Interrogation

Together, we escorted our prisoners back outside where we met Garrus' half of the team. By the looks of things, they had a good fight up on the surface while we had been down underground. The corpses of enemies were scattered around the island where they had been picked off by the rest of my friends. Garrus' team had been dropped on either end of the island and had swept in towards the chapel in the centre, leaving the Blades nowhere to run.

Garrus had forged ahead of his squad to reach the vantage point of the chapel's steeple, making life hell for any Blade that got caught in the open. Efficiency at its highest standard. However, once we arrived on the surface, there was no talk of the fighting whatsoever as Tali was greeted with hug after hug by all the team.

After the happy reunions, we all boarded the shuttles and headed back to the Normandy and the Tibmius. Our two prisoners were bound by handcuffs with shielding to prevent the Asari from using their biotics for any escape attempt. They were silent, except for when Javik proposed finding out which one of the two was higher in rank, so that we could throw the subordinate out of the airlock as an example. Grunt then piped up and asked if he could squish the lower ranking one, just for fun.

Many examples of punishments for the Asari were voiced and the expressions on the faces of our prisoners grew ever more fearful, much to our amusement. My friends were just fooling around, of course, giving the Asari a little scare. But I did find myself thinking about it. As much as I wanted to allow my team to commit real, horrible acts of violence against these terrorists, I had to reign myself in and put an end to the conversation, as playful as it was.

Once back on the Normandy, I let Tali wander around the old haunts again before suggesting that she get something to eat and then go up to my cabin for a rest. A deliberate cough from Ashley reminded me that it was now HER cabin before she then suggested, with a smug grin, that Tali go for a rest in HER cabin.

"You'll get used to all the pink cushions and smell of nail polish, and don't get grubby finger-prints all over her tiara," I jibed, earning me a jab in the ribs from Ashley.

"It's good to be back on the Normandy," Tali said happily, though I could see her eyes drooping even as she stood next to me. "But I was wanting to watch you interrogate those Bosh'Tet Asari."

"I'm not getting around to that straight away," I told her. "I don't trust myself not to make their lives miserable right now. I'll eat first, give myself time to calm down."

"You know the rest of us want to have our turns grilling the Asari, right?" Wrex appeared. The big Krogan was watching Tali with something that looked like concern. Considering how Krogan had always treated pregnant women of their own species with immense respect, due to the genophage before its eradication, it made sense that he would feel extra protective of Tali.

Tali and I took the lift up to the Commander's cabin. My wife was leaning against me and was enjoying the comforting feeling of having one of my arms wrapped around her. When we entered the cabin, I was struck by how little had changed since it belonged to me. Ashley had kept the model ships that I had gathered and put in the display window. On the desk she had many holos of her family and friends, the most prominent being a picture of Ashley with her mother and three sisters all hugging, big smiles on all of their faces.

Next to that was a picture of an older yet strong looking man, who I supposed was Ashley's father before he passed away. A collage of memories from throughout Ashley's life lay before Tali and I, including a few that I recognised from days past on the Normandy when I was her Commander. Beyond that, the only other change was the duvet cover and pillow cases that Ashley was using. Whereas I had left mine plain white, Ashley had spruced the cabin up with a dash of colour, a chequered pattern of pink and light blue.

"I don't see a tiara," Tali said sleepily as she too registered the differences in the room that she had also become very familiar with while on board.

We were both laughing together when we approached the bed. But as soon as we sat down and tightly hugged each other, Tali began crying. Her shoulders shook as she struggled to hold in her emotions, but I encouraged her to let it all out and I held her close as she sobbed into my chest. She had acted so strong in front of everyone and now we were finally alone. I wanted her to let out all the feelings of fear and anxiety that she must have been holding in since she had been captured.

"I'm sorry, Scott…" she started to say in between sobs.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Tali. It's over. You're safe and we're together again," I told her softly.

Tali moved her head up slightly so that my chin was resting on the top of her hood and she nuzzled against my neck.

"I knew you would come for me," she said, "but every day that they had me felt like it took forever. I thought I would go crazy with them handling me from place to place. Then I was thrown in that cell like an animal. I was scared, but I didn't want to show them that."

"It's ok to be scared, Tali," I said. "I've been living in fear ever since they took you. I was scared for you, scared for our child. I felt that I'd failed you and was terrified that if I ever found you again you would be…" I could not finish the sentence, nor did I want to. Instead, I simply shut my mouth and continued to hold my wife for a little longer.

"You need to get some rest, Tali," I said to her after we had been silent for a few minutes. "I'll go to the mess hall and get you something to eat and drink, but you get yourself tucked in and close your eyes. You're safe now and surrounded by friends who care about you so much. And I'm here. You want anything, even if it's just a cuddle, you call me up."

Tali got under the covers and wrapped herself up tightly, shuffling around on the comfortable mattress. She took my hand in hers while removing her mask with the other. Those lilac eyes that I loved so much gazed up at me, filled with gratitude and relief.

I leaned over her and gently kissed her. I stroked her cheek with my thumb as our lips met. She knew that I would be there for her whenever she needed me, and I had to do everything that was within my power to make her feel truly safe again. I could not imagine what she had been through as a prisoner of these sadistic, twisted terrorists. Even trying to think about it brought up a rage inside me. Tali and I parted lips and I looked into her eyes, blue meeting purple.

"I love you, Tali. You are my everything."

"I know," Tali smiled, "I love you too."

Tali lay down and seemed to fall asleep immediately. I retrieved some dextro food from the mess and some water, all of which I left on the bedside table for Tali when she woke up again. Her mask was still off and, seeing as how this was now Ashley's room, I softly clicked her mask back into place. I did not want her to become ill because her system was not adapted to Ashley, especially after her traumatic experience. That would just be the rotten cherry on the top of that shit-cake.

Now was the time to have that chat with the two Asari. Munching down an energy bar, I took the lift down to the engineering deck and turned for the starboard storage room where we had imprisoned our captives. Their wrists and ankles had been left bound, and they had been warned that any attempt to use their biotics to break out would result in EDI venting the entire room. There had been some concern amongst the team that they might intend for this to happen, sacrificing themselves for the Blade's cause. However, so far, they had stayed put and no shenanigans had taken place. That provided us with a little information all by itself.

Grunt had taken it upon himself to guard the door, shotgun at the ready, and he gave me an eager nod as I approached.

"Time to make them squeal, Commander?" He wore an evil grin on his face. "I'll gladly lend a hand, or two. I haven't headbutted anyone in a while"

"It's tempting, Grunt," I laughed, "but we need to get every scrap of information out of them as we possibly can. But… listen out for me calling your name. You might have some fun yet."

"I'll hold you to that, Gardner," he said. I steeled myself for what was to come and hoped that I would be able to hold it together in the face of these two terrorists.

With clenched fists, I entered the darkened room. In silence, I advanced on the two diminished figures, both of them huddled together and bound by their wrists and ankles. Their binds were attached to the far wall in opposite corners. And while neither of them were able to move more than a metre from their tethers, they were still allowed to sit down in relative comfort. We had to maintain the moral high ground after all. To sink to their level over my personal feelings towards them was out of the question.

The Asari eyed me warily, they could see that I was still dressed in my combat gear, Paladin pistol still at my side. The lighting was low. From where they sat on the floor, they could not see my face, whereas I could see every muscle twitch on their faces. I pulled up a crate to sit on and perched myself in the middle of the room, watching our prisoners carefully for any signs that they were going to resist, or take the easy road and tell me what I wanted to know.

The one on my right, her skin a pale shade of purple rather than blue, gave me the impression that she was the more senior of the two. Her demeanour that of one who was used to giving the orders and she held a steady, controlled stare. The other, her skin a turquoise blue very similar to Liara's, looked more nervous. Although she tried to remain as calm as her counterpart, her eyes occasionally flitted between the other Asari and I, as if awaiting instruction.

A few minutes had passed when the senior Asari, whose name was Leena S'Cal, decided it was time to speak.

"You won't get anything…"

"Shut up!" I shouted. The suddenness of my outburst caught them both by surprise and I saw both Asari jump where they knelt. "I am the one speaking. Your little cult's actions have said enough. Before you try and lie, know that I'm not the only one that's going to be interrogating you. EDI's here as well. She can read body language, measure spikes in heart rate, perspiration et cetera, et cetera. That right, EDI?"

"Yes, Commander," EDI's bodiless voice said over the comm. "I will be able to notify you should they attempt deception."

"Good," I said. Looking both of my prisoners in the eyes I sat forward, allowing them to see only the bottom half of my face. "Now we can talk. Your group has killed dozens of innocents. Assassinated Councillor Tevos. You threatened me, tried to use me as a scapegoat. You kidnapped my wife, who is more important to me than anything else in this universe. More than this, you endangered the life of the child she carries inside her. Our child."

The news of Tali's pregnancy visibly shocked the Asari as they glanced at each other, their mouths open as if to say something. But their words failed them and they realised that I was not about to let them say anything anyway.

"That's right," I growled at them. "You wanted to make it personal… You've exceeded even your own expectations. Last thing you need to know is this: There's a very, very large Krogan on the other side of that door who would love nothing more than to turn you into Asari paste, and I am damn close to letting that happen. So, for everyone's sake, you will tell me everything I want to know."

The Asari were silent, but resignation was plain to see on the face of the junior Asari, Lia T'Rae. Leena remained stoic, however.

I met Leena's resolute glare and matched it with my own, focusing my first question on her.

"Are you the Leader of the Blades of Retribution?"

No answer came from her, but I did not need her to answer. By reading their reactions, conscious or otherwise, EDI would be able to detect what kind of biological responses my questions would elicit from the prisoners. If I struck upon something that was true by accident, the Asari would give themselves away with unconscious reactions which EDI would immediately pick up.

"Judging by their readings, neither of these Asari are the leaders of the group," EDI said clearly.

"But you do answer directly to them, don't you," I said. It was a statement rather than a question. This time, EDI confirmed that I had judged correctly. "Got you," I grinned triumphantly. The resistance in Leena finally began to wane.

"You know that this is your only chance to make a deal," I told the Asari. They looked at me, confused expressions on their faces. They could not figure out if I was trying to be lenient with them or if I was about to execute them.

"What kind of deal?" Leena asked.

"The usual kind," I said. "You tell me exactly what I want to know, and when we hand you over to the authorities, I'll tell them to go easy on you. But only if you fully cooperate. Understand?"

"And if we don't?"

I looked Leena right in the eye and lowered my voice, trying to sound as threatening as I was able.

"Then I cannot guarantee your safety. Billions of people across this galaxy want you lot to suffer for what you've done. We don't like terrorists. As a Spectre, I can authorise any kind of treatment for you that I want. Maybe I should hand you to the families of all those that you've killed. How do you think that'll go down?"

"You'd never stoop to such lows," Leena spat back. "You're too righteous, hold yourself above such barbaric methods."

I nodded and stood up, pacing back and forward. "You're right. I would never do that myself. But I know plenty of people who aren't so moral. Strangely, some of them are my closest friends. Take Jack, for example. She's a super-charged Human biotic who could turn you inside out with her biotics, and wouldn't think twice about doing it. However, believe it or not, I don't want to resort to throwing you to the mob to be torn apart. You will answer my questions and tell us how to end your terrorist cult. Do that, and I give you my word that you will be treated fairly when we turn you in."

As I hoped, Lia decided that she was going to take my deal. She began blurting out information before I had even asked for it, at a much higher volume than I had been prepared for.

"The Matano System, in the Maroon Sea," she yelped. Leena instinctively tried to charge at her compatriot and shut her up, but her bonds held true. She continued to struggle and began screaming at Lia, shouting at her to stop speaking. Despite the bombardment of abuse from her senior, Lia continued to give me Intel.

"There's a space station orbiting the planet of Apo. It was a science station built to study the geological activity, but it was abandoned when the Reapers invaded. It was left untouched during the war and then…"

"STOP TALKING! You traitor! The Matriarchs betrayed us all!" Leena hollered.

Now Leena simply started making as much noise as she could to drown out her companion. She was freaking out and seemed to fly into complete hysteria at the notion that Lia was cooperating with me. My gut told me to smack her in the face, but I clenched my fists and took a breath.

"Grunt!" I yelled back towards the door. "Get in here."

The door opened and the massive form of the young Krogan super-soldier entered, a very disturbing grin on his face. The two Asari both shut their mouths and watched the huge beast approach. As usual, Grunt had his shotgun to hand and his trigger finger was getting itchy.

"What d'you need, Gardner? They giving you trouble?"

"This one is," I pointed at Leena, who visibly recoiled when Grunt turned his reptilian eyes on her. "She's making it very hard for me to hear anything. Just need you to keep her quiet."

"With pleasure," Grunt chuckled.

A massive hand wrapped itself around Leena's head and covered her mouth, clamping it shut much to the relief of my ears.

"Don't squeeze too hard, Grunt. Don't want her head bursting like a melon," I said, all the while staring straight into Leena's widening eyes. Grunt gave his signature laugh as he towered over the silenced Asari. One twitch of his muscles and he could crush her skull like a tin can. Grunt knew it. I knew it. Most importantly of all, the Asari knew it too.

"Now," I turned back to Lia, "you were telling me about Apo."