Purgatory

CHAPTER SEVEN

Baby Sitter

Leaning back in on the white leather sofa in the asari lounge, the self imposed supreme ruler of the prisoners questioned the asari huntress before her. "So how was it?" Aria hadn't even looked past the data pad in her hand as she spoke to the only other asari in the room.

Recanting the Grand Tour she had taken the maiden on, Shiala replied, "It was alright I guess." Shifting her weight as she crossed her arms, the skilled huntress added, "She sure does ask a lot of questions." Beginning to slowly pace as she talked, the matron mentioned, "I could have spent all day answering the plethora of questions she had."

Sensing that Aria wasn't paying much attention, the green matron implied, "I think she's already fallen in love."

The lavender asari peeked around her data pad.

"…with the library. You know she's a book worm."

Returning her unconcern gaze back to her electronic device, Aria said, "You haven't killed or injured her yet, that tells me you must like her."

Like a insistent child the huntress returned, "I do not".

Without as much as shifting her weight on the comfy sofa, the asari ruler proclaimed, "Are your trying to lie to me? Really Shiala don't you know me better than that by now? I know all."

When the matron said nothing in her defense, the lavender asari continued, "You should be Liara's guardian. I see the way you look at her and Shiala, I trust you."

"I am not a baby sitter."

A small smiled tugged as the edge of Aria's lips, "Would your rather baby sit Mornith?"

"No!"

Now taking the time to readjust herself on the couch, the matriarch chimed, pleased with herself, "Good then it's settled."

Louder than her previous rejections, the huntress rebutted, "Aria!"

This time an eye glared over the data pad in matriarch's hand, "Do you have a complaint?"

In the only defiant manner she could get away with, the Shiala crossed her arms and huffed without retaliation.

Returning her full attention back to the electronic device in her hands, Aria revealed, "Look at it like a blessing in disguise."

Still angry, Shiala spat but in a much softer tone, "How is that exactly?"

Using her right index finger to scroll down the pages, Aria explained, "Well you never really became friendly with anyone. Now is your chance."

"I don't get along with most asari, you know this Aria."

"I know. But I promise you…" as her fingers expanded the page on the data pad which seemed to do with what she was talking about, the Queen of the prisoners paused briefly before she mentioned, "…Liara is not like most asari."

With a flick of her wrist, the matriarch discharged her favorite huntress. "No go. I have work to do."

Like a dismissed child, the deadly hunter slapped her hands on her thighs and exited the room. "Fine".

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Meanwhile at the Geedunk store…

"Sorry hun you don't have any credits yet" Stated a human woman with dark copper colored hair shaped in a neat bob.

"What does that mean?"

In a simple American accent that didn't particular draw attention to herself, the woman said, "That means you can't buy anything."

Beginning to tremble at the idea of feeling so helpless Liara gasped, "Not even toothpaste or a tooth brush. Oh Goddess I can't go without that."

"I'm sorry sugar but thems the rules. No credits no stuff."

Frantically the asari maiden countered, gazing desperately into the green eyes of the human. "How long until my credits come in? I know my solicitor sent money." Chewing on her bottom lip nervously, the asari included, "A lot of it in fact."

Virtually unaffected by the maiden's distress, the store clerk continued her duties as she swept a stray red strand behind her ear. "I don't know sweetie. I don't know when she sent it."

"Oh Goddess".

Nearly feeling sorry for the new comer, the clerked stopped her mundane task and leaned heavy on the counter.

Staring deeply into the maiden's blue eyes, the human explained, "Well you know, you can always get favored by one of the gangs and they will spot you the credits." Just as copper woman saw that she was sucking the naïve girl in, she added, "Although it might cost you." The woman licked her lips like she was about to devour an ice cream cone. "I'm sure there are plenty of ways for a sweet thing like you to pay off that debt."

Practically drooling over her shoulder, a dark haired woman unexpectedly strolled up close behind the distraught asari. Eyeing the maiden up and down like a piece of candy, the girl purred, "If you are so inclined…"

"Hey I was baiting that!" Spat the clerk.

Allowing her eyes to grope all over the maiden, the new comer returned, "Was being the opportune word." The brazen woman bit, "Besides Gabby you don't even like barking up this kind of tree."

"Dam it Diana!"

Liara recognized the dark haired woman from the gym earlier that day. The maiden attempted to stand her ground with the human, but felt her knees weaken as the black beauty approached. The masculine looking woman shamelessly gnawed on the end of an extra toothbrush she had in her mouth, "…I have an extra toothbrush, aaaaand it's fully automated if you're interested."

Pushing the human to the side, away from Liara, a voice growled, "She's not interested."

Anger that she had just been cock blocked, like she had done to Gabby a few minutes earlier, Diana protested, "Damn it Shiala. You don't own her."

A simple glare warned the human to back off. Once the human had been dealt with, the huntress started petting the asari's arm. "Did she hurt you?"

The young Prothean Expert nodded her head no.

Glaring at the woman with her rolled up sleeves, Shiala snapped, "Did she touch you?"

This time the maiden answered "No" along with her head nod.

Calming her own emotions, the skilled hunter asked, "Then why do you look upset?"

She pointed to the person behind the counter, "She said I don't have any credits and without credits I can't buy anything; not even a toothbrush."

"Diana piped up again, fondling her own electric toothbrush, "I've got one you can borrow gorgeous."

"Liara" shaking the girl until she was looking directly at her, the huntress explained, "I will fix this". Turning her attention to the store clerk, Shiala snapped, "Give her credits."

Looking at her screen Gabrielle Daniels answered, "It says here she doesn't have any."

Slamming her fist down, the deadly hunter hissed, "Give her a thousand credits and give them to her now!"

Leaning on her elbow, the dark copper haired woman questioned, "And where is that supposed to come from?"

"Put on Aria's books."

All the blood from the clerk's face suddenly vanished. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Alright, a thousand credits from Miss T'Loak's account. Right away."

Still leaning on the counter next to the clerk, Diana murmured, "Damn Aria owns her now. Can't wait to hear how she makes her work it off.

Rolling eye green eyes as the butch human went on, Gabby's stomach turned when Diana finished, "I hope she let's us watch."

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Later that evening, Huntress Shiala and Liara were the last to approach the asari table in the mess hall. Aria was already at the head of the table with the best visual advantage point in the whole room. Surrounding her was her own personal harem of asari followers. Closest to her, forever keeping a watchful eye over her lover was Mornith. On her other side was where Shiala typically sat but since she was one of the last to arrive her spot was taken by an asari Liara didn't know.

Watching as the two late comers take their seats, the lavender asari cleared her throat grabbing everyone's attention. "How rude of me my dear." Her eyes shot straight to the newbie at the table. "I haven't properly introduced myself yet."

Unconcerned who had a mouth full of food or not, the leader of the table went on. "I am Aria T'Loak and this…" she waved her hands to encompass the entire table. "…is my bad ass gang of asari." The youngest member of the table sighed deeply, already feeling welcomed. "Now in order for us to get along, you only need to follow one simple rule." No one took a second bite as all eyes drew on the lavender asari.

Slamming her fist hard down on the table, the woman belted loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. "Don't fuck with Aria!"

As fast as the warm welcome feeling came, it left, as the young maiden swallowed hard. As the matriarch went on, the maiden started feeling an overall since of doom.

The loud declaration caused the deputy warden who was pacing about the hall to scour at the asari but continued her haphazardly wandering without further protest.

"Now you already met my enforcer, Huntress Shiala."

The baby blue asari smiled flatly at the huntress sitting across from her.

"I can imagine where you came from, you never heard of an enforcer before. Let me explain to you what that is." Shiala immediately rolled her eyes knowing what was coming. "She's the one I send when someone fucks with me." Smiling proudly, the audacious asari beamed at her enforcer. "She fucks them up. Do you fucking understand what I mean?"

Twiddling her food wondering if she was going to be able to eat it while it was still warm Shiala mulled, I think she just likes saying fuck all the time.

Liara's pale crest nodded up and down slowly.

"Good" Aria rested her elbows on the table and continued her introductions. "To my right, this is Sha'ira. She has an array of skills. I will save you the speech, but less just say she has a talent for relieving stress." Moving down the table, the matriarch continued, "Next to her is Dahlia, who is always bragging about her sisters. And that on the end is Nelyna, who basically came with Sha'ira."

The matriarch ignored the slitted glared from the maiden she had basically insulted. Looking at the other side of the table, the confident asari explained, "Then there is my ears to the ground." The matriarch sighed a little too proudly for Morinth's liking. "I honestly don't know what I would do without her. She helps keep me informed at all times." Everyone at the table could see the dark purple asari, similar to Aria's color beaming from head to toe. "Nyxeris."

Looking at the youngest maiden, Aria proclaimed, "Liara, you and Nyxeris should become the best of friends."

Unsure how to react, light blue asari smiled flatly at the lavender asari in charge.

Folding her arms, Aria sat back in her seat, "I believe you already meet Morinth." The matron was hurt by the plain introduction, that she felt wasn't worthy of her.

Making sure there wasn't any confusion, Morinth glared at Liara, "And hands off Aria. She's mine."

Stealing one of Shiala's gestures, the matriarch rolled her eyes.

"I mean it" came off harsher than necessary.

"Morty!" snapped the asari queen. "That will be enough of that."

Her lover was just about to spit out, "But she needs to know her place" when the matriarch refolded her napkin in her lap. "I believe the young Professor T'Soni is intelligent enough to know here place." Aria donned a smirk, "For now."

Ignoring the previous outburst, Aria smacked the table with a large grin. Abruptly changing the mood, the matriarch laughed and motioned with her hands, "Please eat. Don't let me keep you." The lavender asari words had fallen on deaf ears because she knew they would not have eaten without permission or she would have threaten grave danger if they had disobeyed her.

After her last statement about the Prothean Expert, the table was a buzz all inquiring about the newest member of the asari clan. It wasn't because the maiden was new, but rather that it had been quite some time since they had someone who wasn't a mercenary of sorts. And now that the onslaught of attention was now on the new blue instead of around her, Aria's lover was fuming. Inwardly Aria reveled how Morinth was feeling. A small smile tugged at the edge of her lips thinking of the ruthless lover as she took another bit of food. I am really going to need tighten that leash on her.