-Jack-

Yellow lights began popping into existence from the shadows, cutting two parallel lines up the courtyard path before the mansion, splitting apart around the central fountain, and meeting back together to guide a trail up the front steps. Night had settled in, and the first guests to the party were arriving; soon to walk that lighted path inside. They'd made it before the start. That was good.

Jack kept her head low and her voice lower as she leaned toward Kasumi beside her. They laid on their bellies atop an embankment on the mansion's East side, a pair of focusing lenses in their hands. "We're early," she told the thief.

"We wait," Kasumi answered. The distant yellow was shining dully in the dark pits of her eyes beneath her hood.

Jack turned back to the mansion. Two turians were walking arm-in-arm along the lit path. One gestured to the fountain and spoke something too quiet to hear. The other laughed. "Alright, look: you see that trail of gravel around the far edge of the mansion? That leads off to a locked bulkhead. The bulkhead leads to the dungeon, provided you can pop the lock quickly and quietly enough."

Kasumi's painted lips spread into a smile. "Jack..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'World's Greatest Thief' and all that. Just stay sharp, alright? Miranda's in there with that psycho asari and the volus. If we mess up-"

"We won't," Kasumi assured her. Jack's look lingered on her for a moment before she accepted the woman's confidence and turned away. Kasumi shifted her weight, entrenching her elbows deeper in the grass and leaning back into her focusing lens. "You've certainly changed since the Normandy days, Jack, I'll say that." Jack said nothing, so she continued. "Since when are you so concerned about Miranda Lawson, anyway? Last I remember, you two were nearly tearing the Normandy apart fighting on a day-to-day basis."

Jack remembered. She didn't want to, but she did. "Yeah... things change."

"People change. Things... things usually never do." Kasumi turned to her, the hint of a grin at the corner of her mouth. "Are you in love with her?"

"Love's bullshit," Jack answered promptly, hugging the dark cloak Kasumi had given her around her bare shoulders; the wind was gusting a cold breeze that sent a shiver up her back, but the cloak's embrace was warm and she steadied once more.

Kasumi allowed herself a quiet giggle. "Only to those who've never had it, Jack. Or those who've lost it..."

"Miranda's..." Jack thought of their night on the beach. She thought of the woman's hands on her chest. Her lips on her own. "She's beautiful."

"Well anyone with eyes could tell you that about Miranda Lawson. Beauty doesn't make people change, though. Love does. And you've changed, Jack, like it or not. You're sticking your neck out for someone else here tonight. Would you have done that in the Normandy days?"

Jack frowned at the thief. "Shut up already, would you? Stay focused," she said and turned back to the mansion.

Kasumi laughed once more, but said nothing further on the subject.

-Miranda-

Cold water rushing up her nose and into her mouth woke her. Miranda snapped alert, opening her eyes and putting her hands up to shield herself. Icy water was beating onto her naked body and head in a tight stream from outside the cage. She screamed, rolled to her back to keep it from choking her, and grabbed at the cage bars to steady herself. The water died down a few moments later.

"She's awake! Stop!" Sam's voice was shouting as the hose noise faded and the quiet of the dungeon returned. Miranda turned to the girl and forced a smile in thanks. Sam tried smiling back, but the gesture was lost as her eyes turned fearfully towards the front of the cages. "What's going on?"

Miranda looked back. Three volus were gathered outside. One stepped forward with a pair of collars in his hand before tossing them in front of the cages. "Put them on."

Sam, who was used to taking commands, quickly crawled to the front of her cage, slid her fingers through the bars, and worked the collar through.

"Do you need the hose again?" The volus asked, turning his gaze on Miranda.

Miranda swallowed her anger, shook her head, and crawled forward to do the same as Sam. Once she had it through the bars, she glared at the volus as she wrapped it around her throat.

"Tight," he demanded.

As the collar began to push against her flesh, she heard something automatically click into place at the back of her head. She kept her eyes locked on the hose as she lowered her hands and awaited further instruction.

"What about the Commander," Sam asked.

Shepard was still strung up upside down at the other end of the room; the leather hood over her head keeping her blind and silent.

"Never mind her. Open the cages."

The other two volus stepped to the sides of the cages and ran electronic cards along the edge. A thick bar slid up and over, and the doors swung ajar. I can kick it into one of them, Miranda thought, focusing. Scramble out. Grab one, hit the other, get Sam-

But the moment was gone as quickly as it came. The volus stepped back to give them room and pointed. "Out."

They both crawled out and stood. The volus were beside them before their feet were even beneath them. They carried black pairs of handcuffs. "Turn." Miranda considered one last attack plan, but saw the head volus running his thumb along a control panel latched to his arm. The collar she wore would cripple her with a high-voltage shock if she tried anything; she'd learned that the hard way. With no other option, she sighed, turned, and placed her hands behind her. The alien was quick to lock the cuffs snugly down around her wrists and tug at her to turn back around.

Sam had been cuffed as well. She didn't seem to be paying any attention, though. Her eyes were locked across the room on Shepard. "You can't just leave her like that. What if she can't breath?"

"Silence."

Sam's eye moistened. "I mean... how could you be so cruel to her? She was a good Master to all of you!"

The volus moved his finger over the control panel on his arm.

"Ah!" Sam screamed. She winced, threw her head back, and dropped to her knees. The volus beside her took hold of her arm and forced her to stand back up almost instantly.

"You will obey," the volus with the control warned. "Or you'll get another shock."

Sam's lip quivered as she stared at him. Her body was shaken, her determination, however, was not. "It's not right... the Commander was kind to all of you."

"Sam..." Miranda quietly warned, keeping her eye on the collar controls.

"At least take her down from there!" Sam pleaded. "She isn't- AH!" The volus sent another shock into her collar, dropping her to the ground again.

"That's enough," Miranda shouted, stepping forward.

The volus turned to her and lifted the arm with the collar controls as a reminder of what he could do to her. She stopped, glaring and gritting her teeth. He smiled before turning to Sam once more. "Obey or I'll do it again."

Sam was catching her breath; the last shock had clearly hurt worse than the first. Still, Miranda could see: she wasn't broken. Not yet. "I don't care! The Commander doesn't deserve-"

Miranda saw the volus moving to shock her again. She wasn't having it. She twisted away from the alien at her side, lowered her shoulder, and rammed it forward into the head volus' gut. He yelped and tried recovering, but Miranda sent her foot around in a sweep at the back of his knee. His leg kicked out and the little alien fell to his back. She stepped over him, pivoted her hips, and bent her knee. She dropped it over his throat and pushed. The volus made a choked, gargling, sound through his breathing apparatus; his hands swatting at her leg, but Miranda had positioned herself carefully where he could not shift his weight beneath hers. She frowned and applied more pressure to his throat.

The other two volus rushed forward. She turned to them and shouted "I can snap his neck right here, right now!" She couldn't, really, but they didn't know that.

It stopped them.

"Sam, get out of here," Miranda said, keeping the squirming volus pinned beneath her knee. Then to the volus, "Unlock her cuffs."

"No!" Sam pleaded. "I won't leave you and the Commander!"

"Sam, I don't know how much time you have! Just do it!"

The time they had was shorter than she'd thought. Another two volus entered the room from her rear and began shouting. With no way to turn to face them that didn't release the volus beneath her with the collar controls, Miranda cursed, removed her knee, and surrendered. "Alright... alright."

"Restrain her!" The fallen volus screeched when his voice had returned to him. He grasped at his throat and coughed as he struggled to his feet. "Now!"

They fell on her then, like a pack of hungry varren. The first tackled her to the ground even though her hands were up in surrender. The concrete smacked against her cheek, flaring pain in the side of her face. The others joined, wrapping their gloved hands around her legs and the back of her neck, pinning her to the floor. She felt straps tighten around her ankles, binding them together. Another wound her knees, both above and below. The volus atop her moved aside, and they used another to bind her elbows, and a final strap wrapped her waist. They finished, and Miranda lay tightly wrapped on the floor, unable to move even an inch. She glared up at the head volus and balled her fists. "How's your throat..." she growled, happy that at least she'd hurt the bastard.

The volus stared at her a moment, then turned to Sam, lifted the controls and gave her another shock. She threw her head back and fell once more.

"God damn you!" Miranda screamed, but her binds tightly pinching into her flesh reminder her there was nothing more she could do.

"Bring them upstairs."

"Serj!" Liara's shrill voice cut into the room from the top of the dungeon steps. "They're here! Get up here and prepare for greetings!"

"Yes, Master," The volus with the controls said. He looked to the rest of them thoughtfully. "Get moving, Sam. Leave this one," he gestured to Miranda. "She's not going anywhere. We'll get her when we can."

The aliens nodded their ascent, took hold of Sam by each of her elbows, and led her out of the room. She glanced fearfully down at Miranda as she passed, but Miranda gave her a confident to let her know that everything would be alright. That seemed to help a bit. She nodded back, and then her and the rest of them were gone; she lay alone on the cold dungeon floor.

After they'd gone she waited for a few moments before craning her neck around and looking to Shepard at the other end of the room. "Shepard..." she tried, whisper-shouting. "Shepard, are you awake?"

The commander spun slowly in her suspension. The bruises at her backside came into view, and Miranda had to closer her eyes. "Shepard!" She tried again a bit louder.

"Mm," Shepard stirred, ever-so-slightly, beneath the hood.

"I'm going to fix this," Miranda told her, unsure if the woman could even hear her. "I don't how, yet... but I am. I'll get you out of that." She waited for a response, but Shepard was still and quiet once more. It pained her. Even after everything her former commander had done... hell, she was the reason Miranda was in this whole mess, she still wanted the woman to be okay. A part of her, even, still wanted her commander's approval. If she didn't find a way out of this whole thing it would be like... like letting Shepard down. "I'll fix it... Commander."

Shepard spun; nothing more.

Two volus came for her a bit later. One tucked her ankles beneath his armpit, and the other hoisted her up by her shoulders. They waddled their way, lugging her between them, to the stairs and then made the arduous climb to the top. The aliens struggled with stairs enough given their short stature, but carrying her made it near impossible. They managed, eventually, but by the time they'd reached the top they were huffing and puffing from their breathers. Miranda liked that; at least she'd done that.

After a short break in the lobby so the volus could catch their breath-during which, Miranda saw neither Liara or any of her guests-they lifted her once more and carried her back around the stairs, through a short, central, hall and beneath a decorated archway with purple, frilly, drapes at its sides.

They entered an enormous ballroom that Miranda had, somehow, never seen before. It was two stories high with a domed ceiling like the libraries. A golden bannister wrapped around the second floor, allowing anyone above to peer down at anyone below. On the ground floor, several wooden tables, stands, and bars dotted the edges of the curved walls, lining them all the way around in a circle. At the top of the round room, a fire burned in a hearth. The rest of the light came from a massive chandelier hanging over the center of the room, where the polished marble of the dance floor gleamed and shimmered beneath it. Eloquent statues and paintings filled every spare bit of space, and Miranda was surprised to see three of the volus had positioned themselves near the back between a pair of over-sized flower pots. One had a flute, the other a harp, and the last a violin. A sad, melodic, song drifted into the room from their instruments and echoed off the high, domed, ceiling.

Her captors carried her directly across the dance floor, and she could now smell something sweet burning in the air. She turned her head and spotted Liara with two turians at either side near the edge of the room. The asari was listening to them speak, laughing and smiling at all the appropriate places like a good hostess. Her eyes flicked, briefly, to Miranda, and she politely excused herself from her guests before marching over. She was dressed in a white dress, white heels, and-Miranda was digusted to see-a diamond-encrusted tiara sat atop her head.

"Here," she instructed the volus, gesturing to a nearby pillar. "Get her up against there and tie her down." The asari's eyes landed on her own. "I'm putting you on display for all my guests to gawk at. You're my prized possession."

She thought of how Jack would respond, and found it appropriate. "Fuck you."

Just a bit of the joy left the asari's smile at that. "And get me a gag."

The volus reached the pillar, forced her to stand against it, and wound more black straps around her shoulders, waist, and thighs, pinning her snugly in place. "Good," Liara said, satisfied with their work, and stepped in front of her. "You know tonight, after I'm done letting each and every guest fondle you in whichever way they desire, it's just going to be me and you... we're going to have so much fun."

Miranda looked to the front of the ballroom. Volus were leading a group of humans dressed in tuxedo's and long, flowing, dresses inside. Even from across the room she could see the disappointment on their faces when the volus must have informed them that Shepard wasn't going to be making an appearance. "You've got more guests to greet. You'd better go greet them," Miranda told Liara.

Liara glanced back. "So I do." She turned her attention back to Miranda as a volus handed her a pair of black cloths. "Open you mouth."

"You're going to lose, you know," Miranda assured her. "You're insane, Liara. Too insane to get away with all this."

"Dear, I've already won," Liara said with a smile.

"We'll see."

"We will," Liara snapped, losing some of her phony grace. "Now open your fucking mouth."

The volus were leading the men and women across the ballroom. Miranda realized she could shout to them, warn them that Shepard was in the dungeon. They likely wouldn't believe her, but if it could plant even a seed of doubt...

Liara must have sensed her plan, because the moment Miranda's lips parted to shout, the asari stuffed the balled-up cloth in to her mouth, packed it in place, and wrapped the second cloth between her teeth, knotting it behind her head. "Fmmk!" Miranda grunted as Liara jerked the gag tight before turning to her approaching guests.

"Master T'Soni," the volus said. "Mr. Erik Weir and his wife, Cynthia."

"Greetings!" Liara chirped, taking their hands in turn and shaking. "We met at Commander Shepard's last party."

The man, who was tall and sported a black goatee on his thin face, smiled and bowed his head. "Yes, Miss T'Soni. I recall. A shame that the Commander herself won't be attending tonight. Her invitation made it seem... very urgent." His eyes flicked to his wife's and they shared playful grins together. "One might even be inclined to believe this is some game of Shepard's, perhaps?"

Liara's brow creased. "A game?"

Erik laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "Of course, I wouldn't expect you to give anything away, therefore spoiling the Commander's surprise." He winked.

"Oh..." Liara looked dumbfounded. "I assure you, Erik, Shepard really won't be making an appearance tonight. She was injured quite badly," the asari gestured to Miranda. "By her."

Now the man's gaze fell to Miranda and she immediately recognized him. Shepard had had her hogtied and presented on the dinner table to entertain the guests at her last party. After Ashley Williams pleaded her case and saved her any further embarrassment, he had been the one arguing in the opposite direction. Now she saw that same lustful look come across his face as his eyes fell on her bare breasts, then further down to her crotch. "Is that so..." Erik said.

Liara looked pleased with his interest. "Yes. Her punishment is that she's to be in the hands of the guests tonight... however they'd like her."

He turned to Liara, his brow raised. She smiled, nodded. He turned back. "Anyway we'd like?"

The blond beside him, Cynthia, stepped forward and put a hand on his arm. "Erik..."

"What?" Erik snapped defensively. "You heard our host! Plus... I mean, look at her. That's Miranda Lawson." His eyes swept across her nudity. "She's famous."

Now the woman's eyes were on her as well. She didn't carry quite the same lust, but there was certainly something there. "What do you want to do with her?"

Erik smiled. "What do you?"

Cynthia stepped forward, reached out, and cupped Miranda's breast in her hand.

"Mmf!" Miranda grunted with a shake of her head; she couldn't believe what was happening. The woman's fingers were cold as they brushed across her nipple.

Erik licked his lips. "Describe them, dear... tell me."

"Firm... full... warm," his wife answered.

"And all yours, if you so desire," Liara chimed in. "I'd even grant access to private quarters here in the mansion. After the party of course."

The blonde gave her breast a little squeeze before releasing it. "Is that what you want, Erik?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am," the husband admitted. He stepped forward and Miranda noticed, with disgust, the bulge pressing on the crotch of his pants. "Very much."

Cynthia rolled her eyes before setting them on Miranda's own. "Fine. But you better not enjoy it too much you little slut," she said and slapped her across the face.

Miranda was too stunned to react. She simply stared forward, chewing on the gag in her mouth, her cheek stinging from the blow.

"He'll he gawking at her all night now," Cynthia said, taking her husband by the tie and leading him away. "Come, Erik. Let's get a drink."

When they were gone, Liara leaned forward and brushed back some of Miranda's hair, smiling and studying her face with delight. She whispered, "Oh, this is going to be a fun night."

-Jack-

Guests were funneling into the mansion now in thick, chattering, streams. Male humans in dark suits with women in dresses at their arm. Asari in elaborate red gowns that accented their skin tone. Salarians wearing crowns of gold atop their peaked heads. Two batarians dressed in blue robes. Turians with armored plates at their chests garnished in jewels. As they all approached the top of the mansion steps, the doors swung open and a warm, soft, glow emitted from within accompanied by the floating noises of voices and music.

"It's time," Kasumi whispered, lowering the focusing lenses from her face and turning to Jack.

Jack nodded; she'd been thinking the same. "Yeah. Party's in full swing now. No use waiting around any longer."

Kasumi stood, brushed the dirt from the front of her stealth suit, and punched in a control on the suit's arm. She disappeared, only the faint lines of reflected light on her cloaking device remained. When she spoke, Jack found it unsettling; as if her voice was coming from the woods themselves. "Alright, Jack. I'll get to that bulkhead and work on getting it open. Stay near me at the wood's edge and keep an eye out."

"Just be quick."

"Of course," Kasumi's voice replied, and Jack could hear the smile in it.

The reflected light before her shifted, and then trailed off towards the mansion, leaving Jack alone. She stood herself, took a quick look at the front of the mansion where the stream of entering guests was finally begin to taper off, and stayed low to the ground as she began tracing the edge of the forest around in a semi-circle to the West side.

The woods were thick and cluttered around the mansion grounds, and the going was slow. Twigs crunched beneath the boots Kasumi had provided her, but she was too far from anyone for it to matter. Her cloak caught on a branch as she rounded a tree. Jack worked it free and was about to begin moving again when something caught her eye, halting her movement. She bent her knees and lowered herself to the ground. Up above, higher on the embankment and a few dozen feet deeper into the woods, a small ship glowed beneath the planet's twin moons. It was oval-shaped; a dark teardrop mounted to the ground with three large legs. Jack found it strange that one of the guests would set down so far from the mansion, but then she saw something stranger: A large shadowed figure stood before the ship on the lip of the embankment, peering down at the mansion. Silent and staring; silent and watching.

Jack's mouth felt dry. She swallowed, lowered herself even further, and watched the figure. From the size and angles of the shoulders, it had to be a krogan, but what the fuck was it doing? Did it matter? She thought of the blue bitch inside that mansion putting her hands on Miranda and decided, for the moment, it did not. She was careful to remain in shadow and keep her movement slow as she continued forward; one watchful eye glancing occasionally up at the watching shadow. She had made her way past it, the eery figure fading behind her amidst the treetops, and yet still it hadn't budged. She didn't like that, but there were more pressing matters at hand. She moved on.

By the time she'd reached the mansion's West side, Kasumi had already gotten the bulkhead open. Jack was impressed; the thief was as good as she said she was. She spotted that queer haze of reflected light hovering beside the bulkhead and began moving towards it. Kasumi's playful voice greeted her as she neared, "Quick enough for you?"

"Pretty quick," Jack said. She glanced back towards the woods. "You didn't come here with anyone else did you?"

"No. I've worked alone for a long time now, Jack. You know that."

"There's a krogan out there standing on the hillside. He's just... shit, the fucker's just watching the mansion. It's fucking creepy."

Kasumi was quiet for only a moment before asking, "Does it interfere with our plan?"

"No, it doesn't. It was just strange," Jack said, pulling her gaze from the woods and focusing on the stairs leading down to the dungeon. "Alright, stay behind me and stay sharp. I know the layout, but who the fuck knows where those little volus shitheads could be hiding."

"After you, then."

Jack nodded, lifted her leg over the bulkhead, and descended the shadowy steps. Shepard had left the door within unlocked last time she'd seen it, and this time was no different. It swung open, smooth and quiet on its hinges, and the dark, cool, dungeon lay before her. She lifted a hand, gestured for Kasumi to follow, and stepped inside.

The dungeon room where Shepard had once strapped her to a bench and laid ice on her back was a collection of shadowy lumps in the darkness. Above, footsteps and voices and music seeped through the floor in bassy, thick, sounds. Down here, though, it was quiet. Jack didn't know how to turn the lights on, so she stepped further into the room. Her hand reached out and found the leather bench she had been bound to, the thought reigniting an anger for her ex-commander, and side-stepped it. Beyond, a dim light in the adjacent hall was trickling into the room just enough for her to make her way towards it.

Halfway into the room, the light popped on; a volus stood before her.

"Shit," Jack cursed, and instinctively reach around to the holster strapped to her back.

"Don't," the volus warned, lifting his hand into the air. Jack saw he was holding a syringe between his gloved fingers, but he had it positioned like a dart. The little fuck meant to throw it at her. "This will take your eye if I so desire it to. We volus have very good aim, Earth-clan. Throw your gun aside."

"I don't have one," Jack told him as her fingers wrapped around M-6 Carnifex at her back.

The volus sighed, brought his free hand to his ear, and spoke, "Serj, I may have something to report. I'm not... sure yet."

His look lingered on her, testing her, asking the silent question: Do I?

Jack glanced over her shoulder. Kasumi wasn't there. She turned back to the volus, nodded, and carefully removed the gun, tossing it to the ground beside her.

"No, Serj. I was mistaken. All is well. My apologies." He brought his hand from his ear and moved forward; the syringe needle aimed at her.

"What the fuck is that," Jack demanded, raising her hands and taking a step back.

"Something to make you sleep for awhile."

Kasumi's cloaked figure moved beside the wall to her left; the light catching its angles every-so-slightly. Jack grit her teeth. It wasn't good that she'd seen the thief. That meant the volus may have seen her. She watched the little alien, though, and as he approached his head did not turn in her direction. Kasumi was moving slow, though, and she had to stall him. "Just fucking wait!" Jack tried, lowering herself to her knees and putting her hands on her head. "I'm not trying anything. You don't have to stick me with that shit, alright?"

The cluster of reflected light pressed on again, getting around the volus' backside. "Silence, Earth-clan." The needle came up high. "This will hurt, but only for a moment."

Kasumi was getting close.

Jack shook her head. "If you fucking stick me with that shit-"

"Silence, I said!" He lifted the needle.

Kasumi made her move-

-and the volus spun, driving the syringe into the central mass of the cloaking device and depressing the plunger. Kasumi yelped, the suit flickered on and off twice, and then stayed off. The thief was exposed, and the needle was sticking out of her stomach. She winced, made to grab at it, but then her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she dropped to the floor.

Jack pounced for the pistol at her side.

The volus pounced faster. His weight slammed her hip, throwing her to the ground with such force she slid away from the Carnifex; her fingers getting a fleeting brush along the gun's barrel and then grasping at nothing but air. She roared, got her knee under her to stand, and the volus threw his body on top of her. They both spilled back, rolling once before coming to a stop. The volus was atop her hips, his gloved hands working to pin her arms down beneath his knees.

"Fuck you!" Jack screamed and twisted her hips to get him off.

He didn't budge. Once her arms were pinned, she watched him dig into his utility belt and yank out a damp, white, fabric. She could smell the chloroform on it immediately.

"NO!" She wailed, trying to wiggle free.

The volus' arm shot out, covering her mouth and nose with cloth.

She held her breath for as long as she could.

She thought of Miranda.

-Miranda-

The ballroom had filled up fast. Every guest that arrived was announced by a volus at the main archway in a loud, booming, voice. Then Liara would break away from whatever group she was currently trying to entertain and exchange hugs and greetings with the new group. And there were plenty of new groups: humans; turians; asari; salarian. All the guests who'd turned out for Shepard's last party had returned and had brought along new guests with them. They had started filling out every inch of the ballroom, so the newer guests were directed to the second floor, where they peered over the golden railing down at the dance floor with glasses of wine in their hands; big, disgusting, smiles on their faces. Miranda saw all this unfold from her place at the rear of the ballroom, strapped naked to a pillar; nothing to do but chew the gag in her mouth and watch.

Liara had said she intended to 'show her off' and she'd kept true to her word. Periodically, she'd lead a group over to her and claim Miranda as 'my little tramp'. Miranda had to listen to the asari's lies each and every time as she spun her crap about Miranda attacking Shepard and leaving her injured. Most of the guests simply scoffed at her, shook their heads in contempt, and left shortly after. Some though... some stayed. And some touched. A turian, upon seeing her, had loudly exclaimed 'The Miranda Lawson!?' and strolled right up to her and grabbed two handfuls of her breasts. Later, a group of Asari studied every inch of her, their hands running along the bare flesh of her arms and legs and neck. They stepped back, giggle amongst each other, and walked away. The worst was the man from earlier with the goatee, Erik. She kept seeing his eyes land on her from various places in the ballroom. every time his wife wasn't paying attention, his attention went right to her.

It was after a Salarian in a tophat had fondled her breasts and claimed with a cheerful exuberance that they were 'Prime and Perfect!' that the man came back to her. His blonde wife was nowhere in sight. Miranda sighed as he approached.

"Hey, gorgeous," Eric whispered, his eyes not even bothering looking into hers; they fell on her breasts immediately. He licked his lips and rubbed his hands together. "Wife stepped out. Though we could get to know each other before tonight."

The man disgusted her, but right now he could also help her. "Mmf," she hummed into the gag and raised her brow.

"What's that?" He said, a playful grin spreading across his face.

"Mmmm," she tried, gesturing to her mouth with her eyes.

"You have something to say, dear?"

Oh, she had something to say. The minute she could, she was going to scream for someone to go check the basement. Go find the woman they all came here so desperate to see strung up in a dungeon, welts on her back, hood over her head. She nodded.

His hand reached up, his fingers stroked her cheek. Miranda bit the gag, waiting as patiently as she could. He laughed. "I don't know... your mouth looks good with something in it. Would you like something else in it, dear?" He grinned, reached down, and took a hold of the bulge of his crotch.

She swallowed her pride, closed her eyes, and nodded her head; if he removed the gag, she only needed enough time to scream.

"Slut," he snapped, took her breast in one hand, and pinched hard at the nipple.

"Mmf!" She grunted, her eyes shooting open and landing, confused and angry, on his own.

"I'll see you tonight," he said, turned, and left as quickly as he came.

The volus musicians finished the song they were playing, shifted to a minor key, and began something slow and sad. Every Turian in the ballroom cheered and raised their glass in salute to the musicians; Miranda assumed it was something from one of their composers. More volus moved through the room carrying silver trays above their heads. Assorted fruits and nuts and delicacies littered their tops. Wine was served as well, and Miranda found it amazing that the short little aliens with the stubby legs could move so quickly; she never saw a glass go empty for longer than a few seconds before a volus was there to refill it.

Liara moved from group to group, laughing and chatting and laughing some more. Miranda watched, with disgust, as a salarian got down on one knee and put on a fake 'proposal' for her, much to the cheers of his friends and nearby onlookers. Liara batted her eyes 'accepted' and allowed the salarian to kiss her cheek. His group whistled and clapped their hands. Liara smile, bowed demurely, and walked off to mingle with someone else.

It was then Miranda realized she hadn't seen either Ashley or Sam the entire night. That worried her. She knew how scared Sam was of the asari, and how much Liara didn't like the girl. She hoped with everything in her that Liara hadn't done anything to her. If she had... Miranda pulled at her straps. They kept her still.

A group of humans began pleading for their 'wonderful hostess' to sing a song. Liara put her hand up and shook her head, smiling and a bit of red coming into her blue cheeks, but the humans were persistent and eventually got their way. Liara had a brief conversation with the musicians, then the ballroom grew silent and eager as she stepped before a sound projector and sang. Her voice filled the entirety of the ballroom. The song was a quiet little number with an annoying, shrill, chorus that Liara sang quite flatly. Still, at the end of it, the ballroom sent up a roar of applause, raising their wine to her in salute. Liara bowed and put her hands to her chest, smiling from ear to ear. A short man with blonde hair stepped forward from the group that had talked her into singing and offered his hand. She took it, he smiled, and they went to the dance floor as the band launched into an up-tempo, bouncy, tune that got everyone tapping their toes at the very least.

Again, Erik approached her as his wife danced with a turian. Miranda looked away from the man as he smiled at her; if she looked longer than that, her anger was almost too much to bear. The music was too loud to hear what he said, but whatever it was, their was booze on his breath, and the next thing he did was take the tip of her breast in his mouth and suck. Miranda closed her eyes and pretended it wasn't happening to her; that this was just some insane dream she was having. Then his hand was around her jaw, shaking her head til her eyes opened. "Look at me you bitch," he shouted over the music. She did. He kissed her lips over the gag, pulled back, and smiled. "Thank you, dear." He almost turned away before adding a single word that send a chill up her spine.

"Soon."

She, thankfully, didn't seem him for a long time then. More drinks were served, more music played, and more people danced. Liara's step began to take a wobble in it, and Miranda realized the asari had gotten a little drunk herself. After nearly falling into a group of humans, she steadied herself, put a hand up and smiled. She climbed back to the little platform where the volus musicians played on, and gestured for them to cut. They did. The chatter of the ballroom died down, and all eyes turned to her. She spoke into the sound projector and said, "Who's ready for the main show of the night?"

They cheered. Every one of them.

Miranda didn't like the sound of that.

"Bring the whore out, Serj," Liara said, putting a hand over her brow and scanning the ballroom floor. "Serj? Where are you you stubby little bastard... get her!"

The musicians stood, rested their instruments against the back wall, and exited the room through the side entrance. The guests began to quietly whisper amongst themselves as Liara stood, the wine swaying her hips, and waited. Finally, two new volus appeared beneath the golden arch of the main entrance. In their hands they held ropes, and at the end of the ropes-

-Miranda whimpered into her gag and had to look away.

Sam was cuffed to a leather bench on a slightly lifted platform with wheels beneath it. The volus dragged the whole thing in towards the dance floor. Sam's hands were tethered to the floor of the platform so she was bent over at the waist. Her legs were spread out wide to the very ends of the platform and locked down in shackles. She was completely naked, a ballgag strapped around her mouth, and, Miranda saw with heart-wrenching sadness, she was crying.

Liara giggled into the sound system. Miranda snapped her head to the side just in time to see the proud, smug, little grin come across the asari's face as she climbed down from the musician stand and began making her way across the room. "GRMMMMPH!" Miranda screamed at her.

Liara's eye flicked her way, winked, and turned back to Sam.

Miranda pulled at every inch of her restraints, but she couldn't budge; couldn't move; couldn't stop Liara.

"This little slut made the mistake of crossing Commander Shepard, too," Liara shouted. Without the sound system, she wasn't quite as loud, but her voice carried well enough over the stunned silence of the crowd. "And now my treat to you: I'm going to fuck her til she bleeds!"

A smattering of applause went up from the crowd, but most of them simply stood with bemused looks on their faces. Sam was quietly weeping into her ballgag. Liara made her way to the platform, climbed it, and grabbed the girl's hair. She wrenched it back so Sam's head faced hers and smiled. "Whores get their dues, bitch. They always do," Liara told her, shoved her head back down and bent. She returned to a stand with a massive strap-on dildo in her hands. She showed it to the crowd like a trophy.

Again, the crowed reacted with some hesitant applause and a whole lot of silence. Liara didn't seem to mind; she was already strapping up. Miranda realized that none of them were going to stop the asari. Not one of the sick bastards was going to do a thing about this. It made her sick. It made her sad.

Worse, Erik was at her side again then. He smiled at her, slipped a hand down around her ass cheek, and squeezed. "Let's watch together, dear. Shall we?"

Liara buckled the massive dildo around her waist, laughed, and swung it back and forth in the air. She turned to Sam, her eyes widened with anticipation, and she moved around to her rear. "What hole do you want me to shred first, bitch?" Liara asked.

Sam closed her eyes, but made no sound.

Good for you, Miranda thought. Don't give this sick psycho the satisfaction.

"Oh you'll scream," Liara assured her, gripping the girl's hips and getting into place. "You'll fucking scream soon enough you little slut."

Miranda didn't have a clear view, but Liara must have done something bad then, because Sam did scream, or at least tried to around the ballgag. The sound was weak and pleading, and Miranda could feel her stomach turn over. Liara laughed, thrust her hips forward, and Sam screamed again.

"Commander Shepard!?"

Miranda's eyes widened. She looked up and found Liara's frozen face staring at hers with a mix of confusion, disbelief, and horror locked in it. It can't be, Miranda thought. It just can't be.

Yet - it was.

The crowd's gasps went through the room like a shockwave. The groups at the ballroom's East entrance began splitting apart, clearing a path, and just generally getting the fuck out of the way. They didn't speak, didn't laugh, didn't make a move once they'd stepped aside.

Shepard walked through them, as naked as when Miranda had last seen her, her face stern, dark, and brooding. Her fists were clenched. Her back was a mess, covered in red welts and bruises that looked even worse up here in the harsh lighting of the ballroom.

Miranda's heart thundered in her chest. She didn't know how it was possible, didn't care, because Commander Shepard was back. Somehow, someway... she was back.

"S-S-Shepard..." Liara whispered upon seeing the commander marching through the still-stunned crowd. "S-Shepard?"

Shepard's eyes went from Liara to Sam and finally, to Miranda. She headed her way, and Miranda could see the looks of horror on the crowd's faces as they got a glimpse of her bruised back, butt, and legs.

"Commander," Erik said beside her, removing his hand from her ass cheek. "Y-You're... naked? What-"

Shepard walked before the man, took his shoulders in her hands, and drove her forehead into his nose. It cracked and twisted in an unnatural angle as a spurt of blood shot from the man's nostrils and he collapsed back to the floor on his ass, screaming in pain.

Her eyes flicked to Miranda. "You okay?"

Miranda swallowed, felt her heart pounding even harder, and nodded.

Shepard returned the nod before glancing over at Liara. "I'll be right back," she whispered and began marching across the ballroom.

"W-w-wait! P-PLEASE!" Liara begged. Miranda saw the asari's eyes desperately scanning the room for her volus squadron. "S-SERJ!?" She shrieked. "SERJ!"

No volus came.

Shepard marched forward in her nakedness. It appeared the only thing in the world she saw was Liara, because she did not step around anyone else - they stepped aside for her. Miranda saw, with a deep sense of satisfaction and pride, that they feared her. They feared her because she was Commander Shepard.

None so much as Liara. "Shepard, PLEASE WAIT!" The asari was pleading. She had her hands before her, trembling, and trying to halt Shepard's pursuit. She stepped backwards, missed the edge of the platform, and tumbled off the side to her knees.

Shepard climbed up and unlocked Sam from the bench. Sam stood, crying ever harder now-though those were the good tears; the happy tears-and fell into Shepard's arms. The commander hugged her tight, kissed her forehead, and whispered in her ear. Sam nodded and stepped aside. Shepard marched for Liara once more.

"Hey, cheerleader," a familiar voice said beside her.

Miranda turned, saw, and smiled around the gag in her mouth.

-Jack-

-Ten Minutes Earlier-

He'd bought it. The dumb little shit had bought it. Jack had held her breath, feigned unconsciousness, and waited as the volus held the chloroform-soaked rag over her mouth and nose, and the moment he eased up on the tension, Jack snapped her hips sideways with every bit of strength she had left. The alien yelped, tried covering her mouth once more, but by then it was too late. He tumbled off her and she scrambled to her feet. He scrambled to his, too, but she made it first, and when he was halfway up, she sent the heel of her boot across his jaw. He dropped.

"Kasumi," Jack called to the fallen thief beside her. She stepped over the volus and knelt at the woman's side. Kasumi didn't stir, but when Jack felt her wrist, there was a pulse. The volus had, at least, been telling the truth about that. She was just sleeping. "Fuck me... now I've got to do this shit alone?" She complained to her unconscious partner.

Kasumi was light, and dragging her to the bench at the edge of the room and laying her down was relatively easy for Jack. Once it was done, she patted the thief on the shoulder, checked the Carnifex pistol to make sure it was still loaded and ready, and tucked it into her holster to continue on.

Jack had expected-or, perhaps, simply hoped-to find Miranda in the dungeon and without any more trouble from the volus. Half of her hopes came true; there were no further volus to deal with. She did not find Miranda, however. She found Shepard.

"What the fuck..." Jack whispered once she'd peeled the hood from the commander's head. When she'd seen the naked body hung upside down with welts and bruises covering the woman's entire backside, she thought it was that Ashley Williams. It wasn't, though. It was, somehow, Shepard. The commander's eyes were closed. "Shepard?" Jack tried, shaking her shoulders. "Jesus Christ, Shepard, wake the fuck up! What happened?"

When the commander once again didn't stir, Jack went to the nearby sink, filled an empty glass with water, and splashed it in her face. Shepard's eyes opened but squinted immediately. She groaned, shook her head, and stretched her jaw. "Ah, shit..." she said, wincing.

"Shepard?" Jack said; the commander hadn't even noticed her.

Shepard's eyes flicked up to her and frowned. "Jack?"

"What the fuck, Shepard? What happened to you?"

Shepard told her. Told her everything.

By the end, Jack was so angry, she was pacing back and forth with her fists balled and her breath shooting through her nostrils in hot streams. "Motherfucker... motherfucking asari! If she fucking touched Miranda-"

"I don't think she did," Shepard explained. "Now would you get me out of this, Jack? I'd like to pay our mutual enemy a visit if you don't mind..."

Jack stopped pacing and stared down at the woman. "You're the reason I'm in this whole fucking twisted nightmare... the reason Miranda's in it."

Shepard said nothing.

"Shit, Shepard... you really fucked up this time, didn't you?"

"Yes," Shepard admitted. "I did. And I'm sorry."

"Are you going to try any of that kinky shit on me or Miranda or, fuck, anyone else again if I get you loose?"

"Only if you want it," Shepard said. "Never against your will. I promise."

Jack stared at her for a moment. Then she let her down.

When Shepard was free, the woman took a moment to orient herself before facing Jack and extending her hand. Jack looked at it, then up at Shepard's face. There was a deep sincerity, an honesty, in her former commander's eyes that she wasn't expecting and it almost got her emotional. When she took Shepard's hand, she pulled the commander in and hugged her; careful not to squeeze her wounded back too hard.

"Thanks, Jack," Shepard said, hugging back. "Now let me start making this whole thing up to you. I'm going to go hurt Liara T'Soni. Very badly."

-Miranda-

"Shepard, PLEASE!" Liara screeched. She was on the floor of the ballroom, scurrying back on her hands and knees to escape the commander's approach. "Just w-w-wait! You don't understand! SHEPARD! You don't- please! STOP!"

Shepard did not stop; cold fury burned in her eyes as she walked after the crawling asari.

Miranda turned back to Jack. It was like a dream. Like the most wonderful dream she'd ever had. Jack smiled, reached up, and pulled the gag from her mouth. A million things ran through her head then, but the one that stuck was the day Shepard had Jack wash her in the shower. The way Jack's hands and fingers ran along her body and breasts. She'd asked Jack to kiss her then, but Shepard had stopped it. She knew it sounded corny, but it was the only thing she wanted to say at the time. "Kiss me."

This time, Jack did.

"SERJ!" Liara was pleading from the ballroom floor. "Where are you! SAVE ME! STOP SHEPARD, PLEASE!"

Shepard stepped before the asari and cracked her knuckles. "You're one twisted fuck, Liara. You know that?"

Liara frantically shook her head. "N-no, Shepard! I didn't w-w-want to! They made me, Commander! Those terrible little volus! They... they tricked your sweet Liara into-" Movement at the front of the ballroom caught her attention. The red and pink volus, 'Serj' apparently, was waddling forward. "SERJ! Get over here! STOP SHEPARD!"

Shepard turned back.

Serj was moving forward, but at a casual pace. "Yes, Master T'Soni. Right away."

Shepard ignored him, grabbed Liara by the arm, and jerked her to her feet. Tears spilled from the asari's eyes. "SERJ! RUN YOU STUBBY BASTARD!"

"I'm coming as quick as I can with the burden of an Oath on my back. It slows us volus, down you see. Were we free from it, we would move as swiftly as varren. Such a bother, that Oath. Such a bother..."

Liara's face crinkled up in what might have been a grimace. "Oh, god damn you, FINE! FINE! I release you! You hear that you short bastard!? I RELEASE YOU FROM THE OATH! You are FREE! NOW SAVE ME! SAVE ME FROM SHEPARD RIGHT - NOW!"

Serj stopped, turned, and gestured to the rear of the room.

Bars rose from the floor at each of the ballrooms entry points. They slammed home with a resounding clang.

Miranda's stomach sank. "Oh, no..."

"What's happening?" Jack asked.

"I don't know... something bad."

A woman screamed then. A man shouted. A turian demanded an explanation. Another woman was demanding to be let out. Then whole groups were shouting. Then everyone was shouting. People rushed the entrances, gripping the bars, shaking them, yelling, pushing each other aside, yelling some more. The ballroom had descended into chaos.

Miranda was so wrapped up in the confused mess that had become the crowd, she hadn't even noticed that Jack had cut her legs and waist loose and was working on her right hand. "Jack..." she said, but couldn't find any words past that.

Shepard dropped Liara as Sam came running up to her and cradled the girl in her arms. Miranda was hoping this was all part of the commander's plan, but when Shepard turned and her face was visible, the look on it told Miranda the terrible truth: it was not.

Tssssssssssssssss.

The noised filled the ballroom and people's screams grew louder.

From the corners of the ceiling and floor, a green gas was being pumped into the room.

"Jack!" Miranda warned, and when Jack looked, she gestured to the gas.

Jack looked back at it, cursed, and turned back to stare into Miranda's eyes. "This stealth suit has a breather in it," she said. "Hold on." She dug into the chest piece compartment and fished out a rubber and mesh breather. It was attached to the suit itself, so Jack cut it loose with the knife and brought it to Miranda's mouth.

Miranda jerked her head away. "No! What about you?"

Above the noise of the crowd's panic, she heard a man scream, "My wife! My wife!"

"Only one breather, cheerleader," Jack told her. "You're getting it."

"But-"

"You changed me, Miranda," Jack told her. "You changed me. Someone told me the only thing that changes someone is love, so... I guess I love you, alright?"

Miranda opened her mouth to speak, but Jack covered it with a kiss. When she pulled away, she stuck the breather over Miranda's nose, mouth, and chin and went back to cutting her left arm loose.

Liara was crawling around on the floor in a daze; her eyes red with tears. She was screaming 'Serj! 'Serj!' and 'They're all against me! I knew it! They're all against me! Against Liara!'.

Two turians fell to the floor.

An asari joined them.

The groups closest to the gas shafts began dropping in clumps.

"Here," Jack shouted over the noise. "I don't think I have time to get your other arm loose, cheerleader." She stuck the handle of the knife in Miranda's left hand, coughed twice into her fist, and dropped to the ground.

"JACK!" Miranda shouted, but her voice was muffled and distant sounding beneath the breather. With no other choice, she began cutting away at the strap around her right arm.

As she cut, they fell; sooner or later - they fell. Every last one of them. The gas got a bit too close, and then the guests simply collapsed. Miranda looked up as she was cutting at her strap and saw Shepard was the last one to go. The commander wore no breather, and she even was carrying Sam's limp body in her arms, but her legs stayed beneath her the longest on sheer will power. Finally, after everyone else had submitted to whatever toxin was in that gas, Shepard dropped to one knee, set Sam gently on the ground before her, and toppled over herself.

The room was a pile of unconscious bodies.

And the volus.

Miranda's skin crawled when she noticed them. They were in every corner of the room, standing and watching the events unfold around them in silence, protected beneath the safety of their suit's breathers. Suddenly, getting her arm loose seemed a lot more important. She cut faster.

The bars lowered from the entrances.

Her arm came loose, but a strap still hugged her thighs, and without cutting that one too, she wasn't going anywhere. She set to work.

The volus gathered in the center of the dance floor and all dropped to one knee facing the golden archway that entered into the ballroom from the main lobby.

She cut and cut and cut and finally started breaking through.

The krogan's footsteps are what halted her. They pounded off the marble floors with resounding thuds from every step. She looked up and saw his dark figured crossing the room; crossing towards her.

He has no eyes, Miranda thought to herself, her breath caught in her chest as she watched his approach.

He has no eyes!