jeweler. He is here right now with an interesting looking package." She explained as she fetched special, eezo filtered water, both for herself and the drell. Shiala declined the offered glass for herself, a curious look in her eyes even as the hand waved away the offer.
"He is delivering it personally? That's odd..." The two of them began to walk back to the room, Shiala chewing on her lip. Liara recognized the look; it was only on the commandos face when she was thinking about something suspicious or questionable.
"He said that Zaia insisted he bring it to me, and that the family should be here to open it. The twins are sleeping and they have school tomorrow, so I am going to let them sleep...especially after earlier..." She felt her anger twinge again just thinking about it.
"What happened earlier? Jarra has not reported in yet." Shiala asked. Liara rolled her eyes, tsking loudly.
"Conrad Verner came to see me." She growled. Her sister by adoption smirked.
"I see."
"And, while I was yelling at him, I woke the girls. They came to the entry way looking for me...and that pathetic little snake tried to speak to them." Liara shook her head as she said those words. She couldn't even imagine what she would have done to Conrad if he had come any closer than he had. Thank goodness Jarra stepped in. If she hadn't, Liara might be taking care of a dead body right now.
"Did he manage to?"
"No. Jarra intervened. Regardless, I would sooner kill him than allow him to speak to my daughters." Liara retorted. Shiala burst out in laughter, throwing an arm around Liara's shoulders, hugging the scientist.
"Me as well, Liara. Me as well." Shiala was never so...affectionate with the family than she had been for the past year. The first year after she had been officially adopted into the family, the asari was quite awkward around them. She was not used to using the name T'Soni after her own, and she was not used to the idea of treating Liara or Aethyta as equals. She had still called each of them Mistress for a good long time. Now though, she acted as if she had been born into the world, and Liara would have it no other way.
They arrived back at the dining room, Shiala taking a seat on the other side of Liara, placing her in the middle. She slid the glass of water over to the drell, who accepted it graciously.
"Thank you, doctor..." He downed the whole glass at once. Not surprising. Being a drell, he had a much different relationship with water than an asari would.
"This is who shall be here," Liara said, folding her hands in her lap. "My daughters are sleeping. You understand." She added the last part with an edge in her voice. When it came to the girls, she would accept no argument.
"Of course, doctor. Now," He unwrapped the cloth from the package and left them looking at a sleek metal case. "This is the order that Zaia Shepard placed with me several weeks ago, an–"
"Did you say weeks?" Liara asked incredulously. The jeweler nodded promptly.
"Yes. Weeks. It required a large amount of time to gather the materials and craft the final product..." He spun the case around to face them, then typed quickly into his omni. Several electronic locks on the case bleeped green and the case unlocked. The jeweler slowly lifted the lid, and all three asari gasped at the contents.
Six absolutely gorgeous bracelets lay in a bed of silk, each one made from something that was a beautiful shade of blackish grey. Woven into each bracelet were gems; each one had six gems. Five gems on one side, and a single gem on the exact opposite side of the band. Liara reached inside, scooping up the first of them. Whatever it was made from was incredibly soft.
"What are these made from?" She wondered slowly.
"Hair from the mane of a Nathak. Soft, yet very tough. Extremely hard to rip or tear." The jeweler explained. He held out a hand to Liara, silently asking for the jeweled band. She placed the bracelet into it. The drell looked at it carefully, focusing on the single gem, isolated from the others.
"This particular bracelet belongs to Captain Shiala T'Soni."
"Me? Zaia bought me something?" Shiala asked in surprise. Liara thought about what the drell had told her before. That's why he wanted the family there. Each of these bracelets was for each member of the family.
"Yes. Do you see?" He pointed at one of the gems in the bracelet. Aethyta leaned forward, glaring at the gem intently.
"Is that...Tuchankan Emerald?" She asked, and Liara felt her stomach flip. Tuchankan Emeralds were insanely expensive gems to obtain, and from the looks of things, Zaia had gotten six of them. No telling how much money that had to have cost.
"Indeed, Matriarch. Zaia Shepard selected her gems in accordance with some feature of each of you, and also gave me a list of which gem belongs to whom. The identity gem of this bracelet, Tuchankan Emerald, names it as the bracelet of Shiala T'Soni...for reasons that make sense to me now..." He explained, handing the bracelet to Shiala. The commando stared at it reverently before slipping it onto her wrist. It fit amazingly well.
Liara was surprised at his comment about Shiala's skin color. Not that the commando ever took comments about her skin hard, it was just surprising. Nobody really ever mentioned it. In fact, she had an idea that Shiala was quite proud of her skin. Still, she found this drell to be very...open and forward.
"I sized each bracelet to form fit to the size of the wrist they are assigned to. Nathak hair is quite flexible, and as such should fit each of you well," He reached into the case and removed another bracelet. He held it up to the light before holding it out towards Aethyta.
"Omegan Sapphire. This belongs to you, Matriarch." Aethyta took it and slipped it onto her wrist, looking at it and nodding with a simply ecstatic grin. Liara did not know that her father was one for jewelry.
This was...simply amazing. Zaia had ordered these weeks ago? She had ordered Nathak hair bracelets with incredibly expensive gems in them? Omegan Sapphire was in the middle for cost, but Tuchankan Emerald was ridiculously expensive. There were other gems in the bracelets that she couldn't identify with a look either.
"Doctor?" Liara came back to find the drell holding a bracelet out to her. "Thessian Midnight Opal. This is yours." She took it from him, holding the gem that he called the identity gem up to the light. Inside the dark blue gem were specks of white, as if it were an image of the stars in the midnight sky. Beautiful. She put it on, marveling at how soft the Nathak hair was.
"Who do those belong to?" Aethyta asked, stabbing her chin at the case and its remaining contents. The drell picked one up and looked at it briefly.
"This bracelet is for Zaia Shepard herself. Black Onyx," He placed it back in its spot in the case. Of course Zaia would have the blackest gem she could find. Admittedly, it was a stunning stone. The last two in the case she assumed were for Vasha and Imali.
"The last two, containing Thessian Diamonds, belong to the twins Vasha and Imali T'Soni. Their bracelets are unique..." He held both bracelets, one in each hand, the identity gem facing the three of them.
"What do you notice?" He asked. Shiala was quick to answer.
"All of our gems are pretty equal in size and reasonably large. Their diamonds are smaller. Why?" Liara noticed it now as well. All of the gems that she had on her own bracelet were pretty big, but the diamonds in the girls bracelets were smaller.
"Yes. Their identity stones are not two different gems, but are instead of the same stone, halved."
"Why is that?" Liara asked, confused as to why that would be.
"As Zaia Shepard explained it to me when she made this request, it is their strength. The two of them, sisters and twins, are different asari, yes, but also two halves of the same coin, inseparable on a level many could not even begin to imagine. Together, they are a formidable force, but apart, they are only half of who they really are. Like their identity stones."
Liara sat speechless, and Shiala looked to be in very much the same state. Aethyta whistled, staring at the table. The drell sat quietly, watching them, appearing to gauge their reactions.
"Wow." She mumbled. Liara could only nod in agreement. Zaia had never come across as so...poetic. It was touching, and this all made Liara feel a bit guilty. She was sitting here all day being angry because Zaia had not called, and then this arrives, and she discovers that this has been weeks in the making? Not to mention the amount of credits she no doubt spent on all of this.
"Well...look at that," Aethyta said, still inspecting her bracelet. "Each of our identity gems is in every bracelet...so the family will always be together, even if we physically aren't..." It was a beautiful gesture from Zaia, and one that Liara was fighting tears for. Zaia rarely showed initiative for anything like this.
"Very observant of you, Matriarch. I am sure that Shepard has a sufficient explanation for each of you as to why she chose to have these bracelets made. She has not made me privy to any greater reasons," The drell said as he removed the silk bed the bracelets came in, Vasha, Imali and Zaia's bracelets still on it, and closed the case. "If I may impose once more, Dr. T'Soni, for transport back to my home in Armali?"
Liara shook her head, pulling herself from her mind. "Certainly...but don't we have to pay you?"
He shook his head, holding up a webbed hand. "Not necessary, Doctor. Shepard has taken care of everything, and will dispense my payment when she returns from whatever business has claimed her attentions."
While she was hoping she could get an insight into what sort of deal Zaia had struck with this drell, Liara was grateful enough that he had taken it upon himself to come in person to deliver this. If he did not have a method of getting there that he had come in, that meant that he wasn't part of a large jewelry manufacturer. Personal delivery was probably not something he did often.
"Very well. I will have a commando get you home."
XXX
Shozar stood like a statue on the front boulevard of the simply amazing T'Soni estate. He had heard stories of the grandeur of the T'Soni family and the home they lived in, but he had to admit that he was not prepared for how beautiful it really was. On top of that, he was surprised by the commandos, and by Liara T'Soni herself.
Some had said that she was a hermit. That she was a person so riddled with paranoia and traumatic experiences that she was unstable. Others said that she was regal, and the kindest asari to ever walk Armali. He had to agree with the second explanation, finding next to no fault with the good doctor. He was initially caught off guard by the display he watched with that human, Conrad Verner.
The commando that had brought him into the estate after a taxi dropped him off was quite helpful with her explanation of why exactly Dr. T'Soni had reacted the way she did. He completely sympathized with her after hearing what that commando had to say. It was a treat as well, having a moment to see the T'Soni daughters. They were twins by every expectation. He could not tell which one was which when they arrived behind their mother. They looked like the same asari.
Admittedly, he had seen the vid commercials for the human's weaponry chain. It never really occurred to him, after all these years, that Conrad and Zaia Shepard would never have been together. In the days after the war, when Liara T'Soni gave birth to her twins, it was a hot button topic. He lived on the Citadel then, but when he moved to Armali, he never made the connection between the commercials and the truth.
Shepard had not done her family credit with her explanations, but at the same time he understood why she had gone so grand with the bracelets. Many drell were familiar with the Shepard and her deeds during the Reaper War. The partnership that she had shared with Thane Krios and his son was also well known to the drell, and it is considered that she is to thank for their race' resurgence and salvation from extinction.
He was certainly not expecting Shepard to send him a message asking him to deliver the bracelets personally. She even graced him with an explanation as to why she could not pick them up. After their particularly...aggressive meeting, he was not expecting such forthwith treatment from her.
Even when he had contacted her with need of more credits, she did not reply with the anger or frustration that he was expecting. She allowed him twice what he had deemed necessary for the extra materials, although she asked for that money to be returned to her.
He had done so without second thought. Theft was not something he was eager to engage in. Especially with her threat still so bright in his memory. He only hoped that they payment she rendered unto him for the time her project had taken would be sufficient. Those bracelets are quite easily the best work he had ever done.
A skycar rose above the trees and sped towards him, coming to a stop and parking next to him. The hatch opened and he found himself looking at the very commando who escorted that human off the grounds, at shotgun point.
"The Mistress asked that I take you back to Armali." She said, beckoning to him. He nodded and hopped inside.
"Thank you for your time." He said briefly, and gave her the address of his apartment building. The commando nodded and took off. They drove in silence for a few minutes before the commando broke it.
"So...Shiala told me that you're a jeweler..."
"Indeed I am. The order I delivered here this evening consisted of a set of bracelets studded with gems for the T'Soni family." He replied. He had no qualms about explaining his business. When he was young, he learned that things were always easier if you were honest about your reasons for being somewhere. Less chance of being misunderstood that way.
"I saw Shiala's...tell me...how much would...say...two of those cost?" Shozar looked over at her briefly, almost not believing his luck. He might even be able to garner himself more work, and doing work for the T'Soni's and their commandos was only a good thing. Connections to this family could help him.
"It would depend...how similar to the bracelets I just delivered would you wish them to be?"
"The same, but with just two gems..." She replied.
"I would need to know which gems you have in mind." He said, seeing the lights of Armali getting closer by the moment. While he was happy that this commando was trying to find something, he was afraid that the price would scare her away. The ending price of Shepard's bracelets turned out to be almost fifteen thousand credits each for materials. Most of that lay in the prices of the gems, for the Nathak hair was expensive, but not nearly as much as the precious stones.
"How much would rubies and amethysts cost?"
Shozar, having trained himself in this business for many years before beginning to make his own jewelry, ran a quick calculation in his head. While it would not be an exact price, due to the market and it's fluctuations, it would be close.
"I would assume...nearly three thousand each." He said. His stomach dropped as the commando remained silent next to him. In the time he had spent making jewelry and selling it, silence meant no purchase. Oh well, he lost this customer. He still had Shepard's payment to look for.
"Did Shepard really pay that much?"
"Zaia Shepard paid far more than that for the six items she ordered." He replied. While the response was not exactly a positive, it wasn't the outright silence that meant no business would be taking place. "Well...holy shit...I don't have that kind of money..." Shozar smirked to himself as he turned to regard her.
"What is your name, commando?" The asari turned to look at him, slight suspicion in her eyes. He did not know why she thought he was up to no good. Maybe it was in her nature to do so, considering that he had just witnessed her escort a man out by gunpoint.
"Jarra." She answered simply. He smiled, tapping a single hand to his forehead.
"Well, Jarra...shall we make a deal?"
XXX
"Bullshit! Khan, you disobeyed a direct order!" Hackett bellowed into at the vid comm, his face purple with every shred of anger the old man could possibly muster. He had just found out, on the news vids and the SA contacts in Horizon, the stories spreading about the attack on that planet.
"I did not, Admiral. I am pursuing an asset to the N7 that sought fit to end her contract...prematurely." Thee infuriating director of the N7 had his hands steepled as fucking always in an image of calm and superior control. Beside him stood his aide, some woman who Khan called Amata, and she had remained silent the whole time.
"Really? And who the fuck might that be? Zaia Shepard? I told you I wanted her file cleaned and sent directly to me!" He had received the file by the appointed time, but for whatever reason, this little prick felt that he still had the right to 'pursue' assets.
"You did receive it, did you not?" The admiral glared at the screen, trying to gauge where to go next.
"I am not searching for Shepard, Admiral. I am looking for Anastasia Lastovich. I'm sure you know who that is?" His knowing smile only served to turn up the dial on the Admiral's anger.
"Of course I fucking know who Lastovich is! Why are you after her!? She retired years ago!" Anastasia Lastovich had been a top N7 agent for many years and, almost more notably to Hackett, the chief handler of young Zaia Shepard. From all reports and descriptions at the time, Shepard was most influenced by the Russian Shadow as she was called for who knows how long.
When it was decided that Zaia Shepard would take the Normandy XO position and be put forth for the Spectre training, the question of how she would react against her handlers once given a position out from their authority. Their files were cleaned, and Shepard was told that they were dead, all save Anderson, who as a Systems Alliance liason to the Deaths Daughter project, was left to be her only remaining handler.
The remaining five, although wanting to remain in service, were forced to retire from the N7. Butch Merrington, Kito Horizawa, Anastasia Lastovich, Jordan Recker and Heinrich Duftan were all pushed into retirement and given new identities. The five of them hated what their fate had become, but all of them were ridiculously loyal to the N7 and the Alliance.
Admittedly, Hackett had lost track of them over the years. They were retired agents though, and as such Khan had no reason to go after them. What on earth he decided to do this had better have a good explanation.
"Agent Lastovich was placed into retirement and given a new identity, per orders by SA Admirals. Those orders compelled her to remain in her predetermined home and life until further notice. Agent Lastovich abandoned her post. She is being located so we can dispense proper judgment." Khan explained. Hackett remained silent, not knowing what to say about it. If Lastovich had flown the coop, then technically it was perfectly within regulations for Khan to hunt her down.
Khan stood up and walked to his windows, staring out of them as the camera or whatever he was using for this contact followed him. "As well as her, Butch Merrington and Heinrich Duftan have both followed along and deserted. This exodus of N7 personnel is alarming and must be addressed."
Hackett ran a hand through his hair. "Khan, you inept idiot! They are retired! They are not N7 personnel!"
"Admiral Hackett, if we simply allow highly sensitive military secrets to walk away from humanity, how ca–"
"We are allowing people to walk away from humanity, if they so fucking choose, Khan! Every agent that has ever retired has signed confidentiality agreements, and I myself presided over the signings of those five handlers!" Hackett growled. "Fine. I will do it this way...Khan, did you send teams to Horizon?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I discovered documents that Anastasia Lastovich has gone there to hide." Khan relaxed his arms on his desk.
"And you thought that a New Grissom Academy professor and her two students had intel for you!?" His eyes narrowed as he took notice of the quick tensing in the directors eyes. "I'm waiting."
"Sufficient evidence suggests that the professor in question acted as a contact for Lastovich."
"Really?" Hackett demanded angrily. "You thought that Jack acted as a go between? Jack, who has a long history with a woman who is notably not Anastasia Lastovich!? I cannot believe, in this wide galaxy of ours, that Lastovich managed to find a professor who just so happens to be so closely connected to Shepard, another woman who you seem to be completely fucking obsessed with!" Hackett roared.
He couldn't even imagine that Khan had gone to these lengths. Thankfully the teams that he sent were unmarked and unable to be identified. Two students had been hospitalized, and students attending a multi-racial biotic school. If it came out that the N7 was responsible for the attack, the repercussions against the SA would be huge.
"Admiral, it is only with the best interests of humanity in mind that I made the choice to send teams into such a highly sensitive location."
"Khan, you attacked a professor and her students. If I call Jack right now, will she be able to tell me who Anastasia Lastovich is?"
"Why would she? She's hiding the traitor." Khan started, cocking an eyebrow at the admiral. Hackett blew out a long sigh, slumping back into his chair. In all reality, if Khan were telling the truth, and Jack really did have information on Lastovich, then she would most certainly not tell him about it just because he asked nicely.
"Enough of this. I want you to run every operation past me, Khan. N7 does nothing without my approval. Are we clear?" It was the last straw. He couldn't leave this out of his own control any longer. Khan leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk and steepling his fingers. Again.
"Admiral, have you even considered that Lastovich, as we both know of her past with regards to Shepard, may be...joining her on the asari homeworld? Has it occurred that those two could be trading secrets with those creatures in exchange for safe haven?"
"Safe haven? Khan, Shepard has two asari daughters! She is there because her family is there!" Hackett felt his surprise skyrocket when Khan handed him one of the most savage grins her possibly could.
"Oh, I know exactly what family she has there, Admiral. Those two...abominations will bring Shepard to my doorstep, on her knees." He cut the line, and Hackett immediately acted.
"Jacket, get me in touch with the Second Fleet. I want arrest orders for N7 Director Temujin Khan immediately sent to any troops in Rio. Then set course for Sol, on the double." He ordered his ships VI, smoothing his hair and replacing his cap. Khan thought he could simply do what he wished. Not on Steven Hacketts fucking watch.
"Second Fleet Commander Richards here. What can I do for you Admiral?" Hackett heard his good friend say over the link. He and the Second Fleet were currently in orbit over the planet, and he was the highest ranking official that Hackett could send down after Khan.
"John, no time for small talk. N7 Director Temujin Khan has gone rogue. Get to Rio and arrest him. I am setting course for Sol right now. ETA..." He glanced over at a screen that Jacket generated for him. "Eleven hours."
"Loud and clear. See you when you get here." Richards cut the link and Hackett left his office in a rush. This was a slap in the face. He never guessed that Khan would run the gambit like this. Being the N7 Director, Khan could bring down the SA by himself just by leaking secrets. He had to be secured. Steven had to make a few calls, chiefly to Liara T'Soni. If he had heard of this attack, then she definitely knew about it. No doubt she would place the blame squarely on him. Not only her, but he needed to get in touch with Shepard as well. If that ass hole Khan was going to try anything to get to her daughters, then he had to warn her. Those girls needed to be kept safe.
"Jacket, I need you to send messages to both Liara T'Soni and Zaia Shepard to contact me as soon as they possibly can. Mention that there is significant danger to their daughters."
"Yes, Admiral." The VI chimed.
Hackett hit the bridge, where his pilot spun in his chair, a curious look on his face. "Why did the VI set us on course for Earth, Admiral?"
"Our N7 Director has gone rogue and made threats that I am not fine with, so I'm heading back to take ca–"
"Admiral," Jacket cut in. "You have simultaneous calls to your personal channel from both Liara T'Soni and Zaia Shepard. What would you like me to do?"
Hackett rubbed a hand across his face. This was going to be a tough conversation, but in the end it might be just what he needed to fix this mess. "Put them in the same channel and tell them that I will be there momentarily." He ordered. He was turning to leave when his eyes caught his pilots, the stony hatred clear in them.
"You have to let it go, man." He sighed heavily, leaving the bridge and heading to his office and the terminal where two of the galaxies angriest parents were waiting for him. He rushed through the halls of the ship and was at his office quickly. Shepard and Liara were already talking to each other, clearly having figured out that they were in the same channel.
"Shepard. Liara." He said, sitting down in his chair.
"Hackett, what the fuck is going on?" Zaia yelled. Thank god she wasn't on QEC or vid comm. No doubt her face was as purple as her eyes were now.
"I need you both to not be angry with me right now and just listen," He said sternly. "Shepard, after our chat, your accident, and then my talk with you Liara, I did what you wanted."
"Meaning what?" Liara interjected. For the first time, Hackett wondered why they were calling from separate channels. Jacket had said their calls were simultaneous, meaning they weren't together.
"Meaning that I ordered Shepard's file cleared from N7 databases. It was cleared, but...we ran into a problem."
"What the fuck would that be?" Zaia growled. He thought she would just be angry right now. She sounded downright furious.
"Shepard, I'm sure you know our N7 Director, Temujin Kha–"
"Temujin!? That sniveling little prick became the fucking Director of the N7? How the fuck did that happen!" Shepard yelled. Hackett closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. Even with his volume turned low, Shepard's voice was still giving him headaches.
"Zaia, who is this Temujin?" Liara asked.
"Someone whose going to be dead soon. What did he do?" Hackett blinked in surprise and leaned forward in his chair.
"He wasn't happy when I told him to clear your file. He still wanted you, Shepard. I just heard about the attack on Horizon..."
"There was a fucking attack on Horizon!? Who?" Shepard interrupted. Hackett was about to tell her everything he knew, but Liara got there before him.
"Jack and two of her students got attacked on the planet, Zaia. Miranda called me and explained it all. Jack was giving a lesson on the planet when they got attacked by a few teams, all human members." Hackett covered his face with his hands, shaking his head. All human teams too. Jesus, if the public didn't link the attack to the N7 or the Systems Alliance, it would be a fucking miracle.
"Why the fuck did Khan go after Jack?" Shepard demanded. Hackett took a deep breath. This was going into the deep end now. Shepard was about to get a blast from the past.
"Shepard, you have to understand me. What I am about to tell you has been top secret for thirteen years," He began, gauging the waters.
"Don't tell me about top secret, Hackett. What is it?" Steven took a deep breath and blew it out heavily.
"Your handlers are still alive." The silence on the link was deathly. From both ends apart from him. He had figured that Liara knew about Zaia's handlers from when she was a little girl, fresh off the streets. Zaia had been specifically led to believe that her handlers were dead, as a precaution. If she ever went rogue, then she wouldn't be expecting her handlers to come back from the dead. At the time, it was believed that she would be caught off guard by it.
"My handlers?"
"Yes. Kito Hori–"
"Don't say their fucking names to me, Hackett, I know who they are. And I don't care. What do they have to do with Jack getting attacked?"
"Zaia, don't be like that..." Liara voice was a type of soft that Hackett had never heard before. It was soothing and strong at the same time. It sent shivers up his back.
"No. Hackett, what does all this shit have to do with my daughters?" Her voice was a wall of cold, emotionless brick, a voice he knew very well. It was the voice she had when she began the chase for Saren. When she didn't care about anything.
"Khan just went rogue. He is completely obsessed with you, and he told me that he was going to get to you using your daughters," He heard a strangled gasp from one of the lines, and he assumed it was Liara. Zaia doesn't gasp. "I have ordered his arrest. The Second Fleet is above Earth right now, so there is no way he's getting off world. Troops in Rio should be getting to him in a few minutes."
"You keep me fucking updated, Hackett." Shepard growled. "When you catch him, you tell me so I can come and rip his fucking lungs out through his throat." The line clicked as Zaia hung up. It could have gone better, but at least Hackett knew she wasn't blind to the danger. Liara didn't say anything more and hung up as soon as Zaia had.
He sighed, running a hand through his grey hair. He was almost seventy now. He was getting too old for this shit. He got up and headed towards the bridge, setting his thoughts to how much the Systems Alliance was about to change. Especially the N7.
Hooray! Hackett isn't going to be a dead man anymore! I want all of you to have a good week, a great New Years, and I will see you in 2015!