AUTHOR'S NOTE: My perception of time continues to suffer. When I was close to finishing this chapter I had to decide whether or not I was doing those other things on Illium, poetic Krogan and such in this chapter or another. Those are still happening, but I'm gonna time-skip to Liara being ready to talk, and they need to hang out on Illium for a few days. This will give me an oppurtunity for what I hope will be a natural inclusion for Illium night life and cool exotic Alien planet/City things and places. I'll be taking inspiration from another Tali fic I read ages ago, and will be re-reading for some of that inspiration. Rest assured, it will be fully cited.

Commander John Shepard

The three of us decided to head down to the bar, at least to start with. Grab a drink, some food, and maybe check out the shops afterwards. The stock market hardly interests any of us, and any ties I may have to that are all being handled by Barla Von. Who I should probably at least contact before too long. But not at this moment. We simply made our way into the bar, techno music as present as ever. And while there weren't strip poles around, they can apparently be on call or something of that sort, considering how one dancer was giving a show to a specific table. Skimpy, but not topless or bottomless yet. Asari, naturally. The actual bar of the club was around the corner, and as we turned there was a shouting voice, and a man with his back turned in black armor. But it was the older style of two years ago.

"You really holding out on me? I'm a man on the edge!" I cringed just at the sound of the sentence and how monumentally far from intimidating everything about it was. And yet the voice seemed familiar. The Bartender, a well-dressed Asari, was clearly unimpressed. "I'll do anything to get the job done! No hesitation! No second thoughts!" Alright, I need to shove this thug out of here. "You want to see how far I'll go?" he asked as I began approaching him from behind. "I learned how to shove a gun in people's faces from-" he turned as I tapped him on the shoulder, glaring the man down.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

"Com-Commander… Shepard…" Conrad suddenly got very meek. I looked him up and down. The outdated model of N7 Armor, but as it was fitted loosely, the jumbling of some of the parts made it clear. It's plastic.

"If you know him you should rein this idiot in before I slap his ass with a singularity," the bartender called out with a brief blue glow. Conrad had stopped paying attention to her entirely, his mouth open wide. And Garrus snorted, trying to contain his laughter, a clenched hand going to cover his mouth as his mandibles went wide and twitched.

"Is… is it really you, Shepard? D-Do you remember me? Conrad Verner? We-" I held up a hand, sighing, and pinched the bridge of my nose with my other hand.

"Yes, Conrad. I remember you." He straightened his stance and started to pace, trying to regain his composure and facade.

"So, you're alive huh? I hear it goes like that in the biz." God kill me now. Again. I don't care. End it. "Why don't you sit back and watch how it's done? I've got some asses to kick." Ok, God, maybe just smite him. Just once. Just a little smite.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I sighed.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm on my own, backed only by my wits and my nerves! No rules! No laws! Just whatever it takes to get the job done."

"Your armor is fucking plastic." Conrad got nervous again.

"I-It's convincing though! And expensive! But my wife was really supportive, even paid for my shuttle fare off world."

You sad, poor, illusioned fool of a man. Garrus had another surge of laughter to try and contain. The bartender did not try to contain her laughter.

"And I don't suppose in the two years I was gone you not only joined the Alliance but got an N7 commendation and completed N7 training?"

"I'm saving the Galaxy, Shepard! I don't have time for training! Don't you get it?"

"Right, sure, whatever, I don't even know why I asked, don't know what I expected," I murmured.

"I had to do something. You were a big hero. The Galaxy needed someone like you. We all did." I sighed again. Heart? Right place. Brain? His two brain cells are barely functioning.

"And what are you even trying to do here?"

"Get the deed. This place is actually a front for a red sand dealer! I'm helping turn it over for a detective."

"That is not how any detective work even functions," Garrus managed to say without laughing.

"Who the hell told you that, kid?" The Asari frowned.

"Oh, the owner of that concession stand by the carport. She's an undercover cop and told me all about it when I introduced myself." Make that half a brain cell.

"Listen shit for brains," the Asari sneered. "First, we don't sell red sand. Second, Red sand is legal on Illium! You just need a license." The confusion that spread across Conrad's face tempted me to judge an even smaller fraction.

"Conrad, listen to me. Take a seat, wait ten minutes or so until I get back. And just… don't say anything. I'm going to teach you something. Garrus, Tali, you can do whatever."

"Thanks," the Asari called out again. "If I kill annoying customers there's usually property damage. That comes out of my pay.

"Don't mention it. And you might want to have your boss waiting," I answered and left the club on my own, heading right for the carport. Where did he even get this from. His attitude and methods for his bullshit? Ah fuck it, why bother? When I arrived at the carport, I gave a quick look around, finding some sort of food cart that's probably some version of a hot dog cart for Illium trying to get business from travelers. It was manned by an Asari who looked miserable, and some cheesy, dumb looking, multicolored uniform to boot. It's a good starting point. I made my way over as she asked, completely monotone and uninterested.

"What can I get for you, sir?"

"I'm-" god why am I about to need to say this? "Conrad's friend, and he said he spoke to you about the club?" Her misery vanished and she grinned.

"Oh, yes, Conrad's friend. That place is reaaaally dangerous," she drew it out, like one would use on a toddler to sell a poor act. "I should know, I'm an undercover cop. Did he get me the deed? I need it to, er, stop those red sand dealers."

"Conrad and I softened them up, but they're going to need you to finish it off." Her eyes lit up.

"Really? You're sure?"

"Absolutely. Just need to see who they're closing the deal with."

"Right, right. Go on ahead, I just need to go… clean up! Right, clean up." Almost beaming, she ran off and I just made my way back to the bar. Conrad was sitting silently, with a glass of water. Garrus and Tali at the far side of the bar, the older Asari bartender still manning it while a younger better dressed Asari was hanging by the bar.

"So, what am I waiting for?" she questioned, impatient.

"The one trying to get your deed should be here shortly, the so called 'undercover cop' thinks you've given in and is going to show herself, acting all haughty. I don't know if Illium law will persecute her for lying and trying to get a place's deed, but impersonating an officer?" Meanwhile, Conrad, listening in, tilted his head to the side, another obvious look of confusion. The owner took a breath.

"I'll have security waiting. Let her play through it, I can line it up for extortion."

Honestly, I didn't even pay attention to anything happening around me. I just sat down at the bar, telling Conrad to just wait a bit longer, and down several drinks to at least try and get a buzz going. Sure, I heard the talking followed by the shouting when the 'cop' eventually arrived and her carting off but none of the actual words registered. I was just finally getting a buzz.

"So… I don't understand." Conrad spoke up.

"A shot glass, please. Your strongest that's not Ryncol." Without a word, the bartender pulled up a bottle full of liquor, a shot glass, and poured it in. Without hesitation, I downed the shot glass, feeling the burn down my throat.

"Conrad, she lied. She's not an undercover cop. She's just a miserable minimum wage worker with a get rich quick scheme that just needed someone gullible."

"Oh. Oh… Oh no…"

"Look. You want to do something good. Something to help people, something to make the galaxy a better place. I get that. But these methods, this domain? Not yours. Do you know how long I was training, Conrad, to get where I am?"

"Since… you were little?"

"Yes, actually. I was. Born to Alliance parents, and while I was never forced to also join the Alliance, I wanted to even while I was young. My parents didn't just encourage it. They helped me get a head start. From a young age I was starting work out routines, diets, when they were on duty, I was in cadet programs back on Arcturus outside of school. Then when I was finally eighteen, I enlisted and went to boot camp. Bones broke, limits pushed, tears and blood both shed just to prepare me. Hell, and the entire time I was being groomed by an N7 who's like an uncle to me. Someone who already know the nine kinds of hell Rio puts you through where you learn that Alliance boot camp is like the preschool playground preparing me for all of that. And you know what I spent those five years between Elysium and my induction on the Normandy doing? That was my N7 training. Five years learning every kind of weapon known in the galaxy like the back of my hand. Learning tech and learning how to build and break all kinds of security. Learning about the other races. Learning how a non-biotic combats biotics, every kind of Martial art known to man and then the other races. Even learning the cultures of other races so I can understand how they fight. And to top it all off I have the most advanced, top of the line equipment at my disposal. In order to be the big man you were trying to talk as and trying to be when I first walked into the bar, Conrad? You have to be a fucking force of nature, or you will die, and maybe even get others killed. Does that sound like you or what you're capable of?"

"...No…" Conrad answered quietly.

"So, you want to do something good. Something that helps. Luckily, my field of work isn't the only way you can do that. Sell that plastic you're wearing. Put that money into… an orphanage. An animal shelter. Hell, why not an animal shelter for orphaned animals? Or an actual orphanage with an animal shelter for orphaned animals put together? Or just volunteer and work at charitable groups. There's a million and one other things you can do that anyone should be good at."

"You… really think so?" he asked, looking up at me with puppy dog eyes. Jesus he's speaking like a children's book.

"I know so, Conrad," I struggled, putting on a reinforcing voice. "Why don't you go to whenever you're calling home and think about it, alright?"

"Um, sure, that sounds like a good idea. Bye, Shepard."

"Bye, Conrad." Finally, he got up and left, leaving us alone at the bar. I released one groaning long breath, and whatever drink the bartender poured for me at the start of this, without even a request, she just slid over a refill. Which I gladly downed immediately. "Everything going on and that might be the most painful thing I've experienced."

"I must say I'm astonished. That man is a young child in a grown body," Tali added.

"And he sure as shit wasn't drunk," The bartender pitched in. "Thanks for all that, by the way. It's good when I don't beat customers to death with their own spines. Makes people nervous. Anyways, your drinks are on the house for the night. Boss' orders."

"That's appreciated, but the three of us aren't actually the ones footing the bill. We've got a blank check by a massive fucking asshole until we finish our arrangement with them. So I'm happy to waste their credits on anything and everything."

"If you insist," the Asari shrugged. "So, he called you Commander Shepard. I've heard rumors, I've seen the news. Did that idiot get something right, or is he just that delusional?"

"No, unfortunately that was the one thing he got right. We're here helping out a friend."

"T'Soni?" I took a questioning look, surprised how she guessed that.

"How'd you know?" The Asari shrugged.

"I'm a bartender, honey. Plenty of her workers head here when they get off the clock. They don't talk much, but she doesn't seem to hide that she helped you out with Saren." Fair enough. "So, your two friends here?"

"Garrus, ex C-Sec," the Turian introduced.

"Tali'Zorah vas Neema."

"Zorah, eh? Go figure. I'm Aethyta. Bartender Matriarch."

"What brings a Matriarch to Bartending on Illium?" There was a brief moment of scowl on Aethyta's face.

"No one on Thessia wanted to listen to my 'wise counsel,'" she scoffed. "So Here I am, giving my wise counsel and advice to the drunk. Dad was a Krogan and fought the Rachni, mom, a Commando in the Rebellions. Sure as shit feels like I've seen it all."

"They must have made quite a pair," Garrus remarked.

"They did, actually. Didn't meet for a few centuries after. They knew each other were warriors. Dad boasted, mom stayed quiet about her time. Mom a matriarch, dad near a thousand when the truth came out. Around that time? I was a hundred, give or take. Shaking my ass in some sleazy bar," she shook her head. "Gave me a call, told me they were gonna have it out. Told me they both loved me and promised me to love whoever survived. But neither did, so that got damn easy. Family. Helluva kick in the quad," she muttered.

"I'm uh, not really sure I have a response for that."

"Don't worry about it, I'm the one who kept talking and it's been, what? Eight hundred years or so. Besides, I work as a bartender, I talk about this shit all the time."

"Fair enough," I shrugged. "What was it like growing up with them, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Not at all. Every night at dinner was another war story from dad. Or just retelling one, sometimes with another embellishment. Sometimes he'd press mom into telling something. I don't know if she really fought, not like you or he did. Sniped, scouted, sabotage really. She'd have to be careful not to give away that it was the rebellions. Sometimes she'd bring out her old commando leathers for… special nights with dad," she chuckled. "Goddess, it was so embarrassing, I wanted to vomit whenever I saw those damned things." I noticed Tali shifted uncomfortably in her seat at that. "And Dad always loved to show off war scars, never helped when it was after one of those special nights and there was a new mark. You know, Krogan think those scars are sexy. I'm an ass woman myself."

"I can get behind that," Garrus remarked.

"Smart man," Aethyta smirked. "Scientists been saying that shit about us getting genetic material from the father is bullshit. True or not, I sure as hell got some of his mouth."

"Well, he did raise you after all. Genes or not, you're bound to take after whoever raises you."

"True. Doesn't stop people from shit-talking you for whatever race your father was. Damned hypocrites," Aethyta scoffed again.

"This is probably just the old C-Sec habits, but for a Matriarch, shut out or not, why an Illium bar? Surely there must have been better options."

"You three of all people should know that it's damn better than what other Matriarchs have been doing. Just look at that fuck up with Saren two years back! All those ships were hanging bare-assed in space when Saren came through and lit the fleet up. If not for the Alliance, we'd have bought it then and there. And I warned those assholes. Told people on Thessia what was coming, and they didn't want to hear it."

"What do you mean?"

"That art, philosophy, political prowess wasn't going to cut it. There has not been a single Asari lifetime without some big war. We need to start teaching our daughters responsibility rather than letting them learn it themselves after spending the few centuries of their maiden years stripping or in merc bands. We're pretty fucking shallow as a species if we let our youth spend their youth as little more than sex appeal. I started talking about making new Mass Relays ourselves and you know what they did? They laughed the fucking blue off my ass. So now I serve drinks." She clearly got riled up from this. And she has no idea how good it would be if we did start making new Relays. We'd start branching past those paths the Reapers want us on.

"But new Relays would be a fine idea. New, more direct trade routes and transport. And hell, maybe working on them like that, learning how to make them, someday each starship would be equipped with a personal mass relay."

"And of course, the Human agrees," Aethyta exclaimed. "One of the few races that actively does shit! We don't do anything without having a few hundred years to think about it. You all, at most, take a few days. You accept making mistakes to learn from them, we avoid making mistakes and when they happen, put the blame elsewhere. I'll tell you why Humanity is so controversial. You have the military might of the Turians, with numbers that echo the Krogan. You nearly have the efficiency of the Salarians and beat them in Initiative. Economically, you rival the Volus. Engineering? Tech? You rival the Quarians in their prime, and you're well on your way to surpassing Asari tech. You cross all the boxes. And even what you haven't mastered you're good at."

"Are you saying they're superior?" Garrus asked.

"I'm saying they haven't made all of our mistakes. When all of our races got together, think about it. When the Volus arrived, we let them handle the Economy and both Asari and Salarians didn't bother with economics because we had the Volus for that. We all had armies, but with the Rachni we found the Krogan and just let them become our armies. When that bit us in the ass, the Turians came along and we let them become both our army and our main navy. Sure, our races still have our navies, but we let the Turians have the biggest and when was the last time the Salarian or Asari navies ever did anything? Turians had an economy that worked for them, but they let the Volus take over in exchange for you taking over their military and half their government. Hard to say what the deal with Quarians would have been if not for the Geth, the Hanar just have the Drell do everything physical and put everything else on the 'Enkindlers,' the Elcor are as slow as we are, the Batarians have slaves to do everything for them, the Vorcha are animals. You know what the Humans have asked other races to do? Teach them, so that humans can do it themselves. Not shrug off the responsibility."

"Well, thanks," I remarked. "But I'd like to change topic to something you mentioned earlier. About what the Asari should be doing with their young."

"Sure, what about it?"

"While I do believe it would be good for the Asari, I do not believe it should legally be resolved. That would probably hurt more than it would help. Encouraging the societal change in values is another matter entirely. If you can make them see the benefits of not running off to be a merc or a stripper, still giving them, the choice and they choose a more productive and fulfilling life, that's the sweet spot."

"Easier said than done."

"Oh absolutely. But an E-Democracy isn't about to accept such an authoritarian ruling put down on them."

"An E-Democracy that accepts slavery here on Illium just to stay economically competitive. And then has the gall to act like they still have the moral high ground," Aethyta countered.

"Touché."

Commander John Shepard

We spent some more time at Eternity, nursing drinks, snacks, making conversation with Aethyta on more casual matters, but eventually we decided it was time to check out the shopping complex, the weapons store specifically, a floor down. It was easy enough to get down there, and since we still have a few hours, window shopping on our way wouldn't hurt. The problem is just going to be finding something even remotely interesting for us. Jewelry stores, clothing stores, furniture stores, one for cooking supplies, pots and pans and the like. The main population down here was Asari with humans sprinkled in. Very, very few Turians or Salarians, the occasional Elcor or Volus, haven't seen any Hanar yet.

One store we were coming up on, and left me with mild surprise, was Synthetic Insights, selling VI programs and probably Omni-tools. Also surprisingly, an Asari and a Quarian speaking to one another right in front of it. It had only caught my attention for a moment, but just as we walked past, I heard the Asari state how the Quarian "Signed an Indentured Servant Contract." There may be plenty of slaves on Illium, but here's one that I know is a slave. That was all I needed to hear. I stopped right in my tracks, fury in my eyes.

"We're doing something about this," I muttered to Garrus and Tali

"It's alright, I'll think of something," The Asari spoke, eyes only on the Quarian woman as we approached.

"You said Synthetic Insights would buy me! That it was an easy sale!" she exclaimed, clearly nervous as the Asari rubbed her forehead.

"I assumed they would want an AI tech. She then noticed I was there. She now appeared more concerned herself. "Hello, can I help you with something?"

"Slaver scumbag," I growled. "If there's even a shred of common decency left in your greedy, shriveled disgusting husk of a body, you'll let your slave go right fucking now." The scumbag held up her hands.

"We prefer the term 'indentured servant,' Human, and I understand that Batarians have made humans understandably prejudiced against slavery." Without even hesitating I slammed my fist right into the center of her face, scaring the Quarian and clearly drawing attention from the rest of the mall.

"Don't you fucking dare try to play a victim card," I scoffed. "Indentured servant? Prejudiced against Slavery? Fucking listen to yourself, bitch."

"Hey! What's going on here?" some voice called out from behind. Probably a rent-a-cop. I didn't even bother turning around. I just held out my Omni-tool for the Spectre status.

"Council Spectre. Freeing a Slave."

"Yep, alright, not paid enough for this shit," I heard the same voice mutter. Tali was now standing beside the Quarian to calm her while the slaver looked quite a bit more nervous now, clutching her nose as it was bleeding.

"She signed voluntarily!"

"Between what choices? Crippling, inescapable debt or losing every freedom she has? That's not a choice. Stop arguing." I then softened my features, my voice, and turned to the young woman.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. And I'm sorry for whatever put you in this position. You must be a pilgrim, right?"

"Y-y-yes. Wh-Who are you?"

"I'm Commander Shepard. My Turian friend is Garrus Vakarian, and that's Tali. Tali'Zorah. You're not the first pilgrim we've helped out."

"I-I mean, thank you, but-but now what? I don't have a place to stay, money for food, anything."

"I got a thought about that. You were trying to go with Synthetic Insights, right?"

"Y-yes, I grew up among the Science Fleet, I'm a VI and AI tech."

"Then let's see first if they're more willing to hire a free woman." I grinned and guided her and the others into the Synthetic Insight's office. The Slaver had since run off and people were deciding that it was smart to go about their business. At the desk was another Asari.

"Hello, how may I-Oh, look, I'm sorry I already told the Broker that we weren't looking to purchase any slaves," she sighed.

"You don't need to worry about that part anymore. She's a free woman now." She gave a confused look for a moment, but the Quarian was able to stand a little taller.

"While that does make the situation less problematic, Synthetic Insights is barely hiring as it is right now. You can fill out an application, but that's all I can guarantee." Hm, let's try that angle. I've an idea, but better to work through a bit to confirm.

"Why are you hiring so few?"

"After the Geth attacks Synthetic Insights has found itself under heavy scrutiny. Despite the fact we had no relation to the attacks and dogmatically follow the lessons taught by the Original Geth uprising public trust and our reputation suffered greatly."

"Then you can use this hire to help. Synthetic Insights playing the generous, finding a Quarian pilgrim with nowhere to go? You take her in, obviously as an employee. And since I'm a Spectre the minor fiasco that freed her will be silenced, so you could, if you want, claim that you're the ones who freed a slave."

"And you would certainly have the Migrant Fleet's interest, and be a preferred supplier," Tali added.

"Hm. Look good for hiring a Quarian, and say we freed slaves out of kindness."

"I'm sure you already know her qualifications, I'm sure thanks to these benefits I've sold you on, you can work something out to give her lodging and food, at least for a time."

"All things considered I'm sure we can work something out in that regard. If you'd like to come back with me, I can get something written up. And this will be a contract based on Citadel Law, not Illium."

"Glad we could work something out." I turned back to the Quarian, her eyes behind the mask wide. "Never caught your name."

"Oh! Oh, right, of course. Wuso'Romas nar Hakor."