Divine Fire

by Lustrian

The murder of a prominent business mogul on Illium, as well as a prison break on Mars, leads a Turian CID officer to a terrorist threat that could destabilize the entire galaxy.

3. Chapter 3: Investigations

Illium

If there was one thing that Illaris Vaelos appreciated more than anything else, it was the power and beauty of the art of distraction. For him, the trick of it was to put up a shield that blocked out all of the inconvenient realities that kept trying to get his attention. If he couldn't see those realities, they effectively didn't exist. Rent on his tiny apartment hundreds of feet above the surface of Illium two weeks past due? Just change the IP address on the extranet account and all those annoying rent notices just seemed to disappear. Bland reality of knowing that he was a salarian doomed to die at forty, most likely long before he accomplished half the things on his "do before death" itinerary? Just file away the damned list into a scarcely used corner of his mind and, suddenly, the list never even happened. The turian that lived next door complaining that Illaris was playing his Expel 10 album at ridiculous volume all hours of the night? Just crank the volume even louder and soon, not only was the neighbor's incoming calls drowned out, but even the angry pounding on the door when he got fed up and tried to confront Illaris directly were swallowed up in the noise. Indeed, in his nine years of life, Illaris had become a veritable guru on the art of distraction.

Despite all of the techniques he had developed to block out the harsh reality of the galaxy, there was one distraction that had proved more enjoyable than all the others. That was his long running Galaxies of Fantasy account. Illaris had started playing when he was only five, and had never looked back. The game deeply appealed to Illaris' nature. Every salarian loved a good puzzle, and trying to figure out strategies and tactics needed to succeed in the thousands of dungeons and instances allowed for many hours of deep, distracting thought. And with the speed the game seemed to put out new content, Illaris knew that the chances of him running out of new activities to do in the game were infinitesimally small. So most of his waking twenty three hours of the day involved him seated in front of his private terminal, or soaking in the heated pool in the middle of the living room with his other terminal, both of which had access to his GoF account.

At the moment, he was in his pool, logging on for the first time in the day. Despite his preference to being on the game most of the time, he actually had business that needed attending to that morning. Some of the realities of life couldn't be ignored forever, and there were outstanding bills that had to be paid. And doing that had made some of the other realities seep in, including some painfully unpleasant ones. By paying those bills, Illaris had been forced to look at the numbers in his personal credit account. Even with his uncle's modest inheritance, the account had never been particularly large. But after months of being unable to do any meaningful jobs, that account had dwindled to the point of being depressing. The last thing Illaris wanted to do was have that reality stuck in his brain like a piece of arterial plaque. He needed an avenue of release, and only one thing could fit the bill.

"Galaxies of Fantasy," he grinned, crinkling his eyes in anticipation. "Get ready to work your dark magic."

First thing he did, like always, was to go through his contacts list to see who happened to be online at the moment. First rule of GoF was to know who you were playing with. Not that Illaris wasn't open to joining random groups. Many of his favorite cohorts on the game were met via a random dungeon with a random group. But there were personal favorites that made the time online that much more enjoyable. Eyes intent on the aerogel screen before him, he flipped through the hundreds of players who were online.

"Let's see. No, that guy has a mate. Probably have to go do some stupid errand in the middle of the raid. She's good, but it's almost noon. Probably drunk by now." He flipped through the list a bit faster. "That guy's a total cloaca. Note to self. Send him a really annoying virus through the in-game messaging." The scrolling came to a sudden stop when he saw one particular name on the list. "Hello, what have we here? I think today just got fun." He strapped on his personal headset. "Let the games begin."

Illaris tapped a button on his console, sending out a comm channel request. Moments later, a young human female voice came through the headset.

"Whisper! Nice to see you on!"

Illaris grinned. "Epona, it's been too long." Illaris knew her name by looking up her profile on GoF, and he was pretty sure that she knew his. But in all their conversations on the game, they only ever used their avatar names. He opened a small window below the game screen. "It's almost seven in the evening on Earth. You're on a bit late, aren't you?"

"Dad gave me a little extra time before my chores start tonight." There was a brief pause. Illaris could almost imagine her smiling at this point, even though he had no idea what she looked like. "So, still sitting on a lillypad in your pond, little froggy?"

"I think we've been through that. The only flora I keep in here is too small to sit on. And how's all that hair working out for you, little monkey?"

There was a small laugh from the headset. "Hey, it takes time to make my hair look good. You wouldn't believe all the crazy things heat and humidity do to it. Texas in the summer? Sometimes I look like I've just put my finger in a power coupling."

"My mind is working overtime, trying to make a visual of that. If only I could share with you the fruit of my brain's labor. Surely, the image would be the stuff of legends. Perhaps I could write an in-depth article on the various effects that weather and water vapor could have on the keratin follicles atop the cranium of the average talking monkey"

Epona laughed again, although Illaris was sure there was a hint of confusion. It was another moment that he had to remind himself that even though he knew Epona was ten years old, a full year older than himself, she was mentally still a child. Well, many of his acquaintances would argue that Illaris was still mentally a child, but only in as much as a level of maturity. He knew he was the human equivalent of an eighteen year-old. Many of those same acquaintances thought that it was unusual for a salarian of his age to be wasting his time on an extranet game like GoF, as well as chatting with a human girl that was mentally almost half his age. His reaction had been the same every time the subject was brought up. Go fuck yourself. Admittedly, Illaris had little Epona to thank for that. Not that she had said those words to him. That had come from another another player who had gotten a little upset upon dying in a raid. Illaris was quite impressed at the sheer volume of obscenity that a fifteen year old male human seemed to have in his verbal arsenal. After telling off the entire party with some words that seemed to defy comprehension, Illaris had asked Epona what exactly those words meant. She directed him to an extranet site that was all about swearing in human languages. He decided that go fuck yourself just had a pleasing aesthetic, both verbally and in the image of the actual act the phrase implied. In the almost twelve months he had been playing with her, Illaris had learned more about xeno-psychology than in any of the classes he had attended in his life.

Illaris realized he had been lost in thought and quickly recovered. "So, what are you up to right now?"

"Nothing, just wandering the Bloody Mesa, hunting for reagents. You have something in mind?"

"How soon till your dad calls you away?"

"Shouldn't be too long." Another pause. "We could do something quick."

Illaris ran down the catalog of dungeons in his mind. After years of playing, he had committed every one of them to memory. From the difficulty, to the size, to the bosses, to the treasure. He had them all perfectly visualized.

"How about the Soul Vault? At least the first part. I'm pretty sure we could at least get as far as the first battle with Ugoth Vozz. Maybe even loot some of the soul fragments he drops. You got enough healing packs, right?"

Epona scoffed. "What kind of healer to you take me for? I'm not some noob, fresh on the game. Of course I have enough."

Illaris raised his hands in mock apology. "I'm sorry, oh Font of Resurrection! Forgive this humble fool for doubting your mighty powers of healing. I shall go on a vision quest to purge the specter of doubt from my poor mortal mind."

"You are such a drama queen," Epona laughed. "Can we please get in queue for this? I've got a little extra time, but I've still got chores to do."

Illaris cleared his throat. "Just remember, this is at least a three man team. We've got to get another cohort on board."

"Gah. I know. Let's just hope it's quick."

Unfortunately, the cruel and angry gods of the gaming world decided not to shine upon them. Minutes clicked by without anyone else joining on. Illaris soon found his mind wandering, leading to about a dozen computer program ideas for new content for the GoF. Eventually he realized that he had time to plan a strategy for the Soul Vault raid, start a system check on his terminal, plan what he was going to have for dinner, take a long look around the sparse apartment and realize that he hardly owned anything. When he checked the on-board clock, he found that three minutes had come and gone. A very long time for a salarian. Okay, the distractions are starting to fade. Reality might set in. Plan B; small talk.

"So," Illaris said, hoping to break up the monotony. "How goes the whole animal husbandry thing?"

"Fine. One of the mares is pregnant. We were hoping that would take for almost a month."

"Does that mean the copulation was successful?"

Epona groaned. "Yes, my dear frog. The miracle of life occurred yet again. Does this surprise you?"

"Of course not," Illaris said with complete sincerity. "I looked up some footage of the act on the extranet. I have only one word to say on the subject. Impressive."

Epona exploded into laughter. After a few seconds, so did Illaris. He couldn't help it. Her laughter was addictive, as he had discovered over the time he had been playing with her. She had done her level best to describe to him the reality of living on a farm. It was an environment that Illaris couldn't even imagine. He had lived on Illium since only a few weeks after his hatching. He had never ventured any further than Nos Astra that entire time, and had in fact spent most of that time in this very apartment. Illaris didn't like to venture outside. His uncle Keehar had left the apartment quite often, always on "business." And that didn't turn out...

No, no. Dwelling on reality again. None of that.

Luckily, it was at that moment that the gaming gods decided to stop messing with them. Another player had just joined the group. Illaris was about to greet the new player when he happened to take a gander at the new player's name. Malleolus? Probably some thirteen year old turian boy. Oh good, he literally named himself Sledgehammer. We are dealing with a true mental colossus now. That thought took less than a second. He hoped that the new player didn't notice the long pause.

"Hey welcome aboard!" Illaris decided that diplomacy was the best option here. "Good to have you aboard. Looks like we can get this party started."

Epona was just as pleased to be getting started. "Well, looks like we can go on and..."

"Listen up," Malleolus blurted out. "Just keep quiet and follow my lead. I've done this run a hundred times, so I know what I'm doing. And from the sounds of the healer there, she's probably your little sister or something. Just try to keep her doing her job. If I die on this because she's off playing with dolls or something, we are going to have words. Now, here's how this is going to happen..."

Illaris was stunned. At first, he couldn't believe what this cloaca had just said. Some pre-pubescent turian brat who already thought he was the Imperator, coming down from on high to lead the unwashed masses to victory. But then the absurdity of it all hit him. He actually thought Epona and I are brother and sister. He really couldn't tell the difference between a human and a salarian. Every fiber in his being wanted to burst out laughing for the sheer stupidity he was witnessing before him. But a calm head prevailed, as a new plan took shape. We switched to a private message addressed to Epona alone.

What do you think of this guy?

A total jerk.

I say we mess with him. You with me?

Lol. I'm with you. What do you have in mind?

Just follow my lead.

Illaris waited while the verbal diarrhea continued to dribble out of Malleolus' mouth. Useless strategies, pointless group formations, and information about the dungeon available on any extranet site that he thought was "brilliant insight." Finally, there was a pause in the diatribe. At that moment, Illaris made his move.

"Yes, that all sounds like brilliant strategy. I'm sure that armed with this, nothing in this galaxy can stop us." He reached for the bowl of raw snails sitting next to his terminal. "Say, Epona. This snack you turned me on to is fantastic. What did you call it again? Cheese?"

"Yup, that's it." Illaris could tell by the tone of voice that Epona knew exactly what he had in mind. "Cheddar to be precise. Really good stuff."

"You are right about that." He sucked one of the snails down. "Oh my! That is just divine!"

"Will you two stop screwing around," Malleolus said, irritation very obvious in his voice. "I'd like to get through this before I have to report to boot camp in three years!"

"Sorry," Illaris said with a hint of exaggeration. "I just can't help it. This cheese is just so good. Epona dear, what did you say this was made of?"

"Milk."

Apparently, Malleolus knew exactly what milk was. "Ugh. That's disgusting. Why would you..."

Illaris went on. "Yes, this is a milk product. Isn't there something else added to this?"

Epona didn't miss a beat. "Oh, yes. To make cheese, you have to let the milk rot a little. The milk has to be moldy for the cheese to taste right."

Malleolus made some gagging noises. Illaris pressed the attack on. "Moldy lactate? It's amazing what they can do. And what kind of animal does this milk come from?"

"A cow. A very large herd animal. The milk comes from a large sack that hangs between the rear legs."

"I see," Illaris said, affecting the voice of an academic who just discovered a vital piece of information. "And how close is this sack to the waste disposal opening?"

"Oh, it only hangs about sixteen inches from that. How do you think it got that yellow color?"

In that instant, Malleolus logged off. Illaris had to believe that the turian brat had to go take care of some urgent business in the bathroom. Vomit business.

Epona was laughing again. "You don't think we went too far on that, do you?"

"It was war. In war, you do what you have to do. I would think a turian would understand that more than anyone."

Over the headset, Illaris could hear an older male's voice come through. "Hey kiddo. Game time's over. The stables need your attention."

"Be right there, dad. I was just telling off an obnoxious turiankid by describing cheddar cheese."

"I see," her father's voice said over the chat line. "And what did he do to deserve that?"

"He thought he was God's gift to gamers, and thought that I was a salarian's sister."

"Technically, that would make you a dalatrass. . . ," Illaris muttered.

"A what?"

"Nevermind."

"That's my girl. But seriously, time for chores."

"I'm coming, Dad. Gotta go, Wisp. See you on later."

"Have fun slinging animal dung." With that, Epona logged off. They didn't get to go on the actual run, but good times were had all around. Truth be told, Illaris found the whole idea of cheese to be equally revolting. But he had learned to use stuff like that to his advantage. Even if it was just to make an annoying turian have to vomit. It was all part of his philosophy. Have fun wherever and however you can.

He was about to put in a search for another raid when his door buzzer went off. He looked up, eyes crinkling in confusion. People almost never came to his door. Most of his interactions with the outside galaxy occurred online. The only time anyone came to his door with regular frequency, it was the delivery guy who brought his groceries. He had gotten this weeks delivery three days ago. Illaris was wary, but curious enough to see who it was. He climbed out of his pool, putting on his robe with the GoF logo on the back. He had seen it while clicking through the list of Galaxies of Fantasy swag on their site. He liked the look enough to blow twenty credits on it. He strode across the length of his tiny living room, tapping the security console as soon as he got to the door. The screen flickered to life, showing a tall human in a long dark coat. Illaris was quite sure he had never seen this person before. He was big, at least six and a half feet tall. From the looks of him, he had to weigh close to two hundred and fifty pounds, none of which was fat. He had short blond hair, and his eyes were covered by dark glasses. Despite the fact he couldn't see the human's eyes, he had an overall dangerous quality to him that Illaris found unnerving.

Illaris hit the intercom button. "Uh, yes? Can I help you?"

The human leaned in to the intercom. "I'm looking for Whisper."

Illaris swallowed hard. Whisper was actually his uncle's old STG codename. Illaris had been using it as his online moniker for a long time. At first, it was just because he liked the sound of it. Later, as he learned what his uncle did, it became a symbol of respect. In fact, Uncle Keehar had been quite proud that his nephew had taken up the name. But that was before...

Illaris shook his head, banishing the thoughts. "Uh, he's not here right now."

"You Illaris, the nephew?"

Illaris felt a hint of panic wash over him. Not many people would equate the STG agent named Whisper to Keehar Valois and his nephew, Illaris Vaelos. Some STG members would know, certainly. But there was no way this human would be related to STG. Still, Illaris was sure that asking whether or not he was the nephew to Whisper was a rhetorical question. The human probably knew exactly who lived here. Knowing that lying would probably be a wasted endeavor, he decided to go with the truth.

"I am."

"My name is John Troy. I worked with your uncle on several occasions. Right now, I have need of a hacker. Can I assume that you can help me?"

"Look, that might be a problem..."

Troy pressed on. "Can I come in?"

That question was surprising. If this Troy was a professional, as he seemed to be, then he could have easily bypassed the lock and walked right in. But he was asking permission. That seemed to convey a sense of, if not respect, then courtesy. On that alone, Illaris decided that this human wasn't there to kill him.

"Sure," Illaris sighed. "Come in."

Illaris turned off the security screen and unlocked the door. As soon as the door slid open, Illaris found himself standing face to face with the mysterious Mr. Troy. Well, more like face to chest. Illaris was a full foot shorter than the human, and about a hundred and thirty pounds lighter. They looked at each other for a few moments before Illaris gestured into the apartment.

"Well, welcome to my abode. Excuse the mess, but I don't have people over here much. Or ever."

Troy stepped wordlessly into the apartment. As Illaris closed the door behind him, he watched as Troy began taking in the apartment. He seemed to be getting a complete layout of the room, all the angles, all the best places to hid, to mount an ambush. Illaris knew he was doing this, because he had observed his uncle Keehar do the same thing every time they entered a new place. The last time he had seen it was in the restaurant his uncle took him to on Illaris' sixth birthday.

As Troy did a complete tactical scan of the living room, Illaris decided to break the silence. "So, you knew my uncle?"

Troy didn't answer right away. He continued his observation for several more seconds, getting the complete floor plan of the living room. When he finished, he turned his attention to Illaris. "I do. I worked with him on a few assignments. Freelance work, mainly."

"My uncle talked about his work with me a few times," Illaris said, fidgeting slightly. "I think he wanted me to follow him into the job. He never mentioned a human named John Troy before."

"Your uncle knew me as Revenant."

Illaris did a double take. That name almost certainly rang a bell. Uncle Keehar had mentioned working with a mercenary named Revenant almost two years ago. Something about slavers working out of the Attican Traverse. Keehar and his partner were supposed to find the base the slavers were working out of. Once the base had been located, they were supposed to use an untraceable source to take the base out. Uncle Keehar mentioned that the source was a freelance mercenary known only as Revenant. When seven year old Illaris asked what happened next, Keehar would only say "Let's just say that no one will be using that base ever again."

"Revenant? As in, the same Revenant that helped my uncle destroy a slaver base out in the Traverse two years ago."

Troy nodded. "That's right. I was hoping to find your uncle. I have something I need from him. Do you know where he is?"

Illaris sighed. He didn't like to be reminded. "Uh, I guess you didn't hear. Keehar Vaelos was...killed in action. A little more than three months ago."

Troy's face remained an emotionless mask. "I didn't know. What happened?"

"Well, that's the thing. The STG won't tell me what happened. They would only say that he died nobly, in service to the Union. Apparently, there wasn't even a damned body. Nothing that I could even commit to the oceans of Sur'Kesh, as he always wanted. Nothing!"

Troy remained still. "I see. Sorry to hear that. Then maybe you could help me."

"What?" Illaris almost choked. "Look, I don't want anything to do with the fucking STG, or anything else to do with those who work for them. So, if there's nothing else, would you kindly get the fuck out of here?" The last sentence was said with a bit more courage than Illaris actually felt.

Troy took a few steps closer to Illaris, until he loomed over him. Despite the anger, Illaris did feel himself cringing at the invasion of his space.

"You think I would come here to bring a child into a mission?"

"Well, no..."

"What I need was your uncle's specialty." He reached into his coat. For a split second, Illaris thought the human was going to bring a pistol out. Instead, he pulled out a large data storage device.

"I need the information on this device decrypted. Your uncle primarily functioned as a data tech. I ask you to do this, because your uncle told me that you were better than he was at the age of four."

My uncle told you that? "Look, I can't just..."

Troy shoved the device into Illaris' hand. A moment later, he pulled a credit chit out of another pocket. "There's a hundred twenty five thousand on here. Get that information decrypted, and I'll double it."

Illaris' eyes went wide. He was offering a quarter of a million credits. That would get him out of this apartment. Get him some badly needed equipment. But if he did this...

"I'm sorry. I can't do it," he said, handing the chit back.

Troy didn't take it. "Why not?"

"Look, it's not that I don't want to. I can't. If they find me doing work for anyone else but them..."

Troy crossed his arms. "What are you talking about?"

"My uncle did some freelance work on his own. I never knew, but in addition to STG and taking care of me, my uncle loved to bet on gladiatorial fights. Problem was, he had no talent in picking winners. So he did work on the side. Illegal work, for some dangerous people. After he died, some representatives of his last client came by the apartment and told me that I now worked for them. They said my uncle's debt was now mine. As long as I owe them, they said I couldn't do work for anyone but them."

Troy continued to stare. "Who is this person?"

Illaris looked away. "Trenus Isserius. A turian 'businessman' with links to the Blue Suns. He says he owns me. At the rate he pays me for my work, I won't be paid off in my lifetime. He also says that if I try to do any work on the side, he'll cut my head off with a hand saw."

Troy just nodded. "I'll talk to him. Keep the money, and get to work. I need that information as soon as possible."

Illaris' eyes crinkled again. "You'll talk to him? What the hell do you plan on talking about?"

Troy lowered his sunglasses, giving Illaris a brief glimpse of piercing blue eyes. "I'll appeal to his good nature."

Niveas, Illium

Niveas was no stranger to politically sensitive cases. In her nearly fifteen year long career, she had seen everything from the son of a high ranking member of the Dominae who had an unhealthy interest in small children to a salarian Dalatrass who liked to wile away her time with powerful and highly illegal hallucinogenic drugs. She was used to information blackouts, handlers of powerful people trying to wedge themselves into a case, and all of the other s'kak that seemed to come with the job. But this current case made all of her previous career pale into comparison. She first noticed it while she waited on the Citadel for the ship that was to take her to Illium. She had tried to bring up a simple extranet search for Nashara Tashaeis and found that all extranet searches on that subject were being blocked. That alone would be a major red flag. Only highly placed members of the Citadel government could authorize something like that.

It got stranger still after the ship had arrived in the Tasale system. As she had requested in advance, a copy of the current case file was sent to her omnitool as soon as the ship entered normal space. But when Niveas brought the file up, she found that a full three quarters of it had been completely redacted. The file contained no names, no locations, and certainly nothing even remotely resembling a pertinent fact. After perusing the file for only a minute, she had switched off her omnitool in disgust and closed her eyes, running the questions she had already asked herself through her mind. There was no doubt that Nashara had been a powerful person. It was common knowledge that she was the senior vice president of Stellar Dynamics on Illium. But a position like that certainly didn't warrant the security protocols that were already covering the entire case. During the flight from the relay to Illium itself, there were only two things that were clear about the case. The first; there was far more to this than a simple murder of a powerful business magnate. The other was the fact that she wouldn't know anything until after she landed.

As soon as she touched down at the Nos Astra shutlleport, Niveas had a renewed awareness that she had never been to Illium before. All the other passengers on the shuttle seemed to instinctively know where to go as soon as they left the shuttle. Niveas used the time to get a look at her surroundings. It was an automatic response to any new area. Get a lay for the land, know where all the exits and dark corners were. It had saved her life an many occasions, and had been drilled into her from the time she entered boot camp fourteen years ago. It was something Niveas mainly relied on to spot hidden threats and dangers. But occasionally, it also drew her attention to things that were right out in the open. This time, it put her eyes directly on the asari wearing the uniform of the Nos Astra police department who had her gaze fixed on Niveas. As soon as their eyes met, the asari wove her way through the crowd of departing shuttle passengers.

"Commander Lucultus?"

The asari's tone was clipped and professional, and her eyes seemed to hold centuries of dealing with the worst the galaxy had to offer. Cop eyes, if I've ever seen them.

Niveas nodded. "That's right."

The asari returned the nod. "Detective Araya Layash, Nos Astra Police. We've been waiting for you. My Captain is eager to meet with you."

This was Layash's planet and jurisdiction, so Niveas decided to defer to her judgment for now. "I'm sure she is. Let's get moving.

Minutes later, they were in Layash's aircar, hurtling through the sky traffic over Nos Astra. Niveas was taking in the sights, trying to get a layout of the city. She could see that it would be very easy to get lost at ground level. Besides not knowing even the names of the streets and neighborhoods, this was a city of tens of millions. For now, best to rely on the locals for transport and navigation.

Detective Layash seemed to know exactly what Niveas was doing. She remained silent, letting the turian get a feel for her surroundings. When it became obvious that Niveas had given up on establishing a sense of orientation, Layash broke the silence.

"I don't think I need to tell you, but this case is being watched by a lot of very powerful people. You've probably already noticed the media and information blackout. As of right now, the most anyone knows is that something big has happened in the city. I'm sure the rumors are already swirling, and the media outlets are on the warpath, each trying to be the first to crack whatever is going on. I've been instructed to take you to the precinct before-"

"Not there," Niveas said, cutting Layash off. "I'm supposed to be in charge of the investigation, and I have yet to even see the crime scene. Take me there."

"You're sure?" Layash glanced in her direction. "You technically supersede Captain Ashala in this. She won't be happy about it. Still, if that's where you want to go first..."

"With all haste, if you please. The longer the crime scene sits, the more likely it is I'll miss something."

Layash shrugged, although Niveas was sure their was a hint of a smirk on the asari's face. "As you wish, Commander." She tapped a switch on the aircar's console. "Sergeant, tell Captain Ashala that I'm taking Commander Lucultus straight to the crime scene. The Commander requests that the Captain meet us at the Sunscape Tower."

A voice crackled over the vehicle's comm system. "I don't think the Captain's going to like that."

"Luckily, that's not my call. The Commander wants to go to the crime scene straightaway. Ashala can bitch and moan when she gets there."

Niveas' mandible twitched in amusement. "You enjoyed that, didn't you?"

Layash shrugged. "Captain Ashala is a cop in name only. Most of the time, she's an employee of the powers that be. It's her job to make sure that none of the little crimes we investigate upset the natural order of things here on Illium. If that means hushing up unpleasant facts from the media, so be it. If that means finding a convenient scapegoat to pin a crime on if, say, a member of the local trade commission managed to give an overdose of aazure dust to a paid young escort? I imagine she wanted to show you her elaborate list of possible suspects before you had a chance to even see the crime scene. This is Illium, Commander. Business as usual."

"Well, as long as we're getting things out in the open," Niveas said, switching on her omnitool. "Maybe you can tell me everything that was redacted from this futtari report. For all that was taken out, this thing may as well have been one of those trashy romance novels like Forbidden Hearts."

"I can give you the basic facts," Layash said, turning the aircar into a new lane. "But that's about it. The scene was left mostly untouched, as per the orders from Thessia." She cleared her throat. "A little less than twenty four hours ago, Nashara Tashaeis was found dead in her apartment. Apparent cause of death was...immolation."

That got Niveas' attention. "Someone set her on fire?"

"Yes. Tied her to a chair, doused her in accelerant, and lit her up. It happened at the Sunscape Tower, a ninety story filing cabinet for some of the richest people on Illium. The security there is supposed to be among the best on the planet."

Niveas was using her omnitool to record everything. "How good?"

"I did some checking, and it turns out that a former STG agent put together the current security plan five years ago. His credentials from Sur'Kesh were quite impressive, at least the ones that weren't classified." Layash paused briefly. "The only reason I know this is because there was an incident with this particular salarian around the same time he installed the system."

At this point, she had Niveas' undivided attention. "Go on."

"Five years ago, we got a call about a disturbance at the Sunscape Tower. We got there in time to see this salarian, Larzza I believe the name was, in a very heated argument with the building administrator. By the time we could intervene, he had the administrator in a very tight arm lock, screaming about how he had been cheated out of the fee he had been promised by the building's owners. I have to admit, it was pretty amusing to see this salarian scaring the hell out of all those building security guards. The way he was screaming, I could tell he didn't have a desk job at STG."

"Where is Larzza now?"

"I did some checking after the body was discovered. He had a history of threats against the building's owners, so he was a person of interest for a few hours. He has a rock solid alibi. He's currently on Illium, doing some security consulting with a local information broker. The night of the killing, he was at a dinner meeting with the broker, with over a dozen witnesses verifying that he was there during the whole incident."

Niveas had a plan forming. "Call him. I want him there when I look over the scene. He put the security system together. He might see things I could miss."

"Bring him to the crime scene?," Layash asked, clearly flabbergasted. "Do you have any idea what kind of a shitstorm that would cause?"

"Big enough to keep the whole building staff off balance. Make it harder to stick with any scripted story they might have concocted. There's going to be enough to worry about without having the witnesses making up stories as they go along."

Layash grinned. "You're an easy person to work with, you know that, Commander?"

Niveas could see the Sunscape Tower long before they actually arrived. It was one of the major buildings making up the Nos Astra skyline. Niveas immediately understood that Layash was correct in calling it a ninety story filing cabinet. The whole tower was a masterwork of minimalist design. It was a simply-designed skyscraper with little in the way of flare on the exterior. In fact, from a distance, it would be impossible to distinguish between that building from any other high rise corporate office in the city. That is, until Niveas looked at the top of the building. The top floor consisted of what could only be described as a palace worthy of the Imperator himself. Elegant terraces, a garden with a waterfall, asari statuary, and the obvious steeple of a temple to Athame indicated that whoever lived on the penthouse probably paid enough money for it to finance a good part of the construction costs of a dreadnaught-class ship.

"Did Nashara live in the Imperial Palace on the top floor?" Niveas asked, pointing to the penthouse.

Layash shook her head. "No way. That place belongs to the President and CEO of the Synthetic Insights Corporation. Practically royalty on Illium. Nashara lived about twenty floors below the penthouse on seventy-one."

The aircar touched down outside the lobby of the Sunscape Tower. Niveas counted at least five other Illium Police aircars parked there as well. This looked much more than a simple investigative team. Niveas turned to Layash. "Is this normal?"

"Not in the slightest." Layash seemed to be staring in equal surprise. "Looks like the Captain has prepared a welcome committee for you."

Niveas revised the plan in her head. "I need you to stay in the lobby when I go up."

"Why?"

"When this Larzza arrives, I suspect the Captain will object to his presence in the building. I can override her, but it would be handy if he could be on his way up before it comes to that. If Captain Ashala follows standard procedure, she'll leave patrol officers in the lobby. If you're there, you can authorize him to head up the elevator. By the time the security office reports his presence, he'll be on his way up."

"I can handle it. Though, this might affect my standing in the force. Ashala doesn't like people usurping her authority."

Niveas' mandibles clenched. "You let me worry about that datapad shuffling fatuus. She tries any kind of retribution with her staff, I know some ways to make her life miserable. Trust me."

Getting out of the aircar, Niveas could see Captain Ashala waiting by the door to the building. Even from a good twenty feet away, Niveas could see the look of annoyance locked onto the Captain's face. This was clearly not how the Captain had wanted the initial meeting to go. It was obvious that Detective Layash was correct. Captain Ashala wanted the meeting to happen at the precinct , a place that she could control the meeting and make sure that her theories into the crime were made obvious before Niveas could ever look at the crime scene.

Time to put on my diplomatic face. Niveas strode up to the Captain, her attitude now in professional mode. Not quite the cop face. That would be to distant. No, it was a look she had mastered long ago when dealing with people from different jurisdictions. Let them know you are a professional, but don't be too cold. Be available, but keep an appropriate distance.

"Captain Ashala," she said, keeping straight to her diplomatic tone. "Lieutenant Commander Niveas Lucultus, CID. I appreciate you meeting me here under short notice."

"Commander." Niveas could practically feel the cold tone coming out of her. She very clearly did not want to be there. "This is highly irregular. I had a briefing planned at the station. It would be useful to get all the information out in the open before we came all the way out here."

Niveas held her hand up. "As much as I can appreciate that, the very first thing I need to do is to see the crime scene for myself. It is my experience that the longer the scene sits, the more likely it is that vital evidence can be compromised. I want to have your briefing as soon as possible. But above all else, I need to process the scene. Shall we?"

With a short grunt, Ashala turned on her heel and marched into the lobby of the building. Inwardly, Niveas was smirking. It was amazing how much people could give away about their true intentions just by speaking aloud. The first thing she noticed was Ashala had all the indications of a control freak. She clearly liked being in full control of every situation. The current situation had to be grating on her ego. Niveas was a variable that could not be controlled like any other. Ashala had no authority over her, and therefore, could not control her like she could her subordinates in the police force. Second, she already had a theory about the crime, but the fact that she did not want Niveas to see any evidence beforehand showed that it was a theory designed to get rid of the crime as quickly as possible. Oh, Niveas wanted to hear it, but more so she could pick it apart.

As soon as she set foot in the lobby of the Sunscape Tower, Niveas had to gape at the massive fountain that adorned the main entryway. It was massive, at least a good thirty feet in diameter. It had dozens of figures from asari mythology carved from expensive Thessian marble, all locked into classic poses from asari literature. The water flowing forth was accentuated with elaborate holo images and lights to make the figures seem almost alive.

"Do you like our fountain?" said an asari in the uniform of a private security company, standing in the lobby.

Niveas regarded her. "It's a little ostentatious, isn't it?"

"I think it gives the proper message to everyone entering the building." The new asari smiled, a very insincere gesture. "I am Tarraya Sosstra. The chief of security at the Sunscape Tower. You must be the outside agent that has been sent to look into the unfortunate matter at hand."

How did you know about that? Sosstra was a civilian, the person in charge of guarding a large residential structure. How could she know about my arrival? Unless...Ah. The dear security chief just told me everything. She wants this to go away as much as the Captain does. They're working together to make that happen. Niveas knew not to believe anything Ashala and Sosstra told her.

"I am indeed the outsider, sent to shed some light on your unfortunate problem. So, anything you can tell me about the building and its security system would be most useful."

"I can tell you anything you need to know. I think you will find the security for the building to be quite impregnable."

"We can talk on the way up," Niveas said, turning away from her. "I would like to see this impregnable room for myself."

"Of course." Sosstra led Niveas and Captain Ashala to the main elevator. Niveas was surprised to see only one elevator door. That seemed completely inadequate for a building as large as this one. When the doors opened, she was surprised to find the elevator as spacious as a small convention room. It could accommodate over one hundred people quite comfortably. Still, having just one elevator, even one as big as that, was unusual.

Niveas stepped into the elevator, Sosstra and Ashala following her in. She took note of the fact that they took positions on either side of her. It was a pathetic attempt at intimidation. If she hadn't been such a professional, Niveas might well have laughed. The attempt was so weak, it made her think that these two had never passed basic interrogation techniques. Then she remembered. This was a political police officer and a white collar security guard. They've never had to look into crimes that made it difficult to sleep at night. You want to intimidate me, you're going to have to try a lot harder than that.

As the elevator began to rise, Niveas began her questioning. "Tell me, why is their only one elevator?"

Sosstra didn't miss a beat. "We actually have two. The main passenger car, and the service elevator. The main car, which we are in now, can easily hold over half of our current tenants."

"How is that possible?"

"Each floor of this building contains one residential unit. We average two to four people per unit. When the main car is combined with the service elevator, we can practically evacuate the whole building in one fell swoop. Of course, we don't ever see a scenario where we'd have to do that."

Niveas scoffed. "You're that confident, are you?"

"Completely." Sosstra seemed to have the whole spiel memorized. Probably has to give it every time a prospective tenant comes along.

"Then enlighten me. Why so confident?"

"The whole building is designed to be a fortress," Sosstra said, with a hint of a flourish. "Every floor is completely separated from every other. Separate utilities, separate air filtration systems, everything. The only connection between the floors are the elevators. And our control on them is absolute. We monitor their positions within the building at all times. They are under constant surveillance, with video, infrared, and full motion sensors. We monitor the weight of the load on the elevator down to the thousandth of a gram. A fire starting on one floor could never spread to another. Which is meaningless, as our fire suppression systems are the best on the planet."

Niveas started to watch the numbers on the elevator screen rise. "What about anti-intrusion measures?"

"No one can use the elevators without a specially designed keycard, as well as vocal confirmation from the security office below. All cargo brought up the service elevator is scanned down to the molecular level. There is no way that any kind of explosive device, or any kind of Nuclear Biological Chemical agent could be smuggled in here."

Niveas finally turned to look at her, regarding the smug look on her face. "Then if it's so secure, how did one of your tenants get burned alive?"

The smug look vanished. "I...I don't know."

Ashala cleared her throat. "I have a very good theory on that. If you would..."

"I told you Captain, I wanted to hear every word. Just as soon as I look over the crime scene."

Niveas continued to watch the numbers climb. Spirits, this elevator is slow. Like time is moving slower. Finally, the elevator reached the 71st floor. The moment the doors opened, the smell hit her nostrils. It was the smell of carbonized flesh and burnt cloth fibers. Niveas had looked into many potential arson cases in her career. More than a few of those cases had deaths involved. The smell that surrounded those incidents was unmistakeable.

Niveas stepped into the main living room, and immediately went into a deep sense of concentration. A human she had once spoken to back when she lived with her mother on the Citadel called it "the zone." Niveas was dimly aware that Captain Ashala was trying to speak to her, but the words were distant and muted. All that existed was herself and the room. And on she went, moving through the room in what anyone watching would see as a dream-like state. In actuality, she was taking the room in. Letting not just her sight, but all of her senses scan the room. She first went into the main living room, running her finger along the fabric of the large couch. She gazed down at the expensive carpet, noting the indentation where the couch had slightly moved. She noted the broken crystal glass that lay in shards on the floor. She moved on to the large desk that sat next to the window. Noted the holo terminal that was switched on, still in standby mode.

From there, Niveas moved on to the dining room, which was adjacent to the living room. She ran her finger along the imported Thessian hardwood table, noting that one of the dining chairs was missing. She moved on to the ornate liquor cabinet, running her finger along the labels. Niveas found that physically touching an object made it more real. More like it was physically part of the room.

She smelled the cha'sta tree before she laid eyes on it. It was a species native to Thessia, and was known for its unique scent and bright red leaves. It was like strong incense, heavily concentrated in one area. Niveas reached down and picked up a fallen red leaf. It was dried out, yet still had a strong odor. The leaf was one of several scattered at the base of the tree's planter.

From there, it was on to the kitchen. The smell of burned flesh grew stronger as she went. She noticed the marble counter, as well as the two wine bottles. They sat undisturbed, and running her finger along the unopened bottle, noted that the two bottles were free of dust. She finally stepped into the kitchen itself, hearing the scrape of her boots on the marble floor. And with that, found herself face to face with the corpse of Nashara Tashaeis. She was tied to the missing dining room chair, her form completely blackened by flames. The fibers of her clothing had partially melted into her flesh, giving the appearance of the body being wrapped in a liquid sheath. Her head was nearly burned down to the bone, mouth still open in a silent scream. Niveas knew the fire had occurred more than a full day ago, yet the scents were still strong. She detected another scent buried underneath the smell of burned flesh. A strong chemical smell. She knelt down, picking up one of the glass shards that lay scattered at the base of the chair. It wasn't broken crystal, like the living room. This was simple glass, with traces of a label on some of the shards. She then rose slightly to examine the manacles that held her to the chair. There was nothing fancy about them. No electronic lock, or magnetic seals. It was a simple mechanical system, a lock and key setup. She also took a moment to examine the corpse's hands. She noted the missing finger, and then allowed her entire walkthrough to correlate in her mind.

When she finally stood up, she went right for the living room. Captain Ashala was standing there, taking quietly to Sosstra. Niveas' turian hearing picked up on some of the words. Most of them were along the lines of she looks like a crazy person. They turned to look at her as Niveas stepped into the room.

"Captain Ashala, I am ready to hear your theory to the crime."

Ashala seemed surprised, but quickly regained her iron stare. "Of course, Commander. I believe the crime was an assassination for hire. I already have a very good idea who the person was that arranged the hit. Dask Kesserak."

"That sounds like a volus."

Ashala nodded. "It is. Dask Kesserak is a representative for the Protectorate's Trade Ministry. He has been involved in negotiations with Stellar Dynamics for several months. I have been told that they were multi-billion credit negotiations for a new fleet of heavy ore carriers. Nashara Tashaeis was the primary negotiator for Stellar Dynamics."

Niveas gave Ashala her complete attention. "Very well. Why do you suspect him?"

"Three days ago, Kesserak's office received a report indicating that the design specs sent from Stellar Dynamics were smaller than the contract originally called for. But it was an oversight so buried in paperwork that nobody noticed it until after the contract was signed. This is a potential loss of hundreds of millions to the Trade Ministry. Kesserak's reputation was in danger of being ruined. He ordered the hit as personal revenge, and as an attempt to stall the deal to get better terms. In that, he has succeeded. I have been informed the contract is on hold, due to Nashara Tashaeis' death. He is under constant surveillance, as well as being barred from leaving the planet. It's only a matter of time before we find enough to bring him into custody. Once that happens, I doubt it will be long before we have the name of the assassin."

Niveas bowed her head slightly toward Ashala. "That's a very sound theory."

The steely stare gave way to a smirk. "Well, thank you Commander. I do hope we can move this along and get you back to Palaven."

"It's completely wrong, though."

Ashala's eyes widened. "I'm sorry?"

"You're theory," Niveas said calmly. "It's completely wrong."

"Oh really?" Ashala's expression became one of utter contempt. "I know we're just poor colonial police. Would the great investigator from the big planet mind informing us why that is?"

Niveas' mandibles spread into a small smile. "First of all, legitimate volus businessmen don't hire assassins when a deal goes bad. They attack the livelihood and reputations of those involved. And somebody in the Protectorate trade ministry would be somebody who has a spotless reputation. It doesn't do for the man they send to negotiate huge deals to have a reputation as a ruthless corporate shark that kills those that try to cheat him."

Ashala scoffed. "That's hardly a conclusive reason to count Kesserack out as a suspect."

"By itself, that would be true. But there's much more. And I think our friend Sosstra here might be able to help us understand why."

Sosstra turned suddenly, surprised to hear her name called. "What do you mean?"

"How the killer entered has a lot to do with it. Tell me something. Do the apartments here have balconies?"

"No, none of the units do."

Niveas walked over to the large window that looked out onto Nos Astra. "What about the penthouse?"

Sosstra started, like she had suddenly remembered something. "Oh, yes. The penthouse has several balconies."

"I know. I saw them on the flight here." Niveas started pacing in front of the window. "You mentioned that all the elevators are carefully monitored. That only people with authorization can access them."

"Yes."

"What about when somebody decides to throw a party?" Niveas stopped pacing, standing next to the cha'sta tree next to the window. "What happens to the elevators then?"

"Well, in the event of a get together in one of the units, the elevators are switched to public access mode. In that case, total control is given to the security staff. Guests are allowed on board only after specially authorized invitations are confirmed. They then board the elevator, and the security desk sends the elevator to the correct floor."

Niveas continued gazing out the window. "Were there any public gatherings on the penthouse level in the last few days?"

Sosstra took out a datapad and started tapping into it. "Um...yes. The Synthetic Insights CEO held a naming ceremony for her great-granddaughter a week ago. She used it as a meeting for many other business associates. As I recall, it was a large guest list."

"Good. Thank you." Niveas turned around to face Ashala. "Tell me. Why do you think the killer set her on fire? That seems kind of a strange method of execution, doesn't it?"

Ashala smiled. "Simple. The killer improvised with whatever was to be found in the apartment. Our scanners would pick up a firearm before it was ever brought near the building."

"So, you think the killer took a bottle from her personal collection to use as an accelerant?"

Ashala crossed her arms. "You don't think so, Commander?"

"Have you actually looked at the liquor shelf? Nashara Tashaeis was an avid wine collector. But there isn't a single bottle of anything that could be used to start a fire. So there was no reason for there to be a bottle of grain spirits anywhere near this apartment. Yet, that was exactly what was used ignite the fire. If you get close enough, you can still smell it."

"I'm sure you can," Ashala growled. "Although, I'm starting to wonder about your own investigative skills."

Niveas tilted her head slightly. "Oh?"

"I'm talking about you going around touching everything in here. You could be contaminating vital evidence. Or did they not teach you that on Palaven?"

She's trying to provoke me. How quaint. "It was hardly a concern."

"How can the integrity of evidence not be a concern to you?"

"I listened very closely to when chief Sosstra told me about the building's security system. Anyone who is skilled enough to break in here would surely be competent enough to not leave physical evidence behind."

Ashala looked like she was about to say something, but her comm unit signaled her. "Yes, this is Captain Ashala. What? What do you mean somebody is on their way up here? Who the hell authorized this?"

Niveas raised her hand. "Oh, that would be me, Captain. I asked that the original designer of the building's security system to join us here."

"Larzza?" Sosstra's voice rose an octave. "You brought him here? Do you have any idea what he did the last time he was here?"

"I understand there was an altercation."

"An altercation? That damned lunatic physically threatened me! There is no way I will allow him back here..."

Her words were cut off as the elevator chimed its arrival. Apparently, Detective Layash had managed to keep the news of Larzza's arrival quiet until he was almost up the elevator. I'll have to get her something nice when this is over.

The doors opened, and the most grizzled salarian Niveas had ever seen stepped out. Larzza was only in his early twenties, but the scars across his face made him look like he was over fifty. He had a very impressive physique for a salarian, and carried himself like someone who knew how to kill. Niveas knew a former member of STG when she saw one.

Larzza looked around the room, taking in the sight of the three others around him. When he saw Sosstra, a wicked grin stretched across his scarred face.

"Tarraya Sosstra. I thought I smelled mediocrity. I understand you managed to get one of your tenants killed."

Sosstra turned to Ashala. "Captain, I must protest the presence of this salarian! He has a history of threats against this building and its employees."

Ashala responded immediately. "Commander, I cannot allow him to remain here. There are protocols that must be followed. That includes the presence of civilians in a crime scene. Now, if he doesn't leave at once, I will...what is this?"

Ashala stopped as Niveas activated her omnitool and transferred a file to the Captain's own omnitool. "Captain, I am sending you the contact information of Councilor Lisana's office. If you have any objections to my appointment here, you can contact her directly. Until then, shut your mouth." Niveas pointed at Sosstra. "If you would be so kind as to give Larzza your datapad. I want him to look at the events of the night in question."

Sosstra reluctantly handed over her datapad. Larzza took it with a look of obvious amusement. "What did I tell you, dear? My security plan is only effective if you implement all of it."

Before anyone could respond, Niveas decided to continue. "Captain, it is my opinion that the killer entered this apartment by rappelling down from the penthouse, gaining entrance from this window." Her claw tapped the window next to the cha'sta tree. "Does that sound plausible to you?"

Ashala snorted. "Ridiculous. It's almost twenty stories from the penthouse to this window. There's no way that somebody could pull that off."

That caused Larzza to laugh. "Oh, please! I could come up with over two dozen names of people right now that could do it. Francois Toulour, Nnarish Halat, Kasumi Goto, Gaspar Foucharde. Those are just thieves. I haven't even gotten started on assassins yet."

"Then if somebody of your talents could think of it, why didn't you include it in your security plan," Ashala asked, her voice thick with venom.

"Oh, but I did. My plan called for electronic sensors to be installed in the exterior windows that would set off an alarm if they were ever removed." Larzza took a sharp breath. "Unfortunately, the owners of the building decided that was unlikely, so they excluded it from the plan. As I recall, they used the money to instead put in that gaudy monstrosity of a fountain in the lobby."

Ashala looked at Sosstra, her face flushing violet with rage. It was obvious that no one had bothered to include this in any report. It was an oversight that made both the police and the building's owners look incompetent.

Sosstra tried to regain some of her composure. "How are you so sure it was the window?"

Niveas held up a withered red leaf from the cha'sta tree. "If you'll turn your attention to the tree, you'll notice that several of the leaves have come off. It is very hard to do that. Cha'sta trees are extremely durable, and it takes a lot of force to dislodge the leaves, unless the leaves are dead. As you can see, this tree is in excellent health. The leaves were blown off by the wind as it rushed through the window as it was opened."

The room went quiet as everyone looked for themselves. Sure enough, the tree limbs had been blown forward by a strong wind. Niveas continued. "There is something else in this room that doesn't make sense. Nashara Tashaeis was a skilled biotic, was she not?"

Larzza spoke up first. "Of course she was. You think a granddaughter of Councilor Lisana would be untrained?"

Niveas' world came to a screeching halt. She turned to the two asari, and the mortified look on their faces told her everything she needed to know. Those futtari bitches! That certainly explains the secrecy behind this whole case. If I had known, that could have saved me a lot of trouble. I'll deal with that later.

"How do you know that? If you don't mind me asking."

Larzza must have picked up on Niveas' anger, because his face lit up like a child getting a present on his birthday. "I did a complete background check of everyone living in the building. Helps to know who might want to take a shot at the tenants before designing a system to protect them."

Niveas resolved to make the the rest of her investigation as excruciating to Captain Ashala as possible.

"Well, for somebody that well trained as a biotic, I find the distinct lack of a struggle here. It would be difficult to sneak up on a biotic in her own home without being detected. Yet, nothing is really out of place. The sofa moved a little, most likely from her collapsing against it. I don't know if you've checked those two bottles of Ash Wine, but you might want to do that. If I had to guess, I'd imagine you would find something added to the wine. My first guess would be lia'mellea, or some derivative. Which leaves us with one more mystery. Chief Sosstra, who exactly found the body?"

"The maintenance tech. She came up in the service elevator to clean the apartment."

"I see." Niveas turned to Larzza. "Could you go through the security logs of that moment. See if anything jumps out at you."

Larzza tapped away on the pad, examining the data with the speed that only a salarian could manage. After a few seconds, his eyes crinkled in anger. "Sosstra, am I to assume that the sight of a burned body caused some amount of fear in the maintenance tech?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I'll take that as a yes. It says here that she ran back into the elevator, activated the alarm, and took the service elevator back down, leaving the supply cart."

"Yes. So?"

Larzza tilted his head, studying Sosstra's body. "How much do you weigh? Fifty two kilos, give or take?"

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"So you can say that the maintenance tech weighed about the same. Fifty two kilos."

"Why..?"

Larrza angrily threw the datapad at her. "Then explain to me why the service elevator shows a total weight of one hundred and seventy kilos!"

Captain Ashala and Sosstra were finally rendered speechless. Niveas had to admit a certain warm feeling seeing those two bureaucrats with no snide comment or stupid excuse.

"Allow me to explain myself a bit more clearly. The full reason why your theory involving a volus revenge killing is wrong. The killer had to have a long time to set this up. First, he had gather enough information on the target to know she was actively seeking Ash Wine. He had to acquire the wine, add the lia'mellea to it, and ship it to Illium in such a way that it looked like it was sent through the TVA. Second, he had to come to Illium, obtain a false invitation to the naming ceremony on the penthouse, and somehow slip away without being seen. After that, he had to rappel down the side of the building, enter through the window, and wait for the target to get back. That means, the killer was in the apartment for almost five days before the killing took place. Now he knew the shipment of wine would be held by the security office, so he just had to wait for her to get home so she would order the shipment up herself. The killer then waits for her to drink the wine, letting the lia'mellea take effect. Depending on the dose, he would have plenty of time to tie her to the chair and move her into the kitchen, most likely to avoid having the fire spread. The marble floor was perfect to make sure the fire went no further than the victim. Now, I have to believe the bottle of spirits has some special meaning. It had to have been sent with the wine, so the killer obviously planned to burn her alive, using the special bottle he brought just for the occasion. Now, tying her to the chair indicates he wanted her alive for a while after she came to. Since her finger was cut off, I think the killer accessed the terminal on the desk, probably using the finger to get passed a fingerprint scanner. He then broke the bottle over her head, lit her up, and calmly waited for the cleaning crew to come in twelve hours later. Wearing a stealth generator, he simply got on the service elevator with the hysterical maintenance tech, and rode the elevator down to the lobby, and right out the front door. THAT, is why I believe your theory is wrong. From your report, the volus found out about the spec inconsistencies only two days before the murder. This killer most likely planned this for weeks."

At that moment, Niveas decided to leave the two asari speechless and dumbfounded. "I'll be writing my initial findings tonight. Tomorrow, I will be at your precinct house bright and early to brief your officers on the case as it stands. In the meantime, I would like to speak to Larrza a bit more. If you have the time?"

Larzza bowed his head in respect. "Of course, Commander. Always happy to help out a member of CID."

As Niveas and Larzza walked toward the main elevator, Larzza glanced back at Sosstra. She was the only one to catch his thin lips forming the words kiss my cloaca as he headed for the exit.