The line between good and evil is invisible, and if you cannot sense where it is, it won't take long to cross it. Aspire to be something greater than just a shadow of yourself. — Dannika Dark, Keystone

Inamorata – A woman with whom one is in love; a female lover (Italian)
Kaffe – equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same name,
· · · · · · the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate. (Thessian/Source: CDN)
Ø7 – An allegedly discontinued vocational code in the Systems Alliance military.
· · · · The Ø designates covert operations; the 7 refers to the highest level of proficiency.
Qíngfū or Qíngrén – [情夫 – lover]

• AHN'KAHAR STATION · STRENUUS SYSTEM, HORSEHEAD NEBULA •

"By the gods, Sammy!" Rachaél's mouth had gone from a smile to a grim, straight line as I described Xiùlán's ultimatum. "I'm more than aware of Alliance regs on that subject, but I'm truly surprised she waited so long to give you her opinion on the matter."

Liara, seated beside her amantia, stated, "Unless I misread your intentions, it appears you have already made your decision, Samantha. You have begun planning to leave the Brokerage … to leave behind everything associated with the title of Shadow Broker … in order to begin a new life."

I closed my eyes for a few moments before responding. "I cannot see an alternative, Liara. Xiùlán has since contacted me to arrange another face-to-face meeting … but only because she discovered I had spoken with Bill Cody. That rat-bastard never dreamed I'd be so bloody successful at resurrecting the organization. He encouraged Xiùlán to part company with me."

Liara had been a first-hand witness of what I was capable of when angry, as had Shepard; both stared at me in horrified fascination as Liara softly asked, "What will you do?"

"For now? I have a number of projects I absolutely must see to completion before I can step away. I hope to visit Serrice with Oriana Lawson so she can be fitted for a new omnitool; if I'm on the ground there, I really should visit T'Sere Shipwrights to inspect their progress on the Rebekah." I sighed, then concluded, "I also need to have another meeting with Garrus."

My mention of Miranda's sister surprised Shepard. "Oriana? She's working for you now? Last we knew, she was living on Eden Prime. How did you? …"

"Miranda gave me her location. I had lunch with Ori on Eden Prime in the middle of my trip back from my last visit with you … asked her to come work with me and Griff." I then answered the unspoken question on Rachaél's lips. "And yes, she has been made aware that she's employed by the Shadow Broker … just doesn't know it's me and Griff … not yet, anyway."

Liara asked, "Why do you need to meet with Garrus?"

My reply was delivered with a slight chuckle. "One of the reasons I wanted Oriana to work for us is her abilities with numbers and computers. We've been working—successfully, I might add—to uncover the massive sums of credits hidden away by Cerberus over the years." I quickly added, "It's not the so-called blood money. We dug up the creds earned and deposited by Harper's more legitimate businesses, and I believe we have gained access to an amount that's sufficient to compensate the hierarchy for the loss of the Anixara. I expect Garrus will appreciate the poetic justice upon learning the source of those credits."

"Do you need us to set it up for you? … your meeting with Garrus?" Liara always expressed her anxiety with her hands; she held them nervously clasped together in front of her chin.

"I don't wish to impose on your hospitality so soon after my recent visit, Liara … Ori and I can certainly spend a few days camped within Iringù-Eßizkur. However …" My voice trailed off into silence as I paused to consider how best to explain what was happening in Vancouver.

Shepard quickly discerned my reluctance to explain. "Come on, Sammy … let's have it."

I grimaced, "Sorry, Rachaél. There is something." I told them of Jack's discovery of an assassin leaving Elysium for an assignment we had quickly learned was meant to eliminate General Park in Vancouver. "A Broker team captured her before she could take the shot. She's being questioned in an effort to discover her patron, while Ori and I follow the money trail."

There was recognition in Liara's expression as she asked, "Female, you say?" I nodded in assent. "Human?" I nodded again, to which Liara grimaced as she whispered, "Savina Delarosa."

I sucked air through my teeth in surprise. "You know of her?"

"By reputation only, Sammy." Wearing a grim frown, she explained, "Some of the Broker's agents had run-ins with her before and during the war." She chewed on her lower lip for a moment before finally asking, "Whose team found her?"

"Dokken's," was my one-word reply.

She slowly nodded. "That they were able to apprehend her is a very good thing, Sammy." Her expression had become worried. "What will they do with her … or to her? You're not going to have them terminate her, are you?"

I chuckled softly, admitting, "No, Liara … I instructed Mr Dokken to take good care of her … she'll be treated well by his team." I grinned as I added, "She's an artist with a rifle. I'm thinking the Broker might do well by making an asset of her."

Liara's face fell in concert with Rachaél's; Liara recovered first. "Samantha! Really? Do you think that is wise? Her only loyalty has been to the credits she's received for confirmed kills."

"I'll make her an offer. Of course, there are few opportunities these days for someone with her special … skills, to ply her trade. She could be comfortably unemployed for the rest of her life."

Rachaél replied, "Someone like Delarosa? She'd soon disappoint you, Sammy. She most likely is only truly happy when she's on the hunt."

"Perhaps," I conceded. "Only way I'll find out is to speak with her." I slowly shook my head and said, "Back to your question concerning Garrus. If you'll agree to hosting him for an evening, I will contact him … see if he can meet me there." I hung my head, momentarily overcome by a flood of conflicting emotions.

There were tears in my eyes as I returned my gaze to Liara and Rachaél. "I truly regret that this may be my last trip to Thessia for a very long time, Liara," I sniffled. "Once I've left the position behind … I don't know where I'll be going or what I'll be doing. Iringù-Eßizkur will become my guardian … and my home, for the foreseeable future."

With no hesitation, Liara offered, "You would be welcome to live here with us, Sammy … for as long as you care to stay!" Rachaél grinned and nodded in mute agreement with Liara's offer.

"That is most generous, both of you, but I need to be employed … need to earn a living, and I have yet to explore the possibilities that exist for someone with my abilities and background." While I was speaking, Buchanan had silently entered and walked up behind me, surprising me by gently settling his hands on my shoulders. I turned my head and looked up at him for a moment before returning my attention to the people on my monitor. "One last thing … Xiùlán wants to meet with me, and I refuse to return to the Citadel. Would it be possible? …"

Liara interrupted enthusiastically. "… She'd be more than welcome to spend an evening or two here with us, Sammy! It would be wonderful to see her again after so much time."

I dipped my head for a moment. That these two people were my friends meant more to me than I could put into words, particularly after our conflicts on the Normandy during its return voyage from the galaxy's edge. With an effort, I managed to reply in a steady voice, "I'll let her know, Liara … and thank you … both of you … so much. It means so …" Squeezing my eyes closed, I covered my mouth as the lump in my throat grew too large to permit speech.

Rachaél's face came alight with a lopsided grin as she observed, "Your continued presence in our lives means a lot to us as well, Samantha. We look forward to your visit … and Xiùlán's."

Reopening my eyes to look at the pair, I nodded mutely, then managed to squeak out, "I have to go. I'll contact you as soon as I can arrange a meeting with Vakarian."

"We look forward to hearing from you, Sammy. You and Mr Buchanan stay safe." They both nodded as Liara terminated the connection.

With their images fading to black, Griff moved to sit beside me. "Sounds like your visit to Thessia will be anything but relaxing, Sammy. You gonna travel there inside Irin, or take a shuttle?"

"I have to visit two other locations while I'm on Thessia, Griff … and I'll need to return here with Ori afterwards, so I'll take one of the shuttles. You'll need to monitor the network without us." I had been thinking about our resident quarian's role as the station's lead computer programmer. "Do you think Chinami'Taelas would be interested in taking on more responsibilities? … perhaps as a research assistant?"

He chuckled in response. "I'll ask her at dinner."

I nodded, then checked local time in Cipritine; it was 1437 in Palaven's capital city. Figuring Garrus should be long since done with lunch, I placed a call. Since it had only been a short time since our recent meeting on Thessia, he appeared surprised to be hearing from me so soon again. "Samantha Traynor! … to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

I grinned at his image on my monitor. "Hello, Garrus. I have some news I need to share with you, but it must be done securely … face-to-face. How soon can you meet with me … off world?"

His mandibles spread and rose slightly as he silently pondered my request while looking to his right for several moments. Returning his sharp-eyed gaze to my image on his monitor, his response was a question. "How long do we need, Sammy … and where will we be meeting?"

"Overnight, at Liara's and Rachaél's home on Thessia." At his look of shocked surprise, I hastened to add, "They offered, Garrus. I have to take care of some business in Serrice and Dassus while I'm there; I also plan to meet with Xiùlán, so will probably be staying over two evenings."

"T'Soni and Shepard are two of the most generous people I know, so their offer does not surprise me." He cocked his head as he lowered his mandibles slightly. "Does this request have to do with our previous meeting, when you introduced me to your General Park?"

I smirked, "I'd rather not comment about that, Garrus, but I wouldn't ask you to leave Palaven so soon again, unless it was extremely important." I lowered my head enough that I had to stare at him from under my brows. "Can you do it? I'd like to see you in three days … four at the outside."

"I'll speak with the Primarch, Sammy, but I'm free to travel for business as I need to, so there should be no problem. Look for my arrival at T'Soni's by local midday, three days from today. That will give you an entire day and night there ahead of my arrival … allow you some time to attend to your other business before we sit down together. Sound good?"

"Thanks, Garrus … I'll contact Shepard and T'Soni, let them know when to be expecting you."

Prior to contacting Liara and Rachael again, I placed a call to Mallene Calis at Serrice Council Manufacturing in order to request an appointment to purchase another Savant X-plus omnitool. I told her it was for a young woman whose specialty was accounting and computer programming, and I would bring her for a visit in two days.

My next call was to T'Sere Shipwrights in Dassus; Matriarch Tralis assured me I would be most welcome to visit in order to observe the progress being made on the Rebekah.

My last call was to the Hong Kong. I needed to learn if Xiùlán would be able to meet me at T'Soni's estate for an evening so we could simply talk. With the exception of the accent, the voice that answered my comms call was eerily similar to Oriana's; Miranda Lawson was all business as she spoke. "Please standby, Ms Traynor. I will inform her you need to speak with her."

That she wanted to ask about her sister was patently obvious, but I remained silent until she muted the mic and paged Captain Yuán to the ship's communications compartment. Within a few minutes, Xiùlán's face appeared on my monitor; she settled in her chair as she solemnly greeted me. "Sà mi … you said you would send me a text. Has something happened? What may I do for you?"

I smirked, "You're awfully damned formal there, Captain … not even a smile for me?" I shook my head slightly before continuing. "Nothing has happened … I decided I'd rather speak with you instead of sending you a note. Can you meet me on Thessia, day after tomorrow, for an overnight stay. We'll be guests of Lady T'Soni and Spectre Shepard, at their estate on the Armali coast."

"Are you sure you want me to join you there, Sà mi? Our recent meeting was somewhat difficult."

"That's water under the bridge, Luv," I lied. "I'm already looking for new opportunities in the data retrieval field, so, it's all good … or will be, as long as Bill Cody doesn't accompany you."

The small frown that appeared was quickly replaced with a thin smile; it was something I would have missed had I not been watching her so closely. Continuing to display a calm demeanor, she queried, "Are you going to bring Oriana with you?"

"I intend to … I plan on taking her to Serrice for a replacement omnitool. Why do you ask?"

"Would you be opposed to Miranda accompanying me? I'm sure she'd like to visit with her sister."

"My inclination is to simply tell you no, but …" I used my omnitool to send a text to Oriana, asking her to join me. "… wait a few minutes. You can ask her … allow her to decide for herself."

Ori had been working close by; in less than the few minutes I had asked Xiùlán to wait, she entered my compartment and took a seat beside me. I waved at the monitor as I said, "Oriana Lawson, this is Yuán Xiùlán, Captain of SSV Hong Kong."

Her eyes widened momentarily in surprise before she caught herself and said, "Captain Yuán … pleased to meet you."

Xiùlán grinned. "You look very much like a younger version of your sister, Ms Lawson." She looked down for a moment before adding quietly, "I'm planning to visit with Samantha on Thessia while she's there for business; she mentioned that you would be traveling with her … would you like to visit with Miranda while the Hong Kong is in the system?"

Ori looked at me, nervous doubt plan in her expression. Placing a hand on her shoulder, I quietly reassured her. "It's your choice, Oriana, but I suggest you take the opportunity. It may be quite some time before you'll have another chance to visit with her."

She turned back towards Xiùlán's image on the monitor, saying, "I would love to see her, Captain." Looking back at me, she asked in a shy voice, "Will the Spectre and her Lady be expecting the additional visitors?"

I focused my gaze on her steel-blue eyes and replied with a small chuckle. "I have to contact them again to confirm my visit and let them know how many people will be arriving to disturb their idyllic existence. We'll most likely be treated to some wonderful meals and conversation during our visit, which I believe will last a couple of days." I paused a moment before asking, "And now, I must ask that you excuse us … please?"

Oriana grinned, nodded and quickly left to return to her research terminal in the next compartment. Directing my attention exclusively to Xiùlán, I said, "I have two requests for you, Ai. When you arrive in the system, leave the Hong Kong in orbit. Come down in a shuttle, just you and Miranda."

"I can certainly do that. What's your other request?"

After looking around in order to insure Oriana had truly left, I quietly said, "Miranda already knows that Ori is working for the Shadow Broker. I would consider it a personal favor if Miri would refrain from trying to persuade her sister to leave here. The Brokerage absolutely needs her, and I don't give a flamin' rat's ass if Miranda's career gets flushed down the shitter because of what her sister does for a living!"

"That's rather selfish, don't you think"

"Perhaps, but this request is not up for debate, Xiùlán. The Shadow Broker—whoever ultimately assumes that title—cannot afford to lose Oriana Lawson; her abilities … her oeuvre, are critical to the Broker's continuing long-term success."

She closed her eyes as she covered her mouth with the knuckles of her right fist for several seconds. Reopening her eyes, she fixed me with a piercing stare as she asked, "What about sleeping arrangements?"

I frowned and calmly replied, "For us? I'm sure you can have your own room while we're guests there, if that is what you truly desire." With a supreme effort, I kept my emotions bottled up as I added, "You've made your position about us … my line of work … abundantly clear. I hope we can use our meeting to come to an agreement about the path we need to take to secure our future."

With a breathy sigh, she admitted, "I want that as well, Sà mi. When will you arrive on Thessia?"

"Early morning, day after tomorrow local time. I'll be flying a shuttlecraft myself … don't want to scare hell outta everyone by having to set down again in a Destroyer-class Repository."

The corners of Xiùlán's mouth tipped up slightly. "That's probably a good plan. I'll see you there, Samantha." She paused briefly before adding, almost as an afterthought, "Jinguan nín kěnéng huì bù tóngyì, dàn wo réngrán ài nín! … [儘管您可能會不同意，但我仍然愛您！– Although you may disagree, I still love you! …] I will always love you, Sà mi."

I nodded once, then cut the connection without answering, afraid I would break down in front of her. I hoped I would soon be able to speak with her face-to-face, if only to—maybe—persuade her to look at things from my perspective, instead of Bill Cody's.

The moment I entered our shared lounge to eat lunch, Buchanan approached me and began speaking. "Sammy, I've just been informed that the last of the electro-magnetic shield emitters have been installed on the station's hull. When powered up, the prisms will effectively bend reflected light, resulting in the station being all but invisible to the naked eye."

I thought about this for a few moments before replying. "The effects cannot camouflage our heat emissions, Griff, and the void created by the station's mass sitting in space will also be apparent."

"Very true, Sammy, but I believe a cursory inspection will completely miss us. I'll take every advantage I can to avoid being seen, since we're not in any position to defend ourselves here."

I grinned at him for a moment, then grabbed a club sandwich and a bowl of soup. Spotting Oriana sitting nearby, I walked over to take a seat across from her, leaving the empty chair beside her for Griff to occupy; she looked up as I began eating and asked how my day was going.

"Going well, Ori." With a nervous glance at Griff as he sat down, I returned my attention to her. "I have something to tell you Oriana … about me … and Griff. I expect it will be somewhat difficult for you to accept." I took a bite from my sandwich, chewed and swallowed as I thought about everything I needed to reveal to her. When I looked up again, she was studying me intently, perhaps already having an idea of what I planned to reveal.

"Ori, I have not been completely honest with you regarding my relationship …" I flicked my gaze to Griff before settling back on Oriana's eyes. "… our relationship … with the Shadow Broker." I took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out with the words, "We … Griff and I … don't just work for the Shadow Broker, Oriana; we are the Shadow Broker."

I nervously anticipated an explosion as I watched the emotions washing in waves across her countenance. When she finally did reply, her speech was calm – tranquil, even. "That … admission … is certainly one I least expected to ever hear from you, Samantha, and yet … somehow, I suspected you …" she turned to look at the big man beside her. Taking his hand, she continued, "… and Griff … were more than just employees."

She continued to squeeze Buchanan's hand as she turned back to me. With a trace of irritation flashing in her eyes, she asked, "Why the deception, Samantha? Why not just come out and tell me when we had lunch on Eden Prime?" She clapped her free hand across her mouth for a moment as realization set in and she quietly answered her own question. "Because everyone is continuously monitored when out in public. If the authorities ever suspected you to actually be the head of …"

She left the thought unfinished as I picked up the thread. "Together, Griff and I are the most wanted criminals in Council space, Ori. Few people are actually aware of my title, but there is one person that knows me—knows my position—that has chosen to insert his opinions into my personal life … particularly my relationship with Yuán Xiùlán." At her questioning look, I explained, "She's my Qíngrén … my lover, and my soulmate."

With a level of insight I should have realized she possessed, Ori queried, "So, an Alliance officer consorting with a highly sought after interstellar criminal places her career in jeopardy?"

Nodding in assent, I found myself blinking several times in order to keep the unexpected onset of tears from overflowing and trickling down my cheeks. "She told me that knowing what I do for a living means she …" voice hitching at the memory, I gulped out, "… she's duty-bound to arrest me … turn me over to the authorities."

Ori reached across the table; grabbing my hand, she squeezed slightly. "I'm glad you finally leveled with me, Sammy, and …" she grinned at each of us in turn, "I'm not going anywhere, okay? Working for the Broker may or may not be against the law in Council space, but I don't really care. What I have come to care about deeply … is you …" she turned to look at Buchanan, whose hand she now crushed to her chest. "… and you, Griff. I can just bet my sister will be pissed, but I refuse to live my life based on her opinions. I'm a grown woman, and I'm here because I want to be here. There's nothing she can say that will change that."

Buchanan spoke up before I could reply. "That makes me happy, Oriana Lawson." With a hint of pink tinting his cheeks, he added, "I have grown to care about you as well … a lot! I would really hate to see you leave."

Buchanan's admission had her staring at him for a number of seconds, long enough that he shifted his gaze downward. Perhaps thinking that holding his hand against her chest was the source of his pink cheeks, she slowly moved her arm and their hands back to the surface of the table. "So then," she smiled at each of us in turn. "What's next? … I mean, after we return from Thessia?"

"I'll work on tying up the loose ends around here. Afterwards, I'll move all my personal gear and possessions into Iringù-Eßizkur and leave here … travel to another system – Tasale, perhaps. Probably go into business for myself." I sighed and shook my head slightly. "I cannot continue here, of that I'm certain. Any future happiness I hope to have with Xiùlán depends on me stepping away from this life." I closed my eyes as a single tear finally escaped and drifted down my cheek.

"I'm really unhappy that she's forcing you to cut ties with us, Sammy." Griff shook his head in regret. "It just seems so damned unfair."

I picked up my tray and walked to the dish-washing counter; after setting it down, I turned back and was immediately engulfed by a pair of muscular arms. Griff's close, intimate embrace had me instantly sobbing into his chest. With my voice hitching, I gulped out, "I cannot see any other path open to me! You're right about me and Xiùlán, Griff! … I cannot live without her … her love! But this! It's ripping me apart inside!" I clutched the fabric of his shirt with both hands as I wept.

Buchanan silently held me in his arms until I was able to regain some control over my emotions. Pushing back from him, I looked up at a pair of caring eyes; this man had cherished me for nearly as long as I'd known him, and I felt a deep pang of regret at being unable to return his love … on a physical level, anyway. I also knew without any doubt he was totally okay with that. "Thank you, Griff. I don't …"

He gently placed a pair of fingertips on my lips to shush me. "You're welcome, Sammy. You don't have to say anything else." He leaned down and awkwardly kissed my cheek. "We should get back to work. There's still a lot of projects I need your help to complete."

I had compiled all the data we had unearthed concerning Garrett Sutton's escape routes—his so called bolt-holes—and generated a number of 3-D diagrams to accompany the explanations for each available path. I felt I was ready to give this treasure-trove of information to Spectre Rachaél Shepard when I journeyed to her home in two days. After speaking with her and Liara over a secure comms call in order to confirm the number of uninvited guests that would be descending on them, I met with Buchanan to discuss what we needed to do with one of the loose ends hanging over our heads – Savina Delarosa.

"Oriana managed to back-trace the money trail from Delarosa to Garrett Sutton, Griff." I was infuriated; my animosity for Sutton had just gone beyond cold hatred to bitter malevolence. "And Xiùlán condemns the Broker for arranging assassinations? … what the actual fuck!? This is a Lieutenant Commander in the Alliance Navy doing the same damned thing!" I sat in front of my terminal with my arms crossed as I fumed. "We need to contact Jonathan Dokken, find out if he's had any luck persuading Delarosa to give up her patron. I would really like to have confirmation from her before I leave for Thessia."

Griff nodded. "We still have a couple of days before your trip, Sammy. Hopefully, Mr Dokken has had, or will have, some success."

I had a thought. "Perhaps if the Shadow Broker spoke to her directly? Might loosen her tongue."

Buchanan showed his teeth in a wolfish grin. "You want me to talk to her?"

I pondered the question for a few moments before responding. "You do that, Griff. You know what needs to be said, and how hard she needs to be pushed. If you're going to take over for me, you may as well get used to being a real bad-ass … at least, as the Broker."

He rubbed the back of his neck as he replied with a grin. "Don't know if I'm ready for that, Sammy. You've always been so much more … angrier, than I could ever hope to be."

"You've done it before … you managed to convince General Park, with me sitting right beside her on Thessia. There is no good reason I can think of that you'll be unable to speak convincingly to Delarosa, especially since all the theatrics are computer generated."

He chuckled lightly as we moved to what I liked to think of as the studio control room. After setting everything up, he opened a secure comms line to Jonathan Dokken.

When the team leader answered after what seemed a lengthy delay, his disheveled appearance and rough voice made it patently obvious it was past midnight in Vancouver. "Dokken," he croaked.

Nonplused, Griff smoothly replied, "This is the Shadow Broker." He paused for a three-count before continuing. "Has Ms Delarosa given up her patron?"

Dokken stared at the image on his monitor for a few moments before replying. "She has not, nor do I expect her to. It would seem even assassins live by a code of ethics."

"Allow me to speak with her, Mr Dokken. Perhaps I can be just a bit more … persuasive."

He narrowed his eyes for a moment before grimly nodding. "Standby." He muted the mic and blanked the screen before Griff could respond. She must have been in a room close by, as the video returned in under five minutes; the woman facing the camera had obviously just been awakened – her silver-white hair was tousled, and her bluish-grey eyes gave the impression she was only half-awake.

Petulant lips pursed before parting in a snarl of anger. "It's the middle of the fucking night here! Who are you and what in hell do you want?"

If Griff was taken aback by her unfriendly greeting, he gave no indication when he replied, "I am the Shadow Broker, Ms Delarosa. I need you to answer one question for me."

Lips that had pressed together hard enough to become a white slash opened up as she defiantly crossed her arms. "Fuck the hell off, asshole! Your team of emasculated shitheads couldn't make me talk! There's certainly nothing you can say or do that will impress me, understand? I'd rather die than give you a name."

"Your death can certainly be arranged, Ms Delarosa … quite easily. However, your patron will not be pleased at your failure to take out your target; they will not pay you for a task not completed … my sources tell me you won't even receive travel expenses." Griff continued after a brief pause. "My plan for your future may have you wishing I had been somewhat more … charitable."

By this time, she appeared to be wide awake, and was paying close attention to the image and voice of evil incarnate. "Come daylight, Mr Dokken will load you into a shuttle for a one-way trip to Omega Station; once there, you will become a slave … Aria T'Loak, your master; she will most likely rent you out as a batarian sex toy." Griff chortled in an evil manner. "Ever seen a batarian's teeth? I understand they really enjoy chewing on human female breasts." He paused to chuckle before adding, "My view from here suggests they'll be quite happy with yours." That little bon mot actually registered … she looked down at her chest for a moment and seemed to stiffen all over as she thought about Griff's words. Before she could formulate a reply, he added, "I seriously doubt you will ever be allowed to wear clothing again."

Her defiant façade appeared to fracture slightly. With the slightest hint of alarm in her voice, she declared, "You wouldn't dare."

It was obvious Buchanan was enjoying himself when he laughingly replied, "Oh, but I would dare, Ms Delarosa … and just imagine how much more your new four-eyed lovers would enjoy violating your body upon learning of all the batarians you murdered over the years."

"I don't have a name!" she shouted. "The contract was arranged through an intermediary! … Some guy—a colonial security officer—in Illyria, on Elysium!" Her eyes were pleading. "A human! If I had to guess, Italian, based on the accent."

"Not very informative, Ms Delarosa."

"How can I make you understand!" she cried. "I never know the names of those that pay for my services! I'm given the name and location of a target, along with a time limit for completion of the job! My payment goes into a special, blind account; it's then auto-transferred through a series of self-terminating accounts before being deposited into my personal account." She was becoming a bit hysterical; hard to believe the Broker's made-up threat was the only reason, but we didn't know what threats Dokken's crew had made before Griff's call.

I didn't believe she had ever been captured in the past; this all appeared to be a new experience for her. I muted Griff's mic and whispered in his ear. "Cut her some slack, big guy. I think she's telling the truth."

After looking up at me for a moment, he unmuted his mic and said, "Ms Delarosa. You will remain a guest of Mr Dokken and his people while your story is verified. If I determine you have been truthful with me, you will be transported to a Broker facility in the Terminus, where you will be my guest until I decide what to do with you."

A look of fearful dread tinted with amazement colored Savina's face. "Sonuvabitch! You're taking me out of circulation, aren't you? You planning to keep me locked away forever?"

"We'll see, Ms Delarosa … we will see."

• T'SONI ESTATE, THESSIA · PARNITHA SYSTEM, ATHENA NEBULA •

Oriana and I were standing behind and to one side of Lady T'Soni and Spectre Shepard, waiting at the edge of the small, paved parking apron east of the main house, where the white-trimmed blue shuttlecraft from SSV Hong Kong had just touched down beside my own.

I was nervously watching the shuttle's port side hatch as I anticipated seeing my Inamorata once again, all the while praying silently that we wouldn't embarrass each other in some manner. I gave a sidelong glance at Ori, who seemed just as nervous about seeing Miranda again.

The thought, They're sure taking their time leaving the shuttle, had just crossed my mind when the hatch parted – upper section pivoting out and upwards from concealed, roof-mounted hinges as the lower section moved outward slightly and slid rearward on hidden rails; Xiùlán stepped down to the pavement, followed by Miranda Lawson. Both hefted their overnight bags and, after slinging shoulder bags around and onto their backs, began walking towards us.

The two women stopped in front of Liara and Rachaél; each offered their gracious hosts a bow, followed by outstretched hands in the traditional Asari greeting of friendship for Liara. After exchanging their formal greetings, the Lady and her bondmate turned, joined hands and strolled past me and Oriana. Xiùlán and Miranda slowly approached us; as Xiùlán stopped and stood silently in front of me, Oriana—who had started bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet upon sighting her sister—threw her arms around an extremely surprised Miranda. Both women remained silent for several moments, though I thought I heard a hint of weeping from one or the other.

Xiùlán bent her legs at the knees in order to gently set her bags down; upon straightening back to her full 186-cm height, she ran sable-brown eyes down and up my body while a tiny smile played at the corners of her mouth. Spreading her arms, she gathered me into an intimate hug while whispering, "I am so happy to see you again, Sà mi." I could feel her lips moving as her words feathered against my ear. "I apologize for the way I treated you on the Citadel … wo qídao ni néng yuánliàng wo." [我祈禱你能原諒我。– I pray you can forgive me.]

Even though I didn't completely understand all the Mandarin words, the sincerity with which she said them was strikingly obvious, instantly tightening my throat and bringing more moisture to my eyes. Reaching around her, I returned her embrace as I tilted my head and sought out her lips, certain in the knowledge she continued to love me as passionately as ever.

After thoroughly kissing the love of my life, I pushed back slightly, stood on my tiptoes and touched my forehead to hers as I breathed, "I cannot forgive you, Xiùlán, if that is what you asked of me, when nothing has occurred that demands forgiveness. Come on … lets go to the house. We have much to discuss, and only a limited amount of time in which to do so."

I released her and bent down to pick up her overnight bag; in a questioning tone, I said, "Ori?" then turned and began walking the short distance to the house. Xiùlán followed after remotely closing and locking the shuttle's hatch, with the Lawson sisters trailing close behind us.

Catching me up, Xiùlán grabbed my free hand and intertwined her fingers in mine. "I did a lot of meditating after your comms call, Sà mi … and I find I do not wish to sleep apart from you tonight." With a rarely heard touch of shyness coloring her silken voice, she added, "If you will allow it, I would welcome the opportunity to share your room … and your bed."

Her use of my nickname in Mandarin had me quickly looking up at her face; she blushed slightly and looked away as I brought our joined hands up; after kissing her knuckles, I said, "I would like that very much, Xiùlán." The grateful smile I received in return gladdened my heart.