Chapter Eleven: Di'Rombi

A/N: Please read and review.

"How long have you been a mercenary?" asked Shepard.

"I don't know, I remember as a kid I was trained to be an assassin but I wasn't so great on stealth and I was ultimately converted to a soldier killer."

Shepard leaned back into his chair, his eyes examining the Asari who seemed wholesomely depressed.

"What's your name?"

"Lily Di'Rombi. I'm 103 years of age if you wanted to know." she said. Lily wasn't a pure breed Asari, that much Shepard knew, he could tell by her features. Her eyes were a piercing silver and instead of the pure aqua blue skin tone a pure Asari would posses she held a deep tan color complexion. The marks around her face resembled tribal tattoos and when not in an aggressive state her voice was soothing and quiet.

"You seem depressed." he said.

"Well, by the fact you arrested me. You have me tied up to this chair on your ship. I don't do well with tight areas. I need to be free."

"I'm sorry for holding you but you committed an offense and I have no choice but to contain you for the time being," he said standing, "I have to get back onto the bridge for now, until I can find a room for you to take up you'll have to stay here for now."

"Commander?"

A sudden chill resonated through his spine. The way she she said "Commander" was too familiar.

"Yes?" he responded.

"I'm hungry. It's been a while since I managed to get enough credits to buy anything to eat."

"Sure, I'll be back in a moment."

Shepard exited leaving her in the darkened room. She stared at her lap.

"He looks so familiar to him." she whispered, "the resemblance is too real."

"He does, doesn't he?"

Lily felt her heart skip a beat, fear was beginning to scratch at her.

"How the hell did you find me?" she whispered turning her head towards the darkened corner where the disembodied voice hissed at her.

"Child, who was it to say I've gone? You cannot get rid of me."

A black mist slithered towards her chair like a plague winding around her.

"What do you want? I have nothing to give you."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that."

A faint outline of a man approached the dimmed light of the room, his long arms flowing over her shoulders.

"Regarding the Commander. You know what he is capable of not to mention he has an eerie resemblance to your lover... the one you betrayed."

"Shut up! I didn't betray him!"

"Oh? Who was the one who led him to his demise? The one who led him into the ambush and simply walked away with a handful of credits."

Lily felt her heart sink, she knew the words that slithered from his lips were true but she regretted the decisions she made in her past. To live right now was a sin that she must accept and somehow repent. The hardest part was to know she did betray the only human to ever love her.

"I don't want to do it, whatever you want, I won't do it."

"Why not? If you complete this last mission for me, I'll grant you your freedom and I'll make you rich. No longer will you prostitute yourself for the highest bidder for food, you'll be free."

The figure vanished before Lily screamed in frustration.

"I'M NOT YOUR GODDAMN PUPPET!"

Shepard burst into the room holding his gun and pointing frantically in all directions.

"What the hell is going on?" he questioned.

Lily peered up at him with watery eyes.

"Can you untie me? Please?"

Shepard did so but was quickly taken back when the Asari grabbed hold of him and hugged him. She clutched him like a child to her mother and began to whimper softly. Unaware of the recent event that shook her all he could do was stand awkwardly still.

Moments later the mess hall echoed with the sounds of chatter and conversations as it began to overlay the tense atmosphere that seemed to stalk the entire crew. Laughter began to erupt in small bursts which somehow drew attention away from important matters for the time being, Shepard entered around toward the hall accompanying him was Lily who kept her head down. Shepard couldn't help but smile at this, only a few hours ago was she trying to hurt him and now she was hiding behind him like some child. Her personality was indeed erratic. As the two entered, the hall got somewhat quiet. The uneasiness of the sudden dim of volume alerted Lily causing her to back away even further behind Shepard.

"Commander, you do realize that Asari is behind you right?" asked Williams as she placed her hand over her pistol.

"Settle down, I know. She didn't want to eat alone so she's dining with us. Is that a problem?" he asked.

"No, Commander. It's just odd that you're inviting someone who just murdered a few officers and nearly did away with yourself over to eat with us. Aren't you concerned she might do something? Should be take her lightly?"

"Ash, I've been through a lot and it won't hurt to let her eat just this once with us. I mean, who knows, if she cooperates I might have to recruit her."

The suggestion made several people lean back in the chairs in surprise. Lily looked up to him in confusion.

"You don't mind taking me in?" asked Lily?

"Not really, you and I both know the reason why. And..." he turned to her, "you remind me of someone."

Oddly enough most of the crew resumed their conversations except Chief Williams who stared silently at the two, her fist clenching beneath the table.

They sat together, Lily and Shepard, in a quiet fashion. Shepard couldn't help but keep his eyes on her. She had a totally different personality than Liara, in fact they were polar opposites. They looked similar except Lily had more exotic features. So what was the big deal? What was making him become interested in her? Something within him was calling for her, something was drawing him to her in curiosity and for pity.

"Here." said Shepard as he handed her a plate of breaded poultry. Lily eyed it for a moment and then looked at him.

"What's this?" she asked poking it with her finger.

"Never had human food? It's chicken."

"Chick-en? Sounds disgusting."

"Just try it." he said taking a bite from his own dish. The Asari eyed it for a moment before chomping a massive portion out of it. Everyone watched.

She looked at everyone and made a face.

"You okay?" asked Shepard.

"Where's your lavatory?" she asked.

"Down by the lockers. Why?"

"I'm going to puke."