A.N. Sorry about the long delay in an update. Life has been going on and with the beginning of the school year I have been focusing on teaching. So I had to put it aside for the time being but I am hoping to get back into it a bit. Here's a bit of a small update for it. Sorry it's not much.
I nearly have a heart attack while internally screaming at the sight of Stirling standing in front of us.
Crap…
"Crap is the word I would use too…" she says sternly. I didn't even realize I had said that thought out loud, and press my lips so tight together, my teeth start to dig into them.
"You have me at a disadvantage Miss…?" I don't know if Shepard's words make the woman more or less angry. Judging by the raised eyebrow though, it's not the best reaction but not the worst either. Stirling's words however, are not exactly what I would call good,
"Oh, now you're going to show some respect?" I remember her very clearly. She was the one who seemed to be the most likely to give us trouble. Oh and look where we are…trouble. Stirling shakes her head before introducing herself officially, "I'm Sergeant Kaira Stirling, Elanus Risk Control Services." Before I know what I am doing I speak nervously,
"Great nice to meet you…um you wouldn't happen to mind pretending you didn't see us here…would you?" Liara looks calm but there's some worry there. Shepard on the other hand looks as though this is not the first time she's been in this type of situation. Me on the other hand, the last time I got into trouble like this was when I was eight and a so called friend tried to say I had stolen something from a classmate. Needless to say when the teacher was yelling at me in front of the principal and my mother I was in tears and couldn't even defend myself. Thankfully I was proven innocent not long after that whole ordeal. Needless to say I am not really too fond of breaking the rules…which is exactly what we are doing now that I think about that. We're probably breaking most if not all of the rules right now. Stirling looks at me a slight smirk playing upon her lips,
"Not one for causing trouble are you?" You have no idea, is what I want to say but I'm sure they look on my face says it all. I keep my mouth shut to keep from saying anything else, biting my tongue. Stirling gives us a look like sympathy or concern. Then she addresses us all,
"Anoleis would throw you offworld for what you did here." Stirling shakes her head, fear almost seeming to grip for a split moment, "I won't. You know what we do to cop killers on my world?" From the look in her eyes I'd say that she's seen what happened to cop killers. But something about her wording irks me,
"Cop killer? Really? And you're better? You're working under the radar for Anoleis, how is that any better? Last time I checked two wrongs don't make a right."
"Ru…" Liara warns me and I get control of myself again. I bite the inside of my mouth to make sure I don't speak again. Stirling turns to me something dangerous flashes in her eyes for a single moment,
"You're quite snappy for someone who was afraid of being in trouble a few seconds ago." Despite trying not to say something I can't help but grit out at her,
"Bite me." Shepard takes the opportunity to speak,
"I didn't want to fight them. They fired first." Stirling narrows her eyes, and immediately I turn my vision on. It sways violently, like that of a Kaiju ready to attack.
"Shepard move!" I shout just as Stirling and her team pull out their guns. Liara and Shepard take cover as I gut the closest person near me with a claw first. The distraction is enough to give them time to hide. Kachi and I hide behind a pillar but not before I feel a bullet tare through my shoulder. The blood gushes for only a moment and I grit my teeth as my body heals the flesh wound quickly.
"Well I don't need a gun to rip you to pieces." Stirling announces as she conveniently pulls out a gun. Another gunfight breaks out as a Kachi and I take to trying to sneak up on the guards from behind. However that becomes difficult as drones begin to shoot at us as well. I notice Liara uses her own biotics to help in the fight with Shepard so I switch our attention to the flying enemies. Kachi sensing my intentions leaps onto one of the guards as a stepping stone before reaching one of the drones. I find my own way up using my reflexes and claws to climb up a wall and back flipping into the air. I swing a claw and slice through the drone. Sparks and smoke pour out of the drone as I land on the ground. As it explodes, I catch Kachi who's finished off his own drone as well. I land in the center of the group and toss the dog at the nearest Turian. He screams as Kachi goes to town on their face with his saber like teeth. In the distraction Liara let's loose another wave of energy that sends other guards floating into the sky, giving Shepard an easy target to shoot at. I take care of the last guard that Kachi is currently disfiguring, by taking my pistol and shooting at their chest. When I turn around to go help Liara and Shepard, I witness Stirling falling to the ground after taking a few bullets. We take a few moments to check and make sure no one is getting back up. I bite my lip as a sudden put forms in my stomach. I have always avoided trying to kill humans even when they were shooting at me but now that the adrenaline and the heat of the moment is over…I suddenly feel sick. My eyes wander and meet the glazed over look of one of the female officers and my skin crawls. A hand lands on my shoulder making me shudder.
"Take a deep breath Ru." I hear Shepard say but I can't look away. She turns me to face her, "look at me." I do so taking shallow breaths,
"I…I know it's either them or us…survival…I'm sorry…I just…" my mouth can seem to translate the jumbled thoughts in my head either.
"Easy. You're doing fine. Just take a few deep breaths." I do as told closing my eyes against the ringing in my ears, "I know it's not easy to face something like this, especially when you're new to it. Just make sure you keep your head on straight for now."
"And later?" I ask meekly,
"Later, you can do what you need to to feel normal again...including throwing up." I must look green in the face. I take a deep breath ignoring the subtle differences in the spilt blood around us my sensitive nose seems to be picking up. I look over at Shepard with a determined look, letting her know I'm ok. "Let's get this information back to Lorik before anything else tries to kill us."
Thankfully we don't run into anyone that wants to shoot at us this time. We quietly head out of the room and I'm starting to think we are in the clear. But I guess luck isn't really want to let us get complacent…like at all. Thankfully it's not Anoleis, but it's the next best (or perhaps for us worst) thing ever. Parasini intercepts us as we make our ways into the halls. I find it a bit too convenient so I turn on my aura vision,
"Commander. There have been reports of noise coming from the Synthetic Insights office. Would you know anything about it?" In other words she asking what we are up to in a very not so hostile way. Shepard already has an answer for it,
"It's probably Anoleis' thugs ripping the place apart." Either Shepard is testing the waters to see how much she knows, or she's about to outright demand answers. Either way it triggers a small reaction in Parasini. Her blue aura sways just a fraction. She's not an ordinary secretary. She's too good at hiding her true intentions. To prove that thought she gives a small almost unnoticeable smirk,
"Smartass hm? That's fine. I can work with that." The smirk is replaced by her usual secretarial expression, fake smile and all, "Meet me at the hotel for a drink BEFORE you talk to Qui'in. I'll be waiting." And with that Parasini walks off calmly down the stairs. I don't know about Shepard and Liara but I am left confused as to what just happened.
"Ru?" Shepard turns to me, her entire being alight with the blue aura. I shake my head and turn off my secondary vision, "did you see anything?"
"She's well trained in the craft of deception. I almost didn't catch the way her aura shifted before she told us to meet with her."
"I agree…she seemed different from when we met her." Liara says,
"You said she was telling the truth earlier about Anoleis and this place though right?"
"Yeah. That part was true, no matter how good a liar someone is, their aura still reacts. Not once did hers give any indication she was hiding anything."
"Which means Parasini really doesn't know the true nature of what is going on…" Liara concludes, "at least not fully."
"…but she also has her own agenda." Shepard says, "we just don't know what it is." There's a long silence as the commander thinks. Something dawns on me as we take the moment to process the information,
"Now that you mention it…it's a little too convenient…"
"What is?" Liara asks,
"I mean think about it. If Parasini actually does have her own agenda, then it would make sense why she pointed us to Lorik in the first place. It would somehow benefit her too." Shepard seems to catch onto my train of thought.
"You think she wants something with the information Lorik has on Anoleis…"
"It's the only reason I can think of as to why she doesn't want us talking to him first, especially now that we have possession of it."
"She's right Commander. While we may not know the full picture what Ru is saying is sound. It would be risky to meet with Parasini now. We don't know who she is playing for."
"…or what she gains from it." Shepard mumbles. She places her hands on her hips thinking hard, as a crease forms on her forehead.
"…but then again, we also don't know what she wants." I say. Kachi gives me an annoyed grumble from my side. I look down at him as I explain, "look maybe she's bad news-I get it. But so far she has also been…somewhat truthful all things considered. And whether it benefits her or not she did help us find a way around Anoleis to get access to the garage. While I hate to say it…" I look back at the others, "she might not be as bad as she's coming off. Sketchy as hell-yeah. But not bad news." Shepard thinks for a moment,
"We need more information and like it or not the only way we are going to get it is to talk to Parasini."
"This…does not seem wise Commander." Liara says a bit unsure,
"Ditto. Even if I said she might not be bad." Liara squints her eyes in confusion, "ditto-I agree." She gives a small smile at the quick explanation.
"I don't like it either but we need to see what she's up to. Plus, if she is as cunning as she seems to be, she's not stupid enough to try something out in the open in a public place like a hotel." Fair point I guess. "Still, let's keep our guard up while we are there. Ru-"
"Aura vision on at all times right?" She nods, "aye aye Commander." She looks down at Kachi,
"can he search around the area? Maybe see if there's anyone else around?" I look down at the terrier mutt.
"Kachi?" He sneezes before slightly wagging his tail, "yeah he's good."
"Make sure to stay out of sight ok?" Kachi snaps his jaws at her in a silent bark.
"No one will know he was there." I translate his meaning, while laughing slightly.
"Alright then…let's go meet Parasini."