A/N: Hey guys. Jade asked a question about the Ardat-Yakshi surviving outside the monastery, and I think that it might be helpful to explain my take on it. I couldn't help but notice how similar the A-Y monastery is to Circle of Magi in Dragon Age, and how many similarities are between A-Y and mages. Just like a mage becomes an abomination when a demon possesses them, an Ardat-Yakshi becomes an insatiable killer once they have experienced the thrill. But there are many mages in Thedas that manage to live outside the Circle without falling to corruption, and similarly, I believe that there could be some Ardat-Yakshi who would be capable to do the same.
Furthermore, I think that Rila and Falere have a few advantages to help them. In my version of the events, after Morinth was discovered to suffer from this terrible condition, Samara probably realized that her other daughters were also A-Y, and quickly had them shipped to the monastery, before they could even experience their first meld or be tempted. Rila and Falere both know that if they would try to meld with someone, they would kill them and then would in all likelihood be killed themselves. They are sweet, young girls who do not wish to harm anyone, not to mention that their biotics and ability to meld is completely untrained, so they would have hard time assaulting someone with forced meld. Maybe only some non-asari who wouldn't know how to block them, but certainly not someone like Aria. And to seduce someone, they would need, time, place, opportunity, and most importantly intent, which they really don't have.
So, TL;DR version: Rila and Falere are pretty damn harmless, unless you really want to tempt fate and encourage them.
Now, please enjoy the chapter, and also, enjoy retaking Omega for our lovable Ms. T'Loak. :)
Chapter 85 - One Night In Purgatory
"I'm on my way, where are you?" Morgan asks impatiently, having reached Liara over the comms.
"Nearly there," comes the reply. "I think most of the crew will be present tonight."
"Whatever, they won't dare to intrude on our business with Aria," Shepard replies. "Sorry about the delay, by the way. The business with the volus ambassador was more complicated than I believed it would be."
"Oh? Did you run into any difficulties?" Liara asks. "I'm at the entrance, waiting on you."
"He had actually broken his ties with Cerberus, but the turians didn't buy it and placed a hit on him anyway. Had to shoot some mercs to free a very grateful volus," Shepard replies. "Be there in three minutes."
"I assume the mercs gave you little trouble."
"Obviously, and I even got something for this minor inconvenience. Name of a turian colony that Cerberus were about to hit, which Victus will now be able to evacuate or defend, and the volus bombing fleet at my disposal... which probably sounds more impressive than it actually is. But I guess every bit counts."
"I very much agree," Liara says. "I think I can see you now." She takes a few steps towards Morgan and waves her hand, trying to get Shepard's attention. A few moments later, they share a warm embrace before entering the Purgatory together, arms wrapped around each other's waist.
"You were right, I do see a lot of familiar faces here tonight," Shepard remarks, looking around, then directing Liara towards Aria's little private corner where nobody with an ounce of common sense dares to wander uninvited. "But let's take care of business first before we mingle with the others." The Queen of Omega is busy talking with several batarians who are looking a little worse for wear, but she sends them packing as soon as she notices Shepard and Liara approaching, wordlessly motioning for them to take seats at her table.
"What brings you here, Shepard?" Aria asks, unable to hide a hint of curiosity.
"I have a considerable favor to ask of you, Aria," Shepard states honestly.
"Hmm. I don't feel that I owe you anything, Shepard, but there is no harm in listening to what you have to say. Go on."
"We have just returned from a mission to an Ardat-Yakshi monastery that was attacked by Reaper forces. We had no option but to employ a fuckton of explosives to level the place. The official mission report claims that there were no survivors on either side."
"Why do I have a feeling that there is a 'but' incoming?" Aria asks, smirking knowingly.
"Two young asari survived. They are aboard of the Normandy," Shepard says.
Aria shakes her head. "Kill them, kill them quickly, don't let them become a problem."
"I can't do that, Aria. Do you remember the justicar I was hunting the Ardat-Yakshi on Omega with?" The Pirate Queen nods barely perceptibly. "Those two are her daughters. They are completely naive and innocent, oblivious to what life outside their monastery walls is like. They don't deserve death just because they could become heartless killers like some of the Ardat-Yakshi."
"Fine, you don't want to kill them, that's your mistake to make," Aria shrugs. "What does this have to do with me?"
"They need a place to stay, at least for a while, I can't bring them into warzones with the Normandy. I was hoping that you could find a place for them, at least for a while," Shepard says, hoping that Aria won't lash out with a biotic punch just from the mere suggestion.
Instead, Aria gives her the kind of look that seems to be appraising Shepard's sanity, and being skeptical about the results. "You are completely crazy, Shepard. Why would I agree to be a caretaker for two Ardat-Yakshi?" she glares.
"Well, you're aware of how dangerous they can be if they go bad, so I figured you'd do a good job making sure that they don't get any ideas. Like not encouraging them towards sexual proclivity and other forms of debauchery," Shepard shrugs, a little helplessly. "Besides... to be honest, I couldn't think of any other asari who I might possibly talk into something this dangerous."
"I still don't understand what's the upside for me, if I agree to this crazy plan, Shepard," Aria gives her a dubious stare.
"Well, I'd owe you a massive favor that you could cash in at your leisure," Morgan suggests.
"I think we can do even better than that," Liara speaks suddenly, having kept quiet for the entire discussion. "Remember me saying that I know how your daughter Liselle was murdered by Cerberus, and that I did not know the man responsible for slitting her throat?" Aria turns her head to look at Liara, her eyes cold as ice and the glass in her hand looks like it might break from the pressure. "I kept digging, and I now have that information for you, Aria. I am willing to exchange it for the promise that you will take care of Rila and Falere, and that they will not come to harm in your protection, not from you or anyone else."
"Yes, damn it, anything for the name of that bastard," Aria snarls, looking like she might explode from the tension.
"It actually was our friend Kai Leng," Liara says, as the glass shatters in Aria's hand, but she does not even seem to be aware of it. "I will forward my intel to you, so that you can verify for yourself that I am speaking the truth."
"Don't bother. Somehow I always felt he was behind it, I just had a gut feeling," Aria says quietly. "He will not survive our next meeting, that much I promise. Very well, T'Soni, this intel together with owing me a favor... that is an acceptable trade. I will have my people ready a place for your two fugitives, before I pick them off your ship. They better not cause any trouble, Shepard."
"They won't, they're gentle, timid and frightened creatures," Shepard smiles. "Liara and I will hang out here at the Purgatory for a while, but then we'll head back to the ship. You can pick them up in a couple of hours. Oh, and I have another small gift ready for you when you stop by the Normandy."
"Oh?" Aria's painted eyebrows rise in curiosity.
"We were on a mission to Noveria just recently. I thought of you and had my people pick up a box of Noverian rum bottles for you."
Aria suddenly is smiling, shaking Shepard's hand vigorously. "Shepard, my friend, I am starting to feel very good about doing business with you... a box of Noverian rum? Yes, I think I will get along very nicely with those Ardat-Yakshi of yours..."
With that they part, Aria leaving from Purgatory to make all preparations for Rila and Falere, letting Morgan and Liara mingle with the crowds and their numerous crewmates in attendance. "Well, you really came through for me again, Liara," Shepard says, giving her bondmate a grateful stare.
"Thank you, Morgan, I was glad to be of help," Liara smiles back. "Though I am a little concerned about this... unspecified favor that Aria can now demand of you."
"Well... I'll deal with it when it comes up. Unless she asks for a lapdance, I can't do those," Morgan chuckles, winking at Liara. "You'll just have to take that one for the team, babe."
"Me? There's no way I would go along with something like that..." Liara lets out a deep sigh as she playfully elbows Morgan. "That was a bad idea, I just know it. My intel and that crate of rum would have been enough to seal the deal."
"You're probably right, but I just think it's better to have a very grateful Aria T'Loak on our side, so it's fine with me if she perhaps gets more than what was necessary," Morgan replies simply as they make their way towards the bar, seeing James, Joker and Traynor sitting at a table close by and chatting animatedly. Their arrival is greeted with cheers and Liara takes the last free chair, sending Shepard to steal one for herself from the neighboring table.
"So, what's going on here?" Shepard asks, as the ever attentive Lt. Vega quickly orders a couple of drinks for her and Liara.
"Joker's a bit down in the dumps," Traynor explains. "We're giving him relationship advice."
"Completely unwanted and undesired advice, I might add," Joker groans.
"I've been trying to tell the flyboy that if he really fancies his synthetic sex-bot so much, he should just go and tell her that," James chuckles, returning with their drinks, glasses with suspicious pink liquid, decorated with purple and yellow umbrellas. "Samantha is trying to discourage him, but we both think it's because she's sweet on EDI herself."
"That is a complete and utter lie!" Samantha exclaims, blushing furiously.
"Well, since everyone is offering their input, I might just as well ask you too," Joker sighs. "Liara, Commander, what do you think I should do?"
"I can't tell you that, Joker," Liara says simply. "Best I can do is to offer platitudes like 'follow your heart' and the like."
"I just don't see how this could work out, Joker," Shepard shrugs, a little annoyed at having been dragged into this, still feeling a little guilty for discouraging EDI. "I mean, with your bones and her being made from metal, that could be... pretty difficult."
"It doesn't even need to be physical, I might be looking for a deeper connection on intellectual and emotional level," Joker replies defensively.
"Why can't you decide that for yourself then? You seem pretty certain about what you want, anyway," Shepard snaps back. "Stop asking us to make a decision for you, because I'll tell you the same as I told EDI."
"Wait... she asked you the same as I did and you discouraged her?" Joker gives her an accusing stare. "And you didn't tell me? Gee, thanks, some friend you are, Shepard. Right, I'm off to find EDI," he rises from the table swiftly and heads off, leaving the others sitting in uncomfortable silence.
"Sure, now I'm Commander Shepard the Jerk," Morgan sighs deeply. "Why do people ask me these sort of sensitive questions as if they are really interested in an honest opinion? They just want to hear one specific reply, and then they are angry with me when I don't say what they want to hear. Just don't ask then!"
"Perhaps you could try and be a little more evasive when you can't in all honesty give the answer that is expected?" Liara suggests. "That policy has served me well."
"Yeah, but you're smarter than I am," Morgan grins at her bondmate.
"Whoa, would you look at all those tattoos on that girl," their humorous banter is interrupted by Traynor, staring across the hall at one of the more remote tables. "That looks pretty hot..."
"Hey... isn't that..." James starts to speak, but is interrupted by Morgan.
"You are right, that is Jack... studying datapads while in a rowdy, raucous nightclub?" she wonders. "That's just wrong!"
"Jack? You mean the biotic instructor from Grissom Academy?" Traynor blinks in surprise. "I never caught the sight of her on the Normandy, but I never imagined her to look like that!"
"I'm going to have a brief chat with her," Shepard says, getting up from the table, when a sudden idea strikes her. "Say, want me to put in a word for you, Sam?"
"Uh... yes? Yes!" Traynor squeaks, blushing like mad.
Well, let's hope that Jack is interested and this gets Sam off my tail, Shepard smirks at herself, walking across the hall towards Jack's table with the intent to interrupt her old friend's engrossed studies of datapads.
"What the hell is this?" Shepard wastes no time in startling Jack as she approaches the psychotic-biotic. "What do you think you're doing, spoiling everyone's fun by being antisocial in the corner?"
"Ugh... Shepard," Jack glares up at her, then tossing the datapads aside as Shepard takes a seat next to her. "Duty rosters. That's what I do for fun now, apparently."
"How are the kids holding up?" Morgan asks.
"Well, none of them are dead yet, so I guess keeping them to support roles was a good call. Hell, Rodriguez got shot and then nibbled by a husk, and what does she do? Sends me pictures with her scars and asks 'doesn't this look cool?' Good kids, but shit for brains, if you ask me."
"Still... reading duty rosters on your shore leave? What happened, Jack?" Shepard asks, feigning despair theatrically. "Where, oh where did we go wrong?"
"Oh, do shut up, Shepard," Jack smacks her on the shoulder. "We both know this is all your influence, I mean, your fault."
"Nonsense, I was never so anal to file away the reports during my precious shore leave, whomever you learned that from certainly wasn't me," Shepard shakes her head. "I'm telling you Jack, you've become even more tight-arsed than I've ever been!"
"Hey, careful there tentacle-fancier, don't make me kick your ass," Jack chuckles at her. "It's still your fault that I'm apparently dependable now. Sometimes I can't believe this shit myself."
Shepard smiles. "Actually, military life is pretty good fit for someone with the issues you had, Ms. Nought. There's plenty of combat, free room and board, and dependable people that will never stab you in the back. I'd say that's a decent deal, eh?"
"Yeah, I... I guess I'm pretty happy with how things worked out," Jack finally admits, a little reluctantly. "So... uh, thanks, Shepard."
"You're welcome, Jack," Morgan grins, feeling genuinely happy for Jack's somewhat more balanced life and overall attitude. "By the way, my Comm Specialist has been checking you out for a while now. She says she digs your tattoos and would like to get her hands on them."
"Does she now?" Jack laughs, staring across the hall to the table that Shepard had just vacated. "Oh, you mean that little dark haired doll-face with nice pair of tits? Sure, just tell her to come over, I'll take good care of her."
"Cheers, Jack, you're the best," Shepard says, patting the biotic on the shoulder before rising and heading back to her table. Yes! Yes, yes, yes! She mentally cheers, hoping that she has managed to get rid of Traynor's unwanted amorous attentions.
"Sam, good news," she says after returning to her table, the Specialist looking up at her expectantly. "Jack's interested, you're in. Just remember you have five more hours of shore leave left. Tell Jack to fuck your brains out fast."
"Uh... yes, Commander!" crimson red faced Samantha snaps off a salute and then rushes off swiftly, very eager to act upon the invitation.
"You're really narrowing the playing field for guys like me, Lola," James complains good naturedly. "It's a good thing we have someone like Esteban, to even the odds back out," he says, pointing at the dance floor, where they can see Lieutenant Steve Cortez dancing with a burly, broad shouldered marine sergeant.
"Looks like Steve is recovering nicely," Morgan nods, pleased to see her crew in good spirits. "He's been like a completely new person after visiting that memorial wall in the Docks."
"That's because he gave away that recording of his dead husband," James says. "It was really holding him back. And speaking about holding back... I don't think I can hold back any more, seeing that there are some lonely and enchanting asari up on the dance floor, I think I'll go and see about my chances..."
"Yeah, well good luck with that, James," Shepard raises her glass to wave him off, leaving herself and Liara alone at the table.
"Can I ask you a question?" Liara suddenly asks, after they have been slowly sipping their cocktails and exchanging fond, loving stares for a while.
"Of course, you don't need my permission to ask me questions," Morgan smiles.
"Lieutenant Vega's remarks reminded me of something I have been wondering about for a while," Liara starts, a little hesitantly. "Before we... ah, consummated our relationship, did you have preference for your own or the opposite gender? I've always been curious about that, but it just felt like a foolish and embarrassing thing to ask."
"Well... if you really want to know..." Liara gives a brief nod as Shepard starts to speak. "I've taken lovers of both genders in the past. My first partner was a young man on one of the ships my mother served on. He was rather nice and attentive, and I thought I was in love with him, but this one time as we were making out in his quarters, my stare somehow fell on the holo-picture of his sister on the nearby table and I just couldn't stop thinking about how attractive she was. It was... rather embarrassing, having these romantic thoughts about his sister, it made me feel very guilty and I wanted to break the whole thing off, I felt as if I was being unfaithful to him."
"Even though you hadn't actually been unfaithful," Liara remarks.
"Uh, well... here's the really awkward thing," Morgan suddenly hesitates, blushing at the memories long untouched. "I had just turned eighteen and I must have been really obvious about everything where my feelings were concerned. His sister must have sensed that I fancied her. To make things really complicated... turns out that she was very much interested, too."
"Oh... I can see how that could have been very embarrassing."
"Sylvia was four years my senior and very experienced. She, uh, taught me a great deal in those two weeks. But I was also becoming crushed by guilt, I wanted to confess to Martin, her brother... and just as I was about to do that, I suddenly learned that my mother was getting transferred to another ship, and so I was spared the whole drama. I never met either of them again, and two months later I enlisted with the Alliance."
Liara remains silent, but urges her to continue, and Shepard obeys. "I had several lovers after that, both male and female. During the brief shore leaves, I usually preferred male companionship. They were more likely to be interested in something short term and were usually very upfront about it. That suited my needs perfectly."
"So, females of your species displayed preference for long-term relationships?" Liara asks.
"Well... it differs from person to person, but from my experiences that was certainly the case," Morgan nods. "My few relationships with other women seemed far more intense and I felt more emotionally invested. They also hurt a lot more when they inevitably ended. That's when I started to believe that even if I am technically bi-sexual, deep down I held preference for partners of my own gender."
"I don't know the reasons why your past relationships ended, but believe me Morgan, I will not let that happen to us," Liara says with a determined expression on her face.
"Circumstances were different then, and I have no reason to believe that just because I couldn't make my past relationships work, something terrible will happen to us," Shepard smiles, taking Liara's hands in hers. "I hadn't been with anyone for over four years before I met you, Liara. But after Therum, it didn't take me very long to realize that what was blossoming between us would be something far more serious than what I had ever experienced. With this war around us it is perhaps foolish to make promises, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I have no doubt that we will be able to make it work."
"I never had any doubts about that, Morgan," Liara smiles, as they join in a long, tender kiss, breaking it off only with extreme reluctance.
"We should get back to the ship," Morgan says, grin lingering on her lips. "Aria will stop by soon to pick up our stowaways, and I should make sure that Kaidan has settled in comfortably... and after that, perhaps we can steal a few hours for ourselves..."