Slow and steadily, Zaeed and Aranya were lead up the steps. Rifles of various design were pointed at their backs the whole way, though neither felt the slightest tinge of apprehension. Dodging bullets was an occupational hazard for a couple of former mercenaries. Others would see it as a dilemma, but the two knew that things could always be worse.
Aria T'loak, notorious dictator of Omega, stood in front of the furniture near the edge of the balcony as they climbed the final step to what some would call her 'throne' or what passed for one at least. The ruthless asari stared out at the large holographic display of dancing asari strippers with her body pivoted slightly to the right and her arms crossed just below her chest.
The two shared a confused glance at one another before turning back to the asari dictator who remained as motionless as a statue.
"Well..." muttered the ragged voice of a very old krogan sitting on the furniture that went unnoticed by the two until he spoke. "So these are your guests for the night, Aria?"
"It would seem so old friend," replied the asari with her trademark mischievous tone. "Though I rarely have guests so openly willing to discharge weapons so close to my person," she said remaining motionless.
"I found these two together. There's a salarian down stairs with half a head," said Anto before shoving the two closer to Aria.
"Then I guess you better get someone to clean it up, am I right?" Aria said to the batarian, turning her head to the left so as to see him in the corner of her eye.
Clinching his needle-like teeth, he replied with in inaudible growl, "Yes, ma'am," and then waved for two of his men to follow before heading back down the steps grumbling silently to himself.
Finally turning around to face the captured couple, Aria uncrossed her arms and smiled saying, "Zaeed Massani, haven't seen you around these parts for some time. Nice to see a not so familiar face around here.
Knowing just how ruthless the asari was, he fought back the temptation to make a witty comeback for her comment on his scarred face. "Feeling's mutual, darlin'. Sorry bout' the mess. My friend here goes through ammunition like she does guys' hearts," that remark earned him a deadly glare from his estranged asari partner.
His comment struck a chuckle from the asari dictator before she said, "You haven't changed a bit Massani. I always preferred you being the one tugging on the Blue Suns' leash. I've had to step up my security considerably over the past 20 years because of your old business partner."
"That makes two of us, love. That's actually why we're here," he replied.
"I know, I figured as much when I realized it was Ish your friend shot down there. He is—was quite the established information broker on Omega. Besides, how else were you going to get my attention?" replied Aria, shifting her weight on her right leg.
"Well, it wasn't exactly my idea." he said giving Aranya an angry glare.
"Well, you gotta admit it worked out alright," Aranya replied, matter of fact.
"SO FAR. We still got a little more talkin' to do, Aran!" he snarled back at her.
"Relax, you did me a favor by killing that bastard... So anyways...now that you have me..." said Aria as she turned around and sat down on the furniture, crossing her right leg over her left. "What would you like to discuss?"
Prompted by the asari's question, Aranya immediately stepped forward saying, "We came here to buy some information on the whereabouts of Vido Santiago from Ish, but it turns out he was vague on the fine print. The data said you have what we need."
"Whether that pitiful salarian actually knew I did or simply assumed it, he was correct. The Blue Suns account for more than half of the underground traffic here on Omega. I've had more than a peak at their operations. As I've told many: nothing goes on here without me knowing it," said the asari dictator, finishing with a smug grin.
Planting one foot firmly in front of the other, Zaeed took on a stern expression and tone. "We need to know where he is!"
Surprisingly, his demand invoked laughter from Aria. The ruler of Omega, smiling, turned to her krogan companion sitting across from her and said, "Well, Patriarch, it appears humans truly are as lame witted as they say."
"Indeed," the old krogan replied to her while keeping his gaze on the two. "You disrespect the rules of Afterlife to force an audience with Aria herself, and then you make your demands without first offering a benefit in return for her services?" the krogan asked, his eyes fixed on the human bounty hunter.
In a shocking turn of events, Zaeed quickly pulled a concealed pistol out of a hidden compartment on his grieve and aimed for the Omega ruler's head. The four batarian guards along with Grizz, the only turian in the room on Aria's payroll, in turn pointed their guns at the human with their fingers tight on the triggers of their weapons. Ready to execute him without hesitation if Aria should so desire.
Zaeed was unflinching even with so many weapons upon him. "I'm not playin' your bullshit today, darlin'! So here's how it's gonna be: you can open that pretty mouth of yours and let the words I wanna hear pour out, or I'll carve your face till it looks worse than mine!" he said venomously.
Aria didn't so much as furrow a brow, much less blink an eye. Her krogan companion seemed a little surprised but without fear in his eyes.
"Just what I've been looking for..." she spoke. Zaeed kept his rifle aimed between her eyes as she rose and stepped closer. "Aggressive, determined, no fear of death... don't fuck with me I won't fuck with you attitude..."
"What are blabbin' about?" said the bounty hunter as he narrowed his good eye.
"I'll tell you what I know. I'll even give you a small army to hunt the bastard down," she started.
"What's the catch?" he retorted, knowing the answer would be something most displeasing.
…
A thick red haze fell over his vision as the fleeting images blurred before his eyes. Visions of pain, suffering, and ultimately death accompanied by an all too familiar feeling of hopelessness and inevitability. A feeling that had only one word to speak of in his heart: doom...
Men and women, not human but alien with tendrils that protruded from their faces, either ran from the approaching chaos, or simply fell to their knees and prayed as their fate, determined before they were even spawned into existence, swallowed them up in a fiery blaze.
The images began to overlap faster and faster, all the while a faint heartbeat filling his ears growing louder in perfect sync with the speed at which the images passed before dying out all together and being replaced by the image of an alien embryo; the faint heartbeat now like a deafening drum...
He awoke surprisingly mildly in a cold sweat, somehow having resisted the urge to jump up from the couch. He darted his open eyes slowly around the room while keeping his body motionless, only to be reminded by the familiar cabin that the visions were nothing more than a vivid nightmare he'd thought long gone since the events that had taken place two years earlier.
His senses slowly crept back to him allowing him to feel the warmth of the slender arm lazily draped over his chest with the three-fingered hand attached to the end of it on his shoulder. He looked down to see his wife's naked, sleeping form cuddled next him; her leg wrapped around one of his own and her head nestled into his neck. A small smile spread across her supple lips as shallow breaths escaped her nostrils and warmed his chest with each continuing exhale.
He listened quietly and heard her small heart beat. Though shallow and soft, it beat with a strong sense of contentment that could only result from the deep sense of safety his presence gave her. Back-tracking his thoughts for a moment, he realized the heartbeat he had heard in his dream must have been coming from her. Or at least that would be the comforting conclusion to a disturbing train of thought...
With a heavy sigh he felt the last of his unease vanish and his muscles relax allowing him to slip back into sleep, but before he could shut his eye lids all the way, Tali began to stir with a slight moan and lifted her head up to look at him with sleepy, half-open eyes; the smile still spread on her lips.
"Hi..." she said before yawning deeply.
Shepard smiled at the innocence in her voice. "Hey there. I didn't wake you did I?" he said half concerned and reached out to stroke her cheek with his index finger.
"No. I slept wonderfully..." she sighed lightly then noticed the bits of sweat formed around his forehead. She knew they're love making had been somewhat...intense, but was he really that overworked from it? "Are you well? I didn't keep you from sleeping did I?" she asked with equal concern as she opened her eyes fully.
He had a passing thought of including her in his sudden onset of visions, so much like those he experienced only when communicating with the Prothean beacons, but decided against it. She had enough on her plate right now without having to worry about some frivolous dream of his. Instead he'd go with her assumption.
"I don't mind. It was totally worth it. You were incredible..." he said stifling a chuckle.
With a hint of a giggle, her smile widened and she replied, "Speak for yourself. I can honestly say that I am thoroughly...satisfied..." she finished using a teasing, seductive tone.
Hearing such openness from her made him laugh. "You're such a naughty little minx!" he replied.
Tali drew herself back and gaped her mouth wide with a gasp. "I'm naughty? You've probably done all sorts of perverted things to all the human women you've been with! I saved myself for you," she leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms, faking a pout.
"Well I didn't hear you complaining when I put my years of practice to good use tonight," he said, grinning wide.
Tali gasped and jabbed him in the shoulder, barely containing her giggling as she did so. Both laughed heartily before he responded by pulling her down onto him for a soft, long kiss. When they broke, Tali rolled off of him and both sat up next to each other on the couch, Tali leaning her head on his shoulder as they did with her eyes closed and her heart filled with a deep sense of contentment and safety.
Sighing, Shepard snaked an arm around the back of her neck and laid it to rest on her shoulder as he looked out through the 'moon-roof' just above their bed and stared out into the vast void and contemplated the beauty of it's design.
"Tali?" he asked after a minute of silence.
"Yes, John?" she replied in a sleepy voice.
"What do you believe?" Tali craned her neck back and looked at him in puzzlement. "About life, existence...everything? Who or what created the universe and what happens to us when we die?"
She thought about his question for a moment, letting her eyes drift around the room while she tried to come up with an answer. She gathered her semblance and explained as best she could.
"Well...most quarians believe that the universe was woven into existence by the deity, Keelah. And we believe that when we die, our spirits travel to the afterlife to become part of the collective body of our ancestors, and that they will always watch over us and protect us in dark times," she replied.
"What about you?" he asked.
"It's what I grew up with, the only faith I've ever known. I suppose I have no other choice but to accept it..." she was silent for a moment with her eyes trained on the floor before turning to him and asking, "And what do you believe in, John?"
Keeping his gaze on the stars, he said, "I've always considered myself a skeptic, but in all honesty, I really don't know... Part of me says that there can't be a God. Why else would he let something as evil and twisted as the Reapers silence trillions of lives every fifty-thousand years. Surely existence has to be the result of the an accident. But then I look deeper. It was something Ash told me once and I think she was right. The universe, in all it's complexity, is too perfect to be the result of an accident..."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Let me put it this way... When two individuals wish to leave a matter to chance, they flip a coin. Chance dictates which side that coin will land on and ultimately determine the result. But in order to have chance, there must be a coin. The same principle applies to life. In order for the universe to be born, something has to give it that chance. To conclude this illustration, God must provide that chance..."
He turned his head to see her staring at him in bewilderment. "At least...that's what I figure makes the most sense," he added with a brief smirk
She laughed and he grimaced in confusion. "What?" he asked.
"Nothing, I just...never knew you had such insight on faith," she replied, shifting slightly from where she sat.
"I have insight on lots of things..." he paused momentarily and traced his eyes up and down her body before gaining a sly expression. "For one thing...I know you're ticklish!" Like a varren pouncing its prey, he dove on top of her and began tickling each side of her neck furiously. She squirmed and laughed uncontrollably while trying to slip out from underneath him.
"John, s-stop!" she strained to say between breaths. He ignored her pleas, however, and continued in his tickle attack.
"Tell me what a bosh'tet is!" he said, his cheeks straining from his wide smile.
"S-stop it you b-bosh'tet!" she almost yelled in reply.
"I asked for a definition, young lady!"
"A-alright, alright!" she finally gave in, if only to stop the tingling for a few seconds. "Oh keelah..." she sighed with her hand on her chest, feeling her heart rate slowly calm. "A bosh'tet is..." she crept away from him carefully before answering, "You!" Laughing heartily, she leaped from the couch and dove onto the bed, grabbing the bed sheets and quickly throwing them over herself in a futile attempt to hide from him. To her surprise, he didn't follow. She crept under the sheets to the edge of the bed and peaked her head out to see him grinning while rolling his eyes and shaking his head at her adorable display.
Seeing that he had given up his pursuit, she slipped her upper body out from under the sheets and propped her chin up on her hand using her elbow for support. Both stared back at one one another, each with their heads tilted slightly with a small smile. Unfortunately, reality wouldn't allow them to slip away into each others eyes before...
"The quarians just finished installing the new sensor array, commander. EDI needs another hour or two to run a diagnostic to make sure everything's in working order so you might wanna gather the crew before we set off," said Joker over the Normandy's intercom.
Shepard sighed lightly, "I copy that, Joker. I'll be down in a few minutes," he replied, noticing that Tali had rolled onto her back groaning in annoyance at the disturbance.
"I wish time would simply stop for everything but us..." she said with a fain of disappointment.
"I'll be sure to add that to Mordin's to-do list," he replied laughing.
Walking over to the foot of the bed, he bent over and kissed her, her face seeming upside down from his view, and then patted her on the shoulder saying, "Come on, the sooner we set off, the sooner we get to pick up where we left off."
That said, Shepard stepped over to the nightstand near his side of the bed and opened it, slipping on a pair of briefs before continuing with his Cerberus uniform. Tali too began dressing, starting by grabbing the lingerie tossed on the floor at the foot of the couch and then heading into the bathroom where her suit lay in a crumpled mess. While she took her time dressing in the bathroom, Shepard decided to check his private terminal for any important updates, whether from the admiralty board, the council, or Liara, there was usually always something that needed his attention. This time he was mildly surprised to find an encrypted message from the council waiting for him. Strange since they usually contacted via haptic interface projection. Nevertheless, he would be glad to humor them.
A quick input to confirm his identity and the text appeared across the screen. He wasn't even ten seconds into reading it before his eyes widened in horror and his mouth gaped.
"John, could you help me with the back-straps?" asked Tali as she climbed down the steps and approached him, the upper portion of her suit hanging loose from the sides of her waist. Shepard was silent, turning to her slowly after a moment. "John?"
"Get dressed and power up the drive core, we're leaving." he said hurriedly.
"What? What happened?" she asked, terror sinking into her voice.
He seemed to tone her out as he opened the intercom and said, "Joker, prep the engines! We're leaving now!"
"Hold up, commander! Most of the crew still aren't back from the Neema yet," replied Joker, sensing the tension in his commander's voice.
"Then call them back!" he snapped before quickly regaining his sense of discipline. "Just get it done," he added before closing the intercom and hurrying to the cabin door.
"John, you're scaring me," Tali said, trying to remain calm despite her husbands sudden onset of rashness. She struggled to assemble the last pieces of her suit as she stumbled up behind him before he quickly turned to her.
"There's been an attempt on Anderson's life. They can't risk saying anything more on a unsecure channel. We need to get there ASAP!"
…
The crew was already scrambling to their stations when he stepped out onto the CIC with Tali in tow. He quickly jogged over past the galaxy map and ran up into the corridor, stopping at the airlock doors. Only seconds past before the doors unsealed and his team sprinted in one by one. He performed a mental headcount, keeping track of who came aboard as each ran in.
"Miranda...Thane...Garrus..." he halted his train of thought to wait for the next expected crew member to enter but no one did. He double checked with EDI anyway. "EDI, is everyone aboard?"
"Negative, Zaeed Messani and Aranya T'konis have not reported in," the AI replied.
His instinct was to immediately use the communicator. "Zaeed, Aranya, we depart in five! Where the hell are you?" maybe they were simply ignoring him out of mutual spite, but he still expected a reply. "EDI, track their signals. Find them." EDI's reply came almost instantly.
"I do not detect their bio-signatures anywhere within a two kilometer radius. However, the Neema's database records an unauthorized shuttle departure taking place only three minutes and eight seconds before the ceremony."
Damn. He'd had a nasty prick in the back of his mind about that asari since bringing her aboard. Why the hell would they abandon the mission with no explanation?
"Seal the airlock. Keep an eye out for any activity on the extranet but for now...they're on their own..." thought it felt partially like abandoning two of his crew members, their current mission took priority and any trouble those two heathens got into were their own problems.
A/N: The next chapters will pick up in pace a bit. If you've enjoyed reading up to this point, please review! Your reviews, critical or not, are always appreciated! Thanks!
~Mozer