Joe's Note: Originally, this was going to be part of Chapter 12's main scene; in other words, Miranda would be routed to Harry and Luna's apartment, allowing Harry to observe how the Sylléktries interacted with a potential recruit who wasn't him or Luna. After trying several iterations of the scene, I threw it all out and started from scratch, opting to keep Harry and Miranda's plot lines separate for the time being. Then I intended to wrap up Harry's story in time to include Miranda in Chapter 12, but that failed too because… well, there's a lot to talk about in Harry's apartment. So I took the scene I'd written, pushed it off to the start of a new chapter, and here we are. Enjoy.
Dedications & Thanks: To Nicolas, Alexander, Howard, MJ, Daniel, Christopher, mpop, Riley, bloodylord, Luke, Zachary, Marc, Ziryo, Elliot, Crusifikz70, Timothy, Leigh, Jason, Chris, George, Koby, Ken, Thyatira, William, Invernos, Paul, Pat, Warren, Mitch, and Jess for sponsoring me on , and making it easier for me to spend more of my time writing. Additional thanks go to the incomparable LogicalPremise for his amazing set of references covering many untouched facets of the Mass Effect universe, as well as listening to me ramble about ideas for the future of this story.

"Miranda Lawson, I presume?"

Looking up from a dinner salad that was far higher quality than had any right to exist on Omega of all places, Miranda raised an eyebrow at the cloaked figure standing just inside the door. Almost five minutes ago, the woman had arrived and dismissed the massive asari who'd been serving as Miranda's guard; the food wasn't quite distractingly good enough for her to have missed that. But apart from that… nothing. The woman had simply stood there watching her eat. Miranda wasn't done with her food yet, so she hadn't been observing any sort of culinary courtesy. Perhaps she'd simply gotten bored? "And if I told you I wasn't?"

The woman - presumably asari, given the company she kept and the general composition of the Sylléktries - drifted forward, taking a seat opposite Miranda. With her cloak casting a shadow over the upper half of her face, it was impossible to know exactly where she was looking… but Miranda had the distinct feeling she was being inspected. "Is there something you'd rather I call you? Miri? Randa? Mira? Perhaps a nickname that's not a diminutive?"

"I was attempting to imply that you had the wrong woman, but… I've never been called Mira before by anyone. Let's try that, see how I like it." Miranda found a strange sort of liberation in her predicament: she would likely suffer the same fate as Brooks once this woman grew bored with her and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it, so why not have a bit of the fun she'd routinely denied herself in the time she had left? "I don't suppose I'll be getting dessert, too? Because for some reason, I'm really craving chocolate cake tonight…"

With her visitor's face visible from the nose down, Miranda could watch the corner of the asari's mouth turn upward in a faint smile. "Cake can be arranged, Mira. Do you know why you're here?"

Miranda shrugged, shoveling another forkful of greens into her mouth. Whoever was arranging her food had really done their homework; while the salad wasn't quite like anything she prepared for herself, it was similar enough to be palatable while being different enough to demonstrate that they could get access to most anything they desired even aboard a hive of scum and villainy like Omega. Whether it was creepy or touching that someone had put so much work into learning about her, she'd yet to decide. "You're a Sylléktria, we were ordered here to interfere with what you're doing. I figure that you're going to interrogate me as the ranking operative and then once I'm no longer useful, I'll end up suffering the same fate as Brooks."

"I can truthfully say that I have absolutely no intention of interrogating you, mostly because you know nothing about Cerberus that I don't. If you were a higher-ranking operative, there would be a chance that you attended off the record meetings that we'd be curious about, but as it stands? My people long ago penetrated what passes for security on Cerberus's servers, and we continue to come and go as we please. How else do you think I knew that you're disgusted by tomatoes but enjoy Thessian fruits on your salad? Or which fish to add for protein, and how to season it?" The woman leaned forward, her hood pulling up a bit further but still not revealing her eyes. "And I'm certainly not going to kill you. I'm here to… recruit you. After a fashion."

…she could honestly say that she hadn't seen that one coming. Miranda stuck another forkful of salad into her mouth and then another, using the time it took to chew and swallow them to formulate a response. Finally, she took a sip of water and then leaned forward. "If you know me even half as well as you think you do, then you should know that I-"

"You're an incredible young woman who has been backed into a corner and driven to do unpalatable things by circumstances beyond her control. Or at least that's what I've taken away from all the research I've done on you. I could be wrong, but I doubt that I am." The asari leaned forward and stretched her arm out between them, activating her omni-tool and projecting a video of a pair of asari maidens laughing as they sat on either side of a very familiar young woman. "I have a team of commandos on Illium awaiting my signal. In less than an hour, your sister could be on her way to a new life somewhere that your father could never reach her. Somewhere infinitely more secure than anything your 'Illusive Man' could ever hope to provide for you, even if he moved her to his station in the Anadius system. Oriana could finally grow up in peace, free to pursue an education in absolutely any field she so chose, learning from professors that put some of Thessia and Illium's best to shame."

Sucking in a breath, Miranda glared at the asari, her hand dropping to the submachine gun that they'd left her with for some unknown reason. How dare she? How dare she violate Miranda's privacy this way? How dare she bring Oriana into things? And worst of all… how dare she give Miranda hope that maybe her continuing struggle with her psychopath of a father could possibly come to an end? "We've had to move her twice in the last year to stay ahead of my father's agents. It's not fair to her, not in the least… but the alternative is unthinkable." She watched the video stream for several seconds, the hand resting on her gun slowly relaxing as Oriana finished yet another story that set her asari companions to laughing. A jaded little part of her whispered that she was being simultaneously presented with both the carrot and the stick: the Sylléktries could kill Oriana just as easily at this point as they could relocate her for Miranda. Given the effort they were putting in to seem non-threatening and helpful, though? While Miranda was sure the thought had occurred to her companion, she somehow doubted that the conversation would turn to threats if she declined. Key word being 'if' she declined. She was tempted. The protection in and of itself was a tempting offer, and Miranda was sure they had more to offer her. But… "Why me? Why go through all this trouble? What could I possibly offer you? And do you have a name? I'd feel rude if I continually referred to you as… well, you."

In a gesture of trust on par with allowing Miranda to remain armed, the asari removed her omni-tool and left it sitting in the middle of the table so the brunette could watch her sister, and then reached up to pull her hood down. That in turn thoroughly distracted Miranda from the video feed; the woman in front of her was easily the most alien-looking being she'd ever come face-to-face with. "My name is Matriarch Luciana of the Sylléktrion Collective, and I have been watching you with interest for quite some time, Mira. Out of curiosity… I know that you weren't given any files on us. Please tell me that you were briefed in person about my kind before you were shipped off to interfere with our operation?"

"…not really, no. Brooks and I were told that you're members of an extremist asari cult that exists outside of the Republics' jurisdiction, and that you routinely approach members of both your own and other species to seduce them into leaving their lives behind and joining your cult, possibly in connection with the largely unknown Athamian beliefs that you still cling to despite the majority of asari transitioning to following siari." Miranda grew more and more hesitant as she spoke, watching as Luciana's eyes grew wider and her jaw dropped. When the woman began laughing loudly, Miranda sighed and set her fork down. "I'm grossly misinformed, aren't I?"

Nodding, Luciana reached forward and plucked a slice of flame-tree fruit from Miranda's salad, popping it into her mouth. "Given the number of times Cerberus's agenda and ours has clashed in recent years? I would say deliberately mislead rather than simply misinformed. We're an independent asari power; think Illium but on a far grander scale. We're largely atheist; we left Thessia before the rise of siari but know enough that we don't worship Athame either. Although I could see how our lifestyle could be presented that way to the uninformed, given who and what Athame really was. And while we do approach outsiders regularly about working with us, the way I am now with both you and the couple you were sent to try and keep from us? Very few opt to join us when our collaboration is done and we respect their decision. The Sylléktrion Collective… the simplest way to explain my people is that we're eugenicists. According to a very reliable source of intelligence, the entire galaxy will come under attack within my children's lifetime. So as part of preparing for that, the Sylléktries are constantly looking for the best and brightest to join with, to ensure that our next generation is the best it can possibly be. Increasingly, that's meant joining with non-Sylléktries and providing… incentives… to secure their cooperation."

Miranda watched warily as Luciana reached for her salad again, poking the back of the asari's hand with her fork before shaking it warningly. "You're not the only biotic in this room. I need my calories too. Now, based on this new information, I think I have a better idea as to why I'm here. You've evidently been studying me intently and have decided that I'm one of the 'best and brightest' that humanity at a minimum currently has to offer, perhaps the galaxy as a whole. You want me to have a daughter with a Sylléktria, and you're hoping that you can bribe me into agreeing by offering better protection for Oriana than Cerberus can provide. Or so you claim."

"How secure can your sister possibly be when the Illusive Man and your father are old friends? Or did you honestly believe that your father continually manages to discover Oriana's location all by himself?" Luciana grinned smugly as she reached in again, stealing a slice of strawberry from the stunned Miranda's plate. She'd known that her father was a part of Cerberus in the past; she'd used information taken from his computers to track them down for herself. But she'd been told that he had withdrawn his support for the organization when the Illusive Man refused to hand Miranda and Oriana over to him. Suddenly, her problems over the past few years made a lot more sense: the Illusive Man was playing her against her father. One hand was securing her loyalty by pretending to protect Oriana, even as the other exploited her father's desire to regain control of his heiress and exchanged information for… likely money, but possibly some other resource. Assuming Luciana was telling the truth, and while she had every reason to lie to Miranda at the moment? Her words made far too much sense for Miranda to immediately dismiss them. "You're not truly loyal to the Illusive Man, at least not yet. You went to Cerberus - and remain with them - because you needed their resources. I can provide you with better resources and a less distasteful lifestyle. So yes, I do believe I can convince you to agree to what I want."

Scowling as the asari went in for yet another piece of fruit, Miranda jabbed Luciana's hand harder with the tines of her fork. "Stop that. And you've made a horrible mistake, you know. You've let me know that I'm valuable to you. If I wanted to, I could get up and walk out the door right now, and you won't try to stop me because-" Speech failed her as the world around her went teal, leaving Miranda unable to do anything but watch as Luciana raided her plate for several more pieces of fruit. Then the world's colors returned to normal, and Miranda sagged a bit in her seat. "…right. Stasis. I haven't fought many asari; I forgot you can do that. Bugger."

Luciana shrugged even as she raised her hand, letting a very weak biotic field form around it and demonstrating that Miranda's eyes had been functioning perfectly well: the woman's biotics were in fact teal instead of the standard blue. Fascinating. "Which isn't to say that I wouldn't let you walk away if you wanted to. I'm fascinated with you but I'm hardly a psychopath. Or a rapist. That said? Once you hear what I'm offering, I somehow doubt you'll be racing for the door."

"I work for Cerberus and you want me to shag an asari. Don't be so sure of that."

"The two maidens who trained you before your first mission to Illium speak very highly of your skills, and you sought out not only them but three more of Trellani's acolytes for… 'advanced technique training', I believe you called it? You're no Kelly Chambers, but you're hardly a xenophobe, Mira." Even as Miranda blushed darkly at that, Luciana leaned forward and spread her hands wide. "I've had a very unusual and trying evening, and so I'm going to be uncharacteristically blunt with you because I ran out of patience and subtlety roughly two hours and four terrible puns ago. My interest in you is partially professional as a Sylléktrion matriarch, but mostly personal. I'm currently searching for a new bondmate to spend my remaining century or so of life with, with whom I hope to raise one more daughter. After an exhaustive study of some of the galaxy's most noteworthy individuals, I have decided that I would like that bondmate to be you. In return for serving as the aithntar to my final daughter, your companionship, and hopefully one day your affection? I will give you anything that your heart desires. Including ensuring that your sister is safe and happy until the day she finally dies."

Miranda took all of that in, her eyes never once leaving the four golden orbs that were fixed on her. Then she nodded slowly, reaching down and pushing her salad to the side. "This discussion is going to require a very large slice of cake. And some elasa. Tell them to bring an entire bottle. I have a feeling that we'll be needing it all."

"So you brought me all the way here to tell me… nothing?"

"To tell you that I have no news for you."

"Remind me again what I'm paying you for?"

"You're not paying me anything. You're exploiting the fact that our families have known each other since our great-great-great-grandparents went to Hogwarts together to get me to do what you want." The French-accented contralto emerged from behind a wall of holographic displays that disappeared with a sweeping wave of a fine-boned hand, and Mireille Malfoy sighed before leaning back in her seat, annoyance plain on her face as she shook her head at her visitor. "And I can't give you what I don't have. Our orbital sensor nets allow the Office of Wizarding Life Supervision to pinpoint any magic usage within ten feet and tell exactly who did it… on Systems Alliance worlds. And certain sections of the Citadel, at least when the keepers aren't destroying our equipment. I'm not saying that your source is lying to you about Potter's return, I'm simply saying that if they're telling the truth? He's not in our space. He could be on a wildcat colony, he could be in Republic or Hierarchy or Union territory… he could be on Illium or Omega for all we know. Or he could be here in Vancouver, and him and Lovegood just aren't using magic for some reason. Either way, I can't find him."

Groaning, Ismene sank down into the chair on the opposite side of Mireille's desk. "Bloody fucking lovely. My leave from the Dùn Èideann ends tomorrow, and the best that the Alliance Intelligence Service can give me is that my great-great-grandfather isn't in Alliance space. I should have just gone to the Shadow Broker; from what I've heard, he has enough moles in this place to know-"

Mireille chuckled lowly at that, reaching up to tap her finger against her temple. "Absolutely nothing out of OWLS. The rest of the AIS might leak like a sieve, but I screen my people regularly with legilimency to ensure their loyalty." As she lowered her hand, she curled it into a fist before flicking her fingers outward, tendrils of electricity arcing between her slender digits. "One person was foolish enough to entertain an offer from the Shadow Broker a year or so back. I… made sure the others understood why that was a terrible idea."

What she was implying made Ismene shudder; while she lacked her distant cousin's natural affinity for lightning, it was an area of magic that she was capable enough in and she'd used it several times against batarians during more desperate points of the fighting on Mindoir. The smell still haunted her, to say nothing of the sights and sounds of watching other sentient beings slowly succumb to electrocution at her hand. Enough of her thoughts must have shown on her face that Mireille curled her hand into a fist once more to quash the lightning, an apologetic look on her face. Ismene waved dismissively; she wasn't in the mood for sympathy today. Instead, she did her best to force a smile as she tried to lighten the mood. "And here I thought you stuck to using your allure and the threat of your father to keep people in line."

"Ugh, please don't remind me of who I'm descended from. His portrait is hanging in my quarters these days; my mother paid me more than I'll make in the next decade to 'convince' me to take him with me when I moved out of the manor. Which reminds me, Draco's portrait is framed as a diptych with one of your several times great-aunt Astoria, and she'd like to meet you one of these days. Swing by my place next time you're on the planet." Ismene offered a mocking salute before rolling her eyes; from what her great-great-grandmother had told her, Astoria Greengrass had been a gold digging sycophant barely fit to graduate Hogwarts, who had chosen to attach herself to the first man stupid enough to succumb to her feminine wiles. As opposed to Daphne herself, who was admittedly a gold digger but far more talented and intelligent than her younger sister. "As for the allure, it only works on the weak-willed, which leaves out most of my underlings." Mireille grinned widely as she leaned forward to rest her elbows on her desk, giving Ismene a good view down the front of her black tank top. "A good push up bra works nearly as well, though."

Ismene let her gaze dip for a moment before smirking as she met Mireille's eyes once more. "Pity the Greengrass in you didn't breed true. Or the Black. We don't need any help to achieve that particular look."

"No, you just need minimizer bras to fit into your armor."

"Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."