Chapter 6.
Dossiers.
Aki fastened the last of the flexible black plating to her chest and slipped her swords into the scabbards on her back before flashing Jane a smile, "I like illium"
"You also like omega- polar opposites" Jane stated rolling her eyes
"I have my days- depends on mood and need" she admitted playfully
"Uh huh" Jane frowned looking around, noting the last member of her ground crew was missing, "Where the hell is Garrus?"
"I'm not sure" Aki shrugged, "he'll be on his way"
"Yeah-"
He rounded into the airlock, "I'm here- I forgot my sniper, I had to run back up to the battery"
"are you okay?" Aki pressed; he looked tired.
"I didn't sleep well" he admitted with a frown, "too much on my mind"
"You going to manage today?" jane asked softly "always time to swap you out"
"No! I'm good- fighting fit" I'll survive
"Good"
They docked at Nos Astra, upon exiting the ship they were approached by a concierge, "welcome commander Shepard, we've been instructed to wave all docking and administration fees for your visit"
Shepard looked to them with a slight frown "on who's command?"
"The order came from Liara T'soni. She paid all fees on your behalf and instructed I ask you to visit her at your nearest convenience. She's near the trading floor"
Jane nodded, liara! She's here "thanks" the trio crossed by and headed out of the docks.
"Liara's made a name for herself it seems" Garrus nodded proud.
"Yeah- putting those brains to good use" Aki smiled
"You should go see her Jane; she was distraught- she'll be more than happy to see you" Garrus prompted
"Yeah- maybe she'll have some info about our dossiers too" Jane nodded
"could be a good place to start"
"Hello commander Shepard, Liara will be pleased to see you" the Asari receptionist stated in her drawn-out tongue.
"You're her assistant?" Jane asked
"Yes, Liara relies on me to acquire useful intelligence"
"We should get going" Jane cut her off, wanting to see her old friend.
"Of course, commander"
They turned from the Asari and hit the panel on the door to liara's office, "have you ever faced an Asari commando unit before few humans have" The statement was a threat not a question, liara had her back to them clearly in the middle of a heated vid call.
Aki smirked slightly she's grown up
What happened to the sweet girl obsessing over prothian ruins! Shepard's mind reeled.
"I'll make it simple, either you pay me, or I flay you alive. With my mind"
They stepped further into the room, the hologram instantly disappearing, Liara spun around "Shepard! Nyxeris hold my calls!" Drastic change from the psycho moment ago!
The Asari wrapped Jane into a tight embrace, "Shepard" she whispered softly.
"It's so good to see you!" Jane exclaimed parting from the Asari.
"I'd heard from my sources that you were alive, I never believed it"
"Sources?" Aki questioned "long way from a loner in a dig site huh?"
Liara chuckled "yes- I've been working as an information broker- since Jane- well...for the past two years" she inhaled deeply looking to Shepard "and now you're back, gunning for the collectors with Cerberus"
"Not exactly public knowledge" Garrus smirked
"Neither is Shepard being alive- information is my business now" she flicked her eyes to Jane "if you need anything- information on finding people I am more than happy to help"
"Actually, what do you know of Thane Krios and an Asari justicar named Samara"
Liara laughed softly "more than enough"
Shepard sat in front, Garrus and Aki in the back with Seryna driving. "The towers are heavily guarded, and you'll find more resistance closer to the penthouse"
"Understood"
"This assassin? You planning to stop him?"
Garrus looked to Aki who gave him a small smile placing her hand on his knee, "ready for a fight?" She whispered.
He looked to her hand and brushed against it with his own, "always"
"Good" she nodded, he wasn't himself lately there was a distance as if always deep in thought, his focus was elsewhere.
Jane looked to Seryna "I'm just here to make sure he survives"
"Hmm"
The shuttle landed outside of the Dantius towers, the trio exiting.
The fight to the assassin target was long and tiring, Shepard couldn't wait to have a hot shower and wipe the grime from her stained skin.
She looked to her sister and smiled internally. Aki was a machine, fighting long and hard, unwavering as her swords slashed wildly, her cloaking device whirring off and on. I wonder if she ever gets tired? Jane noted how every move she was making was calculated against the enemies, she was brutal she found herself curious about Aki's wet-work and how she had undergone her missions.
Garrus's sniper echoed as he tore through shields and obliterated his enemies. Shepard couldn't help but feel proud, proud to have friends to fight alongside, to put her life in their hand's day in day out she would kill and gladly die for her crew.
This mission was gruelling and infuriating, so many innocent workers slaughtered, Jane couldn't wait to meet the bitch who waited at the top.
They made it into Nassana's office, guards instantly targeting them, "this is ironic" aki frowned "didn't we kill her sister"
"yeah"
Nassana held up a hand "wait- before you kill me, just tell me who hired you"
"I'm not an assassin, but I am looking for one" Jane frowned.
"You break in here and decimate my security just to find the person who's here to kill me?"
"Well we might as well make sure the guy can do his job in peace" Aki scoffed eyeing the Asari, didn't like her sister and certainly don't like her
"What are you playing at Shepard?"
There was a bang, Aki looked to the ceiling... the vents? That's how i would do it
Garrus glanced to the blonde, noticed her line of sight and frowned.
"What?" Nassana snapped to her henchmen who were suddenly on high alert,
"I heard something"
"Damn it! Check the other entrances"
Nassana shook her head, "you! Stay put" she demanded to the trio, Aki watched as the lithe frame of the assassin dropped down from the vent behind the asari instantly taking out a guard "when we're done with this nuisance you and I are going to-"
The assassin quickly took out the asari's men before turning her own gun against her, firing into her stomach.
He caught her body and laid her gently down on the console she was stood at, folding her arms across her chest.
He took a step away from her and folded his hands in prayer, his head lowered.
"Nice entrance" Aki nodded
Shepard approached him slowly shooting her teammates a 'be prepared look'
Aki nodded; this assassin was clearly dangerous, and she wasn't taking any chances if Shepard was getting close then she was going to be prepared.
"I was hoping to talk to you"
"I apologise, but prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken"
"Do you think she deserves it?" Garrus pressed
"Not for her. For me"
Every assassin was different, she certainly did not pray after her assignments, but Thane seemed different…dutiful.
"The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern based on actions alone. Take you for example Shepard, all this destruction. Chaos" he crossed around the console, "I was curious to see how far you'd go to find me" Thane mused approaching Shepard, Aki looked to the Drell and frowned slightly.
"Well" he continued "here I am"
"You knew I was coming?"
"Yes. You disrupted my plan, but your distraction eventually proved valuable"
"So, you used me to kill her?"
"I needed a diversion and you needed to speak to me"
Smart man aki nodded once.
tactful. Garrus decided.
Shepard motioned to them to stow their weapons.
"You certainly fulfilled your end of the bargain- what would you like to discuss?"
"I need you for a mission" Jane stated sliding her assault rifle into its holster, "you're familiar with the collectors?"
"By reputation"
"They're abducting entire human colonies; freedoms progress was their work"
Thane was silent for a long moment, staring down at the floor, "I see"
"We're going after them"
"Going after the collectors would require passing through the omega 4 relay. No ship has ever returned from doing so"
"They told me it was impossible to get to Illos too"
"Shepard's fond of making the impossible possible" Garrus added in
"A fair point. You've built your career on performing the impossible, this was to be my last job" Thane's voice was deep, husky, he turned slightly to eye Shepard "I'm dying- low survival odds don't concern me. The abduction of your colonists does however"
"I'm sorry Thane- I didn't know" Jane bit down on the inside of her cheek, he seemed sweet compared to his profession, "is there anything I can do?"
"Giving me this opportunity is enough- the universe is a dark place; I'm trying to make it brighter before I die" he swallowed
"It's a noble cause"
"I will work for you Shepard, no charge"
"Thank you" they shook hands "I'll see you at the docks, 0900 tomorrow"
The spaceport was cordoned off, blocking the route in which Shepard needed to go.
After a long conversation with detective Anaya the trio were granted permission to cross through the crime scene to find the justicar.
They came to a halt at the sight of an eclipse merc being hurled through the air screaming, another was ducked in cover, "those were my best troops!"
They watched as another Asari approached the last merc, her armour skin-tight and blood red, her body glowing with a blue aura as she sauntered forward, "tell me what I need to know and I'll be gone from here, where did you send her?"
"You think I'd betray her- she would hurt me in ways you can't imagine" the asari's circled one another
"The name of the ship, your life hangs on the answer lieutenant"
"You can kill me, but one of us will take you down Justicar"
The merc was lifted into the air, her body glowing brightly as Samara threw her across the room, quickly following her, Samara approached where the merc was trying to scramble away, placing a booted foot over her throat.
"What was the name of the ship she left on?"
"Go to hell" the woman rasped
"Find peace in the embrace of the goddess" Samara stamped her foot down crushing the woman's windpipe.
Jane approached her, tailed by Garrus and Aki, Samara turned her attention to them, "my name is Samara a servant of the justicar code my quarrel is with these eclipse sisters. But I see three well-armed people before me"
"My name is commander Jane Shepard- and I need your help on a critical mission, I need the best and that's you"
"I sense the truth in what you say and it humbles me- but I seek an incredibly dangerous fugitive" she looked around "I cornered her here but the eclipse smothered her off world, I must find the name of the ship before the trail goes cold"
"I can help you find the name, if you agree to join us"
"If it is possible then certainly"
"Give me the run down then"
They fought their way through the mercs to Captain Wasea's office, coming to a halt at a very woozy Volus.
"Shepard look! it's you!" Aki laughed as the Volus turned to them.
"Fuck off- I'm not that bad" she grumbled still smiling
"Jane, I've seen you drunk-" Garrus began
"Shut it Garrus"
"I am a biotic god!" the Volus yelled
"See it is you!" Aki doubled over laughing
"You dick"
"I think things and they happen" his body started glowing blue.
"You don't actually think he's powerful right?" Jane arched an eyebrow
Aki shrugged, Garrus shook his head once "nah- I don't think so"
"Fear me lesser creatures! I am biotics made flesh!"
"Listen, whatever drugs you're on that's your choice but I would stay clear, or I will shoot you" Aki warned
"You will regret your scandalous words; I am a great wind that will sweep all before me like a... great wind. A great biotic wind"
"O... Kay then" Garrus grinned "a wind-" he smirked at Shepard "did you hear, he's a wind"
"Yeah. I got it" Shepard rolled her eyes with a small smile.
"Yes, the Asari injecting so many drugs into me was terrifying. But then I began to smell my greatness" the three of them looked to each other "they may laugh when I fall over, but they don't know what I know in my head. That I know that I am powerful. Fear me!"
"Uh- good luck with everything" Shepard laughed stepping around him
"Wait earth clan. You're just in time to witness my crowning achievement, the leaders of the mercenaries are just in the next room. I shall toss Wasea about like a rag doll"
"Not that seeing a Volus turn into a living beach ball wouldn't be fun... I'm fairly sure he'll die" Aki frowned
"I will tear her apart, my biotics are unstoppable"
"Take a nap- you'd feel better" Garrus offered
"Are you mad?! I'm unstoppable. Feasting on her biotic rich blood will be the last step of my ascension to godhood!"
"Fuck-"
Aki motioned to Shepard "think I should-"
"Do it"
Aki stepped forward and punched the air filters at the back of his suit before bringing her elbow down on his head, knocking the Volus clean out.
She grabbed his arms under the pits and pulled him off to the side, "poor guy"
"Let's go"
They entered Wasea's office the captain looking up to them.
The fight was quick and effective, combining biotics with tech and grenades seemed to do the job, Shepard snagging the data pad from her desk as they left.
"Give Samara this name and that's it for today team"