The first thing she noticed was the cold, though she was nestled in a pocket of warmth the chill seeped into her skin. The next sense to return was hearing: the quiet sound of steady breathing, the tap of a boot against the floor. She felt a prickle of awareness, a stranger's gaze raising goose bumps on her flesh.
Liara's eyes shot open and she sat up, or at least tried to. There was a clinking sound as the cuffs binding her wrists to the bedpost restrained her. Bedpost. Oh Goddess.
Liara flailed at the sheets that had been draped over her form, struggling to free her legs from their confinement as she pushed herself farther back for leverage; finally free, she lifted her head to confront her captor.
And found Shepard straddling a chair she had turned backward, resting her arms along its back with that maddening smirk playing about her lips as she watched her hostage wake.
Liara frowned, trying to recall what had happened last night; she remembered her dismay when she had discovered the gown she would be forced to wear to the evening's festivities, the arrival of Shepard and that first shock of awareness as she had draped the necklace over her neck. The dinner and following dance was a blur of lights and laughter, but after… she had followed Shepard from the hall, believing in her assurance that they were only taking a shortcut when Liara had remarked on their direction.
With a shiver she recalled the feel of Shepard's sturdy body ranged against her, pushing her inexorably back to the wall. The cool stone against her back and the warmth of Shepard's breath at her ear. There. That was the missing piece.
!
!
Shepard hadn't left her captive's side since she had first laid her in that bed hours ago; for a time she had lain beside her, studying the graceful symmetry of her features as her lashes fluttered in sleep. She had been tempted to reach out and run her hands over that skin, just to see if it was as soft as she had first thought, but with a nearly herculean feat of self-control she had restrained herself. Barely. Hence why she had relocated to the uncomfortable chair, determined that she would not give in to her base desires. Liara T'Soni was a hostage, a means to an end and she would not jeopardize the objective by allowing herself to be compromised in any way. She knew the nature of slippery slopes and was determined she would not fall prey to her own scheming.
T'Soni shifted and Shepard groaned softly at the sight of a bare, shapely, thigh; with all her tossing and turning the covers had twined lovingly around her, the dress riding slowly up to her hips. Shepard indulged in a fantasy of crawling across the bed, pushing the skirts the rest of the way up and draping the asari's legs over her shoulders as she feasted on the flesh only just concealed by the thin material.
She was beginning to seriously regret the charitable impulse that caused her to cuff T'soni to her own bed rather than simply making use of the cell they had devised for the purpose; she'd thought of the chill that pervaded the small space, the doctor's attire wasn't exactly suited to lower temperatures, and then there was the ever-present concern of what her crew might do.
Shepard wasn't naive; she'd lived by her own wits for years before she had joined forces with the Tenth Street Reds. She had encountered every type of predator and knew it was fear and respect that had spared her the unwanted attentions of the scum on these streets and her crew-mates all those years ago.
Trust and awe held them in check now, and there were those among her crew she knew she could trust regardless, but she couldn't take the chance of some twist getting their hands on this little slip of an asari. The Tenth Street Reds weren't known for their mercy, especially not when council races were involved. It was all for the sake of her cause, she assured herself; that justified her keeping watch over the prisoner.
Justified yes, but that didn't entirely account for it; there was something primitively satisfying about seeing the doctor lying in her bed, the sheets would absorb her sweet scent, hold some trace of her warmth long after she was gone- and it would be some time before they surrendered her to her people, she would see to it. She needed time to get this shameful fascination out of her system, lust was clouding her judgment and she was unwillingly intrigued.
Liara lacked the typical foibles of her people, the arrogance in the set of their shoulders, the disgust not unmixed with trepidation that came over their faces when their eyes rested too long on a human. Shepard smirked, that hadn't been displeasure in Liara's eyes last night when she had first answered that shy blush that rose in her cheeks and her uncertain fumbling in the few minutes that followed had been entirely at odds with the heat in that first appraising look and that gown that did almost nothing to cover her raising questions about the rumored asari promiscuity.
She couldn't be as artless as she pretended, asari culture simply didn't lend itself to that kind of innocence; tales of their exploits and guile had become a byword among non-council races and council races alike, one of the few matters they could agree on. She was probably agonizing over her unexpected attraction to an inferior being, likely she had restricted herself to dabbling among her own kind and so was caught of-guard by her reaction to a human.
Shepard felt a predatory smile spreading over her face, her body warmed at the thought that danced temptingly through her mind. Wouldn't it be a sweet irony to return the doctor after she had been thoroughly and willingly debauched by her enemy?
Shepard was no longer certain she could find the line between her objective and her perverse desire, but then she wasn't entirely certain she cared any more either.
As though she sensed the new direction of her thoughts, Liara began to wake. Her eyelids flickered rapidly as she tried in vain to burrow further under the covers, eyes cracking open slowly as she suddenly began to flail against the covers, pulling herself up as far as the cuffs would allow; she shot a panicked look at the cuffs and redoubled her efforts, crossing her thighs protectively when she found the blanket no longer offered its meager protection.
Shepard's smile widened when she saw the dawning comprehension in the asari's eyes, followed by disbelief, suspicion, a flicker of fear quickly replaced by defiance and scorn. She had such an expressive face, every thought reflected in those soft eyes- it was almost human. She hadn't been expecting that, but her ability to adapt swiftly to the unexpected was one of the things that had earned her this place among the Reds.
Liara's eyes ran down her form slowly, taking in her pose and the uniform once more, conducting a brief search for any obvious weaponry before she leaned back, making a palpable effort to appear poised and unaffected.
"I'll skip over the questions of where I am and how I got here, but I would like to know why." She arched a brow in question, lips pursed as she waited for an answer
Shepard chuckled darkly, appreciating the show of bravado. "Since you asked so nicely, I will tell you that you are currently in my quarters; I brought you here after the party last night- it required quite a bit of work on my part. As to why you're here… the answer is both simple and complex."
"Give me the abridged version." Her voice was flat and angry, eyes sparking dangerously.
Shepard stood, stretching ostentatiously as Liara glared murder at her, after so long in the same position her muscles must be aching, but it would have been unwise to remove the restraints. Matriarch Benezia was known as a powerful biotic, Liara was sure to have inherited some of her mother's talent.
She had meant to draw this out a little, tease the doctor with a hint here and there until she jumped to all the correct conclusions; a little test of her scholarly acumen to pass the time. She had expected that Liara would wake frightened and confused; nothing in her sheltered existence could have prepared her for this, yet here she was bearing up under the strain admirably.
"Alright. It's been more than twenty years since the First Contact War, humanity is one of the fastest growing species in the galaxy, yet we have no say in council affairs. Does that strike you as fair? It doesn't sit well with me, or with most of the Alliance planets in fact. Unfortunately the council seems to have their collective heads stuck up their-" Shepard cut off, smiling cuttingly, "Well. I'm sure you take my meaning."
"You think abducting me is going to make them reconsider? This is just the sort of rash, unconsidered action the council would expect humanity to take. As a whole, you lack patience!" Liara snapped, she shifted her position in marked agitation. "I take it I'm to be the proverbial whipping post? You cannot attack the council directly and so you will choose a proxy to demonstrate the perils of refusing Alliance demands."
"We can't all live out the millennium, Dr. T'Soni. You are mistaken in one respect though."
"By all means, enlighten me."
"Your abduction is only a means to an end. We have every intention of releasing you to your people unharmed."
Liara leaned back against the headboard, studying her, weighing her words. "I see. You will keep me here while speculation runs rampant; the media will run their stories about the failed peace-keeping mission. The council will demand answers from the Alliance, growing more frustrated each day as their search turns up nothing. Then, in a miraculous turn of events I will be "rescued"; the Alliance will make a show of providing the very best protection possible on my return voyage to Thessia. They will assure the council that they are assiduously seeking the perpetrators. It is your hope that the council will see this as some sign of honorable intentions on the part of humanity and permit your race a seat on the council. Do I have that about right?"
Shepard winked, "Well reasoned. I can see why you were chosen for this visit."
"I was chosen because of the position my mother holds, not any personal merit." There was a shade of bitterness there; Shepard tucked that information away for later use.
"This is not a good idea at all. I know your face; you can't think I won't tell them everything I know and the longer you keep me here the more I will learn. Tactically, you are in a tenuous position at best. You don't have the resources to hold me for long, and if you think a band of petty thieves and aspiring terrorists can outwit Alliance forces you are sorely mistaken. Release me now and I will say that I cannot remember the faces of my aggressors, I will tell my people that the abduction was poorly planned and likely organized by a small group representing a political minority. The visit will continue as planned and the council will be satisfied that Earth has opened itself up to outside influence."
"After all the trouble we went through to bring you here?"
"You constantly refer to this ephemeral 'we'. I see only you." The asari's eyes glittered suspiciously; tears? She couldn't possibly think that that would sway her.
"Be thankful for that. The others still aren't sure why you need to be unharmed or even alive when we deliver you to the Alliance patrols."
!
!
Liara swallowed nervously to wet her dry throat; as much as she wanted to learn what she could of her fate, right at this moment she wished Shepard would leave her in peace, even if only for a few minutes.
There was no accounting for this sense that she had been betrayed. Betrayal was predicated on a foundation of trust, she had no basis for the amount of trust she had placed in Shepard. None. Ergo she had no right to feel betrayed because she would first have had to trust Shepard.
She had. Foolish as it was she had trusted Shepard for no better reason than a sharp uniform and a pretty smile. It was irrational. She had met the woman sometime tonight or last night, spoken to her for all of a few minutes, exchanged a few glances and snuck a few covert looks but this breach of trust felt wrong. It was just another mark of her inexperience, another reason for her mother to coddle her and keep watch over her every footstep. Her first time assuming a mission of any importance and she had been effectively stalled before her work had even begun.
Liara tried to find something to say to break the silence that had settled in the room, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up her facade; she was still coming to terms with all that had happened these last few hours, only now beginning to realize the depth of the trouble she had landed in.
Shepard tilted her head sideways, fixing her with an assessing stare not unlike those first few moments from yesterday. Liara flinched when she saw how much flesh the dress and sheets had managed to expose, what was covered seemed artfully displayed rather than concealed. A new fear took root as Shepard's last words penetrated the haze in her mind, would Shepard give her over to her comrades if she failed to cooperate? What was her definition of "unharmed"? It was singularly ominous, waking in her captor's bed, but aside from her glances Shepard had made no move to take advantage. Liara was grateful, and maybe a little disappointed; had Shepard's interest been entirely feigned? Did she think her any less in some way simply because she was not human?
No. A reaction like that could not be faked so easily, even a great actress would have had difficulty engineering a show so convincing as that, but then Shepard was a gifted actress else how had she gained entrance to the notoriously secure Atrium?
It wasn't that she wanted Shepard's attention particularly, the woman had proved herself a foe and Liara was not keen on the idea of becoming a sympathetic captive- she was familiar with the literature on Stockholm's Syndrome; it was only that no one had ever looked at her in quite that way. Shepard had looked at her and seen her, had noted every detail of her as though she were the most absorbing being in the universe. No matter what she pretended, there had been a moment when she had seen not Dr. Liara T'Soni, daughter of Matriarch Benezia but Liara, maiden scholar- and hopeless romantic apparently.
She had a similar look on her face now, taking in every detail of Liara's exposed flesh as though the fate of entire worlds depended on her ability to chart every freckle. When her gaze shot up suddenly to lock with her own Liara found breathing became far more difficult. Shepard's admiration was not unmixed with calculation this time, and Liara wondered what she might be plotting now. Still devising a strategy to further human interests or were her thoughts focused more on what she might do with a young asari at her mercy?
Those lingering glances she had reveled in during the party had taken on a new and sinister meaning, now when Shepard's eyes caressed her form appreciatively she felt vaguely threatened, though her body still seemed to heat in every place her captor's eyes touched. It was not only her stifled tears that caused her breath to come short either, but she was heartened to see the flush rising in Shepard's cheeks, the darkening of her eyes as her pupils expanded to swallow her iris.
Shepard lusted for her, despite her obvious distaste for aliens, despite this whole situation she was unwillingly drawn. That could be exploited and turned against her if there was ever need, or at least she prayed Shepard might be distracted in such a fashion.
Liara's head was starting to ache from her near constant attempts to engage her biotics despite the dampening technology integrated in the cuffs. She reminded herself of the definition of insanity, repeating the same actions continuously and expecting different results. She subsided, blinking her eyes to clear them of frustrated tears.
One crystalline drop escaped to trickle down her cheek slowly and Liara cursed her weakness, arranging her face into a mask of indifference she knew her captor would never believe now. She jumped when Shepard strode to the side of the bed, reaching out to brush the tear away almost tenderly with her calloused thumb.
"You can cry." She murmured, searching Liara's eyes for signs of any more tears that might escape.
"Of course I can, did you think I would be a dumb animal? An emotionless mech?" Liara hissed, turning her face away. "I realize my comfort is far from you first priority, but these restraints are hurting me. I would give you my word I will not attempt to escape now if you would release me."
Shepard laughed mirthlessly, "So that's the game? You've found that your biotics don't function all that well in talent-dampening restraints so you muster a few tears in the hopes that pity will move me to give you the opportunity you need to make a run for it."
"Did I not say I would not attempt escape?"
"And what good is a prisoner's word?"
"Only as good as her captor's, I suppose. Please, just loosen the restraints."
It galled her, having to speak those words, having to say 'please', further proof that she was not prepared for life outside her dig-sites. She couldn't even orchestrate a proper escape attempt; the thought had indeed crossed her mind that her tears might cause Shepard to lower her guard, but now even that hope was gone. And what if she was telling the truth? What if there were more of her compatriots outside? She wouldn't be able to fight them all off and she'd end up right back where she had started from. Better to bide her time, form an estimation of what she was up against, and maybe see if she could show Shepard that humans weren't the only beings capable of honor and decency. If indeed they were, which recent events had rather thrown into doubt.
Her heart thudded in her chest as Shepard approached, she reached toward the restraints and then pulled back, a stern frown settling on her face. "Before I release you, allow me to make something clear." Liara blinked at the flash of biotic power that sparked and glimmered over Shepard's skin.
"You're not the only biotic present, and if I suspect you've so much as entertained a passing thought of making a run for it, I will not hesitate to use this against you."
A human with biotic talent? That was unexpected and unwelcome news; it seemed to be the day for it.
She sighed with relief as Shepard undid the cuffs, braced and ready for any sudden movements. Liara had no intention of breaking her word at this juncture; it could make any future attempts all but impossible. The object now was to get Shepard talking, find something in common and try to make a bid for sympathy, respect- anything.
Liara rubbed her chafed wrists soothingly, it seemed her gloves hadn't been adequate protection against the bonds; she had pulled the covers protectively over her hips, straightening the dress and trying in vain to pull the bodice up just a little further. Shepard reflected that she would have to find her something more suited to the occasion, a little warmer and a little more concealing preferably. She had enjoyed the view and could appreciate what that glorified negligee did for her scholar's body- her hostage's body, but the thought of any of those bastards downstairs drooling over that outfit was enough to put her in a foul temper, and it was apparent that Liara herself was discomfited by it. The matter was settled- it had to go.
She looked up at Shepard, her posture indicated belligerence but her gaze was questioning, "Can I stand?"
Clearly she was bracing for an argument, Shepard stepped back and gestured her out of the bed; "That would be best, now that you're awake you can move downstairs."
She was watching Liara's face closely enough to see the surprised lift of her brows, a sudden release of tension in her shoulders. "You're not going to keep me here?" Liara gestured to the bed, straightening the fall of her skirts with her other hand.
Shepard smiled provocatively, "As much as I'd love that, I get the feeling you wouldn't be half so keen. You get your own quarters for the duration of your stay, though I can't speak for your comfort."
Liara nodded, still considering. When she spoke her voice had dropped another register, sending an unexpected tremor the length of Shepard's body; "Do you have something a little warmer I could wear?"
Without the blankets or any clothing designed for the weather, it was chilly; Shepard noted her nipples peaking against the thin fabric and Liara turned away when she saw the direction of her gaze, "That was a request, not an invitation."
"I know the difference." Shepard stalked over to the corner of the room, keeping Liara in her sights at all times, her biotics flared threateningly when she dared take a step closer and Liara froze, putting up her hands in a placating gesture. She pulled one of her old coats from the storage unit there and tossed it to Liara, "You can wear this until I find something better."
Liara pulled it over her shoulder snugly, noting that it was still a little too tight in some places, a little too loose in others. Shepard's eyes flashed with interest before her face cleared once more. "Now, if you're ready?" She gestured toward the stairs at the other side of the room, and after one last thorough scan of the room Liara complied with her unspoken demand.
Something told her it wouldn't always be this easy, and she looked forward to the challenge.
!
!
"What the hell do you mean she's missing?"
Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko was certain that he'd had worse days, he just couldn't think of any right now. It was supposed to be an honor, being assigned to security in the Atrium when the Alliance was entertaining a notable figure. So far, it had all been one massive headache after another.
His superiors had made it quite clear that he was responsible for the safety of one Dr. Liara T'Soni, the archaeologist who should have been making her introductory speech even now. He had been delayed last night by a commotion on the Western grounds and had heard that another guard had been temporarily assigned in his place; he was to report the following morning to resume his duties. With his head pounding from a migraine and his lungs filled with smoke by an amateur's make-shift incendiary, he hadn't really stopped to question the order. He was deeply regretting that now.
Williams would have it even worse; she had worked hard to obtain this posting, overcoming prejudice and nearly impossible odds. If they didn't solve this soon they could both end up court-marshaled to appease the Asari.
"I've checked everywhere she might have gone- library, gardens, convocation hall; I put a team on it. No one has seen her since last night. When I asked around I heard that she was last seen leaving the banquet hall on the arm of a guardswoman. No one could give me much, but I think it's safe to say she was supposed to be your replacement. Problem is, nobody has seen her either and I can't find any record of you being excused from duty. That means that Dr. T'Soni is missing and you are under suspicion."
"You know me better than that."
"I'm not the one you have to worry about, Ambassador Udina is in a temper and he's going to have to tell the Asari sometime. She's been gone for nearly twelve hours now by my estimation, he's going to have to tell them and heads are going to roll."
Kaidan bit back a frustrated sigh, this could not have come at a worse time; there had been scattered protests when the news broke that an asari would be visiting Earth, many felt that if the council was not ready to recognize the Alliance then their emissaries should be turned away whether they were directly tied to the council or not, still others worried about "alien influences' and the necessity of protecting Terran culture. It was difficult to convince the politicians to change their plains, ambassador Udina especially had been vocal in his support of the motion and so no one was shocked when an invitation had been extended to Dr. T'Soni in spite of the tumult.
And now she had vanished, and Kaidan had no doubt it was some group of malcontents deciding to flex their muscle. The problem was that they were well-organized; not everyone could breach Atrium security, it would take a great deal of resources and at least a few inside contacts, meaning that short of Ashley Williams there was really no one he could be certain of. That might not matter much longer though, Udina was furious and would probably push to have another squad assigned to finding Dr. T'Soni; if that happened he would be lucky if he was only busted down a couple ranks. No, somehow he needed to convince Alliance command that he was the man to lead the search, and that Gunnery-Chief Ashley Williams was the only soldier competent enough to help.
Ashley's voice came muted to his ears. "Speak of the devil, here's the old bastard now. He's probably going to want us to debrief them; he's going to throw us to the dogs."
Kaidan looked from Ashley to ambassador Udina, approaching at a rapid clip with a face like thunder.
"Brace yourself. I have an idea that might save our skins and T'Soni's."
Ashley groaned, "I hope you know what you're doing, sir."
"We'll find out soon enough."