When Fates Collide
Chapter 4
~ ~ ~The Professor's Interrogation ~ ~ ~
Restless and unable to sleep from her nightmares about the Skyllian Blitz, Shepard made her rounds about the rogue spectre's ship. Perhaps out of boredom, or even curiosity, she soon found herself below decks standing at the door to the brig that housed Professor T'Soni's cell. The woman cloaked in gray armor paced the passageway a few times before she figured, "Screw it! Saren's already pissed at me. He can't kill me more than once" and walked into the ship's brig.
The room was dimly lit, with the only light coming off the amber colored security lights. It was enough to move about, but not something you could read by. As the deadly soldier moved stealthily about the room, it felt eerily silent and there was a coldness to the space. She saw one of the cells had two geth guards posted in front of it. Using some of her learned battle skills, the redhead moved quietly closer to look inside the cell and heard the electronic hum of power vibrating off the guards. It made the rogue soldier grimace and put a bad taste in her mouth. I hate the Geth; firing trash cans.
The former Alliance officer peered further inside and found the prothean expert huddled in a corner, trembling and sniffling; trying to hold back tears. The copper redhead lurched back quickly trying not to be seen. An odd sense of panic filled her as she hurriedly left the room.
Several decks away the harden soldier wondered why she left in such a rush. Surely you aren't afraid of Saren? Widening her strides as she tried to put as much distance between her and the brig as possible, the emerald eyed woman imagined what it would be like for Matriarch Benezia to forcibly enter her mind. Now that scares the hell out of me. Shepard swiftly headed to her quarters and told herself, I don't care if you have to tie yourself down for the night. You aren't going anywhere else understood? Answering herself, the renegade marine spat, "Aye, Aye ma'am!"
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The next day, the turian spectre summoned Shepard to the brig to assist Matriarch Benezia with something he felt needed her attention. Dragging her feet, as she headed to the ship's main control center, the confident warrior complained, Wonder what he wants now?
Back on the ship's control center, the gray cladded fighter annoyingly protested the avian man's request that was more like an order. "Why me? She has like 50 servants. I'm not one of her puppets!"
Never removing his focus, Saren glared at his monitor. Not receiving the attention she wanted, Shepard spat at the rogue spectre, "What's the matter? Someone piss in your turian mush this morning?"
The enormous turian's head abruptly spun around a bit too quickly for her liking making the seasoned warrior to take a cautious step backwards. Perhaps this was not the attention she wanted either. The defiant woman returned his flat gaze until he returned to his work. Rolling her eyes, Shepard headed to the brig per ships captain's request, muttering under her breathe, "God someone shoot me, just shoot me!"
The elevator doors opened to the brig's passageway. A loud agonizing scream caught the marine off guard causing her to instantly reach for her assault weapon she affectionately named Maggie. In her opinion, it was the only thing in the universe she trusted, and the cold steel was her only friend. The veteran soldier pressed her back against the steel bulkhead in a defensive posture. Quickly scanning the passageway, Shepard suddenly heard another chilling scream but more faint. That can't be the Asari Professor? Firmly holding her weapon in both her hands the copper redhead started moving towards the brig, finding herself once more outside the brig's door. Another cry filled the passageway with fear. Dear God Shepard thought, She's killing her.
The former Alliance officer cautiously entered the room that was filled with screaming. The matriarch, being the only other person in the room, ignored the entrance of someone else in the space. The deadly soldier saw a brilliant blue light reflecting off the walls of the cell as she carefully approached. The screaming got louder as she moved closer. Almost to the edge of the cell, where the next step would put her directly in front of the locked chamber, the harden warrior paused and shifted her weight which instinctually caused her weapon to chamber a round.
The bright light abruptly extinguished and Matriarch Benezia glared at the green eyed human behind her. The asari's dark blue crest cocked with an almost impressed look on her face as she stared at the motionless soldier. "Are you to assist me?" Glancing down at the soldier's weapon in hand, "Or are you here to stop me?"
Behind the matriarch, the jaded marine heard the young professor's body fall to the floor. The rogue warrior awkwardly shifted her weight as she slowly put away her weapon. Not that she was afraid of the matriarch, but she had seen her powerful biotic powers first hand. Unlike her dealings with Saren, SHE warranted a great deal of respect. The copper redhead was particularly careful with her interactions with the asari matriarch. This is one woman she did not want to piss off.
Answering sharply, the gray suited woman remarked, "Help you."
An expression of smugness crossed Matriarch Benezia's dark blue face. She looked disappointed that the experienced fighter had not attacked. The very thought of it would haunt the soldier's sleepless nights for weeks to come. The once prestigious matriarch instead spun around and returned her focus to the now limp body lying helplessly on the ground. Clutching the sides of her head, the young asari looked exhausted and emotionally drained. It was late in the evening and the seasoned warrior could not believe she had endured this type of torture all day long. Swallowing hard, the former Alliance officer could only stare helpless at the poor destitute woman lying on the floor.
Without breaking her gaze, Saren's second in command reached for a soft purple cloth and wiped her brow and hands on the towel. Towering over her daughter's body, the Matriarch Benezia proclaimed, "That will be all for now." The esteem figure abruptly turned and walked away like she has just smelt something awful bad. The expression on her face was one of great disgust. The green eyed woman was unable to tell if it was because her only child would not break or from the deviant acts she had preformed.
The obedient soldier had been unintentionally watching the day's interrogation from a monitor in another room. She witnessed flashes of radiant blue light everywhere. Matriarch Benezia's biotics were truly unbelievably powerful as the entire brig filled with color. The human would stare gawking in disbelief as the professor would fall to the ground clinching her head in agonizing pain over and over again screaming, "Ugh! No! Mother, no!"
The harden warrior was shocked how little Matriarch Benezia seemed to care about her the blue skinned woman's well being. That was her daughter after all, and they needed her alive. The older T'Soni had tried several times to meld with the asari maiden, but she was still too strong to allow the intrusion. This went on for hours without stopping.
Shepard had heard that a melding between an asari mother and daughter was as natural to them as breathing was to mankind. Looking sadly at the young T'Soni laying exhausted on the cold steel plates, this time around, that was not the case.
With her back still turned to the weakened asari, the older asari glared from over her shoulder. Inhaling sharply, Matriarch Benezia admonished the abused asari. "Liara, you were always stubborn." Abruptly turning around, the prominent matriarch marched back towards the cell as she spat, "Succumb to the inevitable, Liara." When no reply came, the angry biotic threatened, "I will take the prothean knowledge from you!"
The young asari maiden's tear stained face glared defiantly up at the woman who raised her as streams of tears flowed down her pale cheeks. "No mother I won't let you in! I won't let you take it! This is not the way!" The blue skinned asari fell hard to the floor again from another assault. Her voice crackled as her body physically surrendered, "This is not your way!"
The hovering Matriarch Benezia hissed, "It does not have to be this hard. Just give in to me!"
Had the copper redhead not been attuned to the situation unfolding before her, and her battle sense not been razor sharp, she would not have noticed that the matriarch was also fatigued from the day of torture. Inside seasoned warrior's mind, it pleased her to know that it had not been easy for near millennium old asari. From her peripheral vision, Shepard attempted to further study the frustrated and weakened matriarch as she witnessed Saren's second in command's breathing had become labored, although controlled. Sweat beaded and languidly flowed down her face which she quickly removed with the soft cloth. Noticing that her dark blue hands were shaking slightly as she reached for a glass of water, the human smirked. The powerful biotic downed the liquid as if she had been the one stuck in the prothean security bubble on Therum for days.
The rogue soldier inadvertently released a curious "Humph" which caught the attention of the annoyed matriarch. The experienced fighter gulped hard and fixed her eyes as if she was intently focusing on the weak professor when the matriarch warned, "Careful human."
Not breaking her gaze, the cautioning sent silent shivers up and down the gray suited woman's back. The former Alliance officer briefly fought the urge to rebel against the older asari, but quickly came to her senses. I haven't been hit in the head nearly enough times to make me think that is a good idea.
The tall slender asari stepped out of the cell with the obedient human close behind and activated the security barrier curtain. Glaring at the green eyed human, the matriarch commanded, "Stay here!"
What now, I'm her guard dog? The jaded veteran snapped back in her head.
Before the door closed behind her, the long gowned matriarch glanced back at the cell and barked, "Let no one inside this room, Shepard. No one!"
The words 'no one' echoed in her ears. Is it just me, or did that sound like it included Saren? The idea entertained the marine's thoughts for several hours of the long night yet to come.
Silence filled the still room and all that could be heard was the soft humming of the ventilation system. It reminded the harden warrior of the peaceful nights onboard the ship when everyone else was slumbering. It had a surprisingly calming effect on the seasoned soldier. A soft trembling cry tore Shepard from her thoughts. Apprehensively strolling over to the cell, the copper redhead looked inside to see the young prothean expert's debilitated body lying on the cold steal plates.
The site before her instantly unnerved the human. As hard as she had become in over the years, the redhead could never justify hurting innocents. Her motto had always been, "I'm the big bad out there punishing the bad; not innocent civilians." The batarian torturing she had endured for two years had jaded her, but not completely drained her soul of all feeling.
Staring at the woman on the ground, the gray armored woman felt overwhelmingly compelled to do something, but she didn't know what. Do something, she berated herself, do anything. I mean look at her. The moppy redhead's brilliant green eyes filled with disgust.
Locating a pitcher in the cabinet of the room, Shepard filled it with cold water, then snatched up a cup and headed over to Liara's compartment. While balancing the decanter and cup in one arm, she tapped on the control panel of the cell with the other. Her fingertips were hovering over the keypad. There is no way the matriarch was going to make this easy. Think Shepard, think! Instantly her fingers typed in a faint idea. To her great surprise, the barrier dissipated, Wow, I can't believe she used that. Her eyes softened at the figure at her feet. Little Wing was the access code. Those late nights mulling over the crews files, including the great Matriarch Benezia had finally paid off. The code was her pet name for the young maiden.
Tenderness never being the jaded marine's strong suit worried her as she slowly approached the weakened asari. What if she thinks I am her mother and attacks?
The former Alliance officer meekly called out to the asari as she squatted next to her, placing a knee down on the surface. "Um, hello? Are you ok?" The marine blasted herself, Duh stupid, of course she's not ok. Her mother has been trying to mind fuck her all day. The maiden's limp body slowly began to stir. "Here, I brought you something to drink. Do you want some water?"
There was no answer. As gentle as the jaded soldier could, she softly encouraged the young woman. "You should really drink something. You'll need your strength for…" Shepard regretfully choked on her next words, "…for later." Rubbing her forehead with the back of her gloved hand, the former Alliance officer felt stupid. This isn't going to work. I'm a soldier not a nurse maid. She was about to stand when a feeble cobalt hand reached out.
A weak and feminine hoarse voice uttered, "Please".
The green eyed veteran helped the professor to a sitting position as she was unable to hold her own lithe weight up. The harden warrior scowled, "I'm sorry." The words shocked the cautious human, Where did that come from?! The rogue soldier watched the young asari sip the water savoring it as if it were her last. Shepard studied the asari with the same fierce intent she would have assessed a battlemaster krogan right before battle; looking for signs of weakness.
Instead she found her emerald eyes floating over the soft curve of the asari's face and down her body. Flinching to clear her thoughts, she stared into the prothean expert's eyes. She had not realized how incredibly blue they were. They were unlike any rich pools of blue the seasoned warrior had ever seen. Shepard absentmindedly pondered, Must be nice to have those staring back at you everyday.
It didn't take long for the veteran soldier's thoughts to revert back to the matriarch. She didn't know what color her eyes were. She had never gotten that close to realize, and for obvious reasons she didn't want too. As slowly as the matriarch's daughter sipped her water, it dawned on the former Alliance officer how incredibly beautiful the young asari was; despite her fatigued and abused condition. Even in this state she moved with such grace and elegance.
The moppy redhead carelessly drifted into deep thought about what it must have been like for the professor to grow up in the T'Soni household. She couldn't imagine having the matriarch as a mother. She never seemed to falter. Not even a little. The concerned human inquisitively pondered about the prothean expert, If she had been anything like me as a kid, always getting into trouble, life would have been hell.
A meager "Thank you" floated off the T'Soni's pale lips.
The water did little to sooth the dry voice. Hearing the feeble gratitude, the obedient soldier clinched her jaw trying to remind herself that she was a hardened warrior. However despite the woman she had become now, the human could not help enjoy the sound of the professor's captivating voice. The redhead with the green strip running the length of her arm, reflected on their brief time on the surface of Therum. Before coming to the ship, the asari maiden looked so sweet and innocent. The rogue soldier almost felt guilty for leading her astray.
The green eyed woman quickly pushed the thought from her mind. I didn't do this to her. I couldn't have known what they were going to do to her? What her own mother would do.
The former Alliance officer and paced the 10' x 10' cell wildly; torn between helping the asari and running away. The exhausted maiden slowly drifted back to the floor and began to quiver. Exhaling deeply, Shepard removed the blanket from the bed and placed it carefully around the pale blue asari. With a snap of her heels, the experienced fighter exited the cell and turned on the barrier shield.
Releasing a breath, she was unaware that she was holding in, the gray armored soldier reasoned, I think it's in my best interest if I stay out here.
Frustrated with her own feelings, the seasoned warrior slumped down to the floor next to a steel cabinet that faced the professor's cell. The human champion sat with her legs crossed and her hands gently placed on her lap, palms up; ready to strike without warning. Casually laying her head back resting it on the cold steel, this had become an astute attack position she had learned while serving in the Special Ops division of the Alliance; N-7 program. The former Alliance officer stared at the professor until it appeared that she had drifted to sleep. The blanket seemed to have helped with her shivering.
Feeling that half the battle was complete, the green eyed soldier aloud her thoughts to wander and was now pretty angry at herself. The matriarch is going to be pissed when she realizes that I comforted her captive by giving her water and a blanket. I probably just increased her strength for tomorrow; denying all the weakening Benezia did today.
The normal idea of only being killed once, did not appeal to the jaded marine this time. Lifting her gaze to the ceiling the human slowly exhaled in disbelief, And here I thought I would die in battle. I am so dead! The obedient soldier let out a huff of frustration as she began to feel her own eye lids grow heavy. Concentrating on her breathing as a focus exercise, slept took the N7 officer without warning.
% % % % % % %
Mid day into the second day of torture, Matriarch Benezia was almost out of grilling tactics. The human was glad that she was not in charge of the interrogation. Forgetting exactly who she would be questioning, the jaded combatant boosted, I would have of either beaten her to death, or started off shooting her in the foot and worked my up until she talked.
Suddenly glancing at the professor's angelic face, Shepard sucked in an unexpected gasp of air as she quickly realized that she would not have been able to lay a malicious finger on the asari maiden. Stifling a chuckled, the harden warrior chimed, Guess that's why I'm not in charge.
The matriarch scowled at the rogue soldier for her sound of amusement. The soldier's piercing green eyes shot to the ground avoiding further annoyance to the senior T'Soni still gawking at her. Not wasting any time, the woman cladded in gray armor quickly exited the cell.
Towering high over the professor, the asari matriarch slowly took a seat on the cot inside the cell. Resting her elbows on her knees, the maiden's mother bent over cradling her daughter's face wearily into her hands. The placid physical display did not escape the battered asari on the floor. The matriarch tried a more subtle approach of interrogation. She began to affectionately stroke Liara's crest. "Oh little wing." The older asari's voice crackled. "Remember when you were just a child and I would hold you in my arms at night?"
The experienced fighter's defenses heightened as her gut was telling her that the matriarch was not softening up, and in fact she prepared for the worse. The seasoned warrior knew of the storm that raged behind the matriarch's calm façade.
In Liara's weak and exhausted state she let her guard down briefly. Taking advantage of the lapse in judgment, Saren's second in command violently tried to thrust herself into her daughter's mind. The young T'Soni released a blood curling scream louder then Shepard ever heard before as the Matriarch Benezia started to penetrate the maiden's thoughts. The blue eyed alien tried to protect herself the best way she could by instantly creating a biotic barrier pushing the matriarch violently away.
The prothean expert desperately cried out, "No! No Benezia No!"
Frustration took over the enraged senior asari who rose to her feet and spat over her daughter's wilted body, "Stupid girl! I should have been more strict with you as a child." Realizing she would get nothing this way, Matriarch Benezia gathered the hem of her long dress, abruptly left the room.
% % % % % % %
A few short hours later Saren angrily entered the brig with Matriarch Benezia closely behind him. He was followed by several of his faithful geth. Shepard glared at the intruders but based on the number of geth that now filled the space, the rogue soldier would not be able to interfere with whatever was about to happen. The last to enter the room were several asari commandos and a couple of the matriarch's most trusted acolytes. The powerful turian had run out of patience with the prothean expert after two days of relentless intrusion attempts.
The fuming rogue spectre withdrew his sidearm and pointed it at the younger asari on the ground of her prison cell. Most of the acolytes, including a few of the commandos gasped at the threat that now consumed the room. Shepard looked for any sign of help from the asari's mother. Sadly, similar to Saren's outburst on the brig before, there was no emotion.
The threatening captain gradually moved his finger to the trigger, providing ample time for the girl's mother to stop him. When there was no attempt, his large scaly finger began to slowly press down on the trigger. Taking in a long hesitating breath, Saren gave his second in command one last chance to stop the murder. But again, there was no emotional response to his delay.
It took everything the former Alliance officer had to prevent her eyes from shutting tight and waiting the ill fated gun shot to echo off the walls. With the grace of a talented dancer, Matriarch Benezia unexpectedly stepped in front of the pistol, allowing it to point directly into her chest. A deep sigh filled the room, but nothing changed the stoic matriarch's demeanor. The redhead was surprised by the action, being the first time Matriarch Benezia seemed to show any concern towards her own daughter.
"No" Matriarch Benezia impassively said to Saren as she grabbed his forearm preventing him from shooting the young prothean expert. Her grip loosened as she her voice softened. Had the N7 officer not been standing right next to them, she would have of missed it. Seductively tracing her hand down the spectre's arm, Benezia purred, "Saren dear! Remember how long it took to convert me using the indoctrination? Haven't I proven to be your most valuable asset?" The noble matriarch figure stared back at the asari maiden lying on the ground grimacing in pain, "Imagine how formidable two T'Soni women would be?"
An evil grin materialized across his face. Acknowledging her point as greed overcame him, the rogue spectre smiled. "Yes, having two very powerful asari would be quite impressive indeed."
Saren inquisitively asked the formidable matriarch. "What do you have in mind?"
Briefly glancing back at Liara's cell and then at Shepard, the millennium old asari released a sneer and escorted the enthralled turian out of the room. The remaining occupants of the room filed neatly out of the brig; most in complete astonishment of what they had just witnessed. The harden warrior however, who remained to guard the prisoner, was utterly perplexed. She wasn't sure if Benezia really intervened to help with Saren's evil plot or to save her own daughter's life. The daunting thought would often drift in and out of her thoughts for the next several days; especially while in the company of the Great Matriarch Benezia.