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Chapter 29

My eyes shot open as the forces of gravity demonstrated their powers, pressing me into the aged cushions of my seat. Sharp blue light showered the cabin's interior in a momentary maelstrom of color, disappearing as quickly as it had come. The cabin remained silent save for the wailing of a young child. Even Vale's rhythmic snoring had ceased. I looked about wildly, my thoughts still fuzzy with sleep, still clouded by memory.

"Relax," a familiar tenor drawled next to me. Vale shifted in his seat, knees still pressing against the chair in front of him. "It's only the relay. The jump's already over, see?"

I followed the line of his finger as he directed my attention once more out the viewport. The massive relay dominated my vision, brilliant lights flickering in the void, adding a spot of color to an already impressive view. It was an incredible feat of engineering and I could only wonder as to the genius of its design. But that was a puzzle better left to those more suited to it than I. At present, I had more pressing matters to deal with.

"How long until we dock?"

Vale shot me an unreadable look, brows furrowing ever so slightly. "You in a hurry?"

I schooled my expression to neutrality. "Just curious. I've never been to Illium before." I licked my dry lips and turned my eyes once more toward the viewport, the twinkling stars barely visible amidst the glow of the relay.

"Given the average speed of our transport, I'd guess it will be about a standard cycle before we make it planetside." I heard the rustle of fabric as he shrugged beside me. "Give or take a few hours."

I pursed my lips in annoyance. "Accuracy is not your strong suit, then?"

"In situations like this, Sweetheart, it's always a crapshoot."

I cringed inwardly at the unfamiliar term of endearment, his unassuming tone adding additional insult. "Don't call me that." Another rustle of fabric sounded beside me, brushing against my arm softly, but I pushed aside the sensation and continued to stare into space.

"What would you prefer?"

The warmth of his breath tickled the bare skin of my neck and irritation flared anew at his unnecessarily close proximity. "You've arranged to meet your contact, I assume?" Ignoring his obvious bait I changed the subject, enjoying the brief huff of annoyance that escaped him.

Vale sunk back once more into his seat, pausing only momentarily before answering. "I have. She's made arrangements for us."

"Do you trust her?"

"No."

The word fell like a stone from his lips, but the certainty in his voice surprised me not at all. His mysterious contact was a means to an end and the only one of his numerous allies who had responded to his queries. She was a last resort and had the potential to limit the disaster that was his latest endeavor. The knowledge that I was likely the cause of his current quandary was both frustrating and satisfying, and I found the amalgam of conflicting emotions quite vexing.

Despite my continued aversion to his presence, my curiosity remained. I could not pin him down, couldn't quite figure him out, and it was an ability I'd always prided myself on. I knew people – knew their desires, their motivations, their weaknesses, but this man continued to defy all logic. He doggedly pursued his goal, chasing the opportunity for wealth and power even as he dodged death to rescue me, and yet toward me his behavior constantly fluctuated. His mood seemed ever changing, his motivations a mystery, and I wondered as to the truth behind his stated goal.

I could not get a fix on him and it irritated me to no end.

"Tell me of the arrangements." I felt his eyes upon me even as I continued to look away, pretending to be mesmerized by the slowly receding shape of the relay. Its flickering sharp lights had faded, settling down into a faint glow as the monstrous machine awaited its next activation.

"She's reserved us a room at one of her hotels on Nos Astra." Vale shifted in his seat again, attempting in vain to acquire more leg room and alleviate the pressure on his knees. A frustrated curse escaped his lips as he banged against the seat in front of him, settling once more into an uncomfortable position. "Damn bastards pack us in here – screw comfort for credits."

I hid my smirk and attempted to ignore his grumbling, focusing instead on gathering information. I was curious as to just who this woman was. "She owns the hotel?"

"She owns several." Vale snorted, slouching down into his seat and angling his legs toward the aisle, his knees finally free from pressure for the moment. He let out a long, easy sigh and closed his eyes in relaxation. "She's got her fingers in quite a few different pies."

I nodded, his description familiar. I did not doubt, given Illium's infamy, that Vale's contact had the ability to assist us, but it was the price of her cooperation that I questioned. While I did not consider myself business savvy, I was hardly naïve enough to believe aid ever came without payment. Our skills would buy her support and I had little doubt she would require our use on multiple occasions. However, I had no desire to trade one boss for another, a known entity for that which was wholly unknown.

I turned toward Vale, his eyes heavy-lidded and a half-smile upon his face. "And when are we to meet this contact of yours?"

He made no move, but even in the dim light I saw the muscles of his jaw tighten. "She'll be in touch."

Needless to say I found the situation unsettling at best. I studied him a moment longer, still ignorant of his motives, still questioning his ability to seemingly remain so calm in the chaos we currently found ourselves. I doubted he had a plan at all, following whatever whim sounded most profitable in the moment, and reaching blindly for whatever assistance luck had available. However, if Aria's intelligence was correct and he was indeed a Cerberus lackey, it was likely a clever ruse to keep me off guard and always guessing.

I frowned as the thought sunk in, fueling my ever-increasing resentment towards this man. Why I had ever let myself believe I could tolerate his presence for mere intelligence gathering, I could not say. He was aggravating, and while he occasionally showed glimpses of cleverness, I could not help but doubt his consistency. The only characteristic of his that had remained stable since first we met was his innate ability to irritate me.

I sighed heavily in annoyance and turned my attention toward the void. Truly, I was on my own.

The remainder of our trip passed slowly. I whittled away the hours staring out the viewport and contemplating the various impediments that had been thrown in my general direction. I had not thought to ever be in such a quandary, although in hindsight, I had never given much thought to anything but the hunt, to the pursuit of purpose.

I was a fool and I allowed my dark humor to bubble forth, a wry smile curling my lips. I was quite fond of disposing of fools. A pity I had not planned better. Glancing at him, I supposed Vale would have called me paranoid. However, had I been so, I doubt he would be at my side to point out the obvious.

Light filtered through the cabin, the golden glow of Tasale building in intensity the closer we drew to our destination. The flight had taken longer than I had hoped, although the pilot's decision to navigate around the asteroid belt instead of through it was worth the delay. I had no desire to end up a smear on a space rock and time was the one luxury that I could afford at present.

From what I could tell, Vale had remained awake during the last leg of our journey, occasionally shifting in his seat and vacating it twice to make his way to the washroom. For my part I ignored him, listening instead to the shifting sounds of the travelers in the cabin. Their mutterings had grown louder the brighter the sun's light became, anticipation and excitement building as did Illium's shadow.

I marveled at the planet's beauty, the scene before me so at odds with my knowledge of its reputation. White wispy clouds gently blanketed the blue and grey landscape beneath, hazy shadows flitting across the land. A shower of light danced beneath us as the transport adjusted course, navigating toward Illium's dawn and our port of call.

I let slip a light sigh of relief, pushing aside my anticipation for practicality. Taking advantage of Vale's absence, I pulled our baggage from the overhead compartment and set in on my lap. I had little desire to struggle with our possessions amidst a throng of passengers eager to disembark, and so sat back in my seat, bag in hand, and waited for the travelers' tension to disperse.

Vale returned shortly thereafter, his eyes darting briefly to the bag in my grip as he took his seat, his posture awkward as he attempted to angle his legs toward the aisle. He grumbled irritably as passengers bumped and brushed against him in their hurry to vacate the transport. I did not hide my amusement, which served only to darken his mood, and I reveled in his discomfort. By the time we finally stood to leave, Vale was suitably aggravated and I was thoroughly enjoying myself, my mood made all the more spectacular by the view that welcomed me.

I was greeted by the sunrise as we stepped into the open air of the spaceport. Countless rays of pink and purple, shot through with streaks of yellow and fading indigo dominated the brightening sky. The lofty towers, while partially obscuring my view, actually added to my awe. Brilliant architectural marvels dotted the horizon, the simplicity of the statuesque designs amplifying the grandeur that was Nos Astra. Finally, I understood why visitors would risk much to travel to Illium: it was breathtaking.

"If you're done gawking, I've got us a cab."

I closed my mouth, realization dawning that it had been left hanging open in my wide-eyed stupor. My earlier humor evaporated and I joined Vale at the transport hub, the whine of the cab's engines pulsating loudly as it powered up. I tossed our bag into the back and hopped in, Vale following behind me. He punched in the coordinates of our hotel and we were off, my first glimpse of Illium behind me, the lingering threads of awe remaining. I smiled softly in thought. I might actually enjoy myself here.

We arrived at our hotel with little difficulty and I kept my eyes open and senses aware during transit. I needed to familiarize myself with the area and concentrated my focus, keeping my awe at bay. I need not exert myself as the streams of traffic did not present the spectacular view that the sunrise had.

Upon arriving at the hotel an asari clad in crimson met us, directing staff to offer assistance as they fanned out in greeting. A bright smile lit her face as she approached and Vale greeted her with a warmth I had never before witnessed. A burst of irritation churned in my gut, but I forced it aside, choosing instead to study the layout of the lobby as we entered the opulent building.

A large fountain dominated the area and a veritable simulated jungle of rich plant life was strewn throughout the lobby. The asari's heels echoed loudly against the imported marble flooring as she led us to check in at an oversized desk, her bright smile never faltering once. Vale took care of the arrangements as I listened with half an ear, taking note of the number of staff and exit routes. While the lobby was an open area, I felt more at ease with the added cover of flora. I could understand why plants had a calming effect as they were distracting and could provide impromptu cover when need be.

Satisfied with the arrangements, Vale regained my attention as we made our way to the lifts and eventually our room. I smiled at the wistful carvings decorating the double doors only to frown upon entering our room. One bed, no matter how luxurious, would not suffice. I tossed the bag onto the floor and shot Vale a sharp look.

"What?" He asked innocently, sinking into the soft mattress with little heed to the question between us. He patted the space beside him invitingly. "You really need to feel how comfortable this is."

A noncommittal grunt escaped before I could stop it, and I glared out the window, the scenic view of the horizon doing little to assuage my mood.

"Jin," he patted the bed again almost playfully, an expectant look on his face.

I shifted my glare toward him, eyes softening as they met his, a gentle smile spreading across my face. Maintaining some semblance of dignity, I glided over to the bed and leaned over him, licking my lips ever so gently. I watched as the muscles of his jaw twitched, the steady rhythm of his breath catch, and inwardly celebrated my tiny triumph. Without a hint of remorse I snatched two pillows quicker than he could blink and tossed them onto the floor, pulling the knife from my boot and testing its sharpness.

"I believe the floor will suffice." The tone of my voice brooked no argument, and with no need for further conversation, I embraced familiarity and moved through the motions of my forms. Vale, for his part, remained silent upon the bed and the remainder of my day was blissfully dull.