-Miranda-

At some point during Miranda's long, uncomfortable, flight roped up in the back of Shepard's increasingly cramped shuttle, the commander had explained she didn't want her 'guests' to know exactly where the party was being held, and had to remedy the situation. Jack, Liara, and herself were blindfolded; thick, black, rags tied tightly around their heads, leaving them in the dark.

"Is this really necessary, Shepard?" Miranda had protested, but the commander had only grinned that playful grin of hers and tightened the blindfold over her eyes.

Jack, who was bound and gagged behind her, ropes circling both of their bodies and binding them tightly together, had seemed to calm down, but once the blindfolds were on, she began to throw up another tantrum, twisting and jerking and stomping, leaving Miranda wincing as the ropes bit into her arms and chest.

What was worse, though, was that the asari Shepard had brought aboard, Liara, was seemingly happy with the situation. Shepard had tied the alien up in the front seat beside her, and had even blindfolded her like the rest of them, but her and Shepard conversed the whole flight, flirting and joking and teasing one another like an old couple on their honeymoon. Several times, Miranda saw the commander reach across the isle separating their seats and caress the asari's thigh. Once the blindfolds were on, however, most of the talking stopped, and Miranda could only sit and wait in the darkness; hopeful she'd figure a way out of the whole thing if she just kept a level-head.

A long while went on like that until, finally, Miranda heard the familiar sound of the shuttle breaching a planet's atmosphere, and in a few minutes the ship set down and the engine was killed.

"Home sweet home, girls," Shepard announced cheerfully. "So sorry if the ride was a bit uncomfortable back there, Miranda. I'll make it up to you: I promise."

Miranda sighed. "You could start by untying me, Shepard."

"Hmmmm, no," the commander said. "But I will remove your blindfolds so you can see what a beautiful planet I've brought you all too. And if you play nice back there, Jack, maybe I'll take your gag off too."

"Mmmm," Jack grumbled.

The commander must have removed the asari's blindfold then, because Miranda heard the alien's voice drift dreamily back from the front of the shuttle. "Oh, Shepard! It's gorgeous!"

The hatches were lifted, and soon enough Miranda felt the ropes binding her to Jack release, and she was being pulled to the edge of the shuttle's cargo area, where her legs swung off the lip and hung freely in the air. Her blindfold was pulled free, and a brilliant light made her shut them again immediately. She opened them, slowly, and adjusted after the long trip in the dark.

Before her was a wide, expansive, rush of colors: greens and yellows and reds, and the pale blue of a sky. They had set down in a forest clearing, and ranks of enormous trees marched away in every direction for as far as the eye could see. Down a path ahead of the shuttle, Miranda saw a beach spilling out into an ocean; dark blue waves crashing upon the shores. Flowers littered the path all the way back to the ship, and the smell was nothing shy of enticing. The whole clearing smelled extremely... clean. And fresh. A wind was blowing, and it carried a chill, but the temperature was near perfect. Somewhere deep in the woods, an animal called out a shrill noise she'd never heard before. "Shepard... where have you taken us?" Miranda asked, still partially in awe.

"Paradise," Shepard said with a smile. "A planet so small and obscure, that only a handful of very wealthy people in the Galaxy know about it. I, as it turns out, happen to know one of said people, and so here we are... I bought property here a few months ago to get away, but... the serenity of it all made me realize it would be criminal to hog this place to myself. That is, partially, the reason you're all here. The party, of course, is much more important but showing this place off? It feels nice. Do you like it?"

Miranda was still taking the sight in. "I... I'd like it more if you'd free me."

Shepard ginned a big, toothy, grin and ran a hand through Miranda's hair. "Miranda, Miranda, Miranda... always so... dutiful." The commander turned her attention to Jack, who was sitting beside Miranda, still gagged, still blindfolded. "How about you, Jack?" Shepard asked and pulled the blindfold away.

Jack shut her eyes the same way Miranda had before slowly opening them and taking the sights in. She looked around in every direction for a few moments before her eyes settled back on Shepard. She gave the commander a look that Miranda thought could scare a Krogan. "Mmf," she grunted.

"Oh, I'm going to remove your muzzle," Shepard told her. "But this is a peaceful place, Jack. If you start in with all your shouting and cursing, I'll have to punish you. This is my home. My rules. And you will behave. Understood?"

Jack only glared.

"Do you understand or don't you?" Shepard persisted. "It's a simple question, Jack."

Jack took a deep breath, clearly suppressing her rage, and forced a simple nod of the head.

"Good girl," Shepard said, reached forward, and ripped the tape quickly from her mouth.

Jack winced and licked her lips. Shepard stood waiting. Miranda waited too, expecting a sudden outburst of anger at any moment, but Jack only looked between the two of them and brooded for a bit before saying, "Alright. Now what are you going to do with us?"

Liara came walking around the side of the shuttle, wrists still tied together behind her at the small of her back. She was smiling and looking high up into the tree tops. She stopped before Shepard and took a deep breath of the fresh air and laughed. "It's perfect."

Shepard smiled back. "I'm glad you like it," she said, pulled Liara close with a quick tug of the alien's waist, and pressed her lips to asari's.

"Mmm, Shepard," Liara cooed, eyes closed.

Miranda shared a look with Jack, who appeared as disgusted as she was.

"Ah, my servants," Shepard said, pointing.

Down the path in the woods, a line of little suited men—Volus—came marching forward; their stubby legs falling in disciplined strides. The came right up to the shuttle, bowed to Shepard, and a fat one in a yellow and black suit at their lead, dropped to one knee and kissed the commander's boot.

"Rise," Shepard said, as if she were royalty, and gestured to her guests. "Collar them."

"Collar us?" Miranda echoed incredulously.

"Fuck that," Jack added.

Shepard squinted at them, her face twisting into an expression of disbelief. "Ladies, do you not realize what's going on here yet? You have no say in decisions anymore. What I want you to do is what you do. And what I want done to you? Guess what? It's happening. I'm your commander, and when I give my commands, you obey. Nothing more. Understood?"

"Shepard..." Miranda pleaded, shaking her head.

"Understood!?" Shepard repeated more sternly, cutting her off.

Miranda lowered her head and sighed. She had to keep calm. "Yes."

"Yes who?"

"Yes... commander," Miranda bitterly corrected.

"Good," Shepard said, pleased. She set her gaze on Jack. "What about you, baldy? You understand?"

"When I get loose..." Jack warned.

"If the next words out of that pretty mouth of yours aren't 'Yes, Commander', I'm going to bury you in that sand down there up to your neck and leave you there overnight," Shepard explained, pointing down the path to the beach beyond. "Now what's it going to be, Jack? Do – You – Under – Stand?"

Jack grit her teeth, her cheeks flushed, her breathing became rapid. Miranda nudged her with an elbow, and when Jack looked, she shook her head, pleading with her eyes. After a long, seething, silence. Jack spoke, "Yes... commander."

"Good. Next time, you obey me more quickly or there will be consequences," the commander said with a baleful point of her finger. She turned to Liara. "How 'bout you, blue?"

"Oh, yes, Commander," Liara said, fighting to keep the smile from her face. "I understand. You command, I obey... my commander."

Shepard nodded, satisfied, before turning back to Miranda and Jack. "You see this, ladies? This is what I expect out of you from here on out. And good behavior will not go unrewarded," she said, turned to Liara and drove her open-palm onto the asari's ass. The forest exploded with the sound of the slap's impact. Liara jumped, her mouth falling agape in shock, and Miranda could see she hadn't expected such a hard strike. She turned, stunned, to Shepard and shook her head. "Shepard, I-"

Shepard did it again, harder. "No. You address me as 'commander'. I'll allow this one slip up, but any further mistake will come with punishment."

Liara swallowed, tensing. "Y-Yes... commander. I apologize, my commander."

"Now collar these bitches," Shepard told the Volus.

Miranda could only watch as a Volus in a red and white suit approached each of them and fastened a black, electronic, collar around their necks. Liara had to lean all the way forward for the short alien to get it around her throat. Jack looked like she wanted to bite the little guy's head off, but she took a deep breath instead and allowed herself to be collared. Miranda swallowed nervously as the Volus tugged at her hair until she leaned forward. He fasted the collar around her throat and pulled it snug, but not tight.

"Comfy, girls?" Shepard asked with a grin. "Alright. Cut their feet free and lets move this show indoors."

Miranda relaxed a bit; at least Shepard wasn't having them dragged to the mansion or something degrading like that. A few hours earlier, she would have never dreamed of thinking the commander was capable of such cruelty, but after seeing the way she struck Liara... the tone of her voice when she threatened Jack... the way she smiled as Miranda was collared... who knew what she was capable of. This was a Shepard Miranda had never met before.

A Volus ran a blade between her booted ankles and then up to her knees, and just like that – Miranda was half-free. She scooted off the shuttle's edge and stretched her legs gratefully. "Thank you, Shep- ...thank you, commander."

Shepard nodded and winked.

Miranda could swear she saw the asari shoot her a dirty look, but when she looked back, Liara was only staring, dreamily, at the commander.

The volus moved to Jack and cut her free, and-

-Jack planted her bare feet into the alien's chest and shoved – sending the little guy flailing backwards into the other volus and collapsing to the dirt floor. Jack let out an enraged grunt as she hopped of the shuttle and shouldered her way through Liara, knocking the blue alien down to her ass.

"Oh!" Liara cried out, unable to put her hands up to break the fall.

"Jack!" Shepard yelled.

But Jack was already running, her hands still tied behind her back, down the path, making a b-line for the beach. The volus regained their composure and began to give chase.

"No," Shepard commanded with a raised hand. The volus stopped and looked to her, confused. "Let her run. There's nowhere for her to go, and the collars are fixed with trackers. Let her get this out of her system. Might do her some good. Her disobedience will be punished later." She shot Miranda an angered look. "Don't you do something you'll regret, either."

Miranda shook her head, but said nothing.

"Commander!" Liara yelled, still laying on her side on the ground. "That foul-mouthed woman knocked me down! Now I'm all filthy! Please get me off this dirt!"

"Relax, Liara, a little dirt never hurt anyone," Shepard said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"I hurt my elbow too!" Liara whined.

"Alright, Liara," Shepard said with a hand raised.

Liara wasn't satisfied yet, though. "I suggest you have that tattooed women buried in the sand like you said before! You must teach her that she can't just-"

"God dammit, if she opens her mouth again – gag her," Shepard told the volus and began walking down the path. "And get her off the ground. Miranda, let's go."

Miranda looked down and saw the stunned, hurtful, look in Liara's eyes. As she walked past, though, the asari turned her glare upwards and shot her a dirty look. Miranda quickly moved past her and fell in line beside Shepard, walking with her hands still tied behind her. "I don't think your asari friend was expecting that kind of treatment," she said when they were a bit ahead of the pack.

Shepard looked back and shrugged. "She'll learn. None of you are getting any special treatment here. You want to see my gentler side? You'll have to earn it."

"Fair," Miranda said, keeping stride with the commander. "You run things around here very orderly. Like when we were on board the Normandy together. It's... admirable."

Shepard glanced over and squinted. "Don't do that, Miranda, or I'll have you buried up to your neck down at that beach."

Miranda raised her brow. "What? I don't understand-"

"You know what you're doing," Shepard said. "Don't try to convince me your on 'my side' so soon. I know that little sharp mind of yours is trying to think your way out of this, just waiting for an opportunity to arise."

Miranda said nothing; the commander, after all, was right.

"There's no talking your way out of this," Shepard said. "You are smart, Miranda. But I'm smarter. Don't forget it."

Miranda simply walked on, quietly mulling over the commander's words.

The path wound and twisted through the woods. They passed the fork that would have taken them down to the beach. Ahead, Miranda could see Jack's footprints cutting a thin line into the sand and disappearing into the horizon. Her look must have lingered a bit too long, though, because Shepard grabbed her by the elbow and shoved her forward. The path eventually came to the end of the woods, and before them was a slight hill and the biggest mansion Miranda Lawson had ever seen.

It was a three-story behemoth, stretching out wide enough for two dozen sets of windows to line its floors. At the far left end, the mansion ended near a jut of rocky cliff that overlooked the beach. The right side of the mansion was overtaken with forest that had grown right up to its walls. The house was an older, Earth, style; perhaps 19th or 20st century, if Miranda recalled her history books correctly. Large stone pillars flanked the entrance: a sprawling set of stairs that wound up in two sets, a polished, golden, rail splitting them in the middle. Beyond were the doors: two giant black monoliths with brass knockers protruding from their midsection. The garden below was filled with flowers of every color and size. A fountain was spilling clear, cool, water into a oval-shaped concrete dish where odd species of birds were gathered, drinking. A pebble walkway led around behind the mansion, and that path was decorated with elaborate hedge decorations and stone archways. The wind blew, and as it did the third floor's window shutter banged against the mansion walls; as if the house was sounding its greeting.

"I know," Shepard said, hands on her hips as she took the sight in herself. "It's impressive."

"Shepard... how much money could something like this have cost you? Where did you get the funds?" Miranda asked.

"What kind of question is that, Miranda?" Shepard snapped. "It's none of your business. The only thing that matters to you is that this is going to be your home now. What do you think of it?"

Miranda looked over at Shepard and shook her head. "When you say my 'home'... what exactly do you mean, Shep- ...commander. How long, exactly, are you planning on keeping us here?"

Shepard shrugged. "Well if it's truly going to be the Galaxy's greatest party, it's going to have to be the Galaxy's longest party. So... I don't know. A few months?"

"Months!?" Miranda shouted.

"Don't raise your voice again," Shepard warned. "And I don't really know. Maybe months, sure. Hell, maybe years. Heh."

"This is insane," Miranda stated plainly, the realization setting in.

Shepard frowned. "Okay, don't open your mouth again. That's an order. Now you're upsetting me. I bring you to the most beautiful planet, to the most incredible mansion, and that's all you have to say? You're a little bitch sometimes, aren't you? We'll fix that. Get up the stairs."

"Shepard-" Miranda began to plead.

The commander's hand came across her face. It wasn't a hard enough hit to really hurt her, but it was enough to sting her cheek. Miranda pressed her lips tightly together and glared over at Shepard.

"I told you not to speak," Shepard said. "And you address me as 'commander'. Do not forget it. Now get up those fucking stairs before I put that perfect ass of yours over my knee and beat the obedience into you."

With little other choice – she went.

At the doors, Shepard waited for the volus and Liara, who was making little whining sounds every time one of the little aliens poked at her to keep her moving. When they arrived, the commander pushed her way into one of the monoliths and gestured for the rest to follow her. Miranda walked inside, and immediately felt the coolness of the shadowy interior sweep across her bare arms and neck. Something smelled sweet and gingery. The ceiling was high, dark, and lined with lights; a chandelier hanging in the middle of the lobby-like chamber. A huge red carpet with golden embroidery and silver trimming greeted Miranda's feet as she took another step inside and looked around. Pillars spilled away to her left and right into twisting paths. A stair case wound up the center of the room before splitting in two and hooking around to a second floor balcony that overlooked the chamber; a golden-rodded bannister wrapped around it's edge. Somewhere deep within the mansion, the soft sounds of classical Earth music could be heard; violins, cellos, flutes, the whole works. Shepard stood in the middle of the room with her arms raised. "Welcome."

Liara stepped up beside Miranda and took in the sights. "Commander... it's as beautiful as you are. I'm amazed," she said and walked closer to Shepard, lowering her head and giving the commander a sexy look.

Shepard put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her advance, and walked away. Again, Miranda saw the wounded look in the asari's eyes. "This is it. Your new home, and the location of the party! Congratulations, you're here—the first guests—and the party starts now." She nodded at a volus and pointed towards the back of the chamber. "Let Sam out."

The volus disappeared around a pillar, and returned a few moments later. Behind him came one of the most disturbing things Miranda could have imagined. It was, undeniably, a woman, but she was covered head-to-toe in a shiny, black, latex-like suit. Her hands were gloved in the stuff, and handcuffed together in front of her, attached to a belt that wrapped around her waist. She strode forward in stiletto-heels with sharp points at the heel. The only place her skin was visible was around her neck and lower face, where a huge, red, ballgag was buckled in between her lips. Drool dripped from the corners of her stretched mouth, trailing down the woman's dark skin. The rest of her head was covered in more of the latex stuff, and the places where her eyes should have been were instead shut with two zipper-locked covers. It was amazing, Miranda thought, that she could walk around in those heels without even being able to see. To top it off, two little ears had been sewn into the top of the hood, giving the woman the appearance of some wild, feral, shackled, beast.

"Here, Sam," Shepard said, patting her thigh, and the woman, despite her ballgagged mouth, smiled and made a pleasurable sound. When she neared, Shepard kissed her cheek, wiped away the drool, and unzipped the eye covers. The holes came free, and Miranda could see two pretty eyes, finally, peering out of the hood.

"Is that... God, is that Specialist Traynor?" Miranda questioned, now that she could make out the woman's eyes.

"Sam here doesn't go by that name anymore," Shepard explained. "But yes, she went by that name once. You know her?"

"We've met once or twice..." Miranda said. "Shep- ...commander, what have you done to her?"

Shepard laughed. "Believe it or not, Sam here isn't like the rest of you. She's actually here on her own free will. Aren't you Sam?"

The woman mumbled something into the ballgag and nodded.

Little strands of the woman's dark hair were jutting out from beneath the hood. Shepard grabbed a fistful and yanked on it, making the woman grunt into her gag and tilt her head back. Shepard leaned forward and bit at the woman's neck. To Miranda's surprise, Samantha actually moaned pleasurably as she was bitten. "She's a little slut," Shepard explained, releasing her hair. "But she's obedient. Now go make our guest more comfortable, Sam. Remove their boots."

Sam mumbled an happily rushed forward.

Miranda took a step back and forced an awkward laugh. "No, no it's alright. I'm fine."

"I wasn't asking," Shepard said. "And Sam here has a thing for feet. She's going to take your boots and she's going to keep them."

Miranda grimaced as the latex-covered woman dropped to her knees, lifted her leg into the air, and worked the boot off one of her feet. Sam held it in her hands, took a quick sniff of the inside, and moaned. She looked up at Miranda and it appeared she was smiling; though it was hard to tell with her lips wrapped around the giant ball in her mouth. She scurried over to the other foot and peeled off Miranda's other boot before tucking the pair under her arm and moving to do the same to Liara.

"Thank you, Sam," Liara said gratefully as her boots were removed. She batted her eyelashes at Shepard, but the commander wasn't paying attention, she was looking down at Sam.

"Alright, Sam. You like them?" Shepard asked.

Sam mumbled her approval.

"Good girl. You're going to clean up Ms. T'Soni here," the commander explained, pointed at the asari. "She's had a spill and is absolutely filthy. She needs a good scrubbing."

Sam looked from Shepard to Liara and nodded.

"Oh, commander," Liara said, "I was thinking... well, maybe you could wash me. You know... in the shower. Together."

Shepard frowned. "Yuck. You're dirty. Anyway, Sam's good at this. You're in good hands, Liara."

Liara let a stilted laugh escape her lips. "Heh, um, Shepard-"

"Commander," Shepard corrected sternly.

"Yes, commander... I'd really prefer if you would-"

"This isn't up for debate. Sam, take Liara here to the upstairs bathroom and scrub her clean. If she gives you any problems, you have my permission to bind her, gag her, and spank her until you feel she's complacent. Understood?"

Sam nodded, clapping her hands excitedly before her – the best the cuffs around them would allow at least – and took Liara by the elbow. She began tugging the asari up the stairs. Liara opened her mouth to protest again, but a sharp look from Shepard quieted her. She went begrudgingly, but silently.

"What about Jack?" Miranda asked, once her and Shepard were alone – save the half-dozen volus hanging around the main chamber.

"What about her?"

"Are you going after her? She's out there with her hands bound. It could be dangerous."

Shepard smirked, but their was danger in that smirk. "You care? You two never liked each other aboard the Normandy. I think you're just playing more games, Miss Lawson. And I don't like it. What I do with and about Jack is my business. Do not overstep your boundaries and assume you have a right to know my business."

"I apologize for my disobedience, my commander," Miranda said, lowering her head submissively.

"Oh, you are a little bitch, aren't you?" Shepard said. "Telling and showing me exactly what I want. You're going to be a tough one to break, you know that Miranda Lawson? That just makes it more fun for me, though."

Miranda sighed. "What do you want from me? I question you, you scold me and warn me not to. I obey you and you scold me and warn me not to. What do you want me to do? I'll do it."

"And that's the problem," Shepard said, taking a step closer. "I don't want to just hear what I want to hear. I'm not egomaniacal. I want your obedience. I want it deeper than your words. See, Liara will do whatever it is I tell her to do. That's fine, because deep down inside, she wants me, lusts for me. I like that. Jack... well, Jack will break in time. She's just an insecure little hot-headed loudmouth. I know how to handle her. But you... you are too smart for your own good. Let me make this clear: you're not going anywhere. You are mine. You're my property now. When I want you, I'll take you. When I tire of you? I'll stuff you away, lock you up, nice and quiet. So the only thing that should be going through your mind right now is: 'How do I keep the commander's interest?'. Because that is the only thing that's going to matter after I've had my fill of you."

Miranda swallowed a sudden lump in her throat and felt a sickening feeling stir in the pit of her stomach.

"There we go," Shepard said, satisfied. "That's the look I wanted to see. Now you're not thinking, you're feeling. Trust that instinct, because in my house? It's the only thing you can trust." She nodded to the volus. "Put Miss Lawson here in the dungeon."

Miranda looked up at Shepard, wide-eyed and frightened.

Shepard smirked. "What? You didn't think there was a dungeon in my big, giant, kinky, mansion? Oh, Miranda. You've got so much to learn."

Then the volus were all around here, pulling and tugging at her arms until she was walking forward to an open door. A set of stairs wound down into darkness. Miranda's heart thundered in her chest, a cold sweat dripped from her brow, her head felt light. If Shepard's intent was to stop her thinking: she had succeeded.

Now she was only afraid.