I do not care what comes after; I have seen the dragons on the wind of morning. – Ursula K. Le Guin, The Farthest Shore

Ài – [愛 – love] (whether spoken by Xiùlán or Samantha, the meaning is 'luv')]
Irin – Pronounced similar to the girl's name 'Erin' – Zaeed Massani's shortened form of 'Iringù-Eßizkur'
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]
UCMJ – Uniform Code Of Military Justice

• INSIDE IRINGÙ-EẞIZKUR · WIDOW SYSTEM, SERPENT NEBULA •

The main drawback to living in any space-faring vessel, including a former Reaper Destroyer—or even inside a space-station—was the absence of a regularly apparent day-night cycle; without the increased amount of ambient light, leaking into my room past a shade or blinds in a window, I always woke up in the dark. With a sigh, I peeked at the glowing numbers of the nearby chrono—0725—before rolling off my side to lie on my back. Remaining under the sheet and quilts, I stretched languidly, then continued to rest in my bed's comfortable embrace.

Spectre Shepard had taken Garrett Sutton into custody the previous evening; he was now being held in C-Sec's detention area on the Presidium. I hoped he would be transferred into Alliance Naval custody as soon as Rachaél could present the evidence of his criminal and treasonous acts during the previous decades. My only regret was he would probably never know the role I had played in delivering him to justice, long delayed.

Maybe that is for the best, I thought. My ass is totally hanging out in the wind now – no top-cover whatsoever! I heaved a sigh before throwing the covers off, then swinging my legs past the edge to sit with my feet on the cool deck. I raked the fingers of both hands front-to-back several times through my freshly trimmed hair as I got to my feet.

›Good morning, Friend-Samantha. How are you this morning?‹ Iringù-Eßizkur sounded somewhat – cheerful … unusually so. ›I have a message for you from Rachaél Shepard–Spectre. She would appreciate a return call at your earliest convenience.‹

Remembering how I had complained just yesterday about being without companionship, I chose to not comment on the fact that Irin was instantly aware I was awake and had climbed out of bed. "Did she say if returning her call was a matter of any urgency, Irin?"

›She did not.‹

"Okay. I'll call her after I do my exercises, shower and have some breakfast."

"Sammy! Good morning, and thanks for calling. Is this a secure connection?"

"Of course, Spectre … Irin's comms are beyond secure." There was just the slightest hint in her cheerful voice that something was not right. "Is everything okay? Sutton still in custody?"

A brief chuckle escaped with her reply. "Everything is great, Samantha. C-Sec has him locked up in their high security wing, where he's being kept incommunicado, as is his aide, Lieutenant Declan Powell." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I just wanted to thank you again for covering my six last night; and, of greater importance to me, staying completely away from his capture. As it turns out, everything went well … exceptionally so."

Relieved that nothing bad had happened while I slept, I took several sips of coffee, then said, "You're most welcome, Rachaél. Since you didn't want me on the ground, having your back was the least I could do." I drank the last of the liquid in my mug, then asked, "So, what's next?"

"I'm flying out to the Orizaba for a meeting with Fleet Commander Admiral Hackett. He's gonna need to know why one of his senior officers is being detained by C-Sec. I'll present him with all the updated evidence you collected concerning his recent misdeeds. Unfortunately, I'm unable to find anything in the UCMJ that specifically addresses his criminal offenses, Sammy."

She looked down and off to the side, as if referencing a data file, before continuing. "Having all the vid-files of his dealings with Jack Harper—even if they're all certified as factual and true—might not be enough to convict him. Unfortunately for us, he has every right to face his accusers. The crap he pulled after Lang attempted to kill you should certainly be enough to successfully prosecute him, Sammy, but it might be up to you to face him in a court of military law."

"Dammit, Shepard! Does this mean the miserable rat-bastard can escape justice for his crimes?"

"Possibly, at least by the Alliance," came the sad admission. "However, you have proof he was following Jack's orders by placing Marianna Walsh in your SpecOps unit as a so-called 'student', shortly before he was posted to Arcturus Station; she murdered Heather Gonzales on Mars, after which he ordered Walsh's murder, along with Darius Holden's, during their stay in lockup."

She studied my image intently as I pondered everything she had just told me, then surprised me by adding, "He had people murdered, Sammy—Alliance service members!—for no other reason than Jack Harper told him to do so. Hell, TIM even voiced an opinion that Sutton should have you murdered, as casually as if he was discussing the weather. The gods-be-damned sonuvabitch hasn't been held accountable for any of it."

After thinking about everything, I finally replied. "I really want to see him fry for his crimes, Rachaél, but my God! No matter the outcome, me testifying against him in person would leave me looking over my shoulders for the rest of my life. People like Garrett Sutton are nothing if not vindictive, and I have no doubts that he could easily reach out from a prison cell in an attempt to have me struck down. Will you be required to reveal the sources of all the evidence against him?"

"As a Council Spectre, I cannot be compelled to do that, Sammy. My position does allow me to certify the authenticity of every last bit of the evidence I'll be providing concerning the man's crimes. It will be many years … decades, even, before he'll be able to enjoy sunshine and free air. One way or the other, his comfortable life is done."

My sigh was a mixture of relief and unhappiness. "Then I'm probably done as well, Rachaél. I honestly don't know if I could calmly sit in the same room with him … I would need to think about that long and hard before I could agree to it. And I don't know where I'll be going, or even what I need to do next. I've been after Sutton for so long, and now he's in custody …" I trailed off as I tried to think of my future life. "I have thought about going to Palaven. During my last visit, Liara told me she was aware of a position in Cipritine that might suit my talents."

"You have time. Go to Thessia first, Sammy. You'll be welcomed with open arms at the estate. You can kick back, relax for a bit. If Liara knows of a job you can do, she can help you research it, maybe even assist in the application process. And don't forget Garrus. That turian would love to have you with him on his homeworld!"

"I don't know, Rachaél. Are you sure?"

"Positive, Sammy. Go to the estate! It'll do you a world of good, and we'd love to have you stay with us." She paused, then added, "I'll give you a call when I leave the Orizaba to return to the Citadel. Depending on the outcome of my meeting with Admiral Hackett, I may have to be present if C-Sec transfers Sutton into Alliance custody. In the meantime, I'll call Liara – let her know to be expecting a Reaper Destroyer landing close by."

"Thanks for reminding me – I should probably obtain a personal shuttlecraft. Iringù-Eßizkur is kinda fearsome looking," I chuckled. "I'll give Liara a call as well."

"Okay, then. I have to get going. Looking forward to your visit." She cut the connection.

I sat motionless in front of the console for several minutes, thinking about everything the Spectre had said. What I really need to do is contact Xiùlán, came the thought. No time like the present!

I placed the call to the Hong Kong and waited. In a matter of moments, I was looking at the ship's comms officer. "Ms Traynor. May I presume you're calling to speak with my captain?"

"Good morning to you as well, Miri, and yes," I replied with what I hoped would appear to be a warm smile. "I do need to speak with Captain Yuán."

Miranda actually showed her teeth in a genuine grin. "Stand by, Sammy. I'll tell her." She placed the call on hold, replacing her image with the Systems Alliance logo above the ship's name.

In less than thirty seconds, the Alliance insignia on my screen cross-dissolved into the exotic- looking face of my Qíngrén, her lightly accented words floating across the connection. "Sà mi." She paused to study my image on her monitor. "You got a haircut! It suits you, Ai!" She cocked her head slightly and continued. "Is everything okay? Please tell me nothing bad has happened."

"Everything is fine, Luv!" I couldn't resist smirking as I added, "Actually, you know the man that cut my hair. Remember Qian Long Xi? … 2180, in the Hades Gamma Cluster?"

Recognition of the name brought forth a brilliant smile. "A corporal. Served on the original Hong Kong under Captain Jaclyn Mosley. He trimmed my hair after my pony tail was chopped off by a batarian slaver" A hand moved to the back of her head, as if remembering our adventures from ages ago. "Sounds like he managed to get off that ship before its destruction by Sovereign."

I nodded, adding, "Said he was transferred off in late 2182. He's working in a small shop … Serendipity Hair in Delta Ward. You ought to drop in. I'm sure he'd be happy to see you!"

She grinned in reply. "I just may do that, Sà mi." Her grin disappeared as she skewered me with her eyes and queried, "Now, tell me why you really called."

"I just wanted to let you know Commander Sonuvabitch Sutton was taken into custody last night, and is currently a closely-guarded guest of C-Sec, on the Presidium."

An immediate expression of amazement was just as quickly replaced with a flash of worry. "Please tell me you weren't actively involved in his capture, Sà mi. I need to know – was Spectre Shepard the only official involved in the húndàn de [混蛋的 – bastard's] take-down?"

"She was, Luv. I really did stay on the sidelines, above it all, actually, inside Iringù-Eßizkur." I shook my head slightly as I continued, "Rachaél asked me to stand down … for her own peace of mind, and Liara's … and for you. As you can probably imagine, it wasn't an easy thing for me to do, but I did as she wished. If I hadn't agreed to stay out of her way, she would have turned what was a friendly request into an official order."

Xiùlán nodded and sighed, "That is very good to hear, Sà mi; that Sutton is in custody and you were uninvolved … physically, anyway." She paused, then asked, "So, where will you go now? You're free and clear of any other obligations, correct? Have you made any plans?"

"In a few days, I'll be traveling to Thessia for a visit with Liara and Rachaél – probably stay for two or three weeks." In response to her slight expression of disapproval, I quickly added, "Rachaél invited me, even though she herself won't be able to return immediately. She has to meet with Admiral Hackett – present the evidence concerning Sutton's crimes." I paused for a moment before adding, "You should know, there's a very real possibility that my testimony will be required in order for him to be prosecuted by the Alliance."

Xiùlán's response was immediate. "No! Sà mi, you must not. Garrett Sutton has no conscience! He could have your life snuffed out as easily as one swats a troublesome insect."

I shook my head and quietly asked, "Would you rather see him go free, Ai?"

"No, Sà mi, I would not! But I also would not wish to visit you in a hospital bed, or attend your funeral service. There has to be a viable way the Alliance can prosecute him for his many crimes without your public testimony!"

I sighed heavily. "Okay, Xiùlán. I'll speak with Shepard when she returns from the Orizaba. She should be able to tell me if my testimony will be required; if that is truly the case, I'll make a decision at that time on how I wish to proceed."

She hesitated for several moments before asking, "Any idea about where you'll be going when you leave Thessia?"

"Palaven, most likely. I've never been, and Garrus Vakarian would welcome me with open arms."

Xiùlán's smile had slowly returned. "Okay, then. You stay safe out there, Sà mi. Call me when you're ready to have dinner with me – we'll go to the same restaurant as before. Should be a more enjoyable meal this time." After pausing briefly, she signed off with, "Méiyou ni de ài, wo de shēnghuó shì bù wánzhěng de!" [沒有你的愛，我的生活是不完整的！– Without your love, my life is incomplete!]

I placed my hand on the monitor and replied, "Wo ài ni, Xiùlán!" [我愛你，秀蘭！– I love you, Xiùlán!] just before her image faded away; I wasn't sure if she had even heard me. She has to know I love her, else why would I have left everything and everyone behind?

Mentally shrugging my shoulders, I checked local time in Armali, on Thessia, then placed another call; this was answered by a member of Liara's personal guard. "Good evening, Samantha Traynor. May I presume you would like to speak with my mistress?"

"My apologies for calling so late, and yes, if it's not too much trouble, may I speak with Liara?"

The huntress smiled broadly. "Please stand by, Ms Traynor. My mistress will be with you in a few moments." She placed the call on standby, leaving me staring at a live image of the asari homeworld that was obviously taken from one of the many satellites orbiting the planet. The few moments stretched into a few minutes, long enough to have me thinking about disconnecting, when the silent view of the peaceful looking planet dissolved into the image of the other half of the galaxy's power couple.

"Samantha! It is wonderful to see you once again. You must be calling to inform me of your imminent arrival for a visit?" Not quite a question, not quite a statement.

I tilted my head slightly while replying with a snarky grin. "You must have just talked to Rachaél. She insisted I come visit you both, now that Garrett Sutton has been taken into custody." I looked down for a moment, then nervously continued. "I have to be honest, Liara – my future, my path ahead? … it all seems so much more unclear than ever, and it has me really worried. I didn't even think about the long-term effects of leaving the Alliance Navy to become the Shadow Broker – I just knew I couldn't allow them unfettered access to Iringù-Eßizkur's capabilities."

Liara offered up a sympathetic grin. "Don't worry about that now, Sammy. That's one of the reasons I asked Rachaél to invite you here." She raised a brow marking and smirked, "I still have many contacts and connections. We can certainly discover a position for such a talented woman as yourself."

I sighed heavily with my response. "Okay, Liara. I have a few loose ends to tie up before I can leave the Widow System, which I should be able to do in three or four days; I'll call you again, day before I leave. It'll be nice to relax for a few days." I waved my hand at her and cut the connection.

• ALLIANCE DREADNAUGHT SSV ORIZABA · ARCTURUS STREAM •

"Council Spectre Rachaél Shepard, here to meet with Admiral Hackett." The Marine private, having accompanied Shepard from the transient hanger bay to the Fleet Admiral's office suite within the massive dreadnaught, turned and left the woman standing at parade rest.

The admiral's aide smiled up at the formidable looking Spectre. "The admiral will be right out, Spectre Shepard." As if on cue the hatch in the bulkhead behind her desk slid open to reveal the ramrod straight figure of the man Rachaél had always thought of as an uncle.

"Shepard!" he boomed. "It's good to see you again! Come in, come in." Hackett stood aside as he ushered her into his office. After closing the door behind him, he motioned towards the conference table as he said, "Please. Have a seat." As she sat down in the same chair she had used on her previous visit, the admiral poured them each a mug of coffee; he set a mug in front of his guest, then sat across from her and sipped the aromatic beverage. "I've received some rather disturbing news from the Citadel, Shepard … news in which your name was mentioned more than once." His eyes twinkled with amusement over the coffee mug. "Care to explain?"

"I took Commander Garrett Sutton into custody last night, along with his aide, Lieutenant Declan Powell." She placed a datapad on the polished table and gently slid it across to rest in front of him. "All the information I previously shared with you is on there. Additionally, he had since contracted with notorious assassin Savina Delarosa – his target was Marine General RaeLee Park in Vancouver; Delarosa was apprehended mere minutes before completing her contract."

His voice reflected the astonishment on his face. "Why in hell would he want her dead, Shepard?"

"Before the war, General Park was in charge of the mission to discover how Turian Hierarchy war hawk Raherix Ursivus was going to be assassinated. I believe Sutton was worried Park had uncovered his own connections to Cerberus during that investigation." She paused a moment, then added, "Admiral Owen Fletcher's collusion with Jack Harper has also been added to that datapad. It would be nice if any credits remaining in his estate could be confiscated as partial repayment for his war crimes, but my main concern right now is Commander Sutton. I want to see him court-martialed for his many crimes against the Alliance; afterwards, he needs to be handed back into Council custody to be tried as a galactic war criminal."

Grim expression firmly fixed on his face, Hackett shook his head. "Two traitors to the uniform?" Pale blue eyes studied Rachaél's face. "I agree with you that, for now, we'll deal with the traitor that's still breathing, but I promise you I will also look into Jack Harper's dealings with Fletcher."

Shepard took several small sips from her mug before responding. "Everything discovered about Admiral Fletcher's dealings with Cerberus has been added to that datapad, Admiral. Just before he took his own life, he gave Michael Moser Lang information about Specialist Samantha Traynor's duty station on Arcturus Station; without her specialized training, it's quite likely he would have succeeding in killing her." Shepard added grimly, "There's also proof that Lang's subsequent death due to a so-called equipment failure at the civilian freight docks wasn't just an unfortunate accident, as was reported by the yard superintendent."

Hackett nodded as he leaned back in his chair. "We spoke about some of this during your previous visit, Shepard." Shaking his head, he added, "If anyone else but you had brought this to me, I would be hard-pressed to believe it – any of it. It all seems just …" he raised his hands up shoulder high, then dropped them while concluding, " … so damned incredible."

"I believe you'll find there are more than a few additional revelations in that man's history, Admiral. It appears there was nothing Sutton would not do to please Jack Harper. And just to be clear, the person responsible for gathering all the history on those two was very methodical."

The old admiral heaved a heavy sigh as he lifted the datapad off the table. "Unfortunately, I'll need to consult with a couple of JAG officers. Prosecution shouldn't be a problem, but the defense team will almost certainly desire an in-person interview with the individual that brought all this stuff to light." He cocked his head slightly as he continued, "Would I be correct in presuming that person would be former Navy Specialist Samantha Traynor?"

"Yes, Sir, I'm afraid so. Traynor has been on a personal mission to see Sutton and Fletcher exposed for the traitors they are, and not just for herself. She firmly believes Hong Kong Captain Yuán Xiùlán has been denied at least one promotion due to all the redactions in her service record."

The old admiral did a good job of concealing his amazement, but Shepard saw a slight reaction in his eyes. "Surely not since I promoted her to captain, Shepard."

"No, Sir. During the war, on the Tokyo." Shepard shook her head slightly while explaining, "When the Ø7 program was shut down—something Admiral Fletcher had been attempting to get done since before 2178, when Yuán and Traynor joined—General Park promoted her and Samantha Traynor, despite the program's records being sealed. Right after she was transferred aboard, Yuán encountered a lot of resistance from her immediate superiors, which she attributed to the large blank space in her jacket."

Hackett nodded slightly without comment. When the Spectre paused, he interjected, "I'll have another look at her record, as well as Traynor's. No promises, but with the Reaper war well behind us, perhaps it's time to eliminate those black holes … or, at least the ones in Captain Yuán's history." Leaning back in his chair, he added, "As for Commander Sutton's crimes, grant me a couple of days to consult with the JAG office. Just to be thorough, I'll talk to people on the Citadel and on Earth. If there's any way the commander can be prosecuted without publicly involving Ms Traynor, that's what we'll do."

Shepard stood from her chair to leave; holding out her right hand, she said, "Thank you for meeting with me today, Admiral. I really appreciate you taking the time. Sammy is planning to visit Liara and myself on Thessia for a week or two. I'll be visiting JAG on the Citadel myself, but I'll wait to hear from you before I speak with Sammy about our conversation today."

Hackett stood as well, chuckling good naturedly as he reached a hand across the table, which Rachaél grasped and pumped twice. Releasing her hand, he said, "Time is all I have these days, Shepard. Somehow, chasing down pirates and slavers just seems so damned tame after the horrors we faced in the war. I had hoped the powers that be within the Alliance would be more amenable to change for the better, and each day I'm disappointed anew by their continued intransigence."

Shepard grinned broadly with her reply. "I have no doubts that if anyone can bring about change at the top, that person is you, Admiral. Keep pushing them. You'll get there eventually. I'll wait for your call." With that, she nodded, turned and departed.

• INSIDE IRINGÙ-EẞIZKUR · WIDOW SYSTEM, SERPENT NEBULA •

After speaking with Liara T'Soni, I sent a text message to Žiuk'Durmah, informing him of my plan to travel to the asari homeworld. I had actually warmed to the idea of utilizing the dreadnaught-class Reaper/Repository to travel around the galaxy, with Irin safely moored inside – just as the Normandy had been docked within the cavernous structure on its return voyage from the outer rim of the galaxy after the war's conclusion.

If I were to rely solely on Iringù-Eßizkur's FTL capability to travel to the Apien Crest, she would have to travel back through the Widow system from the Athena Nebula. But if she and I could travel within Žiuk'Durmah, we could make use of the massive Repository's superior FTL velocity to bypass the relays, flying directly from Parnitha to Trebia with only a minor penalty in elapsed time compared to transiting three always busy relays.

While I waited on Žiuk'Durmah's reply, I placed a secure call to Ahn'Kahar Station – even though I knew Irin's comms were secure from any attempt to trace them, I directed her to bounce the signal through six different comm buoys. The flanging distortion of the voice at the other end was exactly what I needed to hear. "This is the Shadow Broker. How may we be of service?"

"Hello, Buchanan."

The transformation from a grumpy, evil-sounding Yahg to a friendly, deep-voiced human male was immediate. "Sam? Is that really you?" The distorted image of a nightmare creature cross-dissolved into a familiar face; I watched as he muted his mic, turned and shouted over his shoulder, then returned his attention to my image on his viewscreen. "My God, Sammy! It is really good to see you – and to hear your voice. We've been monitoring Alliance comms traffic, so we are aware that Sutton has been taken into custody. Were you in on the arrest?"

I chuckled as I replied, "Irin and I flew top-cover for Spectre Shepard. He was attempting to get to SSV Thermopylae in order to leave the Citadel, until Shepard stopped him with a biotic charge."

I waved at each of the two very special people—Oriana Lawson and Chinami'Taelas—joining Buchanan in the station's comms compartment. "As for you three, are you all doing okay? No major problems on the station, or with yourselves?"

Ori, having leaned down to place her chin lightly on Griff's shoulder, grinned as she replied, "We're all fine, Sammy! Plenty of work to keep us busy. That said, we really miss your presence here. The station just seems a bit … well, a whole lot, quieter, with you gone. Are you sure you cannot return, maybe work here in secret?" Her face colored slightly as she voiced the question.

My eyes quickly clouded with moisture as I replied sorrowfully. "Ori … and Chinami, and Griff. Nothing would bring me greater happiness, but I made a promise to my Qíngrén, and I'll be damned if I'll break her heart by going back on that promise. Hell, Spectre Shepard as much as demanded I stay out of the way when she took Sutton into custody."

Griff knew me all too well; he narrowed his eyes as he gazed at my image across trillions of kilometers of deep space. "Sammy, I can only guess as to the reasons Shepard gave in order to persuade you to stand down, but I believe she probably pointed out how badly Xiùlán would have reacted to you being injured or killed on the op … am I right?" He smiled as he concluded, "You've matured tremendously since you left the Navy, Sammy. I'm really glad you were so easily persuaded to let the Spectre do the heavy lifting."

"Thanks for the complement, Griff. Being completely on my own hasn't been easy. It's downright lonely, truth be told. I miss all of you, terribly." I coughed to clear my throat before my emotions could constrict it any further. "I really must get going now, people. Take care of each other, and Griff? You should probably get in touch with T'Sere Shipwrights – I believe the refit and repairs on the Rebekah are virtually complete. Ship should be nearly ready to fly."

Buchanan nodded. "I'll do that, Sammy. You take care of yourself, and give my regards to the Spectre, and her lady." He grinned as he cut the connection, leaving me staring at a blank screen.

While my coffee was brewing, I fixed a sandwich for myself, then sat at the small table in my kitchen and slowly ate, as I amused myself by watching the seemingly frantic efforts of the ANN reporters attempting to separate fact from fiction concerning the arrest and detention of Commander Garrett Sutton. I poured my coffee into a mug and sipped the fragrant beverage between bouts of laughing at Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani's nonsensical explanations for the Commander's arrest, along with her self-righteous outrage—seemingly bordering on apoplexy—expressed at the fact he was being held incommunicado in an alien-controlled detention block on the Presidium.

A chime sounding from Irin's comms drew my attention; I shut the news feed off and responded to Žiuk'Durmah's call.

»Traynor-Specialist. It is my privilege to once again speak with you. It is my understanding you plan to soon depart the Widow System for Parnitha. I am ready to present a status report on the internal modifications I have undertaken.«

I sighed, mentally shrugging my shoulders yet again at the construct's use of my former title. "It is obvious you have been talking to Iringù-Eßizkur, and yes, she will be transporting me to Thessia in a few days." I paused, then added, "You do not owe me a status report, ZeeDee. I did tell you I would contact you in three weeks or so – it has only been a few days since we last spoke."

»ZeeDee?«

"It's a nickname – a shortening of your true name, just as Irin is short for Iringù-Eßizkur. It's faster for me to verbalize than Žiuk'Durmah." I suddenly realized I may have insulted the enormous construct. "I apologize if this has offended you." I waited for his reaction.

»Traynor-Specialist. I take no offense at your use of a shortened name by which to address me; on the contrary, it is flattering to know our familiarity makes you feel comfortable in doing so.«

His words made me smile. "That is good to know, ZeeDee. As for your status report, it will keep. I will be staying with Liara T'Soni and Rachaél Shepard at their estate for about two weeks – possibly three. Liara will be assisting me in my search for employment."

»In that case, I will accompany Iringù-Eßizkur as she travels to Thessia, and remain in a long-distance holding pattern within the system. Perhaps, by the time you are ready to leave, I will have completed the modifications to my interior.«

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

»Logging you off.«

• CAPTAIN'S TABLE RESTAURANT · CITADEL, WIDOW SYSTEM •

After taking care of the few errands I needed to complete before leaving the system, I had agreed to meet Xiùlán at the same restaurant in which we'd previously had a dinner neither of us enjoyed.

I was in a better place now – mentally, anyway. In order to appease the love of my life, I had reluctantly turned the Shadow Broker operations over to Griff and Oriana Lawson.

Tonight, I was wearing a brand new 'little black dress' – one that left as little to the imagination as possible. The skirt's tight hemline, coming down to mid-thigh, was angled to be shorter in front and slightly longer in back, so when I sat, it wouldn't ride up so high as to expose my bum. The bodice, wide open at my throat, tapered down to a 15-cm wide gap a bit south of my navel. I had checked my image front and back before leaving the security of Iringù-Eßizkur; to say I looked like a courtesan was being charitable.

It amused me to watch Xiùlán's jaw drop when she caught sight of me at the restaurant's entrance; I surreptitiously observed her in the wall mirror I used while touching up my lipstick. She always used to complain that I was being too obvious—at least to her—when I was checking out another woman's or some asari's nice tush, but the hunger I saw in her eyes as she intently studied my barely covered backside had nothing to do with needing to eat dinner; her fixation on my ass was every bit as obvious to me as I had ever been when admiring others in the past.

Turning back towards her, I purposely brushed my chest against her as I took her upper arm; this elicited a quickly indrawn breath, as if she had never known my body at all. Even in the dimly lit dining area, I could readily see her face was seemingly on fire. "Sà mi!" came the harsh whisper. "What the flaming 'ell are you playing at?"

I looked at her with my best 'innocent me' mask firmly in place. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, my love." Spreading my arms, I made a show of looking down at the expanse of bare skin exposed from my neck to just below my belly button; I shook my head slightly and asked, "You don't approve of my outfit?" I grinned mischievously and looked back up to her eyes. "I wore it just for you, Xiùlán. You always complain that I never go anywhere without my knives." Grinning widely, I asked, "Do you see anywhere in which I could conceal a blade?"

She chuckled slightly as she held a chair out for me; I clamped my knees tightly together and demurely sat down, noting with hidden satisfaction she had seated me with my back towards the majority of the dining room. She took a seat across from me and ordered a drink for each of us.

After the hostess departed, Xiùlán exclaimed, "Dammit, Sà mi! Ni jīhū quánluo! [你幾乎全裸 – You are almost naked!] I never expected that you would dress so … provocatively."

"Just having a bit of fun, Ai. What's the harm?"

"People are looking – no, not just looking. They're staring at you, Sà mi," she whispered. "Doesn't that make you feel the least bit uncomfortable?"

I cocked my head slightly. "Not even remotely … and why should it? My tits are covered, as is my crotch. All the males in the place are drooling and dragging their knuckles on the floor from the salacious thoughts going through their little one-track minds, and the women hanging on their arms? HA! They're trying their damndest to think of a way to gut me without getting my blood on their own clothes."

She reached across the table; grabbing one of my hands, she sadly asked, "Is this payback for the last time we dined here?

Squeezing her hand, I replied, "No. You're only surprised at how immodestly I'm dressed because you hardly ever see me anymore." I looked up as the waitress brought our drinks. "We're gonna have a nice, quiet dinner, drinks, some fine wine. When we leave here, I'll have Irin pick us up, and you'll be spending the night with me, in my bed." I took a sip of whiskey, then added, "I fully intend to fuck your brains out tonight, Xiùlán!" With an evil grin, I added, "Getting my clothes off will be really simple for you – I'm only wearing the heels and the dress. No bra, no panties."

I leaned slightly over the table towards her, allowing the gap in my bodice to separate a bit further. The instant wantonness in her eyes confirmed she could view just enough of my breasts to glimpse my areolas, if not my nipples. Drawing back slightly, she closed her eyes and took several sips of her vodka martini. Eyes reopened, she leveled her gaze at me and contemplated this new version of Samantha Traynor sitting across from her. "You're not playing fair, Sà mi! How am I supposed to sit here and calmly eat my dinner when all I can think about is your naked body?"

"Anticipation increases the amount of pleasure we experience, Xiùlán. Thinking about the feel of our bodies together will have you peeling your clothes off nearly as soon as we're inside Irin. Enjoy those feelings, Ai. Future opportunities for us to sleep in the same bed will be few and far between." I tossed back the remnants of my whiskey and glanced to the side.

Having paused her approach while I finished my drink, the asari waitress stopped between us. "May I take your dinner orders, or refill your drinks?" Her quickly averted glance at my exposed chest, displaying more than a hint of the curve of my breasts, was a confirmation of Xiùlán's opinion regarding my near total nudity; I boldly returned her wordless compliment by looking directly at her own soft, ripe bounty before slowly shifting my attention to her cognac colored eyes.

"Refills would be appreciated," I replied huskily. "And yes – we're ready to order."

• INSIDE IRINGÙ-EẞIZKUR · WIDOW SYSTEM, SERPENT NEBULA •

I wrapped my Qíngrén up in a tight, full-body embrace as she was gently propelled towards me from the null-gravity transfer tube. Speaking softly past her shoulder, I addressed my metal guardian. "Irin, take us out to a holding orbit near the relay. Captain Yuán needs to return to her ship by 0700."

The instant the words were out of my mouth, it was attacked by a pair of ravenous, greedy lips, followed by a seemingly insatiable tongue; I reveled in the feel of her hands slowly sliding up the backs of my thighs to push my dress up so she could gently kneed the bare cheeks of my butt.

Our lips parted and she backed away slightly to breathe roughly, "You weren't kidding about not wearing any underwear, Sà mi." Muscular hands squeezed my butt as she added, "You have got the sweetest pair of mounds, my darling," before returning her lips to mine.

It was a bit frustrating for me to massage her rump through her dress slacks. Happily, I discovered a small hook just above a zipper at the waistband of her pants. I don't think she noticed them loosening at her waist until I slid both hands down inside slacks and panties, there to kneed her perfectly toned bottom as she continued to massage mine.

Breaking our kiss again, she purred, "Standing here is silly. Let's get naked so we can really enjoy each other."

I nodded, grabbed the waistband of her pants and led her to my small bedroom, where I slowly undressed her. She only needed to unzip my dress and pull it up over my head for me to be standing nude in front of her. "Damn, Sà mi. I sometimes forget just how well put together you really are!"

I stepped over and began easing her out of her clothes; just before I removed her bra, I relieved her of the Karpov model-10 pistol in its fitted holster under her left arm. "And you complain about me always being armed?" I commented dryly, to which she simply grinned.

It was all I could do to ignore her pink-tipped globes as I slid her pants and panties down her legs to puddle at her feet. Once she stepped out of them, I tasted each of her pebbled pink tips as I stood back erect, then pushed her back to sit on the edge of the bed.

The temptation of my crotch at her eye level must have been too much – she grabbed me around my rear and, after burying her face in my bush, buried her tongue in my warm slit, her kiss down there instantly making me weak in the knees. "Xiùlán," I moaned between clenched teeth. Pulling back slightly, she looked up. The distraction allowed me to shove her back on the mattress, and I quickly crawled up beside her as she squirmed her way up to the head of the bed.

As I slid a leg over the silky skin of her right thigh, she whispered huskily, "We have all evening, Sà mi. You want to take me fast? Or slow?"

"Slow … at least to begin with. I don't intend for you to leave here unsatisfied in any way, Xiùlán."

She giggled, "Ni cónglái méiyou ràng wo shīwàng, wo de àirén." [你從來沒有讓我失望，我的愛人。– You never let me down, my love.]

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

After leaving the Citadel and Widow System behind, Iringù-Eßizkur and I had arrived at Thessia and landed at the T'Soni estate, just a few hours prior to Spectre Shepard's return from the station. Žiuk'Durmah had accompanied us, and chose to enter a high orbit around the lifeless plant Piares.

That evening, I found myself once more relaxing in the embrace of an overstuffed wing chair while sharing a bit of Rachaél's most excellent brandy, as she briefed me on her meetings with Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett on the Orizaba, and with several JAG officers on the Citadel.

"The Navy lawyers were unanimous in their opinion concerning the proof of Sutton's collusion with Cerberus, during and before the war, Sammy." She sipped a bit of brandy, sighed in contentment, then continued. "Truthfully, they were appalled at the man's greed. What really turned their stomachs was Sutton's willingness to consider Jack Harper's suggestion to have you murdered, after Admiral Fletcher gave your location to Michael Moser Lang; Fletcher knew full well that Lang would travel there in order to kill you for costing him his bonus from Cerberus."

I sipped from my glass while she was speaking, then asked, "So, does this mean I won't have to appear at his hearing, or court martial?"

Rachaél grinned as she gazed at the fire through the intaglio facets in the crystal tumbler. "I believe you're free and clear, Samantha. The Illusive Man damned Fletcher and Sutton to possible prosecution by recording all of his communications with them."

She swirled the golden liquid around in her glass, took a sip, then concluded, "Harper's arrogance blinded him to the possibility that he might not survive the war."

My grin mirrored hers as I polished off the contents of my own glass. "That's good to hear, Rachaél. I have no fear of anyone I can see or anticipate will come after me … it's the unseen threat coming at me from behind that frightens me."

The Spectre chuckled; after polishing off her own drink, she rose from her chair, added my glass to hers and set them both on the nearby cabinet. Turning back to face me, she said, "Sammy, I don't believe I have ever seen you scared, or frightened … of anything, even during the war when you were my comms director on the Normandy."

I reluctantly rose from my own chair and moved to stand close to the auburn-haired woman. Placing my hands on her sides just above her hipbones, I snarked, "Perhaps that's because you were almost always dirtside, going toe-to-toe with whatever Reaper spawn or Cerberus soldiers you found arrayed against you."

I couldn't hold my snarky expression; remembering that time in our lives tightened my throat to the point it was difficult to speak normally. "If you'd been in the CIC during those ground assaults, Rachaél, you could have witnessed just how bloody scared I really was – not for myself, but for you and your team."

Green eyes clouded from memories of her own. Nodding, she whispered, "Understood, Sammy."

She placed her own hands on my shoulders and drew me in for an intimate embrace. I had just enough time to think, Damn! She feels good! before she pushed back. Dropping my hands, I turned for the door and stepped slowly out of the room. Saying, "Good night, Rachaél," over my shoulder, I headed for the stairs, and my room on the second floor. Tomorrow—with Liara's assistance—I would begin researching new opportunities for employment.