Chapter 3: Isolation

-Earth, undisclosed location

It was cold. Or was it hot? The elder asari couldn't really tell. It did smell awful, though.

Humans. Disgusting.

She snorted derisively, wondering what fool notion had caused her to embark on this trip in the first place. She wasn't interested in furthering human development. In fact, she wasn't interested in humans at all, but Benezia had insisted that she attend this meeting with their ambassador. And now here she was, locked in a filthy cell, captured by a pack of the bloodthirsty bandits while en route to the Citadel, waiting for her fate.

Matriarch Terriana L'Niari was just coming into the final stage of her life, having aged to 700 only this past year. As such, the older women were starting to prep her to take a more active role in the shaping of asari society. There was even talk of making her the next Councilor. She was a good candidate, having never bonded nor had children. There would be no conflicts. She was poised and ready to take the reins, fully prepared to take her place as the figurehead of the asari nation.

Although, being ready to take the reins is what got me into this situation…

She sat there, meditating. Listening.

Silence.

It was a little too silent. She couldn't tell if she was up or down, really. It felt like she might have been in a tower, but she couldn't remember what had happened when she and her advisor, a turian accountant named Rolus, had been captured.

I should have seen to the security arrangements myself. I should have accepted those commandos Benezia offered. Why didn't I? Why was I so foolish?

She couldn't think about that now. She was here, and all she could really do was hope that the council would send someone after them. Surely the bandits had made their demands by now, and it would only be a matter of time before the ransom was paid. The humans probably wanted money. If they had wanted her dead, they would not have killed only the guards. The council or the asari government would eventually pay. She just had to keep quiet and not provoke her captors until then. As much as she would have liked to raze this building to the ground, she couldn't risk exposure. Calming herself, she listened, hoping to hear something… anything that would help her to determine her location.

Silence.

It was deathly silent, except for maybe the whisper of some far off machinery. There was nothing at all to help her gauge where she was; nothing at all to give her clues as to what surrounded her.

She knew nothing beyond the pale light emanating from the small corner lamp.

At least it gave her time to reflect on how she got into this predicament…

-Thessia, Matriarch Terriana L'Niari's offices

Matriarch Terriana looked at her turian advisor, and considered her options. She drummed her fingers on the large purewood desk she sat behind, and thought very carefully about her next move. The older women were starting to send her to diplomatic meetings more and more often, and this time she was being sent to the Citadel to barter with the humans. Rolus merely stood there quietly, waiting for her to speak, as he knew her well enough to know that she was determining just how far indebted to Matriarch Benezia she really wanted to be over this ordeal.

"Rolus, we will need a security transport, as well as passage to the Citadel. I am to meet with the ambassador in six days' time."

"So, you aren't going to accept her offer then."

"And why would I? She is merely throwing her wealth and influence around, offering me those commandos. It is disgusting. We will be fine on our own. I expect that you can handle the arrangements?"

"Yes, I will take care of everything. Is there anything else that you require?"

"No, Rolus. You may leave. I must dress and reflect."

"Of course. I will return when the arrangements have been made." He left the room and made his way through the halls to perform his task. He had been the matriarch's assistant for almost his entire adult life, and was now in his twilight years. He had pledged to serve Terriana after her mother had passed, and had remained on Thessia when he came of age. When he was but an infant, he was abandoned by his father and rescued by the elder L'Niari. He was raised on the asari home world, and served the matriarch out of appreciation for the sacrifice and risk her mother had taken to save him.

Why does Benezia insist on this meeting with the humans? Why must she be so vague? Well, I suppose when I take my place among the elders, I will have the luxury of being so vague. Then I can select a younger asari to manipulate and confuse.

She chuckled at that, and then caught herself.

Not becoming of a matriarch, Terriana. You must always be in control, especially since…

No, she wouldn't dwell on that. It had been centuries. Nobody knew, and nobody would, not until she was ready. It would be on her terms, or not at all. She adjusted the mantle and long robes she always wore, ensuring they completely covered her back, and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Do I even look old enough for this?

No, in truth she didn't. She looked like she was barely hitting her matron stage, her light blue skin and the faint circular patterns high on her cheekbones seeming out of place in a woman of her advanced years. Yet here she was, seven hundred years old, and poised to take control of the entire galaxy.

Any regrets?

Perhaps, but none that could be righted or changed now. She had made her choices, lived her life, and had come out of it all none the worse for wear. Now she needed to prepare to take the reins, and guide the asari to a better life.

That also means political jockeying with other races, including humans, Terriana.

She couldn't think about that now. This was only the first of many meetings, and she needed to focus on the task at hand. Udina wanted to move some colonies into asari space. They were small colonies, but colonies nonetheless. She didn't think that the humans were trying to take over, but she was concerned about lawlessness and the possibility of Justicar interference. With the Justicars flying about, it seemed that no human colony would be safe. After all, they were all criminals, were they not?

Udina doesn't know what he is asking, or what he is potentially subjecting his people to.

All that could be discussed at the meeting, though. She had prepared a lengthy and very boring speech regarding the history of the Justicars, and it was her hope that Udina would withdraw the request before she got halfway through it. Despite her personal distaste for humans, she didn't necessarily want to see entire colonies fall to the biotics of the asari law bringers. That would just incite the irrational creatures to war. She heard her assistant returning and left off her reflections to move to the dresser and lay out her clothes for the evening.

"Terriana, all the arrangements are made. We depart tonight."

"Thank you Rolus. Have the house girl come and pack my things. I will see you later on, after the evening meal."

"Of course." He nodded to her, and then left to seek out the house girl, Larissa.

-Earth, Undisclosed location

This isn't really Benezia's fault. I should have accepted those commandos, and I shouldn't be sparring with her over nonsense like wealth and status. It really is ridiculous how we all behave sometimes.

No, it wasn't Benezia's fault at all. It was her own fault for not taking a more active stance in hiring security, and for rejecting the spiritual leader's generous offer. It was her own fault for not trusting Benezia, and thinking her an enemy instead of the long standing ally the T'Sonis had been to the L'Niaris. She certainly regretted it now, anyway. As disorganized as human pirates usually were, these made quick work of the turian bodyguards Rolus had hired, and took both her and her assistant into custody. She didn't dare use biotics to defend herself, lest she be exposed… Well she couldn't deal with that now. She made her decision, and she had to live with it. Terriana had never learned any close quarters fighting techniques, and because of her long hours spent indoors just watching the others train, she was now a captive.

Maybe I will start carrying a pistol. How long have I been here? Hours? Days?

Yes, it had almost assuredly been days since she had been isolated in this room. She didn't know where Rolus was, but suspected he was nearby. They had both been taken together. They had recognized he wasn't a guard immediately, and she could only assume that they thought he was another dignitary she was traveling with.

Well, Rolus has always been a snappy dresser.

Her captors didn't come in often, but when they did she could sense the derision. Their hatred of her was almost tangible. But, she didn't like them any more than they liked her. That was perfectly ok with Matriarch Terriana.

They only visited to send a video feed to the council to show them the matriarch still lived and to feed her. She knew that wouldn't last much longer, though. She could sense them starting to get… restless. The council had better do something and soon, or Terriana was going to have to do something she really, really didn't want to do.

But that was still at least a little ways off. For now, she would meditate, and attempt to identify her location.

Breathe.

Silence.

Breathe.

She heard a whisper.

Relax.

The whisper got louder.

Breathe. Think. Feel.

Louder still.

Let go. Hear the universe.

The whisper became a hum.

Heed the call. Feel the air.

The hum became a drone.

Where am I?

The drone became insistent.

Embrace Eternity.

And the world dropped out from beneath her.