A/N: Hey, all you wonderful people Sorry about the brief disappearance. I tore some scar tissue from the surgery and ended up at home and off my feet all weekend. I am back now and ready to rock!

Just a few notes for this chapter:

Morinth will not be offering to join Del in her mother's place. That's part of the game that always puzzled me (and maybe out of my own stupidity, misrememberance, or misunderstanding)…but I could never quite grok why Morinth would make such an offer. She clearly does not know who Shepard is as she doesn't recognize her during her seduction. She knows nothing about her mission against the Collectors. She honestly doesn't even have concrete proof Samara and Shepard even know each other. For all she's aware, Samara caught sight of her by accident and followed her home. Even if she suspects the pair are acquainted (such as in the cases where you can choose the paragon/renegade options that allow Shepard to resist her thrall) to her mind it would be more likely that Shepard was working for Samara, employed as bait.

In any case, her declaration to Shepard that she is as strong as her mother and her offer to join her mission make no sense if she doesn't know there is a mission or that Shepard is the one employing Samara, not the other way around.

So…yeah. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

A stream of cold water flowed from the back of the sink, spilling over Del's bruised and aching right hand. Her fingers had swollen, the whole appendage an angry, accusing red.

She was going to hear no end of this from Chakwas.

As the pain started to numb a bit from the cold, she switched the water off and gingerly dried it.

Warmth and softness pressed to her back, seeming to bring with it that faint surge of unsteadiness again, as if the world around her had canted to one side, ever so slightly. Morinth, a field dressing in hand, reached out and wordlessly took her wrist, gently turning her. "Here…this will help," she cooed.

Shepard simply stood, silently watching the woman's face as the asari wrapped the stiff bandage around her hand and fingers. The dressing was soaked in a thin anti-inflammatory medi-gel and a light painkiller that immediately numbed her hand far more efficiently than the cold water had.

Shepard barely felt it. She was staring at Morinth.

Almost completely identical…the same sweep to her cheekbones and jaw, the same color eyes…everything.

She had not known a mother and daughter asari could so strongly resemble each other. Morinth had the same commanding grace as her mother did, the same classy allure that had made Del so self-conscious during her and Samara's initial meeting. In her heart, of course, Del was devoted to Liara but she was still human, and could appreciate beauty.

In fact, given her childhood and how long it had taken her to even know beauty existed, she probably appreciated it more than most people, coveting the small pieces that she found, collecting and hoarding them jealously.

"There," the asari murmured softly, letting her fingers sweep softly over the bandage as she finished. As her fingertips swept past the edge of the dressing and over the skin on Del's forearm, Shepard cleared her throat awkwardly, struggling to get a handle on herself.

She forced herself to take a step backward, putting a little distance between them. "Thank you," she said, then turned and walked a few feet away, rubbing her neck a bit as she contemplated the apartment. "Uh…nice place. You decorate?"

The throaty chuckle behind her sent prickles down Shepard's spine, and for a moment, she could feel the woman breathing on her ear again, though she was still standing feet away.

She can not only seduce you, not only kill you…she can persuade you to commit atrocities…and you will want to do them. You will want to obey her every command. Until I arrive not only your life, but your very essence, your spirit, will be in the gravest of peril.

Shepard closed her eyes briefly. Her gut was warning her but even that felt dim and distant.

No, I'm stronger than this. I'm stronger than she is…

"I did," Morinth replied. Shepard's eyes snapped open as she felt the woman's hand slide over her shoulders, not having even heard her cross the floor. "Come, why don't we make ourselves comfortable?"

Taking Shepard's good hand again, she drew her over to sit down on the sofa. Knowing it had to be only a matter of moments before Samara arrived, Shepard simply screwed down her determination and held fast to it. Morinth seated herself close, her posture turned to face the human woman.

"How is your hand?" Morinth asked.

"Better now, thank you," Shepard replied, feeling more centered. "Was a damn stupid mistake…"

"You moved like a warrior," Morinth approved. "Like wrath embodied."

"I uh…don't know about that," Shepard gave a feeble smile. "I've just been in a few bar fights before, that's all. I have a bit of a temper. You…uh…you like fighters?"

"Passion, violence, power…it's all so primal, don't you think? Like a drum-beat, the pulse of your heart…the galaxy likes to pretend it's so civilized. Such a lie. I am attracted to…honesty."

"What is honest?" Shepard asked, feeling off-center once again. A flush, as if she had a low fever, was spreading over her skin.

She's so beautiful…a goddess…

Goddamnit, Del! Stop that! She's trying to get into your head!

Morinth had slipped closer, her fingertips trailing molten heat over Shepard's cheek before they slipped through locks of ebony hair. She twirled these as if fascinated with their texture.

"Power is what is honest," she answered softly. "Those who do not deny their nature, their impulses. The weak lie to themselves, pretend all is safe and peaceful. People like you and I know better."

"Know better…"Shepard heard herself languidly murmur. Morinth smiled ever so slightly.

"Shh, darling…I think the time for talking is over, don't you?"

The slight unsteadiness, the faint allure…all of that was nothing compared to what happened next. As Morinth leaned even closer, Shepard felt as if her inner self was lifted up into the air, whirled around in a riot of color and whispering voices. All thought was banished save one…Morinth. Anything to please Morinth.

There was no Normandy. There was no crew, no mission, no Liara…no Del. She was nothing any more but raging, mindless desire…desire to kill, to tear apart, to merge, so long as it was at this woman's behest.

Yet, this was only the beginning, only the asari's first touches as she closed her claws around her prey. Shepard was barely aware of the fingers that threaded deeper into her hair, of the lips that suddenly closed upon hers. As Morinth's eyes, unseen behind their now closed lids, shifted to black that tempest of madness within began to gain strength.

Then, deep inside, some tiny instinctual desperation…the same desperation that had been forged in the Room, the same desperation that had pushed her time and time again through impossible odds…made one last frantic pulse.

Survive.

Hands thrust forward, sending the asari woman crashing to the ground, tearing her lips away from the human commander's. So startled was Morinth by the unprecedented action that her connection was broken. Reality rushed sickeningly back into Shepard's head, making her mind spin.

Shepard tried to rise from the couch but her legs refused to hold her. Weakly, she half tumbled to her knees, the tips of her broken fingers brushing over a cushion as she caught herself. She felt drained, washed out.

"How did you do that?" Morinth gasped a breath before she recovered her wits. Her face hardened, blue sparks starting to light around her hands as she began to surge forward, determined to make her kill.

She hit a wall of biotics, the pulsing wave slamming her back off her feet and sending her crashing against the wall.

Samara had arrived.

Her stomach roiling, the vertigo in her head making the room rock and lean like the bow of a storm-lashed ship on the ocean, Shepard tried to get back up and once again stumbled down. Gripping the arm of the sofa she grit her teeth, looking up as Samara strode past, her uplifted hand keeping her daughter pinned.

"Mother…" Morinth snarled, struggling against the power holding her, her eyes narrowing.

"You have no right to call me that!" Samara retorted.

"You cannot change what is!" Morinth wailed, gathering up her strength. There was a brilliant flash, a concussive wave of biotics sweeping toward the justicar. It knocked the shaky Shepard back off her feet even as she finally regained them, throwing her to the floor even as Samara stumbled backward.

In an instant, it was an all out melee as the two powerful asari engaged. The air crackled and lanced with dark energy, art tearing off the walls, furniture lifting as each woman tried to gain the advantage over her opponent.

It was clear, even to the dazed Shepard, that they were evenly matched. Ignored, she managed to get back to her feet, her head clearing even more as her legs seemed to steady. A footstool swept past her face, narrowly missing her.

Then things calmed slightly. Morinth and Samara grit their teeth, both having managed to catch the other tightly in the grip of their biotics. Neither could break free from the other, nor did they dare to release their opponent.

"I just want to live, Mother!" Morinth spat. "Like any other person in this galaxy! What right have you or anyone else to take that away?"

"Like you take the lives of others?" Samara responded. "You made your choice, Morinth!"

"They were weak! I am strong! I deserve to live!"

Wiping a hand under her nose, Shepard strode on a weaving course over to the pair, ignoring the way the dry, snapping static of their biotics danced over her arms, tingling madly over her skin.

"You're not strong," the human woman growled, even as she lifted her foot and slammed it against Morinth's hip. The blow sent her careening off-balance, her eyes wide as she stumbled to the ground, losing her hold on Samara.

Instantly the justicar was advancing, sweeping her daughter up in a web of sapphire light and lifting her high. Their eyes met a moment, and Morinth gave a terrified, weak little shake of her head.

"Don't-"

"I love you," Samara murmured, before she whipped her hand to the side. Morinth sailed with bone-crushing force into the wall, head first. There was an audible crack as both her neck and her skull gave in, her limp body falling to the ground.

The static in the room died along with the biotics, a stillness settling over everything like a blanket. Shepard was aware of her own pulse pounding faintly in her ears.

"Are you all right?" Samara asked, and Shepard turned to look at her, stunned.

"You're worried about me?" she asked, shocked. The woman had just been forced to murder her own daughter…and she was concerned about Shepard?

"I was afraid I had not made it in time," Samara said quietly. "I was…it is shameful to admit, but there was a moment where I lost track of you. It delayed my arrival. You…you could have suffered greatly because of my mistake."

"The last thing you should be worrying about right now is me," Shepard stated, her eyes falling on Morinth's crumpled body. Samara's gaze followed the human, her normally stoic posture seeming to sag a little, ever so slightly…a vulnerability that Shepard had no doubt the justicar did not often display.

Ignoring her still faintly trembling legs, she reached out and lightly took the asari's arm, giving it a gentle tug. "C'mon, let's get you out of here," she said softly. Samara did not resist, turning and walking toward the door. Shepard paused only to pick up her guitar case, carefully swinging it over her shoulder again.

"You have an electrolyte imbalance," Chakwas reported, sounding both terse and impatient. She had not bothered to lecture Shepard about her newly broken hand, wordlessly stripping off the field bandage and setting about treating it…but her tight jaw and thin lips betrayed her displeasure.

The fractures were, of course, worse than they had been before. After taking care of the hand, Chakwas had done a full scan on the commander, and now was shaking her head at the results.

"Normally I only see this kind of imbalance in biotics."

"Well, the biotics were flying quite…liberally," Shepard mumbled.

"Being exposed to another's biotics does not cause this, only wielding them," Helen shook her head. "Since I doubt you've spontaneously become a biotic there must be another cause I'm not seeing. Can you tell me anything else about what happened?"

Shepard said nothing, only shook her head slightly. She hadn't told Helen about what had happened in too much detail, only that she and Samara had gotten into an altercation with another powerful asari. No one besides Shepard knew the truth about Morinth…or her relationship with the justicar. Del could only assume this imbalance had come about during Morinth's attempts at mentally overwhelming her.

Helen knew that she was keeping something back, and the doctor was less than happy about it. Almost angrily she let out a sigh, snapping open a nearby cooler and tossing Shepard a juice pack. "Fine then. Drink that, and another with dinner. I want to test your levels again in twenty four hours, make sure you've recovered from your 'mysterious mishap'."

"Helen…"

"I'm your doctor, Shepard. I cannot do my job in treating you if you withhold vital information from me."

"I know," Shepard replied, then sighed. "I will check back in tomorrow. Am I good to go?"

Goddamn her and her stubbornness, Chakwas thought, then gave a sharp nod. "Go on. If you experience anything untoward, however, I want you right back here. Ma shang, as you are so fond of saying."

"Understood," Shepard agreed, getting to her feet and heading for the door, the juice pouch in her hand.

"And do not hit anything with that hand again, for at least three days!" Chakwas barked after her. "Or next time I'll just let it stay broken."

Though she had already been there for twenty-four hours, Liara still felt a bit of wonderment as she walked through the Thanatos base toward the lift, trailing after Conroy.

Built just under the skin of a moon called Folsberg, the base (nicknamed the 'Folly' by its inhabitants, tongue-firmly-in-cheek) extended nearly three miles underground. It seemed to be an endless bustle of activity as engineers, programmers, weapons-techs, and specialists of every stripe prepared for the arrival of the Normandy- an arrival which was just a few minutes away.

As the pair entered the lift, Liara couldn't help but fiddle at her tunic slightly, her brows knit. Noticing, Conroy gave a slight smile. "You ok, Doc?"

"I am fine," Liara replied, looking over at the human man. He was tall and handsome enough, but his skin was the pale, slightly yellow tone of one very ill…a sad fact only punctuated by the medical pack fastened to his back. Two clear tubes extended from it, one sinking permanently into his arm, delivering vital medications, the other tucked almost discreetly into his left nostril, providing supplemental oxygen.

Despite his condition, Conroy seemed eternally chipper, very charming and quite flirtatious…which had flustered Liara at first, before Sydney told her that he was the same way with anything that even remotely resembled a female.

At her words, Conroy smiled a little. He nodded and looked upward, as if he could see their destination through the roof of the lift. "Yeah. I'm looking forward to seeing her again too," he teased lightly. Liara blinked, straightening a little.

"You have met Del? I thought you had only been with Thanatos company a few months-"

"I have been. Met her just before I joined up," he supplied, smiling at her. "We were on Omega, about to do a run for Archangel. She bummed a smoke off me, then knocked me unconscious as we started our jog across the bridge. To pay her back, I blew up a bunch of vorcha for her. It was fun."

"She knocked you out?" Liara asked, horrified.

"Well, she did it for my own good. I wasn't as sick as I am now, either…so don't worry, she wasn't roughing up invalids. She put me down easy instead of shooting me in the back. When I asked her later why, she said it was bad form to shoot someone who'd just given you a cigarette."

Liara shook her head in wonder, but couldn't help the small chuckle. "That sounds like Del," she agreed.

The lift drew to a halt and the doors parted, exposing a vast and bustling space. Sydney was striding toward them, a smile on her lips. "Just in time," she said as they stepped out, heading for her as well. "She's just dropping now."

A warning bell began to ring, forms clearing the center of the room as the ceiling seemed to iris open. The faint shimmer of an atmospheric barrier could be seen, maintaining the integrity of the room's environment. The trio watched as the Normandy slowly lowered through the barrier, its struts extended. It eased to the dock floor as softly and gracefully as a flower petal coming to rest on a pillow, more than displaying Joker's deft hand.

As the frigate settled, the ceiling irised closed again.

They resumed their course forward as the airlock opened, disgorging several forms. Liara saw the engineers emerge, Tali in their number. Catching her quarian friend's hands she smiled at her before drawing her in for a hug.

"It is good to see you," she murmured happily.

"It's good to see you too, Liara," Tali replied, returning the hug tightly.

"I am so sorry, Tali…about everything that happened at the Flotilla-are you all right?"

"I know," Tali replied, drawing back a little as she looked at the asari. "It was…hard for a while and it will never really go away but...I-I am better."

"I am glad, and I am glad you are here," Liara replied. She, like Shepard, held a great deal of affection for the young quarian, and learning of the accusation of treason, the death of her father and her friend, had been difficult. With her so far away, Liara could not even be there to comfort her, and a message seemed so detached and clinical.

"Hey, save some hugs for me."

They turned as Shepard came out off the ship, a faint grin on her face. Liara smiled as the human opened her arms, then moved forward and embraced her.

"Del," she sighed happily, gripping her tightly. She drew back slightly, cupping her face and then blinking in surprised delight. "Your eyes!"

Gone were the red and gold synthetics. Now, warm and familiar dark brown peered back at her, a most welcome sight.

"Yeah," Shepard grinned. "Chakwas and Miranda did the surgery yesterday. They're still a little tender and they itch now and again but apparently that's normal for a few days."

Seeing someone approach, Shepard glanced past Liara's shoulder and blinked in surprise, loosening her arms.

"Hey, don't stop on my account," the man grinned, holding up his hands. "The only thing better than two beautiful women hugging is if they're hugging me."

"Conroy?" Shepard blurted in shock.

"See, I knew my rugged manliness was imprinted indelibly upon your brain," he laughed. "It's good to see you again."

"Joseph works for Sydney now," Liara supplied. "He has been helping with small arms weapon schematics."

"Well, I'll be," Shepard murmured, then drew Liara a step or two to the side with her arm still around her waist, getting out of the way as more of the crew began to disembark. "You mean I have to put up with him for a whole week?"

Joseph feigned being wounded as Liara looked at her solemnly. "Yes, I am afraid so. However, you will also have to put up with me, so I hope that is some small consolation."

"Ouch," Joseph laughed, planting his hand over his chest. "Well, I'll leave you two alone. If you need me I'll just be in the armory, hanging myself."

He gave them a grin and a wink before striding off. As he left, Liara turned back to Del, one hand cupping her cheek lightly. "How have you been?" she asked softly, a note in her voice that concerned the commander.

"I'm fine," Shepard told her, becoming concerned at the look in the asari's eyes. "Few minor bumps and scrapes but…what's the matter?"

"I just…I have had this feeling that something horrible had happened to you." Her cheeks darkened faintly and she looked down a little. "I am sorry, I am foolish. I am sure it is just the weight of this mission, knowing the dangers you might be going into, and…"

"It's all right, Liara," Shepard told her, ducking a little to meet her eyes. "Knowing you I'm sure you've been overworking yourself again as well, haven't you?"

Liara smiled softly. How she had missed those eyes! "If you are implying that I am a stubborn workaholic I would simply like to point out that I had a very good teacher, Commander."

"Oh, is that so, Dr. T'Soni," Shepard smirked. "Well, then it sounds like this week 'off' will be good for both of us."

Shepard had one rule she made adamantly clear, and Sydney had firmly passed it on to her people. With all the upgrades going on with the ship, there would be engineers and workers moving throughout, accessing every area and nearly every system.

So, the rule was simple: No one touched EDI.

All but a very small handful would know that EDI was anything other than an advanced VI protocol that helped coordinate the ship's systems and warfare suites, but Shepard didn't want to take the risk of some asshat messing in the AI's 'mind'. The AI core would be completely locked down against access and EDI was more than willing to play 'Mindless VI'.

Joker was, himself, rather fed up with VIs. Shepard's electronic counterpart was still his faithful puppy, tied to his omni-tool. It was a source of much delight to the members of Thanatos, to see the pilot wandering around the complex with an amusing and rather vocal representation of Del dogging his heels.

"Driving your pilot insane seems like overkill to me," Sydney told Del, snapping buckles into place with expert ease. Liara stood nearby, arms outspread and a faintly bemused smile on her face.

"I am tempted to retain a copy of the VI myself," the asari murmured.

"Do that and I just may never speak to you again," Shepard huffed. She was kneeling at the asari's side, adjusting the target pack strap and securing it. Liara's bemused expression only grew, and she arched a brow as she looked down at the human woman.

"I think it is charming," she stated.

"Charming? It doesn't even sound like me, it sounds like a chipmunk with a head-cold. Every other word out of its mouth is about asari or blowing shit up-"

"Sounds like you to me," Sydney joked, folding her arms with a shrug as Shepard finished securing Liara's target. The brunette glowered at her as she got to her feet, picking up her own target pack and slipping it on.

"Sorry, what was that, Syd? I couldn't hear you over the bullshit."

"It could be reprogrammed," Liara pointed out, watching as Del buckled up her straps. "Voice and manners. It would not be difficult to do so for someone who knows you."

"Don't you dare," Shepard warned, fixing her with a look. Liara's smile grew sly and Del's frown grew. "Liara, I mean it."

"So, Sydney," Liara said smoothly, ignoring Shepard as she glanced over at the smirking blonde. "It seems you are at a disadvantage. Two against one…this does not seem quite fair."

"Deeds will be here any moment," the blonde told her. "Honestly, it's you two at the disadvantage. Del may be able to wipe the canvas with me when it comes to boxing but this is one thing she's never beaten me at, and you have never before played."

"I am a swift learner," Liara replied.

"You'll be fine," Shepard said, folding her arms. "Sydney likes to brag but it's all hot air."

"Oh, is it?" Sydney huffed.

"Usually it is," Deirdre agreed as she strode in, her face coy. "In my experience, at least."

"See? I knew I'd like her. She agrees with me," Del smirked as Sydney shot her love a baleful look.

Shepard and Navis had met briefly the night before, shortly after the Normandy had put down. She had seemed just as surprised as Liara had at learning of the relationship between the pair, and Liara had seen a vaguely hurt look in her love's eyes. Not at the idea that Sydney had moved on, of course, but that she had not shared the information.

"You're late, Navis," Sydney grumped with mock disapproval.

"Fashionably on time, thank you," Navis retorted. "Not that you'd know anything about fashion."

The banter only continued as Navis strapped on her own target. Shaking her head with a chuckle, Shepard walked to the wall and took a ball off the rack, before pitching it rather forcefully at Sydney.

"If you two are quite done," she smirked as the blonde startled at the impact, fumbling and barely managing to catch it before it fell. "This is my vacation and I'd really like to wipe the floor with you."

Liara had never played zero-gee ball before. A hybrid of touch football and baseball played in an anti-gravity environment, the game was remarkably simple and yet complex at the same time. That Sydney had a z-gee court on the Folly had made Shepard no end of giddy; she had not played since N7 training.

No biotics were allowed, of course. The walls were softly padded to prevent injury. The target packs strapped to their chest and back were designed to register 'tackles'…a touch of sufficient force would result in a flashing light and a low vibration.

She walked Liara through the rules before they began, but the young asari seemed to swiftly get the hang of it once the gravity had been turned off. Soon she was quite clearly enjoying it, throwing herself into the game with a dogged determination. Still, the blonde human woman and the older asari were vicious competitors, clearly not softening things down in favor of the newbie. Shepard and Li were hard-pressed from the get-go.

Still, though they were losing, the score was respectable as they neared the end of the game, all four women dripping with sweat. Sydney had the ball and had worked up quite a bit of speed. She tumbled over Liara's head as the archaeologist sailed in, and tagged the first base. The pad lit up and Syd careened off the wall, sailing for second. Shepard dodged Deirdre and snagged hold of Liara's hand, hitting the wall with her left arm and leg even as she hefted, sending the asari sailing for Sydney.

As Syd tagged second base and dove toward third, Liara swept by with only centimeters to spare. Her feet hit the wall, her legs coiling before sending her off again with a powerful shove. Just as the blonde neared third base, one hand outstretched to tag it, Liara slammed into her, tackling her off course. The human's target began to flash and buzz, and the pair bounced into the wall.

"Goddamnit!" Sydney huffed, tossing the ball aside as they recovered. She wiped her forehead, giving Liara a sideways smirk as the time buzzer went off. "Nice save, but we still won."

"Next time," Liara panted a promise, then laughed as Shepard swept in from above, catching her around the waist even as she kicked off from the wall, the pair spinning away across the room.

"That was brilliant!" Del grinned, hugging her tightly even as they whirled. "The Mets would kill to have someone like you on their team."

"The Mets would kill to have anyone who knows up from down on their team," Sydney scoffed with a laugh. "They wouldn't know talent if it bit them on the ass. The Raiders, however-"

"Don't you start in with the Raiders again," Shepard barked at her, scowling over Liara's shoulder. "Branson is a complete fucktard and Philips wouldn't know a Sling if he had a busted arm! No one on the Raiders holds a candle to Stremick-"

"Stremick again? Really? Let me tell you about Stremick's stats-"

Deirdre had reached the floor and had braced herself near the room controls. "You two might want to lower yourselves before you finish this pointless argument," she teased. "Otherwise I'm going to turn the gravity back on right now and let you crash."

"It's not a pointless argument," Del retorted. "Sydney just can't admit the Mets are better than the Raiders!"

"It's not my fault you're completely wrong," Sydney replied, even as she moved toward the ground. As soon as the trio settled to a safe distance, Deirdre reinstated the gravity. The four women dropped solidly to their feet.

"I'm only 'completely wrong' because you're delusional," Shepard pointed out, not missing a beat. Liara rolled her eyes slightly and then bent in, kissing her cheek.

"Delusional or not, we're the ones that won," Sydney pointed out, barking a laugh when Shepard flipped her off.

"You two are like a pair of children," Liara teased gently as Shepard refocused on her. Del gave one of her patented lopsided grins.

"I'm badly in need of a shower, Dr. T'Soni," she murmured meaningfully.

"As am I," Liara replied back. Taking Shepard's hand, she looked at the other two. "Thank you for the game. We shall have to play again before the Normandy departs. Del and I need to…I believe the term is, 'even the score?'"

Sydney nodded, sketching a half bow. "Any time, Liara," she said. "Deeds and I would be more than honored to completely and utterly defeat you two again."

Shepard flipped her off again, giving her a shit-eating smile as the pair turned and walked out of the court.